Market day, Rest day

Saturday morning while Miette was at school Julian and I finally made it to the central market which takes place Wednesdays and Saturdays. I really would have gone sooner but since the market days coincide with when the kid(s) are off school, it just always seemed like to much hassle. But I've been missing out! It is so beautiful and exemplifies the idyllic small town french lifestyle! There are heaps of gorgeous vegetables, fruits, nuts, and cheese from the region, butchers in the inner covered marketplace displaying animals with heads on and claws intact. There was a cow head in a glass case with parsley inserted in its nostrils. Roosters with feathered heads adorning plucked skin, whole skinned rabbits with visible eyeballs. Miilions of shelled creatures from the sea. Needless to say, I stuck to the veggies and cheese. I finally got my bright little strawberries, some fresh goat cheese, sheep cheese, and real parmesean. It was nice to think back to being in Paris and feeling so nervous when I would be at the market and not always know how to say exactly what or how much I wanted and now I can confidently ask whether it's okay to tear some celery or do you have to buy the whole thing? In other words, it feels good to be here speaking french without worries.

Later that day we were invited to the home of one of the teachers I'm working with for the "gouter" (snack time). When I looked up her address on my map it seemed to be a reasonable walking distance away so I pushed Jules in the stroller and Miette on her bike. Well, we ended up overshooting our mark, turning on the wrong street getting quite turned around and accidentally discovered a huge community garden area. But with the help of a passerby and some more map examining we finally made it to her house at least a half-hour late. But it was great, she has a ten year old daughter who played with Miette and they had a pet bunny in their backyard and we all got along really well. She just moved to La Rochelle this summer so is in a similar place as me, just getting settled in and looking for new people.

This morning we stayed home for a long time and just took it easy. Ryan just sent us all the legos that were still in Chicago and the kids are in heaven (aside from the squables about who found which piece first!). So while they played I cooked a pot of soup, caught up on New Yorkers (that Ryan also sent) and drank lots of tea. Eventually we made our way to the park where we run into everyone on Sundays, saw kids from Mimi and Jules' schools and chatted with a mom. It felt like a true traditional Sabbath sort of rest day. Slow, cozy, quiet and peaceful. And ended with bowls of lentil soup garnished with parmesean from the market and baguette from the bakery. So good night tranquil Sunday!