Jurancon

Bonjour, mes amis!

Today was a much better day than hier (yesterday).  My French skills are improving rapidly and I'm feeling a bit better.  Also, I had fun today, rather than feeling jet-lagged and overwhelmed.  That being said, I left the house before 8h00am and didn't get back until after 20h00 (ten o'clock pm).  Je suis tres fatiguee.

Have I mentioned that the local (and very good) wine here is about 2 euros a bottle?  The white is called Jurancon, and is quite good.  Hence the title of the post.  

After spending the afternoon avec mes amis in a cafe, cafe au lait in hand (I felt so French), we had our first cooking class of the month.   It is wonderful to be able to practice French with friends over the preparation and eating of a meal.  However, it was slightly disappointing (maybe not the right word?) in that I realized just how spoiled I am.  Ma mere is a great cook, and we always have food straight from the farm or the farmer's market, often prepared with a French method.  It's not really new to have home-cooked food or to whip our own cream.  I also know how to slice an onion...

Alors, we had canteloupe with a French version of prosciutto (Melon et chiffonade de jambon de Bayonne) for our entree (first course en francais, not the main course, as en etas-unis).  There are thirteen of us in the class, so it's more of a bonding/eating/drinking/laughing at ourselves time than an actual lesson in how to cook.  However, the best part is that we get to take leftovers home!  That will be nice for adventures this weekend.  I got to take a LOT of pate home, and a half of a bottle of Jurancon (pronounced with a soft 'c').  I also have the rest of le jambon, and brought some strawberries for Titouan (the four year old).  In his words, "J'ai un passion pour les fraises" (I have a passion for strawberries).  

We had Poulet Basquese avec Rize Basmati (Chicken of the Basque region with basmati rice) for le principal (the main course), with pate Basque and baguette.  Red wine with our meal, and white wine with our Fraises a la creme chantilly (Strawberries with whipped cream).  It was a great time.  I'm going to try and figure out how to post the pictures I took today.  We all cleaned the kitchen together, and then headed home.  It was a big day. 

After classes and lunch today, we had a reception for des etudiants de l'universite (some students from the university).  It's a chance for us to get to know some French students.  We served food and beverages--differenty types of juices, fruit, chocolate, and some really good gummy candy (Alex, I thought of you...it was sour but not too sour.  I'll bring you some if I can find them at Le Clerc).  Great news!!  At the reception, we met the new teaching assistant at Mount Union for the fall.  She's really nice and she is willing to speak French with me to increase/maintain my French skills.  We've decided to help each other with our written projects, too.  Mine in French, hers in English.  She's really funny and very French.  C'est bon.

Tomorrow, we leave for Toulouse.  Because of the Grand Prix car race, I won't be able to get back to my house until Monday after class (unless I want to pay a small fortune in taxi fees).  So I won't be reporting any adventures until then.  Here's to hoping my French skills didn't fail me tonight in booking a hotel for Saturday night, and that we (my friend from Mount and I) will be able to shower at least once between tomorrow night and Monday night.  We're staying with our friends who live in the dorms at university on Friday and Sunday nights.  Maybe a hot shower?  

One unfortunate thing: Paulin, le bebe, likes to steal things out of my cupboard in the bathroom.  I now have no toothpast.  C'est triste (it's sad).  

I'm off to bed.  I've taken to wearing socks on my hands for gloves.  Pascal gave me an extra blanket tonight, though, so I hope I will be warmer. 

Bisou,

Marguerite.