LE PLANAY

Yesterday was a down day for me.  My friend, Heather, who has just moved to NY State from SA via six years in the UK has had a down week and I think I caught her bug.  It's so great to have someone to skype who is going through the exact same thing as you.  Moving is a hell of a thing.  One minute you're admiring the beauty of your surroundings and wondering why you didn't make the move years ago and the next you are grief stricken at leaving everyone behind and missing your nearest and dearest so much you can barely breathe.  I was having one of those days so Manu piled us in the car and we went for a drive.  Just a simple drive to explore a new area and it really does lift your spirits.  I think we are our own worst enemy sometimes when we wallow in our own self pity instead of stepping forward.  It's all a learning curve though isn't it.

So we landed up at Le Planay a little village stuck on the end of Megeve.  It was beautiful, fresh, undisturbed snow, crisp air and plently of space for the kids to play.

Wood for the winter

One of about 4 houses in Le Planay

Kick dad

Roll dad

Refreshments

Where did the paper plane go?

Mad Dad

O LOVELY SAUMUR

                                                                                      Saumur

Manu's been working all day and so I got on with things with the kids and that meant tackling homework.  A first for me but I was surprised at how I managed it with a bit of guidance from Samuel of course, can't help but think it should be the other way around.

It was a glorious day +13C.   Really makes a difference from -9C last week and you don't even need a scarf or hat.  Everyone was out walking.  I fell yesterday on the ice and skinned my knee so I was extra careful, it's not easy when everything starts to melt.  Not something you think of when you see the lovely snowy pictures.

Running through the woods

Going down....

I have discovered Saumur, a sparkling wine - because it doesn't come from Champagne you can't call it that, but very similar, delicious at a cool 4.52euros (R 44) it's cheaper than a decent bottle of wine.  Mmmmm it's just lovely and just what the doctor ordered. 

Dinner

Thank heavens for sprinkles which is great for bribing children to eat all their lunch or no ice cream and SPRINKLES.  We don't get them here so Mom brought a large supply which is starting to dwindle a little.  Benjamin has so many you can hardly see the ice cream.  Since he started school again after the holidays he has been easier to handle but today was a repeat of Christmas.  He is so determined and so stubborn it takes every inch of me not to lash out and just finish him off so to speak.  Nothing seems to work.  So tonight he's off to bed early - easy when he can't tell the time.  O the joys. 

Would you like some ice cream with your sprinkles

Mmmmmm Ice cream

Samuel has his last appointment with the educational physcologist tomorrow, at great expense to ourselves, just to proove to his teacher he is quiet normal, which we are assured he is.  It's the same ol same ol, you get good teachers and you get **** teachers.  When they're bad they're really bad but you can't spend your life changing schools really now can you.  Now I realise what my folks must have gone through with us when we were at school, it's heart renching and you just can't be there all the time.

Well I went to the library, got myself a card and borrowed 6 DVD's.  They have a whole lot of American series with all the seasons, so I really can catch up.  Hence the need to put the kids to bed early.  Mmmm pity I don't have two bottles of Saumur, or maybe just aswell.

ALL THINGS FRENCH

So I thought I'd write about the good french things as my blog has been somewhat negative over the past week. 

CAMEMBERT has a smell to make you turn your entire fridge out and check what the problem is but boy is it good.  My latest find is Les Rustique which I love, a lot stronger than most. I think I bought it because it was wrapped in gingham red and looked more French bistro type.   Morbier another of my favourites is even smellier, made with raw milk and has a thin layer of blue running through the middle.  Then there is Tomme, not my favourite although Benjamin and Manu love it.  This is typically made here in the alps and is a hard cheese with a mild flavour.

Morbier as made by a friend of the Guillet's - they have a dairy farm - it was a good lunch as you can see.

LADYBUGS LADYBUGS.....I got these for the boys for Christmas and they actually come from Switzerland not France but the packaging is just the best.  Filled with little ladybirds that are delicious to boot.

FRUIT Compotes are another of my favourite, they are packaged like yoghurts so it doesn't look like babyfood which is literally is.  Just a bunch of fruit pureed, very yummy though.

LONG LIFE milk and cream here just doesn't taste long life, even my folks were fooled.  The other thing is the sugar which comes in these cool containers easy to use and even have a cool measure on the side.

CHOCOLATE BREAD AND BUTTER PUD, yum, Benjamin and I made this today with a whole bunch of Chocolate Croissants I had stashed in the freezer.  Posted recipe on the pages side.

Before cooking it - it was delicious

MUSTARD ........ here in France is delicious and the one I buy comes in these cute glasses which get washed afterwards and used for the kids, they always have smurfs, toy story or various other pics for kids on and of course it all depends on which child comes shopping with me.

PULL YOURSELF TOWARD YOURSELF

My motto for the week.  Ok so there's no tv is that so bad.  I didn't miss it today I was busy cleaning, pottering around and fetching kids.  Manu's been at work since 8am and it's now after 8pm so it feels like we have the restaurant again, only it's not all the time so that's fine.  He's also cut himself whilst cleaning a knife so not only will I have to stay up late to mend the wounded but deal with his bad mood over cutting himself. He hates that.

I fetched Benjamin from the Piste after his last day of Cross Country Skiing and we went for a little walk around the back of the village for a change.  It was lovely.  It's been cold here but today rose to a massive 7C so it was rather pleasant.

The little South African in France

This is Ben's favourite garden complete with it's own ski lift

Frozen river

I helped my friend Stephanie clean a chalet in the morning and this is the veiw from the top

Our Church - no never been, don't understand the man in French I'm afraid.

Going to have a delicious glass of wine now as I've been off the stuff for 12 days due to medication.  Cheers.

SUCKS

One of the most frustrating things about living in a foreign country is the phone.  I know a number of foreigners here and all agree they hate talking on the phone which is a first for me.  It seems that your accent - English in my case - is unrecognisable to the person on the other side and they cannot or will not understand you but if you talk to them face to face no problem.  The bad thing about this is having to ask your husband to do all the phoning.  What a hassle.  He hates talking on the phone period, so I have no chance.  You beg and beg and beg.  Drives me nuts.

So no satelite tv, turns out we are to far under the roof for signal.  SUCKS.  I rarely use that word but today really sucks.  Aggghhh fabulous sitting alone at night with sweet bugger all on tv to watch, 4 channels all in fabulous french.  I could move home right now.

IT'S SO COLD

Going to bed early because I am cold.  Manu has been working today so I have had a fire going since this morning.  When he's home, the windows are open airing out the rooms.  It was -9C till 11am when it soared to a massive -3C and then at 16h30 on fetching Samuel dropped to a cool -5C.  These temperatures with a slight wind to boot cut through you like a knife and despite the glorious sunshine just make me miserable.  Bring on the 25th. 

Yip I'm heading home for two weeks of beach and sun.  I can't wait.  Actually I can't wait to go shopping either.  No shops here and I'm getting withdrawal symptoms. 

Well Asterix and Obelix is going in the background as Manu is now home and has taken over the TV.  Well I s’pose it’s only fair, I’ve been watching Sex in the City and that is of no interest to him.  A French friend lent me season 1 through 4, and it’s taken me three months to get through them.  Nearly at the end – Sob.  One more day till we get Canalsat then the fights start over the remote.  Yay.

Is there any contest seriously?

ahhhhhhhh beats Asterix and Obelix EVERYTIME!!!!!! I give you BIG! hummmmmmm.

BEN'S TURN

Benjamin's turn to do Ski de Fond.  His class hit the slopes yesteday and they were so cure flopping and falling all over the place.