The week in review

Bonjour a tous! This weekend sped by so fast - to be honest, I have no idea where all my time goes. I had to reflect back and think about what I did this past week - usually, I'm gardening, going for a walk, reading, cooking or doing something close to home. But it just happened that we had many things to keep us busy.

Friday - R and I joined Glocals.com (think Meetup.com) and went to our first event. It was an Indian dinner cooked by a Glocals member who hosted the event at his house. The food was good but it was not really Indian. More French with some Indian influences. Anyway, there were about 10 people there, including the host who's Indian and works at CERN. I met some nice people and am going to hang out again tomorrow night with one of them.

On Saturday, R and I went to the inauguration of our town's new elementary school (preschool to age 12). My friend Midori's husband is on the town council and was there to give a little speech. The new school has a really nice, bright open feel to it. The classrooms are cheerfully decorated and the school is set away from the main road. The project was completed on time and under budget! And to top it off, there was an amazing buffet after the speeches and music. I wish I had taken pictures of the 3 buffet tables laden with verrines (little appetizers served in little glasses), the roasted leg of pork, and the copious amounts of cheese, desserts, wine, bread, and plates and plates of prosciutto, pate, sausages. Needless to say, I was in sheer heaven!

Saturday night, we went to a birthday party for a friend who turned 60. He is quite possibly the youngest 60 year old I've met. He's a French doctor who has climbed Mt Everest, ran 3 marathons (including the NY one) and although he has raised 2 boys of his own, is now helping to raise his girlfriend's 2 young kids.

Sunday - R's older brother was on his way from Italy back to the NL and stopped by for dinner. I met Martin last November for the first time but had not met his girlfriend before. Anyway, they're very nice. We had an evening bbq and then ate leftover birthday cake from the night before. Is that tacky? Maybe, but you have no idea how great that birthday cake was.

Monday - R and I took a walk and found a path lined with mushrooms. We saw a mushroom that looked like coral and another dark gray one that looked alien-like. And later that night, we watched Will Smith in "I am Legend", a far cry from his days as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Tuesday - I went across the road into 2 open meadows to pick more fairy ring champignons. I saw 2 villagers picking there last week and decided to try my luck. I cam home with 2 bags of mushrooms which I later dried in the oven. The neighbor advised drying them first because drying them intensifies the flavor and you can keep them longer (and also these mushrooms can be reconstituted back into their original shape and texture by sauteing them in a little water and butter.

Wednesday - R and I went into GVA so R could take his CISCO exam. While he was taking the exam, I went to Geneva's Natural History Museum and spent some time looking at taxidermied birds and mammals. There are so many beautiful birds out there with amazing feathers and colors.



Thursday - Market day! R and I decided to walk down (and then later back up) to get some exercise. At the market, we got 8 leeks (2 Euros), 3 plump figs (.60 Euro), and half a kg of chanterelles (3.70 Euros and quite possibly the best deal ever for chanterelles). Tonight, a minimalist penne pasta with carmelized leeks, salt & pepper. Tomorrow, something with chanterelles. Life is good...if only know I can find myself a job here!