Chapter 46: Trumpets and Tartiflette

nerd blog post #51

It's Remembrance Day. I just wrote Rememberance, but my lappy486 tells me that's not how one spells it. I realize that I pronounce it with four syllables. I should probably change that..

Remembering is one of my favourite activities. My first memory is from age two, when my grandparents came to visit us in Lesotho. They stayed in a hotel, and I was disappointed that they were on the first floor because the hotel had an elevator, which was exciting for a village girl, like myself. My big brother and I were allowed to go all the way up to the top floor (was it three stories? What a treat!) and then come back down. The memory is just of being on the elevator with Adam. That may be the only memory I have from their visit..

I know that's not really what November 11th is about.. But I was just thinking of my grandfathers, who fought in the war, and then of the one in particular who is a part of my first memory.. He's still alive, and wins many points for that!

Here in France, it's a day off of work. Most things are closed. Someone asked if it was the same in Canada, and I said no. And then thought about how in school, we would stop what we're doing for two minutes while the smartest grade 8 student would read In Flanders Fields and then the best trumpeter in the band would play that song...

Rennes has been chilly, rainy and very windy. The rain here is different than rain back home, though.. It's more like a mist. It's leftover from the incredible storms that happen on the coast of Brittany. Apparently, people come from all over to see those storms.. If you type "tempete en Bretagne" into youtube, you can see some cool ones. The mist of Rennes is not exciting, though.

Yesterday, I taught a first year conversation class, a second year pronunciation class, and then a creative writing class. In the evening, I was invited over to a student's house for dinner. These are the two friends I went to fest-noz with. Foun and Lucie. Foun was in Toronto for two months this summer, and lived in the Village (where I lived with Doctor) and we often talk about what a great neighbourhood that is. Her apartment is decorated with a Canadian flag and pictures from TO. It was nice.. She's also a very proud Bretonne, and I've learned a lot about the region from her. She and Lucie went to town. When I got there, there were candles and appetizers and wine.. The main course was Tartiflette, a French dish that has potatoes, lardon (kiiind of like bacon), cream and a special cheese. Then it's baked. It was delish. They had just been to Bordeaux for the week-end, so the wine was good. Both Foun and Lucie spent a year abroad (England and Australia) when they were in high school, so their English is really great and they love speaking it. I often reply in French, though, to keep the practice. I have enough English-speaking friends here..

I stayed until almost midnight, and then we went to O'Connells (Irish pub). By that time, the other students were all gone, but we met two of their friends there. It was a nice evening.

Cynthia's boyfriend arrived yesterday and is staying until Thursday. His name is Romain and he's Parisian. I like Romain for the following reasons:
a) Great hair.
b) Very nice and quite funny.
c) Is going to Canada in the new year!
I think the two of them are heading to the Arthurian forest today! I'd like to go there sometime, but today is not the day for me.. I have to prepare for tomorrow's theatre group, and I also don't want to be the third wheel. He's an out-of-town bf, and that's special.

Enjoy your day!

Much love,
Hincks.