Thursday, November 11, 2004

Armistice Day

Yet another holiday in France. When I first arrived in France I loved all these bank holidays and school holidays -- basically the kids have 2 weeks off every 6 weeks -- but now it almost seems too much. It's hard to get into a regular schedule. Seems trivial, I know. But a bit of a schedule when you have kids can be helpful. Since this holiday is on a Thursday, many people at the school are taking off for a long weekend. I was asked by a few French mothers if I was going somewhere. I just got back from Nice and Italy! I don't know how these people afford all these vacations. Additionally, my son sent home a paper I was to sign saying "I understand there is school on Friday." I wonder if that really discourages people from going away? Maybe it works, but at least one French mother told me she just didn't sign the paper.
My babysitter asked to move date night to Wednesday this week since today is a holiday. My husband is out of town, so I had to find a date. I went out with a French friend. I met her after work and we walked to a restaurant, Sur Un Arbre Perche. The food was very good and the ambiance very relaxing. They having swinging chairs and lots of pillows. Additionally, if the pressure of the day or the stress of deciding what to order gets to you, a person can order a shiatsu massage.
We shared an appetizer and I uttered words I would never have dreamed of just a few years ago, "we'll share the foie gras." For those of you who don't know, foie gras is the fatty liver of a goose. Many of the French delicacies (foie gras, pate, pig's foot) I may have tried once in the US and never really liked, but they do taste better (fresher?) over here. Last night, the foie gras was very good, but very rich. Even my friend, who was telling me how her family makes their own foie gras "on the farm" thought it was excellent.

-- said Auntie M in Paris
12:16 AM

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