Live from H-Town

Surprise!!!

We took a last minute trip to Houston, courtesy of Cyr's work, to search for a house. I guess it's really happening...we are moving.

We got in late Saturday. Sunday at breakfast the receptionist walked up and said a message was left for me and that there was a medical emergency. Well crap.

Turns out it was my Dad. Nothing serious thank goodness, but he is still in the hospital and should get out tomorrow. We have been so busy with family and house hunting and his work stuff that I have not gotten to do a lot of things I was hoping to do.

So I am going to post this short note to say "I'll write soon!" and then go and fill out rental applications for homes here.

A+!!

PS - We miss you Duncan!!! Thanks S and F for baby sitting. We WILL notice if he is not there when we return. ;-)

Valentine's Weekend

Ok...I'm not usually a big Valentine's Day kinda person, but this year it was really fun! Of course, maybe it was fun because I was given some really fun gifts and taken to a great restaurant. I tried to give a really good gift, but after I bought it I had buyers remorse and knew I should I have gotten something else. I hate it when that happens.

Cyr, however, really surprised me with some great gifts!! He found some website that sells fancy jams and teas and things. I got a box full of preserves, chutneys and things. Check it out, way better than a box of chocolates. I even had a baguette to cook for breakfast (thank you Picard).

Don't they look amazing?! Some of my favorite times with Cyr are sitting on the couch eating breakfast, so this is perfect. It gives us another reason to sit on the couch and eat bread. :-)

But he didn't stop there! I also love tea. I have this thing about smelly things. I love soap, candles and tea. This is a set of tea with a really pretty silver spoon-steeper-thing and spoon holder. I didn't know it, but apparently I am an Earl Grey fan. The Earl Grey in this set is so fragrant. I now understand...

There is also some fruit and flower blends but I have not opened them yet. I'm sure they will be great. For dinner we went to a Moroccan restaurant and had couscous and rose wine with a champagne aperitif that had champagne soaked raspberries in it so that it was pink and pretty. Plus you could eat the raspberries with a spoon they gave you. Yummm...

And here is a picture I took last week on the 12th when it snowed here like crazy. Check out the cars!! I stayed in all day with the cat and watched it come down. It was a great day.

Ode to French Music and TV

I have posted once before here about French TV. If you check out that post you will even get to see The Dukes of Hazzard theme song being sung in French. Really...it's a must see. I'll be here when you get back, go ahead, click and listen.

So, if you are thinking "I would love a little more French singing" then you have come to the right blog my friends!! Here we have the theme song to Dallas. Now you might being saying to yourself "but there are no words to the Dallas theme song Susan!" Oh contraire mon frere. (Or soeur.) I really like this clip because it has some dialog in French with subtitles in Flemish. I think it's Flemish. My favorite part; "DAA-las!!"



Awesome. Right?

So here is a Name that Tune for you. I have found that I am a complete dork like 70s French music. Specifically Claude Francois. :-) He is a French singer who I think Cyr showed me because he thought he was funny. Turns out I totally dig this guy. I have a 3 CD set that I luuuuuuv. I think Cyr might regret introducing me to Claude. He does a lot of songs you might know in English. Such as "Mandy", remember Barry Manilow? Claude actually was the first to do "My Way". I love that song in Spanish, and it's not bad in French either. So anyone out there recognize this gem?
The French title is "Dimanche Apres-midi" translated it means "Sunday Afternoon".

I'll leave you with that bit o'trivia. I'm going to listen to Claude.

I was flipping through French tv trying to find something to watch. Yes, it's true, watching tv in another language does help you learn it. Television is where I learned the word "flic" meaning "cop" as in a policeman. :-)

I have posted once before about French TV, it's crazy, I love it. This evening my channel surfing was rewarded with "Starsky and Hutch". I don't mean the movie my friends, I mean the two "flics" in tight polyester pants. Did I mention they speak French over here?! Yeah! Both Starsky and Hutch speak French. They dub everything on television, no subtitles. Cyr told me that they even have the same people dub the same characters, so Brad Pitt has the same guy dub all his films. The dubber (if there is such a word) will also do other parts though, so you might hear "Brad" on "New York District" which in the US we call "Law and Order". Why oh why do they feel the need to change the title of everything? Especially when they change it to an English title?!

Prior to my arriving on my couch I worked at my Big School today. I actually really like that job. ::gasp:: I look forward to them now. It's funny, they seem to actually listen to me when I give them tips on negotiation or a sales cycle. Anyway...I was walking home in the light rain with my Ugly Hat. Thusly named for obvious reasons (see below). It seems to have the proper affect and keep people at a distance. This hat PLUS my iPod is typically 90% effective in warding off unwanted conversations by drunk men in the metro.

Check out Duncan, he's raising one eyebrow at the camera. He's cute though eh? Don't know if you can see it, but he has one white whisker. Awe....

I promise he is a happy cat. Even if he doesn't look like it here. Maybe he is camera shy.

So...as I was walking along with the Ugly Hat in light rain (which by the way I very much enjoy for some reason) I was listening to a little Gary P. Nunn. Translate: Texas Music. Yes, it is it's own genre. Gary P. always makes me a little homesick for Texas. The music, the dancing, the food, the hill country, just the whole atmosphere really. The song that really gets me is "You Ask Me What I Like About Texas". Really Gary, did you read my diary or something? I tried to go to utube and copy one of the videos...but I couldn't get it to load. I'm taking a chance here and just cutting and pasting the embeded link to see if maybe it works. I hope it's a good version. I'll have to give it a look-see tomorrow. Man...I even sound Texan in my typing right now. Better go watch some more French TV...

Raclette!!

Well I did it! Sort of...

I took pictures of our raclette thing, but we were so wrapped up with talking and eating that I forgot to take pictures with all the food! So here is the raclette grill thing, you can see the little pan that each person gets to melt the cheese. I have to say...it is amazing.

Isn't it pretty!? It was the best Christmas gift I have gotten in years!! Cyr's Mom gave it to us...thank you Annie!

Here is a cute picture of Duncan trying to find the missing cheese that used to be in the Auchan bag. He knows he smells something good, but where is it?!

We heard a little news about our move, but not the dates. Darn it! But at least we know the visa for Cyr is in process. I have been waiting two weeks t get the info on my free French classes from the government but still no news from them either. By the time I am able to take them we will living in Houston. Grrrr...

The Countdown Has Begun...

To the last day of my teaching at the Little School that is!! I have two more classes to teach there. Next week they are 1 hour 30 minutes and the following week they are both 3 hours. That makes for a long class, but I am so excited I think I already know what I am going to do. At least I will leave them on a good note. My last few classes I think will be the best I have done so far. And no letting these suckers out early either...no way buddy.

As you might be able to tell, I feel human again! I am still coughing a little bit but I am not gasping for air and having to take steroids to clear my lungs. I'm off today to buy a few things for a dinner party we are having tonight. A few folks are coming over for Raclette!! Reflecting on my past entries I see that I have not been as good as I should have with the promise of pictures, but this time I have my camera read for the event and will do my best to document the "Easy-Bake Oven For Adults" type meal that Raclette is. Nothing like a meal consisting mostly of melted cheese to kick off a healthy start eh? Apologies to my arteries...but I'll drink red wine with it and plan to poach pears in a sweet red wine sauce for a light desert. Fruit and anti-oxidants, that evens things out? Right?