Voting in France

Last Sunday and today (they are always 2 rounds one week apart, even for presidential elections) were municipal elections in France.  Here's Estelle going to vote with Thomas:

 It's the most bizarre election process I have ever seen and the most horrible waste of paper you can imagine.  13 years later and I barely understand.  I am ashamed to say I don't want to.  I should, but I don't.

 Yes that is Estelle putting her paper ballot into a glass box.  In Nice, with a population of 350,000 people, the 5th largest city in the country, and they've got paper ballots.

 Anyways, our UMP mayor Estrosi got re-elected to no one's surprise.  But around the country the "Front National" which is like a crazy Tea Party-like group continues to gain a LOT of ground which is rather alarming.
Meanwhile:  one day Estelle has a playdate and her friend arrived with a rose for her:

 This is not the first time that Estelle has invited a little girl over for a Saturday afternoon playdate and the child has arrived with a single rose, wrapped in tissue, as a gift.  The first time was 4 years ago.  Now, again.  Learning about customs is a never-ending process.
 
When she left, she wrote this goodbye note on the easel.  This little girl was Estelle's best buddy at her "old" school and now they never see each other anymore.  They were so happy to be together again.

 And then, I found that Léna had been out "taking photos" with Estelle's camera again.  Above:  under the bed.  Below:  the fridge. [please note that this is just one part of my fridge.  If you don't see your photo, don't fret, it's there, it's just out of Léna's line of vision].

Well, we have just changed our clocks last night and so back to 6 hours time diff with VT and everyone on EST.  I keep thinking of my Dad who loved to holler out both the "new" time and the "real" or "old" time all day long the day after we changed the clocks.  He knew it drove people crazy and so he would bellow it out with a grin every chance he got.  I of course have taken on this habit but it loses it's flair in a bi-lingual home.

This weekend has been 100% full of events and work and I feel like the weekend never happened, especially since I had a migraine come on in the night Thurs/Fri and had to resort to my opium suppositories.  The French do so love their suppositories.  But opium at 3 a.m. is pretty wild, I have to say - and when you're that bad off you'll take anything, anyhow.  Plus I like thinking I am like Sherlock Holmes, known for his opium weakness.  :-)

Amourette

Here's a little 1+ minute video of Estelle playing and Léna "dancing".

Léna's Report Card

Léna got her "report card" today.  All good stuff.  Here's one trait they don't mention:    She on a daily basis will pass gas loudly like her own chain reaction at the kitchen table, grin from ear to ear and then holler out "Is there a motorcycle here?" and end by doubling over laughing at herself.

Le Lioran

 We spent a week skiing the last week of February in the Auvergne, in the Cantal, at a ski station called Le Lioran, which we had never been to.   We rented a small chalet in a very isolated spot.

 The girls did 6 days of ski lessons.  Above:  pre-first-day-skiing.  Below: post-skiing.

 The view from our chalet was incredible.  We were about 30 mins from the station, but as the crow flies much closer.  The skinny, winding rode to get way up to our place from the village was a slow process each day.

 We had a great time.  One day we were even brave enough to take the teleferique (gondola?) way up to the top of the Plomb du Cantal at 1855 meters high.

 Even Thomas managed his vertigo to get up there.  Interesting, skiing down is no problem for him.   It's just the ride up!

 Each day, when Léna was in her lesson, Estelle skied with us.

 The girls had a lot of fun.

 When Estelle was in her lesson, Léna had a chance to ski with us.  After the first few days, she really DID ski with us - up the chair lift and down the green trails!

 Meanwhile, back at the chalet, this is how things looked around the stove in the evenings.

 One day we had lunch in the village restaurant:  Potée Auvergnate:

 Here's Pascal, Léna's instructor after getting her "Bear" medal:  she was said to say goodbye.

 And Sebastien with Estelle, who got her 1st star.

 Our last day the weather was terrible.  It made for a hard, hard commute.  There were many accidents and the road to the station was closed for several hours.  Thomas had to put on, and remove, tire chains 3 times that day in bad conditions.  We have not divorced, thus we consider our marriage a success after that day.

 Here are some photos Estelle took during the week:  Sunrise at the chalet.

 Upstairs in the chalet - the little mezzanine where the girls beds were.

 Daddy getting dressed seems funny, when you're 7.

Here's Léna with Piou Piou, the mascot.

 Another great bonus was the Papi & Manou came for 2 days and stayed in the B & B just next door.  They brought us all our food for the entire week, plus lots of other stuff.  Whew!   Good thing they were around!

 There was so much snow, the girls enjoyed playing around the chalet each day when we returned.

 Nearby to our chalet, was a tiny cabin owned by the same Dutch couple that owned ours and the B & B.  A French family from Paris was in that cabin during the same week, with a daughter 2 months older than Estelle and a sweet 11-yr-old older brother.  Both parents were teachers.  We became friendly with them, and on our last night, they came over to our place for food and fun.

 Enjoying a few comforts of civilization with the girls up in the loft.

 See that woman with blue pants and blue hat, struggling with her bindings?  Who could that be.

 We played a LOT of card games.

 Tiny Léna on her tiny skis.

 Snow heaven:

 Nothing but fun for one week.    Thanks Le Lioran!

Art

 Today I downloaded some photos off Estelle's little camera.  To my surprise, one whole section was her taking photos of her and Léna's drawings & paintings.

 I realize these photos date from last summer, when we went to London for a wedding and Thomas' parents came to stay with the girls while we were away. 

 They made a "museum" on our bedroom wall and stuck up all manners of their artwork.  I remember how excited they were to show it to us when we walked in the door from the airport.

 It's still all on our bedroom wall, 6 months later.  Estelle said "it's a permanent exhibition".

 She also apparently took a photo looking out our bedroom window.

 And one of Léna's room.

You never know what you'll find on other people's cameras!