La compagne!

So I just got back (well, a little while ago) from a wonderful time at my host family's country house. It's an absolutely charming place -- and I can't wait to go back.

We left around 11am yesterday and drove about an hour and a half out to the middle of nowhere -- I had woken up early to swim, and so I basically slept the entire way there. It was pretty chilly and luckily, the sun was shining when we got there! We had stopped at the Carrefour (grocery store) on the way there to get some lunch supplies and such which was torture since I was already starving!

Anyways, we got there and opened up all the shutters and got the radiators going and put the frozen pizzas in the oven -- it was just nice to have a hot meal for lunch! After lunch, we got a nice fire going in the enormous brick fireplace, and I settled down and started to read the book I brought with me. It was great to just relax and have nothing to do!

After a bit of reading, we all headed outside to do some lawn work! My job was to pick up all the branches and sticks that had fallen on the driveway and in the yard and pile them next to house to help with the fire. After about an hour, it started to rain, and so we headed back inside next to the fire (which was fine by me) and I continued with my book.

For dinner, I was introduced to a specialty from Bretagne called "Raclette". There's actually this special contraption thing that is made for heating the cheese in these little pans -- and then you pour the melted cheese over basically whatever you want -- usually it's boiled potatoes and different types of ham, which is what we had. It was interestiing! Probably not my favorite, but it was definitely good to try. For dessert, Marilu made a "Crumble" in which she had cooked apples with brandy and other delicious things and covered it with a butter/sugar/flour mixture...so. good.

After dinner, we spent more time by the fire and I read and then finally turned in for the night. I slept until the glorious hour of 11:30 this morning -- it was wonderful. I made myself a bit of breakfast and then went out for a bit of a walk down the road. It was pretty foggy and so it was difficult to see very far -- but I made some new cow-friends who decided to stare at me as I walked by -- it was actually very unnerving...

Basically, the pictures show the weekend best, so I think it be best to just jump there...truly a wonderful place -- couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend away.

La maison!

FIRE:

New best friend.

Weird trees.

A bientot!

Also -- today marks 5 months since coming to France!! So crazy.