We’re Over Here Now …

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Fun, Farm, Family, France.

A Time For Fish

Lucy, Otto and Clementine spent the day fishing in Loudet.  This was a great village event that they were invited to that includes fishing, apéritif and a huge French lunch.  Daddy put the little, wiggly maggot on the hooks for the children and away they went.  Otto’s buddy caught a fish soon after he put his pole in the water which motivated Otto to get fishing.  Lucy took her time.  When she finally found her spot, she stuck her line in and caught a fish within seconds.  Fishing to her became instantly gratifying and super easy.  Otto did not share her elation.  Many moves, an almost catch by mommy and an hour or so later, Daddy finally pulled out a flippy flappy fish for Otto.  Whew.  Minty held the pole for a few seconds then quickly ran off to play with Clair her buddy from school.  Whiskey / Muscat / Pastis (for the adults) and nibbles followed.  A giant kids table was filled with hungry little fishers, chips, sausages and melon.  Candies (les bon bon), more fishing, water fights, face painting.  The weather could not have been better.  This was a great way to kick off the last week of school and the beginning of summer break.

( more pics on flickr )

I should mention that the fishing guild damned up a bit of the river and loaded it with fish.  One fish had a tag on it for a special surprise. Near every fisherperson caught a fish or two.

Lucy Surprise

Fruit is abundant which means Lucy makes dessert.  While dinner is being made, Lucy scans the kitchen for ingredients and quickly runs off to her room to write down her recipe.  Tonight’s creation, Nectarine Mix, arrives in sprinkled glory with powdered sugar and a large Daddy-sized nectarine as a centerpiece.  She makes it on her little red plastic table in a nook so that no one can see what her surprise dessert will look like.  When dinner is done, the creation is reveled to her anxious fans.  Though she couldn’t find a candle to accentuate the yellow in the nectarines, dessert was a huge success at the Curtis household.

Recipe is as follows:

Necturine Mix (previously known as Nectur)

• 3 or 4 necturines
• 1 big plate
• 1 big spoon
• 5 bolles
• Daddy (that’s powdered sugar)
• Springels

Happy Father’s Day, Papa

Otto very proudly recited his poem for Brent and did it a second time for the camera.

Clementine’s French Beginnings

Minty’s has spent the last few months in school immersed in French. Father’s day in France is coming soon and the kids are practicing their poem. Minty is doing the bit she remembers. Towards the end, you can hear her say, “bonne fête papa!”

Cerises!

The cherries are here!!!  Lucy, Otto and Clementine went over the our neighbors house to pick cherries.  The tree was drooping with gorgeous, perfectly red cherries. Minty wore her best white dress for cherry picking.  After nibbling a bunch and putting some in the bucket, they went over to fetch the eggs from the hen house.  This was a particular milestone for Otto as he bravely picked up Ms. Broody Hen to collect the four eggs she was sitting on.  He was so proud, he moved Ms. Broody again to put her back in her spot. 

Learning Language

Clementine has started school now.  From her perspective, she speaks English at home and French at school.  She’s young enough to have no idea of this being odd in any way.  She comfortably switches between what French she’s learned and the English she speaks more regularly.  She pronounces her school friend’s names with a near perfect accent.  A favorite being Marie and Lilly-Rose.  Those ‘r’s are tricky for us grownups.  Clementine does enjoy yapping on and on in any language.  Her latest cute kid mix-up, in English,  occurred during the week up to her birthday where she trotted around the house singing, “Happy Birthday tu tu.  Happy Birthday tu tu.”  It’ll be tough to sing that song any other way.

Otto’s French has taken off.  Lucy and Otto often flip into a French when things get hot.  Like, for example, an argument over the color of a paper plate.  Sometimes they can’t get the right passion and bluster with plain ol’ English.

Otto’s latest tutelage is to translate a common word or phrase for you.  “Mom,” he’ll say, “tart in French is taaart.”  Said of course with a great Southwest France accent.  Followed by a typical Otto mumble.. “yeah, you can use that.”  He’s very helpful with French.

Lucy’s language is still strong and steady.  At the markets last week, the gentleman at the spice stall said something fast and French to which Lucy quickly translated.  The man was so impressed that he kept having her translate other things.  This power is a sweet spot for our dear Lucy Jean.

And now for number four.  No name for number four other than Quattro and it’s still early days but two things have come up in the “fun with language” topic.  First, it’s important to know that if in France you should find yourself pregnant, the stick you will pee on is a “fattening test” or a test de grossesse.  And if your French isn’t so good, you’ll think it says “fat test” and quickly look elsewhere for the pee-stick that tests if you’re pregnant or not only to be directed back to the fat test.

The other thing about baby number four is its name.  The little bub will spend some time here in France which means that how the name will be said in French must be considered.  Nothing illustrates this more clearly than a name in the top five, Rothko.  Brent and I are big fans of the artist and the name.  Yet, when you say it as the French will, it quickly becomes “burpko” and there’s no way I would put a kid through that.  So sadly, Rothko will need to be scratched, a very sad truth.

Meet Toss Pot

And here is Tosca the newest member of the Curtis household.  She’s a mean, tough guard dog that goes to bed early.  When she’s exhausted all possibilities of food about the house, she’ll run after tennis balls only to walk slowly back hoping you won’t throw it again until she’s had a little recovery time.  Thanks to her previous owner, her gorgeous name has taken a few derivative moves to Tosser and Toss Pot.  Brent enjoys a rousing game of Cujo.  This involves heavy scruffling leading to vicious Cujo growls ending with her on her back wagging her tail.  Robbers beware.  Attention Chien de Garde!

Tosca has settled in nicely.  The kids love her.  Lucy reads her bedtime stories.  Smegg Head and Toss Pot are good buddies.

The Fun Bed!!

(photo by Brent Curtis)

Otto has always loved cuddling soft things.  He enjoys ignoring Mommy’s request to hop in the bath by rolling around on the soft bed.  He’s taken this a step further by collecting every soft blanket and pillow to create The FUN Bed!  The Fun Bed is made for cuddling, but quickly deteriorates to fast paced pillow fight then spread across the room for front rolls and cartwheels.

Squeak Squeak Hoooowl!

Smeggs enjoys a chew on her squeaky toy.  After a few minutes, she howls enthusiastically or empathetically.  Lucy, Otto and Clementine can’t help but laugh.  Smeggs has floppy ears, but when she looks up at you, her German Sheppardness begins to show.  It’s still uncertain as to the breed of pappa, but it looks very much in the Shepherd family.