An American in Provence

Our Nativity scene (one figurine for every year we have been together, which is 9 for those who are counting):
Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, all bought the first year in Marseille 2005
The three wise men, bought in 2006
A (lying down) donkey, bought in 2007
(2008, 2009, 2010 nothing, catching up for the previous years)
A camel, bought in 2011 (also lying down, so he doesn't have to "stand up the whole time" according to Alain)

And this year.....(suspense)

An angel!


Previous posts about the Foire:
http://megankay4.blogspot.fr/2005/12/foire-aux-santons.html
http://megankay4.blogspot.fr/2007/12/nativity-scene-2007.html


Every year I set out our Nativity scene, and then we head down to the Foire Aux Santons. We wander around, trying to decide first what type of figurine to add. Shepherd? Sheep? Elephant? (though I'm not really sure elephants were present at the birth of Jesus. But I can't say for sure.)

Once we have decided on the type of figurine, we try and find the one we like the best. Which entails a lot of pushing through hordes of rugrats, and going back and forth between the booths of our final choices, always at opposite ends of the fair. Feel like asking a vendor: Do you mind if I just borrow this angel, so I can compare it side-by-side with an angel by another vendor? No?

We bought some roasted chestnuts, but there didn't seem to be any hot beverages, like mulled wine or hot chocolate. Bummer.

Finally decided on this angel, which was not from the same vendor as any of the other figurines. Oh well.

Came home and set the angel in place. Alain solemnly informed me that I had it wrong: the angel is supposed to be placed right over the crib. Never heard of this before, so I am wondering if it is a French thing.

So there you have it folks.



Next year, I'm holding out for an elephant.

Oh, and this is as far as our Christmas decorating gets.

Just finished this custom crosstitch for a Christmas present for my friend's daughter Léa, who is 11 years old. Léa picked out the colors, and wanted bright electric blue. I was a bit hesitant at first, as I wasn't sure how it would look to have the entire dress in bright blue, and also the threads only came in three shades- dark, medium, light, whereas the design calls for at least five shades of the same color. Finally, I mixed one thread of white with one thread of light blue, one thread of light and one thread of medium, one of medium and one of dark, plus light, medium, and dark for six different "shades" of blue.

I then decided on gold as the complementary color and added the gold threads (three shades) and gold metallic thread. Finally, when we were back in the US, I found some blue beads that matched perfectly the blue threads.  Beading is the most painstaking part, it takes days and days, using an "invisible" thread. The design has hundreds of beads on it, of four different colors.

When I was done with the stitching and beading, I gave it to my mother-in-law, who washed and ironed the fabric and then took it to be framed at the usual place. Kinda expensive, 90€, but the woman always knows exactly what matting colors and frame to use. I think it turned out great. I would love to see Lea's face when she receives it, but won't be able to. Kinda sad to see it go, probably won't ever see it again.

TGV 6 am from Marseille to Lyon for a two-day conference about the recent caselaw in Europe and France concerning patents. This is conference held every year, one session in Paris (400+ participants) and one session in Lyon (~100 participants). This is the first time I have attended, and it is quite expensive (1000+ for two days, not including travel or hotel).
It is nice, I have met some new people and seen some from my course in Strasbourg two years ago.
But seriously, three and a half straight hours in a cramped conference room without even the space to install my laptop (and thereby actually follow the pages-long decisions), is kinda long. Plus all in rapid French, and even worse after lunch.
Went to dinner with a group of people and suddenly remembered it is Thanksgiving, which is one American holiday that the French are rather intrigued by. Do you give presents on Thanksgiving? No, not usually. What do you eat besides the turkey? Is it always the 22nd of November? Is Friday a holiday too?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Sigh. I find it too hard to make here in France. (heck, I would find it too hard to make in the US too). And plus, Alain hates pumpkin pie. How un-american is that?! Jeez.

Joyeux jour de l'action de grace mes amis!!!

That's right. Fake Macaroni & Cheese powder, people.
Or, real Macaroni & Cheese powder, but not Kraft.
Anyway, good enough for the ex-pat really longing for some comfort food and way better deal than 5$ boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

This is great stuff. 100 grams of Macaroni (slightly bigger macaronis than those in the Kraft box, but who am I to complain?), a bit of milk, butter, and three tablespoons of this powder, and there you have it, it's like being back in graduate school again. Or being left home alone while in High School. Or being baby-sat by your older sister.

After my sister went off to college, my mom made me macaroni and cheese and I cried. "I miss my Leah!!"

Alain isn't a fan. He wants real cheese. Geesh!

I usually make it when he is off at the karate class he teaches.
My only (minor) complaint is that sometimes it is has clumps that don't dissolve too easily, but seriously, if you want to raise mini Americans while overseas, you hafta buy this stuff.

ETA: For all those wondering, I think I (or my mom) bought it on Amazon.com (not .fr) and mom brought it over. Amazon won't ship it to France (radioactive?), but the company that makes it will (Barry Farms) will ship to France, but it is expensive. Best to con, I mean convince, someone to bring it over for you.
There are some other cheddar powders out there, but I haven't tried them.

It's been almost seven years now since I started this blog.
It started out as a way to share my adventures and mishaps as an American, newly arrived in the south of France. Learning French, visiting the surroundings, getting married, looking for a job, etc.

But I'm not that person anymore. I don't have any frustrating yet amusing stories to share about La Poste. I (pretty much) know French, am married (going on seven years now), work, and don't get out much.

I don't really know what to say. I guess I'll have to try to find the new American in Provence.