Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Les Kermesses 2011


Or End-of-the-School-Year-Parties...

They're usually before the last, last day of school.
They're a way to raise money for the school.
The kids usually have some sort of dance/song (very likely with coordinating costumes) prepared to show the parents.
It's a social event for the parents usually taking up an entire evening or even a Saturday afternoon, with food and drink (champagne and wine, anyone?) and fun.

Zachary's and Lily's kermesse(s) were both last week. Zachary's event didn't follow all these school-party rules, but that's probably because his little "school" is basically glorified babysitting (his "classmates" are 6 months to three years old). But for the event, Zachary's school yard was turned into a little petting zoo, with small farm animals brought in for the kids to touch and feed. Goats, chickens, pigs, and bunnies- the little kids loved it.




Lily's event took place on Friday night. There were games set up for the kids to play (the fund raiser part) and then everyone settled in to watch each class perform their song and dance on stage.
As I watched Lily on stage, I had tears in my eyes (every Mom does, right). She was so full of confidence (where does she get that?), so elated to be in front of an audience, dancing her little heart out. Her class dressed up like cave-men, and for the ages of the kids, (3-5 year olds), it was an impressive effort.

After all the classes had performed, most families stayed around for the bbq dinner and social hour.
We brought our American grill and Phil volunteered to help cook the 400 sausages. Of course everyone was amazed at the size of the grill...to us (americans) it's nothing big at all...but you would have thought Phil was Bobby Flay the way they went on and about it. I think he like the attention. Oh, and did you know the drink of choice for men bbq-ing in France is pink champagne??? I had to take a picture of Phil "drinking with the boys". "When in Rome," he told me, shaking his head.
I kept having "Look How Far We've Come" moments during Lily's party. I distinctly remember going to Lily's kermesse at her old school last year---I went alone with the kids, no one talked to us, and I barely made it to the car before I burst into tears. Oh what a difference a year makes, and maybe a new school too. This year, we were right in the middle of the action, Phil chumming it up with the PTA moms as he bbq-ed, Lily running around all night long with her big group of friends, and me, totally relaxed, talking to other Moms about summer plans. We left late this year, (soooo many people to talk to), and my heart was happy and full, appreciating to the deepest levels feeling a sense of belonging. (That's right, Lily's in kindergarten, but my social skills and needs are still at a high school level :)

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Where have I been?


Well, it's lots of things really...

1. I talked to a friend and got scared about having too much of my life on the internet...but really, it's sorta late now to do anything about it.

2. I'm struggling with extreme fatigue and a "I want to do nothing at all" attitude. It's my thyroid stuff. I'm sure there is a problem with the dosage of my medicine. Nearly every afternoon I CRASH and COLLAPSE on my couch for a nap. And it's a lot easier to sleep than to get up the nerve to call a doctor in French and then have an appointment in French and then be talked to like I'm an idiot (which is pretty much how most French doctors talk to people). My contribution to getting better is putting myself on a gluten-free diet (some people think there is a link between an allergy/intolerance and thyroid conditions). It's pretty miserable not being able to eat the best bread in the world.

3. We've been busy. Phil came home early from Libya (fantastic) because Lily had surgery to remove her adenoids and tonsils, and put tubes in her ears.
Just before that, my sisters came for a week long visit--it can probably be said that I've never smiled more in France than I did during those eight days. Pure sister-bliss--lunches at restaurants, walks along the beach, and furniture purchases (A TABLE!!!)...oh yeah, and a getaway to Paris for three days.
Before they came, I had three different groups of friends come and visit--April was B&B month at the Hoblets. All of this is good, happy stuff.


4. It continues to be busy. Now that it's summer time, and the cigales are singing all day long, and the French have come out of their winter hibernation pattern, we are invited to, and hosting BBQ's every weekend. Our social calendar is full. Last weekend was a three day weekend and we had lunch and dinner engagements for all three days in row. It was incredible. And fun.

5. Which brings me to this...I'm so happy here. We have friends, our kids have friends. We have come to understand the lifestyle, we aren't fighting it anymore. And it's fabulous. This is the most beautiful place I've ever lived. It's the most agreeable climate I can imagine. Right now, I'm sitting inside with all the doors and windows open enjoying the breeze coming through the house...no bugs (very, very few bugs), no humidity, and eighty-five degrees, but just if you're in the sun, which is ALWAYS shining.
So there you go. I haven't been writing as much because I'm worrying about weirdos looking at our lives online, or I'm sleeping...when I'm not doing either of those two things we're out having a lunch at our friends house...and when we're not doing that, I'm soaking it all in, falling more and more in love with the life here in southern France. How's that for an update---Sarah is happy! But I will try and write more often.