Dimanche

Yes we tried to get a picture of both of us.... but you know how it goes but you like how you look in the photo so you use it anyway...

Nicole and Antoinne in the front. I have the lazy eyes. Next to me Charlie, Alexandre, Fanny, and Eloise.


of course the photo doesn' show it but they were STILL ALIVE... so sad...
SO COOL

The second from the left you could see his/her? teeth
Squrew you braggerspot. Its made my photos out of order. I DEAMAND CONTROL. Oh well. wonderful wonderful wonderful day. I think its my favorite day since I have been here. I got to speak beaucoup francaise. We had a traditonal french sunday lunch. I met my favorite person Nicole at the market of my town - the market is amazing, so much to see and smell and taste. I bought 2 kilos of grapes. Have I mentioned the grapes? In the stories of the Greek Gods they eat ambrosia;

am⋅bro⋅sia

   /æmˈbroʊʒə/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [am-broh-zhuh]
–noun

1.	Classical Mythology. the food of the gods. Compare nectar (def. 3).

2.	something especially delicious to taste or smell.

yes also the amazing 24 hour fruit salad my mother makes for thanksgiving. But anyway. I would put the grapes in the category of ambrosia. Honey is also in this catagory. But you hear of grapes in the bible and many stories of giving gifts of grapes and the reason why is because they ate grapes from Europe. I am sorry friends of the US who go to the store to buy grapes from California and what not - you are missing out. But I will devise a place to come back with this decatence when I return - they will travel with my on my carry on. I imagine myself with my pink old school suit case crammed with wine, champagne, grapes and bagguettes upon my return.
But yes anyway the 2 kilos of grapes was my contribution to the feast we had this afternoon. We met at the market to buy micsilanous items.
For this brunch/lunch meal it was Nicole, her boyfriend Antoinne, their friends Fanny her husband Charlie, Eloise her 8 month old son Maximise and husband Alexandre et moi.
For the apero we nibbled on grapes, salami, pate and olives with a delicous white wine. Then 'fruit de le mer' - fruit of the ocean - which is the broad term for seafood. We had a sort of musscle that tastes like the ocean - yes I can say this but its the expierence that makes you really understand. It really tastes like the ocean - salty.. but not too salty... but cold. Another sort of clam and shrimp but with all its skin on so you have to peel the thin shell off and dramatically pull off the head to reveal mush that I assumed was the brains...?
After, fried leeks with creme fresh and another musscle that comes from the shell that mermaids where as bras? And with another delicous red wine from france where an ancient group of poeple have been working on the vinyard where the Grandfather's name is Jules and his son is named Jules and his son is named Jules (you get the point. this is the example Antoinne told me). Yes they hand pick the grapes. Oh this is quiet the task as with most wines a machine does the work and in the making of the wine has branches and leaves mixed in. But obviously with handpicked grapes the wine is... oh you can only imagine...
THAN (oh yes there is more). The platterof cheese, 5 different kinds; bri, camabert, chevre... something simular to swiss and a blue cheese. This is with the grapes and baggutte. Watch Rattotouii (spelling? je ne sais pas).
PAUSE. Last night I went to Nicole and Antoinnes for dinner and helped the assemble their new Ikea table for this event today. I brought a wine that I found with the help of Jean-Phillpe (the father) and Antoinne was impressed and broke out the fromage for today to show me how the mixture of cheese with this specfic white wine makes... oh.... makes something amazing in your mouth.... from last night I truly understood so much about wine and cheese. I am sorry I forgot the name of the wine but I will find out... but it would be hard to get in the US...
PLAY. ok so watch Rattouii oui? Why? Because when the main character, the rat, tries to get his brother to understand (caitlin you know this) the amazingness of mixing cheese with I think a grape, it depicts the feeling pretty well for being disney... or pixar or whatever it is.
Than after the cheese, Charlie and Fanny's photos of their honeymoon on the Orient Express (oooooh's and awwws) some of us had cocktails (moi? grapfruit and a little bit of vodca) with chocolate cake and then Antoinne gave Nicole and I coconut and lemon sorbet with vodca.... (ooohs and awwws).
Ok yes you may think 'wow annie.. uh... you drank a lot' but with all this food you are just satisfied... because you are eating and drinking together. You maintain this... well in the sweidish call it Lagom and there is no word for this in any other language (I tried to find it but its ture, you can explain lagom but you can't put a word for it in any language). It means exactly not too much and not too little but perfect... perportional. I had my swedish friends explain it to me and its makes scence then. But yes, I was lagom.
After this we had another white wine and finshed the photos while enjoying some chocolate. Everyone left and I helped Nicole and Antoinne clean. Nicole and I went to the pub for a half pint of beer and took a stroll through the streets and then we parted our ways.
Nicole and I get along very well. I want her and Antoinne to come to Portland and after all the braggin I have done of the amazingness of Portland they are tempted to come, so they probably will. They are such a perfect couple. When I first hung out with both of them I felt like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City when she vists her favorite couple for lunch (you know this if you are a fan). They are so good for each other. Antoinne is so charming and poilite and funny and easy. Nicole is from Germany and so giving and easy to talk with and LAGOM.
mmm... so yes I hope this entry has displayed at least some of the essence of the goodness the was today. It is late and I must care for babies all day tomorrow. I have a stupid cold that will not go away -maybe because I eat cheese? But put it in front of me and expect me to really say no?
Wednesday Nicole and Antoinne come over for dinner that I get to prepare myself this time. We are very excited!

Oh gosh so much love to all of you.

Annie