Andy Smallman

July 8, 2011

Ella, Melinda & I just returned from a late Friday afternoon excursion to Leclerc. Nothing out of the ordinary to report about this; in fact, today has been about as ordinary of a day as it gets. Well, ordinary for a chilly, rainy day in July. As we waited for the tram to come home, Melinda commented that we seem to have gotten our summer in the spring and right now are getting spring in the summer. We hope this turns around again soon. I have seen that it’s supposed to start warming up again on Sunday.

Anyway, as you may be aware, Leclerc is a large grocery store. Several aisles are devoted to the sale of alcohol-related products. Of course the wine selection is huge (this is France, you know). The beer selection is small (this is France, you know). But of interest is the wide variety of hard liquor available. For Washingtonians like ourselves, it takes a little getting used to, seeing hard liquor in grocery stores, although it sounds like that might change if this story in today’s Seattle Times is true.

I always crack a smile when I see the collection of “flasks” for sale, as seen in today’s photo. These are glass bottles backed with a pieces of cardboard and enclosed in strong plastic wrap. And it’s not just cheap stuff you’ll see being marketed this way. I couldn’t resist and today bought a flask of calvados, an apple brandy from Normandy, something to have as a digestif.

From the nostalgia file, a year ago today I served coq au vin (in a can) for lunch…
Day 8 (8 July 2010) – Coq au Vin

July 7, 2011

It’s a cool, windy and sometimes rainy day in Nantes today, meaning we aren’t sitting by the pool. Instead, it’s a series of little projects occupying our time. For instance, Melinda and I went into town and made it so our tram passes would not automatically renew (Line 2, forgive me). We also bought a couple of things to bring back with us to Seattle. Right now, Melinda and Ella are sorting through Ella’s school papers to see what to bring home. This prompted Chloe to start contemplating her clothes.

I won’t get started on the challenge that awaits Chloe in terms of clothing and suitcase weight limitations, but instead talk about this lovely French word, “poubelle.”

I took today’s photo this afternoon while Melinda and I were in a little crêperie in town. Isn’t it cute? You pull on the little handle and this door hinges open at the top, revealing a secret compartment. Just what does one find inside?

Garbage. Yup, “poubelle” is French for garbage. Yes, you may be asking why a word with “belle” (literally, beautiful) in it would be used for garbage. I know I am. So I looked up “pou” to see if it meant anything. Literally, it’s “louse.” Yes, the singular for lice. So the word in French for garbage translates as “beautiful louse.” Okay then.

A year ago today we toured Ella’s school for the first time and met Monsieur Bregéon. For my French friends, that means that today is M. Bregéon’s and my first anniversary. I’m embarrassed to say I did not get him anything…
Day 7 (7 July 2010) – Ella’s School

July 6, 2011

Our neighbor John, a kind man if one ever lived, invited me over for a game of snooker, a variety of pool that I’d never understood prior to meeting him. He has a table in his house and on several occasions has invited me to play. Every time I’ve accepted I’ve had a great time. John has a relaxed way about him that immediately puts a person at ease. He also is quick to offer a beer. Perhaps the two things are related, although I’m not sure which one precedes the other.

No, in John’s case, I know. The kindness precedes the offer of a beer.

I put my cellphone camera down on the end of the table to snap today’s picture. That’s John on the left and his step-son, Benoit, on the right. You may recall from last summer that Benoit is quite the cook. Today he was my snooker partner, while John partnered with daughter Céline. Benoit & I won the first game but gave up the ghost in the second after it looked like we had it in the bag. I think that means a third match needs to be had to decide the championship. Perhaps next week?

On a side-note, given the overlap of our days in France, this being our second July here, you may have noticed I’m ending each post with a link to what we were doing on this day last year. Indulge me in my nostalgia sappiness, please…
Day 6 (6 July 2010) – Touring Nantes

July 5, 2011

Perhaps some of my best, and worst, qualities come from the fact that I’m a nostalgia sap. I love mining the past for good memories and then trying to recreate them.

Take today for instance. We returned to the city of Pornichet, 45 minutes from Nantes by train and on the west coast, the city in which we spent two of our first four weeks in France last July. Last year, it was hot and sunny. Today, it was chilly and rainy. Instead of lying on the beach Chloe proclaimed as her own last summer, we tried to stay dry in the train station and public library.

Failing at the recreating of beach memories, I took it upon myself to make the most of the day, harkening other memories. I braved the rain and went for a long walk, retracing the bike route we took regularly last year, the one from our apartment to the grocery store and to the racetrack that was under construction (it’s completed and spectacular looking – we may even get a chance to attend a race day later this month). The rain let up as I walked, helping the nostalgia win.

Today’s photo is of a salted caramel crêpe from La Petite Saline, a crêperie in Pornichet that we fell in love with last summer and was part of our reason for wanting to return today. This one is Ella’s, complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect antidote to the disappointment of rain and further salve for nostalgia sappiness. When it comes to salted caramel crêpes, you can go back again.

Speaking of nostalgia, a year ago today we arrived in Nantes…
Day 5 (5 July 2010) – Travel Day

July 4, 2011

It became VERY important to Chloe that we celebrate the 4th of July in an “American” way this year. This is interesting, given that we really don’t do this back in Seattle. Well, there was that one year in Montana that the girls were in a 4th of July parade and we attended a rodeo… Anyway, she made 6 dozen peanut butter cookies yesterday, and today made sure the Bertails came over for grilled cheeseburgers.

Me, I was out of the plans, having long ago decided I would be going to the horse races in Nantes today. It was my last chance since the next race day isn’t until October. Ella came with me and together we had a blast, picking different horses to cheer each race. She got the best of me in the 4th race when a horse named Sommerabend GB won. She saw the connection to Brenda & Greg, Melinda’s sister’s family, and picked this horse because of it. You can watch a replay here. Choose the 4th race (Course no 4) and you’ll see my hands in the air on the bottom of the screen near the finish (it’s the 1:52 mark and I’m next to a man in a red shirt). That’s Ella to my left. There’s a slo-mo replay of the stretch run and at the 2:10 mark you can see us clearly for about 10 seconds.

Back to the dinner… Ella and I got home to find the party in full swing. Pop, watermelon, hamburgers being grilled, that sort of thing. I expected a rousing chorus of “The Star Spangled Banner” to be sung. Instead, thank goodness, Max dashed the Bertail home and came back with sparklers, much to Chloe’s American delight.

Day 4 (4 July 2010) – SeaTac

July 3, 2011

Yesterday I mentioned that we were hosting the Boudeaus and the Bertails for a chocolate and wine tasting event, following the directions from a pairing kit, complete with chocolate, provided by our friends at Theo Chocolate in Seattle. I think all three couples had a great time, and it was wonderful for Melinda and me to bring together Frédérique & Laurent with Christine & Bernard.

Today’s photo is of Laurent pouring one of the three wines we used to pair with the chocolate. We had a Syrah, a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’re scoring at home, Theo provides five bars of chocolate, a Dominican Republic, a Rich & Dark, a Bread & Chocolate, a Fig, Fennel & Almond, and a Cherry & Almond. Frédérique and Christine were quite taken by the fact that the Bread & Chocolate actually lists French bread as one of its ingredients!

Bernard & I had the same favorite pairing, the Syrah with Fig, Fennel & Almond bar. I described the combination as being nutty and liking how the flavors sat on the edge of my tongue. Christine commented how well the Cabernet Sauvignon matched with the Rich & Dark chocolate. Together, it created a kind of caramel aftertaste.

I showed Laurent the Theo website and we noticed that they also provide a chocolate and BEER pairing kit. It’s too late to get that here in France but I’m plotting a Seattle party for that one. Calling Mike Quamma….

Day 3 (3 July 2010) – Carless in Seattle

July 2, 2011

In about an hour we are expecting Frédérique & Laurent AND Christine & Bernard to arrive. Tonight we are finally hosting a party we’ve been wanting to host for months. Back in November when my parents came to visit, they brought us all kinds of goodies. Among those were some gifts from some Seattle area friends, including a selection of Theo Chocolate. You see, the son of the founders of Theo attends PSCS and his family has been very generous in supplying the school with chocolate. In this case, they sent with my parents an amazing amount, including a chocolate and wine pairing kit. So tonight, the Boudeaus and Bertails are coming to taste wine and chocolate. Yes, the living remains tough.

In preparation, Melinda & I went out to Leclerc this afternoon to pick up a few things to eat before the serious tasting commences: some cheese, some fruit, and some nuts. While in the produce section I was quite taken by the display of plums (or “prunes” in French). Three different colors and absolutely spectacular in appearance next to each other. I snapped this picture with my cell phone to try to capture them.

Expect another photo and more detail about the tonight’s party in tomorrow’s post. For now, I need to help Melinda get ready!

Day 2 (2 July 2010) – iPad

July 1, 2011

So begins Day 1 of the post-sabbatical. For psychological reasons, I’ve changed the theme here on the blog and am thinking of the next four weeks, our last days in France, as a vacation that has just begun. So instead of seeing our French glass as 12/13’s empty, it is completely full. This is good.

As plans stand, Melinda’s and my intention is to return to Nantes each and every July for as much of the month as we can. In fact, our Kind Living project is partially designed to help fund this annual trip to France. Think of it as a way to inspire kindness (Kind Living), or think of it as a way to pursue what one wants in life (PSCS). Either way or both, it’s the way we want to live our lives.

With that in mind, we’re having another spontaneous Friday night with the Bertail family. I came home from a late afternoon walk to find three of the Bertail children in the pool, and Christine, Melinda & Chloe sitting by the pool. I quickly joined in, and before long Ella and Bernard had joined us. Théo made a trip to the bakery for fresh bread, dinner was made for the kids while the adults frolicked in the pool, and then the adults ate. Next up, a movie.

What’s the difference between a sabbatical and a vacation? I’m not sure. My best answer – soon to be empty or right now completely full…

Day 1 (1 July 2010) – Haircuts/Move Out

364 days ago today I turned on my laptop in the house in Seattle at which we were staying, having earlier that day moved out of ours. I was alone for a few minutes, Melinda & Ella having gone to run an errand and Chloe being with a friend. On a whim, I connected to WordPress and set up this blog.

Let me repeat that. This blog was a complete whim, started without much thought. It has grown to become a significant piece of the sabbatical, attracting a multitude of faithful followers (thank you to all).

Today marks the official end of the sabbatical from a timing standpoint. But I am very excited to say that Melinda and I worked it out with the powers that be at PSCS for us to remain in France for 4 more weeks. I’ll continue to post daily updates here; in fact, I’ll post through the month of July which will include the first few days we’re back in Seattle. After that, we’ll have to see. If any of you faithful followers have ideas, let me know.

Meanwhile, thinking back on that first blog post I knew I wanted to have a photo each day and wanted to keep the text short. I’ve succeeded at the photo part, but I know sometimes I’ve gone on a bit long. To honor that first photo, I present today’s. As I did on Day 1, I used PhotoBooth on my MacBook and I’ve tried to emulate the pose.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year. As the saying goes, “The days are long but the years are short.”

So about an hour ago Ella came outside to where I was just getting out of the pool (rough life, I know) and announced that she wanted to bake something. After considering various possibilities with Melinda, she settled on zucchini bread. She checked online for a recipe and together, we cross-referenced the ingredients with what we have in the kitchen. Turns out we were missing two items, eggs & zucchini.

Off we went to the neighborhood grocery store, the U Express, what I’ve come to refer to as our pantry, so close is it to our house. Regarding the eggs, it is interesting to note that they are not kept refrigerated in French grocery stores. You find them on regular shelves, much as you do canned goods. Of further interest, they are usually next to the milk, also not refrigerated but sterilized in plastic bottles that need to be stored in the frig after they are opened. Today’s photo is of Ella in front of said shelf.

Let it be known that we couldn’t stop at buying just the two missing ingredients. We also bought breakfast cereal (Golden Grahams, if you’re interested), Milka chocolate that makes Chloe go a little nutty, a mango, and I let Ella talk me into buying her some yogurt with chocolate chips.