Breakfast at Hannah's

This morning I woke with a craving for a salty breakfast. Given the fact that I haven't been grocery shopping in a week, ingredients are few and far between. However, I had enough to make a delicious egg and hash browns breakfast. The hash browns were simple enough- I peeled and shredded 4 small potatoes with a medium-holed grater while the skillet was heating up. I added vegetable oil before I put the grated potatoes in, however next time I would just spray the pan because they turned out less crispy than I like.

The eggs were a different story. Given my quest for perfection in my cooking, I decided to attempt the perfect omelet rather than simple scrambled eggs. The perfect omelet is elusive in my life. I can never get it to fold perfectly into a half moon shape. I got so far as to fold it almost all the way over so that there was still a small bit of the bottom half showing, and then I was stuck standing there holding it so that the top half wouldn't fall back for several minutes. Am I missing something? I didn't think it was so difficult to make an omelet but I am still searching for the perfect method.

All in all, breakfast was a success. You live and learn with cooking. One day, I'll find the perfect omelet technique. But today, I'm letting my breakfast digest while I enjoy this Superbowl Sunday afternoon.

Kitchen Fire

Well for the second time in one week I have succeeded to set my kitchen on fire. Of course I'm being a bit dramatic, but there were large flames each time licking the air above my stove. Last Saturday, I found out the hard way that a small but very significant piece of food from the night before had melted onto the coils. Next thing I knew, large flames were crawling their way around the pot. I removed it and tried to recall my knowledge of how to put out different types of fires, but for the life of me I had no idea if I should douse the stove with water or smother it with something like flour. Luckily for me, I keep calm in these situations. I blew hard on the flames and after about 10 seconds (which seems an eternity when you remember that you have no renter's insurance) and the flames died down.

Today, I decided to heat up my wok before I put my onions in to cook. Since onions take the longest to cook I assumed it would speed the process along if the wok was already hot. So I put olive oil in the wok and turned around. Again, with my back turned and oblivious to everything, I turned around and saw a billowy column of smoke arising from large flames- this time coming from inside my wok instead of the actual coils. So once again keeping my cool, I picked the wok up from the stove (and imagined myself as a chef in the Japanese steakhouses) as I tried again to pull my knowledge of how to put out an oil fire. The smoke detector's alerting song pulled me from my thoughts and I hurried to the front door to let out the smoke and have my fire doused by the cold for lack of a better idea.

So I continued preparing my vegetables, all the time considering myself an even better chef for having fire-grilled my wok! I cut 3 onions, 1 full garlic bulb, some pieces of ginger and chopped them in my chopper (a treasure I snagged from Ikea a few weeks ago). I tossed them in with the olive oil while I chopped 4 chicken breasts. Those went in the wok too, and I added soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and worcestershire sauce (just a dash of the latter). I let that cook and suck in the flavors of the sauces while I chopped 3 squash, 1 head of broccoli, 2 green bell peppers, and 4 peeled and boiled potatoes. (Yes potatoes are a bizarre addition to a stir fry, and it is missing many options such as mushrooms or something else that is not green or yellow.) I cooked each ingredient separately and added them all together in the wok to mix together at the end. After putting the heat on low, I spooned some white rice (that had been prepared in my rice maker) onto a plate and spooned my delicious stir fry onto the top. A glass of sweet tea would have been the icing on the cake, had I thought to prepare it.

This is my perfected recipe for stir fry. The veggies can be swapped out for different options, but either way this makes for a good filling meal on a Saturday night.

Bon appetite!

Cannes

On Monday, 10 May, I had the opportunity to travel to Cannes in the South of France for a day trip. It was clear that the famous Cannes Film Festival was beginning in 2 days with all the press roaming around and people setting up the red carpet and preparing for events on ocean front venues all up and down La Croisette, which is the main road and boardwalk right along the beach. Talk about lifestyle of the rich and famous! The first shops I spotted were Bulgari, Hermes, and Fred Jewelers. It was really sort of a miraculous day- all the local weather reports called for rain and clouds so I brought an umbrella and prepared to spend the day (in which I was celebrating my one year anniversary) wishing that the sun was out and I could enjoy the beautiful city. However, there was not a cloud in the sky! And now I'm sporting the sunburn to prove it- I wasn't expecting the need to protect myself from the sun, and I was so excited to be in the beautiful city that I didn't even think about sunscreen! Around 4pm I started to notice that my shoulders had turned a nice lobster color, and I had been chalking that up to the straps of my bag digging into my shoulders all day.

Needless to say, Cannes is a magical place. I couldn't stop staring at the water of the Cote d'Azur- it was so clear you could literally see straight to the bottom. It's a teal-green color and then when it gets deeper a rich blue. We took a boat to the Ile Ste. Marguerite off the coast of Cannes, where the prison from the Man in the Iron Mask is located. The water was so clear there I just wanted to drink it! It was very cold though- I could barely dip my toes in for more than a second or two.

The entire La Croisette is filled with high end retailers such as Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vitton, and countless others. We were even stopped and our photo was taken by some people advertising their photo services- but it definitely made me feel like a celebrity!

It was only a 4 hour ride on the high-speed train (TGV) from Lyon, and we arrived at 10:30 and left at 6pm. We had a wonderful day exploring the city in the sun and I would LOVE to go back!

Loss

This post has no accompanying picture, no cute story, and no suave European lesson to be learned. This story is about loss. I lost someone very close to me on Thursday, April 29th, and from that day on I have been struggling with not being their by her bedside with the rest of my family. She didn't want me to return to France because she was so worried about my safety, and I begged God to let her see me come home safely. Little did I know that God wanted her to have the best seat possible to be able to watch over my safe return. Hundreds of people were praying for her when they admitted her to hospice; praying for her healing, for her peace and ours, and a little after midnight our prayers were answered. We don't know God's plans and I cannot question His decision. I was torn at losing her, but I know that she is no longer in pain and suffering. Instead she's better than us all. As one friend of mine put it- "she is the lucky one, not us. One day we will be as lucky as her." And he's right. One day I know that her and I will meet again, and until that day I pass notes to her through Jesus. I know that now she is watching over her family and smiling to see that we all love each other and are supporting each other through this difficult time.

There is a memento (one among many) that she gave me a few years ago, a ring with a beautiful deep blue sapphire in the middle that displays a large star in the jewel when it is held under direct light. She had it re-sized for me so it would perfectly fit my ring finger. I left it home when I came to France for fear I would misplace it in my travels and I do not regret that decision, but I want it so badly. I yearn to have a piece of her with me at all times; just a reminder of her beautiful life and the lessons she taught me. She is on my mind at all times, so it's difficult to explain my want for this ring just now, but I know that when I arrive home, the first thing I do will be to retrieve my ring from it's safe hiding spot and put it on my finger, where it will always be until I decide it's time to pass it on to my daughter and tell her about Mabert and how wonderful she was.

I have begun to write out my memories of her, and the things she taught me. When I sit down to type one memory, the others just keep flowing and i cannot stop them or the tears. I wish I had taken more pictures. I used to call her every week when I was back home in Charlotte and now I wish that I had realized earlier and more often that I could call her on skype. I was able to speak with her a few times and even on her deathbed I spoke to her twice and I am grateful because some people don't even get that chance. But to only be with her one more time, to have one more conversation or garner one more life lesson from her rich time on this earth, I would give almost anything.

I miss her so much and I am grieving her in the way that I think appropriate. It's difficult because she would not have wanted a lot of fuss, but she is more than worthy of it. She didn't even want a funeral so there was none. I don't understand this decision but at the same time I would not have been able to attend anyways. I look forward to seeing my Grandpa and embracing him and finally being able to have some closure. I want to talk about her and her life and her family and her legacy. I want to record all her memories so that I can tell my children. I never imagined my life without her because she was going to live forever. She was going to be at my wedding and know my children and see how my life turned out. It still tears me apart to know that she won't be doing those things here on Earth, but I know that where she is, she already knows all those things and so much more.

I love you Grandma.

French Mornings

Long has it been since I've returned to this page to recount my adventures in Europe. There are many reasons for that- none of them legitimate so I will not waste time writing them. I often find myself in a peaceful moment and feel the need to write about it. Through a series of unlikely events, I found myself at a bakery at 9am recently- and what a wonderful experience! Why have I never done that before? It's magical to walk outside of my apartment in the beautiful French early springtime and be amidst the first customers of the day as they make their morning choices from the large selection of treats. The boulangerie wants for nothing at this hour- nothing has been picked over, nothing is running out, and I get my choice of all these things laid out in front of me on a golden platter.

Unfortunately the man behind me was not so taken with the magic of it all as I was, and he and his business suit had things to do. I chose a selection of pastries and returned for a magical breakfast of pastries, coffee, tea, juice, and bananas. I wish I had photos to document that tiny amount of time which bored itself into my memory, but I do not so word pictures will have to suffice. It's just a small little thing...like most boulangeries. It looks simple on the outside, and as I push the glass doors to get inside a tinkling bell goes off alerting the lady that a new customer arrives. There's a long glass showcase of pastries that makes an L-shape, and I walk back and forth in front of it, prowling like a caged lionness in the zoo. I want to be sure that I don't waste my choices...and there are so MANY choices! I took two chocolat russe - which is a doughy bread in a sort of pretzel shape with chocolate morsels all throughout, and 2 chausson pommes, which I'm told is the equivalent of an apple turnover although I can't be sure because I've never had that American treat.

But the sheer amount of bread- yellows and golds everywhere! Different types of baguettes in large bins and baskets behind the counter for me to choose from- and nothing about 1 euro 50! I went in with 5 euros and came out with 4 pastries and change. The walk back to my apartment just around the corner was all too short- the morning was brisk and beautiful and sunny- oh how I love the sun in France! It's been such a rarety these last few months. I've missed my Carolina blue skies amidst the white and dreary French skies. So since I've been cooped up all winter, I'm chomping at the bit to get outside and take as many walks in the park and around the city as possible, and join the ranks of French people who are also venturing out from their apartments for the first time in a long time for the purpose of leisure time. I want to take my new huge book to the park and read while the children feed the deer and mosey through the zoo...maybe hear the lion roar another time. Maybe take a bike ride through the park..or a canoe on the lake. Is that even possible? I'm not sure but I intend to find out...these last few months will not go wasted on my journey!

a toute a l'heure...

Thanksgiving in Lyon

Well it's now time for the promised Thanksgiving post- and I don't even know where to begin! I had an excellent holiday away from home with my friends here and I'll never forget it. Cooking began around 4:30 pm and we finally sat down to eat around 10 pm with 7 of us total in attendance. We had all the classics, including pumpkin pie, turkey, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and steamed veggies. The turkey was a bit of a challenge because in Lyon they don't sell full turkeys, so we had to settle for two huge pieces and find a recipe somewhere online that allowed for only a few pieces instead of the full turkey. We also bought two roast chickens to supplement our turkey pieces. But even though the food was excellent, the fellowship was even better. We all gathered in the kitchen and cooked and made an event of watching all the F.R.I.E.N.D.S Thanksgiving episodes, and then moved onto challenges of who can do the weirdest things with which extremities. I began my day a little teary eyed at the thought of being so far from all my family gathered round to give thanks, but ended the day more thankful than I could ever have imagined for my amazing friends :)

Life Thus Far In France

Unfortunately for this post, there are no photos to accompany it. I've lost my camera and have turned my apartment upside down in search of it but with no reward, but hopefully soon my luck will change. This is just an update to my life thus far in France, I suppose, so I can't promise you much excitement but I can at least give you something to read. Every day is a change of emotions for me- some of the days I feel myself settling in and being happy and feeling as if I'm at home, like yesterday for example. We wanted to have Subway for dinner since they, like many institutions in France and the European Union, have student prices or discounts. Not exactly a "French" choice but when you are low on funds you can't exactly go out to eat for a delicious 10.50 euro "Saladier Lyonnais" every day. So we stood in line, gave our orders, and specified that they were "à emporter" which is the French version of "to go." Of course Subway is a good test of your French language skills because you don't just order one thing off of the menu and wait- you have to indicate which kind of bread that you would like, what size, that you would like the "ménu étudiant" (student combo), and then correct them when they accidentally over-charge you. So I felt accomplished when I left the line with exactly what I had wanted when I entered it, and the exact price I had assumed. We walked back to the metro without even paying attention to where we were going because these acts are now so ingrained in our daily activities- it isn't even an actual thought process to figure out which direction to go now. Almost everything is instinct. And so yesterday evening I found myself wondering at the fact that possibly I could be happy here. As of right now it isn't my first choice, or even my second, but I still could make a life here if I must.

And then there are the other days, and I can't honestly figure out which is the most common of the two choices to be honest. It distresses me, because I can't actually remember having to work hard to be happy somewhere. But sometimes for my in Lyon that is the case. Most of the time it occurs when someone in an office somewhere has failed my American image of what a good business should be and how they should operate. During the second month, in particular, of my stay in Lyon, this was a huge problem. Frustration would overcome my entire being and my day would be ruined as I only saw the negative in all situations and wondered why in the world things can't be done "the better way." It was always a shock to me, during that second month (because the first month- or most of it anyway I stayed with a friend and her family and they helped me deal with things, but then for the second month I was on my own to face the world) how it seemed that people just didn't care about good business, which is a principle on which America operates.

Now, I'm coming to the end of the third month and the beginning of the fourth month in Lyon and I accept these things, not with resignation yet, but without surprise, that much is sure. Still there is frustration, but it's almost like it's wearing me down because I know that sometimes that's just how things are here. A friend recently explained it to me the best way I've heard so far: most of the jobs are government jobs, and in those jobs it's extremely difficult to get fired so there's not a lot of thoughts of working hard so that people keep their jobs- they're automatically safe. It's good for the employee but not for the general population when the employee doesn't care about doing their best since they don't really have to. It's the same with the university- for French students (unlike in America!) it's very cheap to go to University, so again the faculty is employed by the government and not extremely motivated to do an excellent job.

So at least I have an explanation and I'm not wandering around thinking "why why whyyyy!" anymore. And it's only certain times that these things happen, but it's always for very big issues, such as my "Carte de Sejour" which is my permit to live in France!

Life is in fact becoming more like home here though, and I am noticing it more every day. I'm looking forward to getting all the paperwork out of the way once and for all so that I can just enjoy the second semester with my new friends and travel as much as possible. Now that I know how the system works for choosing classes I expect next semester to go much smoother.

And it is now the week of Thanksgiving in America. I've never been away from home for a holiday, much less Thanksgiving! It's difficult for me because I'm also not in America at all, which means it's just another ordinary day for France and I (along with the other Americans scattered around) will be the one thinking of my family back home with their giant Thanksgiving feast and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Football game and Christmas music. I'll be the one sleeping in on Friday while America hustles and bustles during Black Friday. I can't imagine not participating in those events, but this is one of the sacrifices I have to make in order to further my education and open as many doors for myself (figuratively speaking) as possible. So I am ridiculously ecstatic that I'm going home for Christmas for a few weeks, but I am very sad to be missing Thanksgiving.

However, my awesome friends here are coming together for a Thanksgiving feast of sorts of our own and for that I'm so grateful. I'd rather be around friends than be on my own for sure on that day. We will attempt to put together a Thanksgiving meal in Lyon! The country representations are (other than me- the lone American) Sri Lanka, Mexico, Italy, Canada, and the Netherlands. Such an international way to celebrate the American holiday! But I'm very excited and hopefully I will find my camera before then and be able to document the day in pictures as well as words for all to see!

So until the Thanksgiving post- à bien tôt!

Madrid

Unfortunately for the Madrid post, I am not sure what all the buildings are so I can't put captions on them! These are just snapshots of the beautiful Spanish city from my weekend spent there. I found it to be quite similar to New York City in the main downtown area, but with much more history added in! It's so strange to be in Europe where buildings and statues are more than 20 years old, and to think that you're walking on cobblestone streets where horses and carriages and people alike used to cross many many years ago. Hopefully these pictures will be able to help you to see what I saw and experienced during my short trip!

An outdoor gym

I had to donate some change to this man in order to take his picture!

Lyon

This is the just a small glance of my current home town, there will most likely be many more photos to come. It's impossible to describe with only a few photos and words, so hopefully my readers (all 3 of you) can come and visit and experience it for yourself. It's quite different than living America for many reasons, not the least of which is that most buildings are quite old. It didn't take long at all to get used to this fact- it brings a smile to my face to imagine the stories that the buildings carry with them through the years. The city in itself is quite nice because transportation is quite simple. If you absolutely have to, it isn't a huge deal to walk or bike to your destination, and it's a lovely view along the way. The streets are still old and cobblestone in many places, but a lot of them (especially the main ones) have been modernized to fit the vehicles that traverse them today. Again, these photos are just a taste of Lyon, and more will be coming to further illustrate life in one of the largest cities in France!

"Grenouille"! (Frog's Legs)

Restaurant by the river where we ate the frog's legs!

Cathédrale St. Jean in Vieux Lyon

Vieux Lyon

Vieux Lyon

Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere

Vieux Lyon to have lunch with friends

View outside of the house in St. Genis Les Ollieres where I stayed upon my arrival in Lyon

It's been toooo long!

My DEEPEST and sincerest apologies- due to lack of internet and computer adaptor failure, it has been a while since I've updated my few readers with photos and proof that in fact am in Europe this year! So now I'll be adding pictures from my travels- which have so far been Madrid and Geneva and hopefully there will be many more to come! Thanks for hanging with me during my long period of silence!

Le Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière

Today, I woke up at the late late hour of 2pm. I'm still getting used to reading that as 14:00 on the clock! I lounged around most of the day reading my last English book, the Time-Traveler's Wife, enjoying the beautiful weather and the calm breeze winding it's way through the trees above me. I'm in utter disbelief that I'm here, still. I walk downstairs and see a plate waiting for me to eat outside on the patio and lunch on the stove. I ate my lunch and spent the afternoon reading outside. In the early evening, I was invited to visit the Basilique Fourviere with my lovely hosts. I said yes almost immediately! I've been jumping at any opportunity to tour the area and see more of the sites that are brand new to my eyes. I'd seen this church from a distance while we were in the car and commented on how beautiful it was, so I guess that inspired our visit. I wasn't sure what to expect- I didn't know if we were attending a service or just visiting. I was excited for either opportunity. I cherish moments in the car as well for the air condition, so while I'm always excited to arrive at our destination, I also enjoy the little reminder of home that I don't get inside most buildings! We arrived at the Cathedral and I saw many tourists, so I was a bit relieved that I wouldn't have to feel like the lone foreigner in a large group of nationals! We parked the car and started the short walk up to the front of the Cathedral, me taking pictures all the way and yet still trying to pretend that I'm not foreign! I don't think that was much of a success. I saw off to the side a beautiful view of the entire city of Lyon and made a mental note to return and take pictures. Upon our arrival at the front of the Cathedral, an Asian priest asked if we could take his photo a certain way in front of it. Being the only fluent English speaker in my small group of 3, the task was passed to me. It was then my turn for a photo-op, and then we ventured closer, me taking photos all the way. There was a Mass in session so we weren't able to go inside yet, so instead we trekked down to an area behind the Cathedral where the area to see the entire city was. I was squeezed in amongst some other people who had also taken this opportunity to see the city from this view, and my lovely host and hostess, Fabienne and Gerard, were telling me about the city and the things at which I was looking, both in English and in French. I noted the Saone and Rhone rivers, and the Town Hall and Universities and the school at which Fabienne is a teacher and countless other things in this beautiful city. The view with the city in front of me and the Cathedral behind me was definitely something exquisite to behold. As I'm told, the story of Le Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere is that in the 19th century, there was a horrible epidemic, and the people prayed that if it ended, they would build a Cathedral in honor of it. And so it did end, and this Cathedral was built. I was also told of the Festival of Lights that occurs in early December that remembers this event. So we took a walk down the hill a little ways onto a bridge that overlooks more of the city, and saw in which direction is Paris and other noteworthy locations. We walked back up the path, me snapping pictures whenever I saw something remotely interesting, and then we saw her! High above, with her back to us, was the golden Lady for reverence of whom the Cathedral was built. She faces Lyon in all her golden glorious splendor, and I was anxious to be able to see her from the front. So we walked in the hot hot sun and cool shade until we reached the front of the Cathedral, and I found an ideal location to take the picture. We decided to stop in and have a cool drink to alleviate some of the heat that seemed to be radiating from our very bodies. A small cafe beside the Cathedral provided just the comfort we were in search of. We took our seats outside under cover of the shade and joined the small crowd that gathered there on a quest for the same sort of refreshment as us. The bells in the great Cathedral began to ring out for all to hear, signifying the end of Mass. A few more people came into the already crowded cafe and many people strolled the surrounding property, in search of that perfect angle to capture a photo of the golden virgin. As the bells tolled for several minutes, the waitress scurried around attempting to satisfy everyone's drink orders and clear tables at the same time. After many promises of returning soon for us, she finally took our order. The only thing in the world that I wanted at that moment was an ice cold Coke to quench my thirst. I know that water would be the most healthy thing, but there's something about Coke from an ice-cold glass bottle that completely satisfies my thirst every time. We only had to wait a short time for our refreshments, and while we waited I observed the other weary souls congregated in this small area for a drink. I've noticed that some people seem to look more like caricatures of people than the real thing, like the old man who was sitting further down on our table with the most prominent nose and lower lip I've ever seen in my life. He "tsk'd" impatiently when the waitress set their check down. Everyone seems to be a traveler here, whether they are French, Italian, Asian, or American, everyone has come together to see this beautiful place. It's something we all have in common. So after we finished our drinks and had our fill of bird and people watching, we rose from our seats and made our way towards the Cathedral once more. Now that Mass had ended, we were free to roam the inside. I did not feel that it would be appropriate to take pictures of the inside, and even if I did they would not have come out well enough for the viewer to grasp fully how you feel when you're inside. The smaller room was beautiful and colorful and everything you can think of in a small chapel. There were people towards the front meditating or praying, and in the back there was information posted on the wall regarding how the history behind the Cathedral, all etched in stone and marble and illustrated wonderfully. There was a small stand with Candles that were in honor of the Virgin Mary. Several were lit and there was a sign that asked for a 2 euro donation to light a candle to venerate Mary. I stood in awe of the room and its artwork and its stories. We left that room and moved towards the front and center entrance, towards the room that I had not entered before since their was a Mass in session. As I entered it, I realized that had I been in awe before, it was nothing compared to how I felt about this room, now. It was much bigger, with two large marble oblong bowls on marble stands on both sides in the back containing Holy Water. The artwork on the wall was colorful and golden and ornate and grandiose...every word that you could imagine. The walls were lined with confessionals and a few people were seated near the front- whether they were waiting for another service to begin or just praying as well I'm not sure. We began to follow the path around the room and I noticed more stands with candles to venerate Mary, each asking for donations of 2 euros for the candle and one asking for 4 as the candles were larger. History is etched on these walls and the high ceilings and portrayed better in a manner that makes me understand much better than any history book ever did. I feel at peace here, and it seems that everyone feels the same way. There's hardly any photography going on with the exception of someone taking a picture on their camera phone, but it's as though people sense that a flash would ruin the somber and worshipful atmosphere. A priest walks the aisle, stopping for anyone who requests his attention. A little boy on the far side of the great room drops something and it echoes loud and sharp on the wooden benches and stone walls and he cowers behind his mother in embarrassment, but attention is quickly brought back to the huge stained glass windows and the golden walls and the stories these pictures are telling. I don't want to leave this peaceful haven too quickly so follow Fabienne slowly around the room and she stop stops to point out certain things that are "tres jolie" even though it is all "very pretty" in my opinion. We stop after we have made a full circle of the room and Fabienne lights a candle for Mary and places it on the stand with many others. We pause for a moment so that I can read something and then carry on, out the back door and back into the sunlight. It's almost blinding compared to the inside of the Cathedral and it's dim lighting, which is mostly cast by candles. I realize that our tour is over and we must leave this place now, but I know I'll be coming back. It's too beautiful to only see once.