Weekend over already?

It kind of feels like I just blogged because today I basically did nothing but eat, read, go for a walk, go to church, eat, read, go for a walk, come back to Tours, eat, and watch TV and blog and load pictures.

=)

Well, I woke up and showered quick--I was in the middle of the waking up shifts--the 4 oldest had woken up early because Stéph and Anne-So had to come back early because I think Anne-So had to take a test (yeah, they're brutal) and then Hervé and Isabelle had gone for a run. The two youngest were still asleep.

So I had a lovely breakfast--I'm still not tired of bread with honey, yogurt with cereal. It's perfect. And this morning I had a little bit of cookie with milk (yes I drank some milk). I think I read then for a bit until Sophie and Claire came down and then I watched them eat breakfast. When Hervé and Isabelle got back, Isabelle started whipping up lunch (to be eaten after mass) but described to me routes I could take to go for a walk. So I went for a BEAUTIFUL walk with dark clouds on the one side but plenty of sunshine on the other. It was brisk and hilly and only had like 3 cars but plenty of birds and quaint little houses--like the French version of Amish country where everything's a little more squished together but just as hilly. ...OK maybe not QUITE as hilly...as hilly on foot as Amish country is in a car. :)

Then I got back just in time to go to mass up at the monks' place, which was cool. It made it a little less mysterious that I could usually (always?) place where the Scripture was coming from even if I didn't catch the French name of the book. (Isaiah tricks me every time). And the music WAS BEAUTIFUL! Guitar, violin, flute, and really good singers. It was cool to see so many young people there. The monk who gave the homily talked nice and slowly so that was nice. :) The incense was a little much at times and I knew I would be lost with sitting down and standing up...But I knew in advance and it really wasn't that bad. I mean come on, if you're sitting down and everyone starts moving they're PROBABLY standing up! I'm basically living in a state of "lost" so it didn't bother me.

Then when we got back we ate right away--meat with couscous, vegetables (carrots, potatoes, who knows what else but it was nice and colorful). Salad was endives and pears with spices--I didn't see the composition of the dressing so I'm not really sure. It wasn't mustard. =)P Dessert was the leftovers from last night. :)

Then I sat in the living room and read. I finished Little Women--again because it was just the perfect time and place. That book can seriously make me want to laugh and cry within pages. I just love it so much. And now I won't be tempted to read it every night when I need to be sleeping. =)P I was like, "I know I need to be reading French..." But I had been trying to read Sunday's Child (l'enfant de dimanche) while Isabelle and Claire disagreed about what hw she needed to be doing and my brain was tired. Little Women was lovely.

Just as I was finishing it, Isabelle asked if I wanted a hot chocolate: YES PLEASE. It was so good. Especially followed by nutella bread. MM. And then Sophie ran while Claire and I walked behind her and we walked for a good while so I don't feel guilty about anything I ate today. It was fun to just talk and talk to Claire. I feel like I gelled into the family a little better this weekend--like I can see myself singing around the house more and trying to say things more frequently and while I was reading Little Women I laid on my stomach on the couch facing the fire just like I wanted to even though I'm pretty sure I looked pretty funny. =)P

Where was I ...yes so we walked until it was just about dark and then packed up and came home. Dinner was pasta (it is Sunday, you know)--lasagna noodles cooked, with grated cheese, a jar of tomato sauce Claire pulled out of the cupboard and some ketchup Hervé pulled out of the fridge. Tasty and quick! Salad was the standard one that I'm actually really fond of, fromage (I had brie again) and dessert was fruit--two clementines for me. :) Well, and then I'm just now finishing my Mars bar that I had stashed (squirreled) away from last weekend. =D

Right now, I posted my pictures and I have the TV on but I'm really blogging and skyping. =) Maybe I'll go to bed early! Or maybe I'll skype with my family. y'know. =)

I enjoyed muchly my blog posts and emails! thanks! It would be weird to go away for three years with just letters (and then come back married =P ) like Amy! Even to go away like Jo (in the country) for a season with just letters. I think I could handle it most of the time but it would make it harder! Letters would be that much better though. =)

I really like watching commercials. This isn't just because they're in French in France...I just don't watch TV enough to get tired of them. =)P

OK...the commercials are over...I'll head up now. Until later! =)

loverly ... loverly!