All I want for Christmas...

Hi Everyone and Happy Holidays!

Normally, I would leave the more emotional posts at the holidays to Aaron, since he's the artist in the family, and has such a way with words. But this year, we got something extra special for Christmas and I just couldn't help myself. I couldn't wait to tell everyone about it. I mean, it's just not every year that a family gets something like this at the holidays.

First, let me give you a minute to guess: What's more common in France than mimes, black berets and dog poo on the sidewalks?

 French mime wearing black beret

No dog poop zone (bah, ha, ha, ha! Ça n'existe pas.)

No, it's not second-hand smoke in your face (ok, yes, technically that is more common. But that's not what we got for Xmas).

Obviously not French. This combination of words would never occur to a Frenchman.

No folks, this year, we got something truly memorable...

LICE!

You're welcome for not showing you a gross magnified picture of actual lice. 

Yep. Head lice. My first thought: where did they get them? OK, you're right, that was my second thought. Obviously, they got them at school. Lice is the great French back-to-school tradition.

My real first thought was, "do I have them?" Non! Of course not, I don't get lice.

My next thought was that poor Daphne has been complaining about her itchy head for well over 2 months (great diagnostic skills, Dr Mom). And they've all had friends over for sleepovers. I had to tell all the other moms (and one dad) about our plight so they could check their kids' hair. The responses I got were almost identical: "Bon courage! Let me know if you need any advice. Do you have ze little comb?" Obviously, these French moms are pros at lice removal. The dad didn't reply.

Until now, I really had no idea what it took to get rid of the pesky parasites. It isn't easy, especially since they don't sell RID anywhere. But, never fear. Every pharmacy has plenty of local remedies available, and the pharmacists are eager to explain each one. No need to keep your voice down. Everyone knows what you're buying and they've all been there. The most essential thing, of course, is "ze comb". It comes in the box with most treatments.

This must be some kind of Renaissance lice comb. If anyone finds one of these, my birthday is coming up...
Double-sided!!

Our girls both have long hair. Daphne especially. A joy to behold, but a huge pain in terms of treating for lice. They've each had 3 treatments so far, each one takes at least an hour, and I'm going to do at least one more before they go back to school, just to make sure. And then I'm going to keep watching...

So, you may be wondering, did I treat myself? Non. I don't get lice.

But if I do, you bet I'll write another post!

Ahhh, I love France.

Another glass of red, please.

Happy lice-free New Year to everyone I love.
Katherine

PS: thanks to everyone who sent us your awesome Christmas cards this year. All six of you know who you are, and you totally ROCK!! The rest of you are losers until proven otherwise, and here's a little photo just for you:

Chamonix

Riding high in Chamonix

Hi Everybody:

November and December have brought cold temperatures and early darkness to Lyon, and holiday decorations are now going up around the neighborhood.  In general, I would say that France displays a more subtle show of holiday decor than we are used to in the States, but it's still plenty enough to get the kids (and me) excited about the season.

Late night Iced-Tea for Cora and Cold Beer for me

The French School calendar is different than the US one, in that kids here attend classes from September 1st through July 7.  This might seem like a long school year, but it is broken up nicely with two-week vacations, occurring just about every six weeks.  These frequent holidays always seem like they are just around the bend, and for the students and teachers they are a welcome respite.

Daphne with hot chocolate in Chamonix

The French and Suisse Alps from Chamonix

The village square 

During their two-week break in mid-October, we took a trip to the beautiful village of Chamonix, which is nestled in a valley at the foot of Mt Blanc, and surrounded by the French Alps.

Mt. Blanc and its massive glacier, which seems to spill down the side

Cora ponders...

Like the city of Annecy (from previous posts), Chamonix lays in the mountainous Haute-Savoie region of southeastern France, and celebrates alpine culture through its hard cheeses, mountain hiking and overall scenic beauty.  

We rented a really good Air BnB (one of the nicest we've yet nabbed) in the center of the village, and that gave us a perfect base during our stay.   

Our terrace in Chamonix offered dry wood for the fireplace, and a great place for pictures...

High on our list was taking the Téléférique cable-car which departs from the village , makes its first stop at Aiguille du Midi, continues up to the top of Mt Blanc, and then further across the mountains into Northern Italy.  The ride is STEEP, and they pack the riders, sardine-like, into the small car which rises quickly up the slopes.  It's a beautiful trip, even if slightly hair-raising, and when we arrived mid-way and saw the breathtaking views (in every direction), even Cora agreed that it was worth the white-knuckles.  It's truly worth checking out the website, here: http://www.chamonix.com/telepherique-de-l-aiguille-du-midi,48-156953,en.html

That's me, in the window, clutching the railing.

The one building on the side of Aiguille du Midi.  It's a small cafe with a few souvenirs.

We spent a couple of hours hiking and exploring in what feels like another world high above the village.  There are a few wooden signs, which point hikers in general directions, but you're pretty much on your own up there, and the kids loved that feeling of freedom.  Living in the middle of a large city as we do has many advantages, but a big back yard isn't one of them, and our three were so happy to have that much space to explore.

Cora's delight at being out of the cable car at last...

Leo decided that his new favorite sport is "Mountaineering" and Katherine discovered that one can indeed hike with a purse.  Cora discovered that hot chocolate can cure a fear of heights.  Daphne discovered that I really know what I'm talking about when I say, "Yes, I do think that you'll have a harder time hiking in the alps with no mittens, Daphne." (I was right.) And I discovered a quiet (and off the path) mountain lake and got all philosophical about it, and its beauty, until Daphne reminded me that there were only two remaining cable rides down the mountainside that afternoon, and we'd be stuck outside if we didn't get moving. (She was right).

Hiking in style...

This section was a little nerve wracking.  Not that I let Leo's slipping on the ice get in the way of a good photo.

Our mountain lake

Behind this rock, Cora's feet are dangling over the village of Chamonix far below.

We also found a great mountaineering and geological museum in Chamonix, and heard a nice concert of baroque instrumental music in the church downtown.  

And yes, we did eat Fondue one time, which takes care of that desire for a good couple of years.  In general, Alpine food is pretty heavy stuff, so we ate like mountain people only that one afternoon.

Fondue: Alpine cheese and White wine all melted together.

Those cakes are called "little Mt. Blancs"

Leo looking to ride the cog-rail

Morning coffee in the apartment

Back In Lyon, things have been fine, with the kids working hard in school, with all of the time and attention that requires.  Katherine continues to like her job down the street at the silk boutique, and I've been traveling out to Western France (Vendée region) each weekend for Christmas programs at a beautiful and interesting medieval park.  I've met stellar new colleagues and am performing early French musique de Noël.  Really festive.  

I think I look just like Poldark in my costume for this gig.  

This years "Sapin de Noël"

Love these kids!

This is what happens when you're six and you let your sister "make you up like Santa..."

Daphne is now swimming with the Lyon city swim club (named The Lions, no surprise), and Cora has begun lute lessons (HER idea, I did not force this....although I am delighted:). And Leo is making lots of new friends in school, learning to read and spell, engineering expert forts all over the apartment, and coming to terms with the realization that he'll begin piano lessons again after Christmas.  

Very cool way to eat Baba Rhum: the Rum is actually in a little squeeze bottle that you launch into the cake with your fingers.

Macaroon Christmas Tree??

We will spend our Christmas again in Lyon, and will be sending lots of love and good wishes to you all.  As I'm traversing east to west via train this month, I will post some more pictures of what we're all experiencing here in this wonderful time of the year.

Lots of love from us all,

Aaron 

October Surprise

We're heading into Autumn like this tenacious Brussels Sprout!

Happy Autumn, everyone!

Apologies for the long stretch with no update.  September was filled with 'beginning of school year' meetings, documents, school supplies, etc.  It is surprising how much of our time was taken up with getting back into the rhythm of the school day, combined with Katherine's work schedule and my performance/audition/french class schedule.  It was a full month, but not many pictures were snapped. Beginning of school year meetings don't make for exciting blog photos...  That said, Mr. Super Brussels Sprout, in the picture up above, is my favorite example of Lyonnaise graffiti.  He greets us each morning as we walk Daphne up the hill to her new school.  Were I a super-hero, I'd be Mr. Super Brussels Sprout.

September also brought some concerts for me, here in Lyon.  A beautiful oratorio (Dvorak's Stabat Mater) with a stellar ensemble.  The performances were in the Romanesque Basilica of St. Martin d'Ainay, which is happily just a 15 minute walk from our apartment.  I have complained that I generally can't walk to work, but this time, I could.

l'Abbaye d'Ainay

Setting up for rehearsal

September also brought a new level of French class for me, which has been great (though pretty intense).  Lots of new, complicated grammar, and I'm eager to let it all sink in now that the class has finished.  Katherine and I often ask for help from the kids on our French, which they are generally happy to offer.  Every so often though, they refuse on principle.

Learning (aka, 'accepting') the rules of the French 'subjunctive'

Daphne is in a new school this year which is exciting, but makes seeing her friends from last year a weekend event.  Living in the neighborhood makes this relatively easy, and it's been fun to hear the stories from her friends as they all compare their new 'collèges' (middle schools).

Weekend playdate with Daphne's school mate from last year

I tried to time this photo about ten times, but they couldn't jump at the same moment...

Cora chose a solo leap

Leo playing in the steam spouts just outside the Courthouse in Lyon

And, as is our modus operandi, there were also a number of cooking adventures last month...

The strawberries at the end of the summer were amazing, so I made a strawberry cake one afternoon which rose way too much, and cascaded over the pan like a volcano.  I saw this as a major fail until the kids laid eyes on it.  THEY thought it looked like the best cake ever.  So, in hindsight, "I meant to do that." 

Also, the kids needed a 'dish from their native culture' for a school event.  What you see above is probably the only Tuna Noodle Casserole in all of France.

One of our good friends here was talking to me about his favorite food memories as a child, and while looking through a cookbook, we came across a classic favorite from the French countryside, Lapin à la moutarde (Rabbit in mustard sauce).  Having never cooked with rabbit before (indeed, having never really even considered it...) we decided to make an evening of it.

Ingredients...the wine does help one come to terms with cooking a little bunny.

Daphne couldn't wipe the grin off of her face, nor the giggle at the thought of eating rabbit.

Browning the bunny...                        

and simmering with many herbs, veggies and wine.

My friend, who offered to bring a Bordeaux Chateau Pape Clement 1986 Grand Cru if I cooked the rabbit.

Our evening was great, and for a family which eats mostly vegetarian, it was really fun and a

delicious way to continue exploring French cuisine, which is NOT mostly vegetarian.  

We also had a middle eastern feast with our good friends who live just downstairs.  It was a birthday surprise, but we forgot that the birthday boy would be 'wearing' their newborn baby in a baby björn, so when we all jumped out and yelled, "surprise!" his poor baby's arms and legs flew out to the sides and he started screaming.  Oops...    The food was great, though:)

Surprise!!!

sorry about that, little guy!

October has also brought Cora's birthday.   Our newly minted 10-year-old, Cora!  She celebrated with some of her good friends from school by chatting, giggling, making stickers out of nail polish and water, devouring Katherine's now-famous chocolate cake, and revelling in a day all about her:)

Making party favours...

"Don't worry, Cora, I won't snag any candy necklaces from your party table..."

"Candy necklace?  What candy necklace?"

So its been a full and busy six weeks.  Here are a few other random shots...

The girls who can't contain their excitement over Leo's haircut

The opera house on a beautiful autumn day

Leo has inherited my 'Bed-Head'  Sorry about that, bud. You take the good with the bad...

Leo rewarding Daphne with marshmallows when she finishes her homework.  This was his idea after I left him "in charge" while I was out shopping.

Many of the restaurants and shops have cats who live and roam freely within them here in Lyon.  This monster haunts my dreams.

Leo's new solution to avoiding shampoo in his eyes 

Cora walking home with me after a concert

The pool where Daphne now swims with the Lyon Lyons!

Fountain outside Orchestra Hall 

Daphne who was injured during 'Judo' class at school

This was hilarious: in an "Anglophone/American store", I found a bottle of Barefoot wine.  Anyone who has seen this in the states knows how it tastes, and it's value (generally a fat $2.00/bottle).  Here in France it is about $10.00

Potatoes swimming in roast chicken drippings.  You can smell this all over the market on weekend mornings.

As of this afternoon, the two-week autumn school vacation has begun for the kids.  We've got a short trip planned and I'll post pictures and stories from that, surely.   Until then, bonnes vacances! 

Love,

Aaron