if a world ends

more than all worlds begin to(see?)begin

. . .

I love E.E. Cummings.

. . .

I had no idea that I hadn't posted in December at ALL until today! sorry! I just survived an awful week, but now I'm at the Moulin and things are great. My train ended up being over 2 hours late because of snow, so I didn't get here until 1:30 (am). I went straight to bed (in the Barbara Streisand room, although not in her bed. I love mine all the same:)


I didn't wake up til late Friday, and then Bernard and I went shopping in Saumur for Christmas presents. We went to the village for dinner - Pascal made a pot au feu that was so goood. We had good wine too, of course. It was so fun to hang out with them all again...we sat in front of the fire and talked and hung out with the animals. Ricky (I think?) and Albert were cuddling...ADORABLE:


The Moulin is cold but beautiful...most of the snow has stuck around since Thursday, and I think it might snow again tomorrow. This is the view out my bedroom window:


So different than it was in the summer! In the back, the river is partly frozen over, and it's funny to watch the ducks bob around in the water and then try to walk on the ice. Sometimes they fall through.

. . .

Ok so about the end of November and the beginning of December... Thanksgiving was fun. We had carrots, green beans, and mashed potatoes (which were all very good) and turkey cooked in white wine...which was good despite the fact that it tasted almost exclusively like white wine. The apple "crumble" for dessert was actually more like flan + apples + caramel sauce (not at all what I expected) but also tasty.

I finally took some pictures of things and people in Montpellier that are important to me:

Carthage Milk!!!

Date pastry I got at Carthage Milk the other day...apparently made from the same thing couscous is made from. huh! very delicious once I got over the slightly surprising texture.

Part of the UNC group having a pastry party. mmmm. I'm going to miss boulangeries & patisseries :( From L to R, Jillian, Mandy, Kathleen (who had already eaten her tiny pastry), me, Bonnie, and Ali.

Me and my neighbors!! The two kids are the ones I did English with for an hour every week...they are adorable. I love their family. They invited me over for dinner my last Friday in Montpellier and we had such a fun evening. From L to R, Adele, Oscar, Sarah, me, and Hubert.

Me and Roseline at the UNC end-of-semester soiree this week. I think it's one of the few photos I have with her. It's just weird to take pictures of or with someone you live with, you know? It's okay though.

. . .

Life is good.