The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in it's net forever

As I sat at the beach yesterday it occurred to me how many people are reading the inner workings of my twisted mind...(see what I did there?? A quote from 10 things I hate about you...) Anyway, its weird to think more people read this than the 10 people that I thought might. Of course these are not my inner most thoughts as I'd still like to keep some stuff for myself but, I am pretty open and honest for the most part. That being said, I hope I can entertain or teach or bring a smile to the faces of the people reading. My last post was boring, I'm aware, and I apologize. Things have been slow going.

This week I'm in Vendée, France. I know I talk about food and drink all the time but it really is amazing. And there is such a focus on it here. Their meals are about spending time together and talking and laughing and just enjoy good food/drink in good company. Of course I've had great food so far on this trip including beef bourgingon yesterday and this amazing amazing apple dessert. I will get both recipes for these and post them on my blog at some point. It smelled like Thanksgiving in the house yesterday and it was cold out and a perfect combination. Of course we have had great red wines and this champagne drink last night with a berry syrup. Sort of like a Bellini really, which is one of my favorites.

OMG I HAVE MY COMPUTER!!! I am so excited. I have always had the computer but I didn't have the charger. But. Now I do and I am typing the rest of this post from my computer and I am so so happy. 

My vacation finished uneventfully. We continued to eat and drink and tons of family came over. I went to a Chinese buffet with my “mom and dad” which was fun. It was just the three of us so we could talk and relax and just eat dinner. It is always interesting to speak with them because we all have such differing views and its quite refreshing to have in depth conversations about interesting topics and both of them have had quite amazing experiences in life thus far. The buffet had French bread, which made me laugh. It was not the best Chinese food I have ever eaten but it was not really the worst. Everything here tastes different, and I mean everything. Even oreos, which have writing in English on them, they taste different. Food still might be what I miss most about home… the pictures below are from the beach which is where we spent a lot of time. The houses in this region are much different from where I live. They are all plainly colored and do not have the foliage growing on the outside of them. The area near the beach is actually quite like home; tons of restaurants on the beach, and a sort of touristy feel. I collected some rocks and a ton of green sea glass. It was a nice time. We also went to a park with some animals. The park we went to had some really neat things for kids. There was a small zip line and this giant triangle of ropes, but the ropes were sort of bungee. I am not sure how to describe that. Oh yea! One night we had a dinner called…I forget…haha but we just had really heavy aperitif. We had some really, really good food. We had some puff pastry that had blue cheese and crème fresh. We also had the usual, sausage, chips, olives, we also had this bread called gougère. It is like this cheese bread that is really light and fluffy and so so good. I will post that recipe once I get it from my “mom”. We also drank a lot, of course. Besides just the Bellini type beverage they mix grapefruit syrup with rosé. So, so good. I also had some French beer called 1667 I think. Im going to have to bring some of all this home whenever I make it back there. Then I can have a party and we can all drink and eat all the food I learned to make!!!

This week I am working full time, ten hours a day. Yesterday I took the kids to the movies, and today we made rice crispy treats…sort of…and I will take them to McDonalds for lunch and to play. Its quite cold outside, I think only like 47 degrees and its noon…I think this is how winter is here. But its so strange because yesterday it was hot and tomorrow it is supposed to be 72! Whaattt is this?! I also get my first experience at the doctor tomorrow. I hurt my knee extremely bad and I haven’t even been running in over a week, which is literally killing me. My parents here are making me go…although I’d rather just wait it out. Ha!

There are several things I wanted to describe or talk about that I have thought about. One, the smell of olive is used a lot. One of my favorite soaps since getting here is an olive flavored soap. It doesn’t actually smell like olives from a jar or anything but so many different things are olive flavored…or…smell. Whatever. I am going to do some research on this and figure out why. Second, shutters. Everyone in France has shutters and they close them every night. They are on the windows and the doors. It is really interesting. Even in the other places where I have been…shutters.

I was finally able to get creative again! Below is a picture of a scarf I made last night and I also bought some other things. Since I am working full time this week I bought some stuff to make crafts for the kids. I’ll include links to those in case anyone reading this has kids. I have created monsters however, because these two children are no obsessed with Taylor Swifts “Shake it off” video and grilled cheese. This makes me laugh so much. Like they could watch that video over and over again and the older kid asks for a grilled cheese…everyday.

Nothing else much is going on. I am thinking of going to London in November, either for Thanksgiving or when the family goes out of town for a weekend. I am going to Paris this Sunday, and I have to babysit Saturday. Things are good and still just going. One of my best friends is planning a trip for February which I am so so excited about. And I found out in May there are 3, three day weekends which I get off. It is pretty close to before I leave so I am going to plan some trips. Three day weekends make it so much easier because I can leave Friday and come back Sunday. Enjoy the few pictures and hopefully I will have some good pictures from Sunday to post. 

Paper Plate Kid Crafts

Salt Dough Footprint

TSwift-Shake it off

Title quote: Jacques Cousteau-a pin from pinterest

Not until we are lost, do we begin to find ourselves.

I've been reading a lot lately because I'm avoiding studying French and I have the time. Time. Something I haven't had for myself in a really long while. Anyway, I was reading today and surfing came up. It brough back so many memories. It reminded me of the last time I wrote a post and talked about how music can take you back to a memory and bring it back like you're living it right now. Well reading about surfing did the same thing. I dated a guy in highschool and that was his love, surfing. He taught me to surf and looking back now I'm so thankful he liked to skip school and go surfing because he was able to pass that on to me. It wasn't just him though. My best friend in high school was super into surfing as well. Reading this brought back so many memories of being with them in the water. It was never something I did on my own. I don't love the beach, I love being in the ocean or on a boat. I love wake boarding and fishing. But all the memories that flooded back to me with those two people brought the biggest smile to my face. I am so greatful that I can look back on that now and be so happy about those memories. To be so happy that these two people were able to share their passion with me. It makes me want to do something about it when I get home. I want to surf more. Granted, south Florida is shit for waves, but maybe if I get another job offer in California I can start new adventures there and create more memories that have to do with surfing. I probably should add some arm work outs to my lovely fitness regimen. Allison and Mike...if either of you ever read this...thank you. Thank you for giving me those memories that mad emy day brighter and thank you for sharing your passion with me. I sometimes think we let bad memories outweigh the good or we focus on the most recent past and not things that happened years and years ago. I think maybe there are things in the past that we are forgetting and that we take for granted.

Now that that's over...my hair. My hair is getting too long. I know this because when i start to look like I'm 15 instead of 20-something shits going down hill quickly. I don't want super short hair but I've gotten to a point where cutting it off seems like a waste. I can donate my hair. It's literally something so easy that can help others. It's just hair. I'm lucky to have it. But goodness. Washing long hair...ugh...styling long hair...blech...just awful. I had intended to not cut my hair until I get back from France, and that's still the plan but I'm going crazzzyyyy.

The "day care effect" has struck again. After spending time being coughed, sneezed and snotted on, I'm getting sick again. Both the kids have been sick all week and have had fevers. I hate being sick. I especialy hate being sick when I have no one to take care of me. Sadly, I don't have what I like to call "mom magic" (cause...I'm not a mom...) which would allow me to be around sick tots and avoid falling ill. Trying to take care of kids while sick is 10 times more exhausting. I don't know how people do it, it is really quite impressive. We will see how this plays out. I have plans this weekend I have no intention of breaking...wish me luck my friends.

I started to realize today the things I will miss this year and it's pretty sad. Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. Not surprisingly, the people of France do not celebrate the pilgrims and Indians settling and all that in America...since it's France. I love so many things about Thanksgiving, but I won't get any of that this year. I also love Christmas. I don't love it because I get gifts; I like it because I'm really good at giving gifts and I love seeing people open what I give them. I won't get that either. Well, not really. I'm sure while my mom and I are in a hotel in Paris we will Skype with my family, but still. I also really really love wrapping gifts. So far I have ordered several things but had them mailed home, because obviously that makes more sense. I won't get to wrap any of those things. New Years will be interesting since I've spent New Years the past several years with some variation of the same people...that won't happen. I am, however, excited about the possability of starting a new year in a new country. I know I should only look at the positives and that I am so lucky to be where I am, but I'm still sad. C'est la vie.

I am currently sitting at the train station after just becoming a resident of France and legal to stay here more than 3 months. That was a fun experience. Being questioned about having spent anytime in Africa by a very interesting doctor and spending 15 minutes topless getting xrays and being weighed and measured all while topless. Fyi it's cold in France and I don't necessarily make it a habit to flash my girls all over these days. But I am now allowed to stay and it should be interesting. I was also given an entire speech in French that I barely understood because the woman spoke so so quickly!!! Well after this train ride it's full time work for two days and then vacation!!! Going to the beach for 5 days is quite exciting. I'll be sure to write about that entire experience. Oh! One good thing that happened at this interesting topless meeting was that I made another friend! She was in the French class I got kicked out of. So yay! More friends!!

This short and semi sad/depressing post is going to be it for now. Nothing exciting has been happening and I have had no great adventures. I am leaving tomorrow for the west coast, as I call it, the Atlantic coast as is called by the French. I will be staying in a city called Vendée for like five days. The city is near the beach!!! So I will see a beach for the first time since I left home. That's of course because I live on the water at home now...Which I miss so so much. Anyway. I am sure I will have plenty to write about after and I'll make sure to post something. I don't really have any pictures to accompany this either but it do have a cool post I found and also a hilarious blog someone sent me. Actually, I'll include some pictures of my dogs that my family recently sent me. I love my family and friends but I miss my dogs most... Enjoy this post, and expect one from me next Sunday or Monday after my trip! Oh yea! And my mom is coming for Christmas! I will be booking our hotel in Paris for Christmas eve and Christmas day very soon!!!! Crossing my fingers for my first ever white Christmas in one of the most beautiful cities ever...later!!

Great article about traveling- http://news.distractify.com/alex-scola/go-it-alone/?v=1

A very funny blog!-http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.fr/2010/07/dog.html?m=1 

*sorry I cant get links to work and im about to leave. Copy and paste the site addresses!

Title quote: my friend Jackie

Life is one fight you can't win until you learn how to bend

I made a list this past week of things I could talk about knowing full well I was traveling to Culan, France this weekend. Now that I sit here in my room in Culan, partially intoxicated, I realize how lucky I am to be able to experience such amazing food and drink. Sounds stupid but let me give you a run down...

Today I have had two glasses of white wine, two glasses of champagne, four glasses of red wine and three glasses of hot tea. This all started when at lunch when a lovely Frenchmen asked me what I wanted to drink. I replied water and he literally stared at me and said no. Then after a beat he said wine. Haha. It was ridiculous and awesome at once. French meals are long sometimes and today's lunch and dinner were no exception. Usually they work like this...

Aperitif
Entree
Salad
Cheese
Dessert

This happened at lunch and dinner today and I'm ready to pass the hell out! I had duck pâté for the first time ever. I have to say it was kind of amazing. Duck in any form was normally something reserved for special occasions at home, birthdays, graduations, you catch my drift. I have eaten so much duck here and I DO NOT hate it. Not one bit. We had salad with goat cheese and salad at gruyere cheese. Tonight we had a cherry dessert with rum which was fantastic. Dinner was a soup from southwest France that poor people eat...? It had cabbage and potatoes and duck. It was kind of like comfort food. It was delicious. I am kinda shitting my pants, however, because I was informed at dinner we are having rabbit tomorrow. There are some meats that scare the shit out of me...rabbit being one of them and goat being another. I knew this day would come...for many reasons I can discuss later...but...I'm so so nervous!!! Please don't be worried though, I will give a review on rabbit before I finish this post.

The country is beautiful. We drove through hills and hills of vineyards in a region apparently known for white wine. The pictures below are from the place I stayed, which is amazing and old and beautiful as well as a chateau in the town and even some people bungie jumping from a bridge!!! (I thought this only happened in movies...false) Where we stayed had sheep and tons of apple trees. They make their own apple juice, which I had, and it was fantastic. A lot of the ingrediants from thr meals were all grown locally. They also built a homemade(?) Airboat which we rode around what I considered to be a large pond...but everyone else called it a lake. See thenpics below. 

On to my list of other things to discuss since I have not written in a while. Driving in France. I was so excited to not drive for a year...as you all know that is not my luck. Well France has roundabouts EVERYWHERE but they aren't the kind in America. They are like 5 lanes!!!!! It is absolutely insane and I have no effing idea how to navigate them. I am pretty sure I almost got hit at least 3 times last week!!! Not only do these hellish circular nightmares exist but the right of ways are all opposite. For example, if you're driving on a semi main road and someone is turning off a side street you had the right of way and get to keep on keepin on. In France it's the opposite!!!! The side streets have the right of way. I'm sorry but what in the hell is that?!! It doesn't even make sense!!!

Another gripe I am beginning to have with this amazing country is their currancy. They have too many coins. 1 and 2 euros are in change form. So unless your totally comes out in perfect 5s you get 100 coins back instead of bills. My wallet is huge, and not from any sort of bank roll but because of all my 1 and 2 Euro coins...whhyyy Euro designers whhyyy.

I have been working out like a crazy person. I run a 5k or so every few days, with the hopes of upping this real soon. The frequency anyway. I am also murdering my previous times. I don't know how this happened, but I have to say I'm impressed by my fat ass. Not all that long ago I was running 15 minute miles and could only run a mile till I had to stop. It has been grotesquely rainy lately so on those days I have been doing yoga. What a nightmare and what an exercise NOT designed for fat kids who love food...ie me. I found this one YouTube girl who I'm kind of digging. You can check her stuff here (Yoga For Beginners - 40 Minute Home Yoga Workout: http://youtu.be/OQ6NfFIr2jw) I definitely reccomend her. I owe a lot of my current abilities to my cousin. I've never ran with someone who was more supportive or a better teacher. God knows we hope shes a good teacher simce that's what she does...but I'd vouche for her. I told her the other day that my results were just as much her hard work as mine. She was so helpful in the technical side of running and although she made me puke several times she made sure she had high expectations without judging me or being too pushy. I am so thankful to her.

I sometimes have a lot of free time on my hands and I miss being creative. I miss having the time and opportunity, which I do now, but my location is hampering that a bit. I ordered some things from home and I know of a craft store here so I'm going to try to fix this problem sometime this week. I need to make something or occupy my time. Pinterest is killing mr because I find all these great things and I can't really make anything because one, I don't have the materials and two I don't have unlimited space to bring things back home...if and when I get there...

We are currently driving home from Culan as I write this. Today's lunch beverage selection included two glasses of champagne and three glasses of red wine. I'm going to have to up my distance for running just to negate all the drinking. And the pastries....we had amazing pastries today after lunch. I wish I could have taken a picture but I refrained as to not look like a total asshole. Today's lunch was rabbit. Rabbit in a mustard and cream sauce. I hate so much to admit this but it was amazing. It's funny because in high school I got a pet rabbit and named is "sarigue" which is a French word meaning possom. The strange connection here, if you will, is not lost on me. Who knew all these years later I would be eating rabbit for the first time in France...Anyway. Today was good..the drive home as been okay. I'm ready to get the hell out of this car and into my own room and my own bed. I have to sneak in a 1.5 mile run tonight because I promised to train with my friend...

I have to take a second to thank my mom and my Stephanie. They both sent packages this week and I appreciate it so much. Now, please take note this is not me asking for packages. For whatever reason it costs a million dollars to send stuff here. I would take letters though. I need all the encouragement I can get. Some days are great and some nearly perfect, however, some make me sad and overwhelmed. I have some letters here which I brought from home but I'm trying to ration them. Haha. But again thank you mom and Steph and just thank you everyone for the all the support.

I also wanted to attach to videos of songs I've found recently...although they aren't actually new. Music can change the world...I believe that so much. Music has gotten me through some hard times, some great times. Music is always connected to memories. Like if I hear a song and it can spark a memory of a time I heard that song. I can remember vividly what I was doing, I can feel the how the weather was, I can remember exactly where I was, what I was thinking. Music is a powerful beast. But I digress...here are two songs I'm currently in love with. Please listen and give them a chance...

Corey Smith-Bend

Corey Smith-Love Says it All

Currently things are good. The food is great. I'm trying to stay healthy. In the coming weeks I am working full time and we have a holiday. This week I'm meeting a friend...YES I MET A FRIEND!!!! And we are having lunch Tuesday and heading to Paris on Saturday. I really would love to fit in some football, the American kind, college style, on Saturday if I can...we shall see. Enjoy the pics from me weekend, of my care packages and listen to the songs. I'll write again as soon as some great things happen. Until next time bitches!

Quote: Corey Smith -Bend