tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310164962024-03-07T07:58:51.449+02:00South of France, with KidsThree kids, seven weeks.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.comBlogger455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-33881448092818938872011-07-13T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-13T06:30:01.256+03:00Au revoir and dovidenja<div class="MsoNormal">Meeting new friends is probably the best part of going to a new place. We were lucky enough here in France to meet, through David’s work, a wonderful family that showed us all sorts of corners of Auvergne that it never would have occurred to us to visit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42bLgueFQTHTM4ZYABSRFdCgkuEy1P_KpyKpbAzVC1EYgPqcSI6s4tD3hsMiFClrH5JKVFkvNRkXWXzU4bvbkkVAr27aVtYeTEy-nG6NVgkpiTrD7Hy9WVxdwukCsXMK0EHHaKQ/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42bLgueFQTHTM4ZYABSRFdCgkuEy1P_KpyKpbAzVC1EYgPqcSI6s4tD3hsMiFClrH5JKVFkvNRkXWXzU4bvbkkVAr27aVtYeTEy-nG6NVgkpiTrD7Hy9WVxdwukCsXMK0EHHaKQ/s400/067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They hiked with us to this volcanic crater lake, Tour de Gazenat (it’s sixty meters deep in the center!), and then fed us an incredible meal—food and company-wise both—in their country farmhouse. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q4CZypFcIH3-11rjCeYA7jy7h56dPIf5X-AvQGc_1AIjUcJE1obBXg1TZVpR9ugwEr8kAweylte7eyuUEJNMFRg-kD4-DmW3N_ivm20gJ5mstzJdn9gHuWwA2N1J4C_wb3KFIw/s1600/116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q4CZypFcIH3-11rjCeYA7jy7h56dPIf5X-AvQGc_1AIjUcJE1obBXg1TZVpR9ugwEr8kAweylte7eyuUEJNMFRg-kD4-DmW3N_ivm20gJ5mstzJdn9gHuWwA2N1J4C_wb3KFIw/s640/116.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They spent Fourth of July hiking with us to this crater where we had a picnic with their homemade quiche (and spelled out the initials of our respective academic institutions with lava boulders!).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They also took us to the charming medieval town of Puy-en-Velay where we visited churches built on the top of volcanic chimneys.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Aiguilhe_-_Chapelle_St-Michel_-_JPG1.jpg/220px-Aiguilhe_-_Chapelle_St-Michel_-_JPG1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puy-en-Velay">Image Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>All the outings were great, and France is beautiful, but the thing we will remember most fondly are the dear, kind people we got to know.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We are sad to leave new friends but happy to be heading back home to the USA after this wonderful year abroad. It has helped me be more reflective and observant to keep this blog, but now we are heading back to the familiar hurly-burly of our lives at home, and I won’t be posting.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Until we go abroad again, anyway…<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">\</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bosnians say Dovidenja, and the French say Au revoir. Both mean, “Until I see you again.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-31369569775921362052011-07-12T06:30:00.000+03:002011-07-12T06:30:01.027+03:00Making knives<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(The cords to transfer photos to my computer are buried somewhere inside one of our carefully packed and weighed 20 kg. suitcases, so none of our own photos today.)<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Fichier:01 Thiers - Pedde - JPG1.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/01_Thiers_-_Pedde_-_JPG1.jpg/450px-01_Thiers_-_Pedde_-_JPG1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:01_Thiers_-_Pedde_-_JPG1.jpg">Image Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Thiers is a charming medieval town known throughout the world for its fine knives. This spring the city started a <a href="http://www.ville-thiers.fr/L-Atelier-le-Thiers-R-par-Inserfac,307">new program</a> where tourists can make their own knives. Isaac and Eleanor each made their own tartineur, or spreading knife (i.e. not sharp) with their names etched in the blades. It was a straightforward half hour of assembly under the gentle guidance of one of the workers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Emma Lucy made a sharp folding knife. The process for her was much more detailed and involved—she used a lot more machines than Isaac and Eleanor did and went through a lot more steps. It took a little over two hours.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They are obviously not used to English speakers; no one in the workshop spoke any English. This was not a problem with Isaac and Eleanor. I could figure out what their guide wanted them to do with a combination of my very rudimentary French and her expressive gestures. It would have been a problem if Emma Lucy spoke no French but it was actually very gratifying to her to realize that she understood pretty much everything. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A little pricey, but a fantastic and memorable experience for everyone. One we’d do again in a heartbeat.</div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-35473004072313323202011-07-11T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-11T06:30:00.978+03:00Maybe we need a boar or two as well<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Go to fullsize image" height="200" src="http://ts4.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1004865336451&id=993033f1287bfce4187e2a4a168e9aa0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="175" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ksuperioridad.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/asterix-the-gaul-movie/">Image source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We love Asterix and Obelix comics, the brilliant comic series about a tiny Gaul village that over and over outwits their would-be Roman conquerors. In fact, our oldest son became a reader the summer between kindergarten and first grade trying to decode all the words in one of our Asterix books.<br />
<br />
We have landed squarely into the land of Asterix and Obelix here in Auvergne. Just outside of Clermont-Ferrand is the field where Vercingetorix, who grew up here in town, defeated Julius Caesar with his hardscrabble army of peasants. The revolt didn't last long--in less than a year Vercingetorix had surrendered to Caesar--but Vercingetorix is a French hero.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoVhbF8PXrlNaEmdO8CxMcKX3DiDLQzeqRdIVOuaWBiOM5u6i19HG-7V8VsxA_ZuQmWvJV26WFU9hoiRjdUf33FOClBjh-5KfIkEQBsssHBZ5_5icaYnk868kETG7nKZeCYqQUQ/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoVhbF8PXrlNaEmdO8CxMcKX3DiDLQzeqRdIVOuaWBiOM5u6i19HG-7V8VsxA_ZuQmWvJV26WFU9hoiRjdUf33FOClBjh-5KfIkEQBsssHBZ5_5icaYnk868kETG7nKZeCYqQUQ/s640/012.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The body Vercingetorix is trampling in this statue in the central town square here is presumably a Roman soldier.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I thought all we were missing was a menhir or two, but then we saw one (in someone's yard!) in a village near here.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-38475095960999592622011-07-09T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-09T06:30:00.941+03:00The artist at work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXTAu0HvL80ZhNzytkG5xbGdIlRdhDlx5u62LTjXPyF4CR-Mlq_-wBKAtH2ff93Ih4PafYezY-p-pXO8zc2PHZgtc0BwaT55mOfxcmiylJGsFluwtrwt2Y2_QWSwTd-LOkLvrLg/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXTAu0HvL80ZhNzytkG5xbGdIlRdhDlx5u62LTjXPyF4CR-Mlq_-wBKAtH2ff93Ih4PafYezY-p-pXO8zc2PHZgtc0BwaT55mOfxcmiylJGsFluwtrwt2Y2_QWSwTd-LOkLvrLg/s400/040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Who knew you could draw on glass with dry-erase markers?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCYLbYA6qS9ywqQeKnurJJhgI6YlPjcv5icei0jCtA66nh_r1gzqAYCrj5xolkjZ7hQhTIFneGEPFE0DlQL5sVBkygjPTNSme350Plura0oeW75YpKeB8GPS4-k6n_hS2X5REBg/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCYLbYA6qS9ywqQeKnurJJhgI6YlPjcv5icei0jCtA66nh_r1gzqAYCrj5xolkjZ7hQhTIFneGEPFE0DlQL5sVBkygjPTNSme350Plura0oeW75YpKeB8GPS4-k6n_hS2X5REBg/s400/041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And luckily my kids are old enough to know to draw only on glass with dry-erase markers!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-13714667215150587692011-07-08T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-08T06:30:01.489+03:00bicycling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YMeeVAtRCiu0RGSBTRYsQJkzC2NwUc8nnavuONQcFQrgrZLsxjiQhY3Ptw2DXq0rO6oIFEcsVEeHj7inpsOqO2QILFu-OZhIQ1ExKvUPaNPMFTLlggVucGQfimdQ6LvZ4YbR5Q/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YMeeVAtRCiu0RGSBTRYsQJkzC2NwUc8nnavuONQcFQrgrZLsxjiQhY3Ptw2DXq0rO6oIFEcsVEeHj7inpsOqO2QILFu-OZhIQ1ExKvUPaNPMFTLlggVucGQfimdQ6LvZ4YbR5Q/s640/005.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
The city we're in has set up a public sector initiative to encourage biking: you can rent a bicycle for an hour, a day, a week, or--for an even cheaper price--for a month at a time. (And this is not unusual; Lyon, for example, has public bikes available around the city.) We've rented bikes for the whole time we've been here. It makes a huge difference in feeling willing to explore the city, to say nothing of getting to church every week, to have bikes. They rent only adult-sized bikes, but you can get bikes with baby seats, and Isaac has gotten really good at riding on a bike rack.<br />
<br />
Back home we're used to flat ground, and Clermont is built on a volcano, so we've had to get used to climbing hills, but we'd rent bikes again in a heartbeat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9uomOkM31trCMBaYd6MPA24mwFcWO2WqSEJqKcBaiyVhylthBJdaLQ3gZkUof6m6pjl2kQAWQitaHPxtsYN_GY-DESPokEi0JYPGOs2UBgrOFmVDLHkYtIx7Yk-Oq4DQLj7VeQ/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9uomOkM31trCMBaYd6MPA24mwFcWO2WqSEJqKcBaiyVhylthBJdaLQ3gZkUof6m6pjl2kQAWQitaHPxtsYN_GY-DESPokEi0JYPGOs2UBgrOFmVDLHkYtIx7Yk-Oq4DQLj7VeQ/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-76815026524311733952011-07-07T06:30:00.000+03:002011-07-07T06:30:00.250+03:00Grasping the, er, Green Tassel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH0puqR8zkxtKNL7ttv3sZW54vx0YaZ-EXq_VKcmAaOnZIGZfKN3DPrqKXjlpvM8YjNF6lbRlaiJJ1z4BqmAOiIBJM6kYRrO7FX-3-lhXheE62Xq5yyzpqPhmfQ9-3D1Ur7yWxQ/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH0puqR8zkxtKNL7ttv3sZW54vx0YaZ-EXq_VKcmAaOnZIGZfKN3DPrqKXjlpvM8YjNF6lbRlaiJJ1z4BqmAOiIBJM6kYRrO7FX-3-lhXheE62Xq5yyzpqPhmfQ9-3D1Ur7yWxQ/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of Eleanor's great desires before we leave France was to ride the carousel in the park. She finally got her wish. We usually don't indulge all our kids' carousel wishes, but we've learned that riding a carousel in another country often has unexpected surprises--there was the merry-go-round with real horses in Germany and the one that never stopped moving, even when kids were getting on and off in Holland.<br />
<br />
This one was no exception.<br />
<br />
For half of the ride, the carousel operator dangled a large green tassel over the young riders. All of them snatched at it, but Eleanor was the one who successfully grabbed it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHip_EqaVB4Mr0wheIgyFZ3_cqXasMbLAxALatouobZEKok5uC5XJMaJRYH_A940ZeVuyoxPd0aLbJfAoY5nehS5bVU6qUWdNk5V4LZ62VmjBKrPkJhEAghhuyr82KgQoFtFHv2A/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHip_EqaVB4Mr0wheIgyFZ3_cqXasMbLAxALatouobZEKok5uC5XJMaJRYH_A940ZeVuyoxPd0aLbJfAoY5nehS5bVU6qUWdNk5V4LZ62VmjBKrPkJhEAghhuyr82KgQoFtFHv2A/s640/017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
She was happy enough with the game, but then it turned out that catching the tassel meant she got a second ride. Free!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_O0_mFK34vDYFQb5sxfUFnJAQEIk2AI7mDra_eR3gCfnsAFH-6pZcKYTyoD5lq-TLJjSGfRWnpQsuDoriwqAFjDwz3k78t_stVR0aUVEMnsp0fvCJgn_FPYy7RtoldZ5thsjJw/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_O0_mFK34vDYFQb5sxfUFnJAQEIk2AI7mDra_eR3gCfnsAFH-6pZcKYTyoD5lq-TLJjSGfRWnpQsuDoriwqAFjDwz3k78t_stVR0aUVEMnsp0fvCJgn_FPYy7RtoldZ5thsjJw/s640/019.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Bliss.<br />
<br />
So I suppose the carousel at Jardin Lecoq in Clermont-Ferrand can now be added to Wikipedia's select <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_ring">list</a> of fewer than twenty carousels that still have brass rings for snatching. Well, if they'll expand the definition of "brass ring" to include large green yarn tassels.<br />
<br />
<i>Ruth heard about our carousel adventures and sent us this great <a href="http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/2011/06/carousel-horse-race.html">link</a> to the best-ever carousel horse race.</i>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-83177670749101609572011-07-06T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-06T06:30:01.143+03:00Flowers in the treesHow is it that I had to come to France to discover the catalpa tree? My <a href="http://saturdaymorningkhartoum.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-tree-love.html">identification site <br />
</a>tells me it grows all over the southern US.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPRI0RrXbvzsRuhskn3xvo8MI_w2hkW1ZD4Lzo7_GgH1dVljF1qGwhwH5QWvYo93c7IaxOfc5FyelM4ajKMrTkg4SeXYarDiO4s77tvU357GEIiUHYhC96GlZfOLDK4ZUZIkHqw/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPRI0RrXbvzsRuhskn3xvo8MI_w2hkW1ZD4Lzo7_GgH1dVljF1qGwhwH5QWvYo93c7IaxOfc5FyelM4ajKMrTkg4SeXYarDiO4s77tvU357GEIiUHYhC96GlZfOLDK4ZUZIkHqw/s400/037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The blossoms were there only briefly, but they're so beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs2HW_GEKyVe3FA6cVw6MMEuHXZWoUcvN9J1f3jm1tA9STCQeySoPpNPGuIUdX1rSKr2BPeuZFyA5DtrAcHTYS8qyQ6JVJOr1bxB-Yn-JmVZN2xSPi6YkH-bgVo8jsM5rANocqg/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs2HW_GEKyVe3FA6cVw6MMEuHXZWoUcvN9J1f3jm1tA9STCQeySoPpNPGuIUdX1rSKr2BPeuZFyA5DtrAcHTYS8qyQ6JVJOr1bxB-Yn-JmVZN2xSPi6YkH-bgVo8jsM5rANocqg/s320/036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like little tiny orchids.</div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-38765178101855784272011-07-05T17:04:00.002+03:002011-07-05T17:04:00.466+03:00L'Aventure Michelin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Clermont-Ferrand is the corporate headquarters of Michelin, Corporation. Basically, the tire on the car you drive was invented right here in the center of France.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-xyrpXbN8w95LsOxGmVU1IYWaFv7qn-u2jDygdJreOoKPyr2i4yTqzkKHjkhxxdRb4W_g3EV1az27izQwEGMhkSXHIt-mjfsqvccDEKlAApLVX35L1Se7RjbkqzTb7hFNARekg/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-xyrpXbN8w95LsOxGmVU1IYWaFv7qn-u2jDygdJreOoKPyr2i4yTqzkKHjkhxxdRb4W_g3EV1az27izQwEGMhkSXHIt-mjfsqvccDEKlAApLVX35L1Se7RjbkqzTb7hFNARekg/s640/006.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Michelin has a large <a href="http://www.aventure-michelin.com/prepare-your-visit/l-aventure-michelin.php">museum</a> here that is well done (but do all corporate museums prohibit photography? very annoying)--lots about how the tire came to be invented and promoted as well as information about other industries that Michelin has been involved in. I'm always a sucker for historical advertisements, and there was one room devoted to Michelin advertising.<br />
<br />
I finally figured out why the Michelin man is white. The first tires used white cotton fibers with the rubber, and they looked not exactly white but at least whitish.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaxyaykUFrYJ4T6FENXHtc0u6rBu4tQZWSNFVCa8xigpg5Q8QocJLtySF9owZELxTC4iQ1Q9KeKYD0qg1oKFyLBky-l6CkC2Sj6jCP2qKn3n4v3OdNNVWlaa5ny_kr9jMk3g9ww/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaxyaykUFrYJ4T6FENXHtc0u6rBu4tQZWSNFVCa8xigpg5Q8QocJLtySF9owZELxTC4iQ1Q9KeKYD0qg1oKFyLBky-l6CkC2Sj6jCP2qKn3n4v3OdNNVWlaa5ny_kr9jMk3g9ww/s640/003.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
And did you know the Michelin man has a name? Bibendum. It comes from the first ad that featured him. Michelin's great innovation was inventing a tire that could be quickly and easily repaired in case of puncture. Its competitors, notably Dunlop tires of Britain, fought furious ad campaigns over whose tire technology was preferable.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICu-Y6EOcyrUVhlr7tA5vFWVuJsY3MgL82YX8BuyHpKdg6ZPWn2h_HXaIV630AgHPtA36p-9zh5ncESIjfFjCe3sBZEVqu_b3T8doSHcoSv1Tvyf-bll2xgBZRxpoVepNfd38-w/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICu-Y6EOcyrUVhlr7tA5vFWVuJsY3MgL82YX8BuyHpKdg6ZPWn2h_HXaIV630AgHPtA36p-9zh5ncESIjfFjCe3sBZEVqu_b3T8doSHcoSv1Tvyf-bll2xgBZRxpoVepNfd38-w/s640/009.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
In this ad, other tire companies' tires are sitting around watching with amazement as the Michelin tire drinks a toast with a glass full of shards of glass and other sharp bits of things Roughly translated, the ad says, "Now drink up! To your health! That is to say, the Michelin tire drinks up the obstacle."<br />
<br />
And thus, Bibendum, aka The Michelin Man, was born.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-71409433620391845262011-07-04T06:30:00.000+03:002011-07-04T06:30:00.349+03:00Hollywood stars, Auvergne styleEmbedded in the sidewalk here and there around the city are metal plates celebrating native sons and daughters. At first we thought they were (very cool) drain plates, but they're just public art.<br />
<br />
There's one of the founders of the city--she lived in 1195!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvToZtFcwsqmFfUg1IszDn9u881JljutSIB-zf-oSq7XVTunHgW3Twqo-HK4LhOLw6vaE3p9gQFm_O56NSzOFSS4j0fxb_oEVDjyT3RikgUtx7eo8oSfevWzwCxKieuoXoWtaqRw/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvToZtFcwsqmFfUg1IszDn9u881JljutSIB-zf-oSq7XVTunHgW3Twqo-HK4LhOLw6vaE3p9gQFm_O56NSzOFSS4j0fxb_oEVDjyT3RikgUtx7eo8oSfevWzwCxKieuoXoWtaqRw/s400/029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And the Gaul commander who defied the Romans for years (1200 years <i>before</i> Comtesse G!).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiybGYvT7XuQVWIj0u7NRDSVeJTKVUiIW-XBMQhEULUfPDyPhFWMpuQl0wwYYDIbGtpmrjE5NDnNeK5v865tg-o1QLsJaTa3kqPoUKihHpjnN2nynrQfsExn0FS0I_esQIn52Hwg/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiybGYvT7XuQVWIj0u7NRDSVeJTKVUiIW-XBMQhEULUfPDyPhFWMpuQl0wwYYDIbGtpmrjE5NDnNeK5v865tg-o1QLsJaTa3kqPoUKihHpjnN2nynrQfsExn0FS0I_esQIn52Hwg/s400/031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Pope Urban II who opened the first crusade in Clermont-Ferrand in November 1095.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnjNKFr1LBUgG28mbDIlvHemBJM8fJT4CMVjZqNKTT38IjLjfivocrAEqZRgmQBaBnhWKEDSlP7h8HJhLl1rWq00KjLUJHgjxZinTUiFpkEw6OKlBedQ_Ex1fRVUZHb3ymqozJw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnjNKFr1LBUgG28mbDIlvHemBJM8fJT4CMVjZqNKTT38IjLjfivocrAEqZRgmQBaBnhWKEDSlP7h8HJhLl1rWq00KjLUJHgjxZinTUiFpkEw6OKlBedQ_Ex1fRVUZHb3ymqozJw/s400/032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And finally, that Johnny-come-lately, Blaise Pascal, who was born in Clermont-Ferrand in 1623 and helped to develop geometry and to defend the scientific method.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBzdrC8Ik1clhuOV0uW9JSPiROKmS-ECqyxT3KuIzeWDV9offrS0T6guJNHl23ew2H9tMSrNWwKX6cC2ByFX190xZw5pH3x5fpr0HEkMn91PnRkcUFbwC-re-XNth3tVlYycpQA/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBzdrC8Ik1clhuOV0uW9JSPiROKmS-ECqyxT3KuIzeWDV9offrS0T6guJNHl23ew2H9tMSrNWwKX6cC2ByFX190xZw5pH3x5fpr0HEkMn91PnRkcUFbwC-re-XNth3tVlYycpQA/s400/033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sometimes living in Europe reminds me just how very, very young the United States is.<br />
<br />
Happy Fourth of July!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-69884429501494879292011-07-02T06:30:00.005+03:002011-07-07T17:02:21.778+03:00Beware your food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickuXFDK6pumAl-m8GRshI_NitRqDj_g1eGVo1hyUnB96b-o0iIIJPoERfXMFHlekB_cT0YEmzfsNcAjtvhUktXTQxq2O9pFwGDUi25-I2q4XDV1vrI8Owl6AIqfEMAzHpGOMiNA/s1600/102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickuXFDK6pumAl-m8GRshI_NitRqDj_g1eGVo1hyUnB96b-o0iIIJPoERfXMFHlekB_cT0YEmzfsNcAjtvhUktXTQxq2O9pFwGDUi25-I2q4XDV1vrI8Owl6AIqfEMAzHpGOMiNA/s640/102.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Health warnings printed on advertisements originated in the US, but they've adopted them here in France as well. All alcohol ads contain warnings like this one, "Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation."<br />
<br />
But French health warnings don't end with cigarettes and alcohol.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZD2zz8pOU2lzLcbp5tQT3LIetA3J6xv7fTk-jYdiZUAFIQIVGGcy2Yg84-pT0X6iBgnZwRvGXdrxpt2qxcs29YA6xTHzbhN3fNBM_hXr0DVj8neGEM7B0rcbGPMcAb56V8SGbQ/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZD2zz8pOU2lzLcbp5tQT3LIetA3J6xv7fTk-jYdiZUAFIQIVGGcy2Yg84-pT0X6iBgnZwRvGXdrxpt2qxcs29YA6xTHzbhN3fNBM_hXr0DVj8neGEM7B0rcbGPMcAb56V8SGbQ/s320/030.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Down at the bottom, these say, "For your health, eat less fat, less sugar, and less salt.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOL6QdmGb7RmXV5pJg1ZRHpLAV3Ke3MHE5x4mAXcsqMJGQ_BDfAO97OMLd4IDs1gezdr8Vcjb13hDSjJ7THjDUGSPgOSR8yLdoLHTEn2nCqXdDBU349-Iq31c4GBIAalAqavwmgg/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOL6QdmGb7RmXV5pJg1ZRHpLAV3Ke3MHE5x4mAXcsqMJGQ_BDfAO97OMLd4IDs1gezdr8Vcjb13hDSjJ7THjDUGSPgOSR8yLdoLHTEn2nCqXdDBU349-Iq31c4GBIAalAqavwmgg/s640/101.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60bt2hnRTBBF01ma-ueLvWRE1dcFb-Y_bOkrt1mYhCWHyCc4y7ZlzTi5urlfokM0bSkDugUnZSL7XG6eUZwexkRFgMptaT4Em2osj47N5ilW14tJwV78_aopu_s_Ym8ZhDNdHrw/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60bt2hnRTBBF01ma-ueLvWRE1dcFb-Y_bOkrt1mYhCWHyCc4y7ZlzTi5urlfokM0bSkDugUnZSL7XG6eUZwexkRFgMptaT4Em2osj47N5ilW14tJwV78_aopu_s_Ym8ZhDNdHrw/s640/032.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
This one urges, "Eat a varied diet. It's better for your health."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And this soda pop ad reminds, "For your health, avoid snacking between meals."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBb-ns3hqBZ6xuIdhLmdMq_sArx862xfZiYsf5Y2zuTyiZI14GI7jXB7IYMm03QvH135b0kX1qUNARIa8X184d-aXbLgJsbvie3tJJW3PjbgaS4dSW-ugRwkyUvCURlIgPjl72w/s1600/157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBb-ns3hqBZ6xuIdhLmdMq_sArx862xfZiYsf5Y2zuTyiZI14GI7jXB7IYMm03QvH135b0kX1qUNARIa8X184d-aXbLgJsbvie3tJJW3PjbgaS4dSW-ugRwkyUvCURlIgPjl72w/s640/157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
We may be in the land of cheese and butter-filled pastries, but it's also the land of nutritional awareness.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-27233073620286169252011-07-01T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-01T06:30:01.630+03:00Up a tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUTkyfMNZB5Vcr8ISYhCCiZHzmOzex2lWIA7x-MV9jSJfxbqqQui0imFI51BGSGXn8eEmLq31yzSGT0Xi6amwvR2eNAwgwhxK2VHpTge7Z1XmWU9JXU0fzF9Do61t7qUighpmlg/s1600/077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUTkyfMNZB5Vcr8ISYhCCiZHzmOzex2lWIA7x-MV9jSJfxbqqQui0imFI51BGSGXn8eEmLq31yzSGT0Xi6amwvR2eNAwgwhxK2VHpTge7Z1XmWU9JXU0fzF9Do61t7qUighpmlg/s640/077.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
I always loved climbing trees when I was little. (Actually, I still do.)<br />
<br />
One of the great gifts of going almost every day to the park without an agenda, without a plan, is that Isaac and Eleanor, all on their own, discovered that they love climbing trees too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJqZOY4FKqXEHF7i0340AplgP1S8KbdnP-4tISOd0rOrwIU04SaGkcuREeFgW1udBX4EYyDMy-9sgFPrSqdzxTk4ct49cluXsCjzMeNDQeuNHpmzc0ePmuWcqYxxAgX0HhxhzbA/s1600/081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJqZOY4FKqXEHF7i0340AplgP1S8KbdnP-4tISOd0rOrwIU04SaGkcuREeFgW1udBX4EYyDMy-9sgFPrSqdzxTk4ct49cluXsCjzMeNDQeuNHpmzc0ePmuWcqYxxAgX0HhxhzbA/s640/081.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Lots of scuffed knees and heart-stopping moments for Mom, but sheer delight for the kids.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-71828820099279595142011-06-30T06:30:00.001+03:002011-06-30T06:30:01.812+03:00More tree loveI loved the <a href="http://scsours.xanga.com/664162392/the-100-species-challenge/">100 Species Challenge</a> that swept (well, maybe it just burbled) through the home-schooling community a couple of years ago The challenge is to identify 100 plants growing within a mile of where you live. What a great way to engage with and get to know the natural world! And besides, I just like knowing the names of things.<br />
<br />
But I'm not very good at it. I collect leaves and come home and look them up and discover I don't remember whether the leaves were opposite or alternate or whether the fruits hung singly or in pairs. I always intend to go back and answer my questions, but it seldom happens.<br />
<br />
Which is why the park here is perfect for me. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dlF7Vscr1nXo4M2ia2-b_9avhgaP6nSSnpnk6_cKriShdL68PCkbU5pXHtdgRKk1UCGxltRixaBUdMzRjqyHNFsYOKKuTkEB8oIRkbKUYLGdS485xJ5eupWriBt490mAuYQGaw/s1600/076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dlF7Vscr1nXo4M2ia2-b_9avhgaP6nSSnpnk6_cKriShdL68PCkbU5pXHtdgRKk1UCGxltRixaBUdMzRjqyHNFsYOKKuTkEB8oIRkbKUYLGdS485xJ5eupWriBt490mAuYQGaw/s640/076.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
The city provides free wi-fi all through the park. So I just bring along my laptop and <a href="http://saturdaymorningkhartoum.blogspot.com/2011/06/trees-dinosaurs-and-us.html">identify</a> <i>in situ<i>. </i></i>I cannot tell you how satisfying this has been.<br />
<br />
This, ladies and gentleman, is (I think) from a horse chestnut tree (which also grown in the parking lot behind our dormitory).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfubEVSVTfrgi8yFwOOYSqSjYDNuuqXTYeb3oZUiu1SOpAOpiE8db2k3Z5tOIEwe3kV8nvO07xvEAebOWwlaZpu3lBQnhCOXlKiOLCAyoQZ9uLlRytFIefl-QI7flGo6maIpeiiA/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfubEVSVTfrgi8yFwOOYSqSjYDNuuqXTYeb3oZUiu1SOpAOpiE8db2k3Z5tOIEwe3kV8nvO07xvEAebOWwlaZpu3lBQnhCOXlKiOLCAyoQZ9uLlRytFIefl-QI7flGo6maIpeiiA/s640/012.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwZdk7c6ATABf-Qg83nlg-D53JB_cnyc_51Y_-OT5W9VOC2DHK8s8bHJSHhOj_d_L_0ImuvwhhWl1iaVgPdzYiWH9Nkd44g4PQz8DyjWZXFwBoguWa6sFTBhgW2wtCsrr2xhKcg/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwZdk7c6ATABf-Qg83nlg-D53JB_cnyc_51Y_-OT5W9VOC2DHK8s8bHJSHhOj_d_L_0ImuvwhhWl1iaVgPdzYiWH9Nkd44g4PQz8DyjWZXFwBoguWa6sFTBhgW2wtCsrr2xhKcg/s640/013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Voila!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-22265384129259590692011-06-29T09:57:00.000+03:002011-06-29T10:55:03.098+03:00Medieval Fest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the good things about settling into a place when you're abroad is that you end up doing things that might not have risen to the top of your list in a more ambitious tourist experience. Our town, Clermont-Ferrand, had a weeklong medieval fair in the medieval part of town, so one day we bicycled up there to check it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were amazed by the buildings (though they're there year-round), the costumes, the fun, and the price (free!).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSGgN7ZqWvYXxC6DsJa5R1DQaqIjL5f-3OJ7NvH0p5A5y2_6L3zNSduA46ZEko-63_Vjb2F5K8gM5M7l2KGhNxbrE0jC5XfPXwk6i_LN8UWnXhyphenhyphenWU983jfBVGkBKSeC8Eklo8AA/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSGgN7ZqWvYXxC6DsJa5R1DQaqIjL5f-3OJ7NvH0p5A5y2_6L3zNSduA46ZEko-63_Vjb2F5K8gM5M7l2KGhNxbrE0jC5XfPXwk6i_LN8UWnXhyphenhyphenWU983jfBVGkBKSeC8Eklo8AA/s640/046.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuwj52KxvMVRkNUH9SBAJ14yQ9L53wF-tmioW9DzUw31LPS6CKcFXRl9hiHZIjZFgb1OaPTEnpuas8A7XtiQNbod8ceOzEnz8o8cAM2MMcFWRnIGLUabTztOaUAx7IJB9r01l0w/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuwj52KxvMVRkNUH9SBAJ14yQ9L53wF-tmioW9DzUw31LPS6CKcFXRl9hiHZIjZFgb1OaPTEnpuas8A7XtiQNbod8ceOzEnz8o8cAM2MMcFWRnIGLUabTztOaUAx7IJB9r01l0w/s640/030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIu-N9LvEyEbgYtGQXs4l7syS4zN99Zhiel8tuUFzx4U1Kq9be-iPszK-0tcw_Amem3L8gK7c9UtvXcO7aS3VUkodXnJNeP1QKUFcJ7HWcBeedQrGSW7L8v2cu3w3W6TipxXBJlA/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIu-N9LvEyEbgYtGQXs4l7syS4zN99Zhiel8tuUFzx4U1Kq9be-iPszK-0tcw_Amem3L8gK7c9UtvXcO7aS3VUkodXnJNeP1QKUFcJ7HWcBeedQrGSW7L8v2cu3w3W6TipxXBJlA/s640/031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Chivalrous knights let our kids try on their armor.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlWHxncP8W6Yj90LSl1huz7MWimfDCU-0IAAWmR2UZSVwAzIXAiEj-koX0FEk_kupp-YesDQOBVKdG5qQGUfEBSxo3LiypMBRNvZGs9WoE83NhvMPOnk3lXxeg_-jyHVO2IRD7A/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlWHxncP8W6Yj90LSl1huz7MWimfDCU-0IAAWmR2UZSVwAzIXAiEj-koX0FEk_kupp-YesDQOBVKdG5qQGUfEBSxo3LiypMBRNvZGs9WoE83NhvMPOnk3lXxeg_-jyHVO2IRD7A/s640/033.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
And enjoy their tents at the jousting yard.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIf4kVxe7BPepuuP0d8yUrJWwvg8xOi1Md8SVsekt8dkAwRVRQ9GoO4Lmjve5htw5YBr2Iqx0Ac7dgfgkVDAJrHid6eH5R1kwu6oCLbdtymkBjVmmoV_2C7IKg-h5q0fGT2Dwpg/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIf4kVxe7BPepuuP0d8yUrJWwvg8xOi1Md8SVsekt8dkAwRVRQ9GoO4Lmjve5htw5YBr2Iqx0Ac7dgfgkVDAJrHid6eH5R1kwu6oCLbdtymkBjVmmoV_2C7IKg-h5q0fGT2Dwpg/s640/035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We had thought the jousting re-enactment would be the highlight of the day, but it turned out we loved everything else even more--a tiny petting area, presided over by a teenaged swineherd in medieval garb, the performers on the street, the retro-fitted playground.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRqqRozQEtWROCiYgCrisM7neG8XO0B9ndDHhFeEPnatXJFhPV6ZrHV0isT5-bTc_GM0FHpl-cKCHfGQ63PAlDtHA3s1tn8JLs07He-rJnE4EivjBz5EVXUkinnh4sKJNNwnq6w/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRqqRozQEtWROCiYgCrisM7neG8XO0B9ndDHhFeEPnatXJFhPV6ZrHV0isT5-bTc_GM0FHpl-cKCHfGQ63PAlDtHA3s1tn8JLs07He-rJnE4EivjBz5EVXUkinnh4sKJNNwnq6w/s640/003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaVLPPfacc3YmMCY-kh-qbBuo4nl9sQGx3HtTVcrIUdtAjD3zbUtz_KL282X7auaRL3NBZz1bwH2yrAnams98SG3A8HzlXOQFP4VKdjsmfgSLQPTIkEe_YQwcuSE56XIXHJeQLA/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaVLPPfacc3YmMCY-kh-qbBuo4nl9sQGx3HtTVcrIUdtAjD3zbUtz_KL282X7auaRL3NBZz1bwH2yrAnams98SG3A8HzlXOQFP4VKdjsmfgSLQPTIkEe_YQwcuSE56XIXHJeQLA/s640/018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And this game? Completely addictive. Someone with a jigsaw should definitely make one for the family reunion circuit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nJtreBwiGTV8xWk_OGhyphenhyphenSmmRsZTTbj0P_Ymc85ZHhAVkMOYYue458zxpvAtO_8Q1DGznA9KpNN4wmOzCWf3Vlcx7WzfEank78wJixAZOSzrGFEeCaJNoR5Czvus5VIrUKlf3iQ/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nJtreBwiGTV8xWk_OGhyphenhyphenSmmRsZTTbj0P_Ymc85ZHhAVkMOYYue458zxpvAtO_8Q1DGznA9KpNN4wmOzCWf3Vlcx7WzfEank78wJixAZOSzrGFEeCaJNoR5Czvus5VIrUKlf3iQ/s640/010.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekn33MTVyq73Uk5ldKhZ40iH-AZkVkqvBXWI9I3me2Uyf8Fd38a8VpULQWdtXtPhgFR3WIyC6MCrwZF8sTZf2Lk_2lWhDMc3ybW8Jp5Ug_8hja93ah9TPauuPZPN7S5dq_-9x2Q/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekn33MTVyq73Uk5ldKhZ40iH-AZkVkqvBXWI9I3me2Uyf8Fd38a8VpULQWdtXtPhgFR3WIyC6MCrwZF8sTZf2Lk_2lWhDMc3ybW8Jp5Ug_8hja93ah9TPauuPZPN7S5dq_-9x2Q/s320/011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-1532057291066867512011-06-28T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-07T17:01:19.978+03:00Vulcania<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The town of Clermont-Ferrand is ringed by ancient volcanoes. Sitting on our balcony, we can easily see their silhouettes against the sky. The volcanoes have been silent since pre-history, but the university here has an active volcano study program, and there is <a href="http://www.vulcania.com/index.php?id=2&L=2">Vulcania</a>, a local theme park that another professor explained to us is much more akin to Kennedy Space Center than to Disneyland. \<br />
<br />
They had several movies with good volcano footage, some of them with 3-D glasses and moving seats.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl383UCQ2scjHP9mhVaM-0isewclvw4FZm48IYpjZxEleOJCqaG928fLnP-SwUngq0noM0FmdK-Ne97sI2gYeB1vTylVD-7G-nYVw-yNhkcW_tqGBA6EevrmmuM-CN1ufLOf7iqA/s1600/085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl383UCQ2scjHP9mhVaM-0isewclvw4FZm48IYpjZxEleOJCqaG928fLnP-SwUngq0noM0FmdK-Ne97sI2gYeB1vTylVD-7G-nYVw-yNhkcW_tqGBA6EevrmmuM-CN1ufLOf7iqA/s640/085.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My favorite part of the whole park, though, was the grounds. They have fountains to operate--and run through.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATTYj_ZNfiyGEgSLrdWk2VgTbtdSZAArqKfRORwR1obkEcdlFeUmZYjWXEsF_r7uPJ3FxFFymFsApPObnpWh1whH6zS-jiC2pxZVgf3VIYJfpn2X8KbmIRjT-1zCVGmmZvuJNzw/s1600/096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATTYj_ZNfiyGEgSLrdWk2VgTbtdSZAArqKfRORwR1obkEcdlFeUmZYjWXEsF_r7uPJ3FxFFymFsApPObnpWh1whH6zS-jiC2pxZVgf3VIYJfpn2X8KbmIRjT-1zCVGmmZvuJNzw/s640/096.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Large swaths of the grounds were left as wildflower-studded meadows. And we loved the playgrounds dotted around the grounds.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsjTaverBqqoyJK-opblFPeERqqp-izLWniyUTpVhOVtfKmj6C3kqQV1SQk5Qj2OPoGtdc_Yw-629ggWmjBMOdhSb7F7DWzsFowF3WSBEnl3AtHvXr3awk7hx5vHOM-Rr6rSMwQ/s1600/089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsjTaverBqqoyJK-opblFPeERqqp-izLWniyUTpVhOVtfKmj6C3kqQV1SQk5Qj2OPoGtdc_Yw-629ggWmjBMOdhSb7F7DWzsFowF3WSBEnl3AtHvXr3awk7hx5vHOM-Rr6rSMwQ/s640/089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not quite what we'd expected from our day at Vulcania, but happy memories.</div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-34572417921322878642011-06-27T06:30:00.001+03:002011-07-07T16:59:07.897+03:00Ratatouille, un-DisneyfiedThe most famous chef in Lyon is Paul Bocuse.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He has three stars from Michelin and a very famous restaurant in Lyon and there is even a prize for the world's best chefs named after him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He also has, in Lyon, two fast food restaurants.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">His famous restaurant is beyond our family's budget, but we ate at <a href="http://www.ouestexpress.fr/">Ouest Express</a>, his fast food eatery--<i>quand la cuisine se fait rapide. </i>It was a sleek, chic space on a terrace. The food was more expensive than American fast food, but only slightly more than French fast food, and it was really good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We loved the presentation--the crusty roll that came with the salad, and the tiny bottle--a real bottle!--of dressing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcr9Ju9wWFYumfTs1SZXSA8wTXcG9KqWvubCg3zgRaIoYzQhfvIOkm7LtXssPoEJ3_lma14jv0ybaJL-pL_QblLgp8wgsELBcmiRiCA4JS41oECBktNjf_uTFBb5PLbYrVWYmwQ/s1600/153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcr9Ju9wWFYumfTs1SZXSA8wTXcG9KqWvubCg3zgRaIoYzQhfvIOkm7LtXssPoEJ3_lma14jv0ybaJL-pL_QblLgp8wgsELBcmiRiCA4JS41oECBktNjf_uTFBb5PLbYrVWYmwQ/s640/153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I'm not sure whether this is Bocuse selling out, but our family enjoyed our tiny brush with fine dining.Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-36624259774114585172011-06-25T06:29:00.001+03:002011-06-25T06:29:00.189+03:00Six!She turned six today, and yesterday she learned to ride a bike!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhSFHfl2dco4ptDq_Bbbrhyphenhyphen4GRZlexfE6QakIISqWfMFVaBb4uHAc4_sHt9uatLaiWhvC8Cy_XixTYw32CgUTCspaTIV4m_c3VJtvaIbsWbzVJpgj8L9faGogB9RiyOjoYAbndQ/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhSFHfl2dco4ptDq_Bbbrhyphenhyphen4GRZlexfE6QakIISqWfMFVaBb4uHAc4_sHt9uatLaiWhvC8Cy_XixTYw32CgUTCspaTIV4m_c3VJtvaIbsWbzVJpgj8L9faGogB9RiyOjoYAbndQ/s640/051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
David (who is good at stuff like this) bought her a cheap bike from the French version of Craig's List and she has been trying to ride it since Monday. Mostly David has run along with her, holding onto her bike seat, but today he was at the office, and she wanted to take her bike to the park.<br />
<br />
I offered to hold on and run beside her, but she didn't want my help, so I sat on the lawn with my computer and worked on a manuscript I'm editing. Then I happened to glance up, and she was riding her bike past me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwYJ94JsofNI4wIvvYNbTZptW6wOZCMcuDeCZxfY9wdutY6ZU9zMRP4lYJSlzNWYjVMTI3zzBqx9SohGnPe0HVnoGWUTyASGa-fq6mwhEbpM1qNpmL8m2N0KxqYHmdIHDx-tf2Q/s1600/bike+and+pascal+gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwYJ94JsofNI4wIvvYNbTZptW6wOZCMcuDeCZxfY9wdutY6ZU9zMRP4lYJSlzNWYjVMTI3zzBqx9SohGnPe0HVnoGWUTyASGa-fq6mwhEbpM1qNpmL8m2N0KxqYHmdIHDx-tf2Q/s640/bike+and+pascal+gate.jpg" width="623" /></a></div><br />
Almost all the photos I snapped are of her back. She rushes by so fast. Kind of like where we are in life--I'll mostly be running along behind her from now on, admiring the fantastic places she's going and shouting encouragement, marveling at her competence and verve.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFIacqUjQAP0MiHn5bZSU8zgbU69JPXQIxyqDBe_yHnCKIZZW9ZXg6lS-6teGaoVA2m3rpp0kvngQBijx9U4Kaj9P3IzC8MdpwsqKxORMcXc18Ys21-KZPSe4982Ar6KdbNL1WA/s1600/smiling+bicyclist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFIacqUjQAP0MiHn5bZSU8zgbU69JPXQIxyqDBe_yHnCKIZZW9ZXg6lS-6teGaoVA2m3rpp0kvngQBijx9U4Kaj9P3IzC8MdpwsqKxORMcXc18Ys21-KZPSe4982Ar6KdbNL1WA/s640/smiling+bicyclist.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Happy birthday six year old!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-49923363622460101972011-06-23T06:30:00.000+03:002011-06-23T06:30:00.887+03:00Puppet heaven<a href="http://www.gadagne.musees.lyon.fr/index.php/gadagne/(lang)/en">Musee Gadagne</a> is a dual-purpose museum in the heart of Lyon. Half of it is a history museum, which we did not visit. The other half is a puppet museum. A great place for kids!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BVYiBBstmTzSQX1Hks8iyWfXXPj7I8zNObQ_gqBs2jLyziwHF5UBXXoUCkTHVrvW0E9u9UGFZaVL0c4_uijhnk9cY69bdOusxT9FGZdbDplYpkNwiNnmrXnrkxJG3xBhSLyLQQ/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BVYiBBstmTzSQX1Hks8iyWfXXPj7I8zNObQ_gqBs2jLyziwHF5UBXXoUCkTHVrvW0E9u9UGFZaVL0c4_uijhnk9cY69bdOusxT9FGZdbDplYpkNwiNnmrXnrkxJG3xBhSLyLQQ/s640/137.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Remarkably affordable (6 Euros, but children up to the age of 26 !!! are free and receive a free audioguide), the museum works hard to make itself accessible to the English-speaking world. They have even translated all of their children's guide materials into English. Eleanor and Isaac had a lot of fun with the museum-provided clipboard (the perfect <a href="http://saturdaymorningkhartoum.blogspot.com/2011/01/kids-and-museums.html">sketching</a> accessory) and the challenge questions in the children's guide, and Emma Lucy found the audio tour interesting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH81e9bF5CyhSfjc3UvY8owpjX8DoES5yAaBQfuxWzx5QYKQRonmCXrfqKGq_QY87Ragz2Wz9yUIAc9XyGhqmNK4_BXHNcBxoO-RiF9NvyTTHClNGO1PhOd9dUwcfj0oB8KIqvPg/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH81e9bF5CyhSfjc3UvY8owpjX8DoES5yAaBQfuxWzx5QYKQRonmCXrfqKGq_QY87Ragz2Wz9yUIAc9XyGhqmNK4_BXHNcBxoO-RiF9NvyTTHClNGO1PhOd9dUwcfj0oB8KIqvPg/s640/138.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
The puppet museum made us appreciate stumbling across a puppet show in the park--one of those happy bits of serendipity!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZD1Eny0Hi4Ywq-Z0_qqju0z5jGqh6D4RSo7Yv4vXXvViRmZ4e7pI4vE-iTaF_xSwWVeuLDZ61oBSkMIVw2Kq65NN-aW0-yZdr8xLDKLMvGttmT0qf5S95O0dErvaO8jq2BQV0uA/s1600/104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZD1Eny0Hi4Ywq-Z0_qqju0z5jGqh6D4RSo7Yv4vXXvViRmZ4e7pI4vE-iTaF_xSwWVeuLDZ61oBSkMIVw2Kq65NN-aW0-yZdr8xLDKLMvGttmT0qf5S95O0dErvaO8jq2BQV0uA/s320/104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-70648103210611445132011-06-22T06:30:00.000+03:002011-06-22T06:30:00.409+03:00Roman ruinsLyon has two gorgeous Roman amphitheaters so well preserved (and restored) that they use them for shows today. But you can also wander around them on your own during the daytime.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZIgP2L5Q8q6d1xBz2sY7p7VdjNt3excDidW6J6y0aiHNJWe0TUps-mwXIDRlx3-jg9Dx8y74qL1DvYkJNaQcLyzy5eoB6KsIvS9lUfXoH-jMmcz63ZAaFcMl09vC9aRlglsbEg/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZIgP2L5Q8q6d1xBz2sY7p7VdjNt3excDidW6J6y0aiHNJWe0TUps-mwXIDRlx3-jg9Dx8y74qL1DvYkJNaQcLyzy5eoB6KsIvS9lUfXoH-jMmcz63ZAaFcMl09vC9aRlglsbEg/s400/129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Those feats of Roman engineering will never come close, however, to the joy of finding bugs. We spent ten minutes on the theater and over an hour on the bugs. Happily, there are still lots of loose stones around the edge of the amphitheaters (some of them still with the marks left by the ancient tools that formed them!) for those bugs to hide in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_qbYGi7PnolUdq7jfQw-nR50PbFJUvXRmZsTnHRfZdF0UDgfmBsfEGQJaU0LtSzGJ989iCsj4L82up7i5tUc1J2eg5T0xEYDgOpXIQs8YBElhEtm-9_RRNe-OSOZwxiQZsE2ow/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_qbYGi7PnolUdq7jfQw-nR50PbFJUvXRmZsTnHRfZdF0UDgfmBsfEGQJaU0LtSzGJ989iCsj4L82up7i5tUc1J2eg5T0xEYDgOpXIQs8YBElhEtm-9_RRNe-OSOZwxiQZsE2ow/s640/134.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-46155851122575062011-06-21T15:28:00.001+03:002011-07-07T17:03:48.113+03:00Libraries on the itineraryEvery European city has its tourist attractions--ancient ruins, Renaissance churches, medieval castles. They're cool to visit. But families shouldn't discount the charm of visiting the public library, either.<br />
<br />
In my experience, European children's librarians are warm and welcoming to any patron who comes through the door. They love having kids paw through the books on their shelves. And a children's library is a great glimpse into the culture of a place--the Bosnian children's library is tiny with lots of black and white books by local publishers and usually full of kids playing; the Dutch children's library is large and sleek and clean with large holding in languages other than Dutch.<br />
<br />
We spent part of last week in Lyon, France and spent two afternoons, exhausted from our other adventures, in the children's section of the library. There is a robust publishing French language publishing industry, it appears. The library had a large collection of gorgeous full color picture books and even a special room with toddler books (about where our French language skills are). There was also free and easily-accessible Wi-fi for me and Emma Lucy.<br />
<br />
One of the kids found the book "Le journal secret de la Sorciere Camomille." Iin it, the witches all get together for a big party. In addition to eating and drinking, they play <a href="http://saturdaymorningkhartoum.blogspot.com/2011/06/national-pastime.html">petanque</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFHVGDM4QprtuJqDv4mDE-5wfCWOWj0qF4zpzluxA3KrmL-NfAevdbfn4gUXQaDk79m0v9Yp-XlSprTEp7aXG8QzwkGDyuCJM2MqmFf30f-pzIN-74YX8tjBWMhxJ6pR8Q_6bgQ/s1600/113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFHVGDM4QprtuJqDv4mDE-5wfCWOWj0qF4zpzluxA3KrmL-NfAevdbfn4gUXQaDk79m0v9Yp-XlSprTEp7aXG8QzwkGDyuCJM2MqmFf30f-pzIN-74YX8tjBWMhxJ6pR8Q_6bgQ/s320/113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Which I guess pretty much proves it <i>is</i> the national pastime!</div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-42214100420399927012011-06-20T06:30:00.001+03:002011-06-20T06:30:00.231+03:00Reading labels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB668jOcjJ3G9pOZFOrBh-ODUlnGVDTZMlHKzxivTzlNAczmA-5mloj_Ze2sO_R9Hkj9DtauLSepEAcJ3fFLj33KPkfS69TrQ9PBakWmMGVlXc26FuPBkvQTEacxd8db4t15k7A/s1600/076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB668jOcjJ3G9pOZFOrBh-ODUlnGVDTZMlHKzxivTzlNAczmA-5mloj_Ze2sO_R9Hkj9DtauLSepEAcJ3fFLj33KPkfS69TrQ9PBakWmMGVlXc26FuPBkvQTEacxd8db4t15k7A/s640/076.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We buy mostly the store brand at the supermarket where we shop. We've been very impressed with the quality, and the cost is significantly less than other options.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Buying the bargain brand, we expected bare-bones packaging, but Eleanor--no surprise it's the youngest of us all!--noticed that most of the packages we buy have Braille labels. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCfM2RaJ79d4jGxFZt8NAhuJtDfxf1Ilg3EZJzoUL9_mdw5pXJSS2VXKVhyphenhyphenyEXW1cHSIh-n_wL5BvPzghWPsdPZPPiJSlOI14bHl6TQL_48BM-E0mniHfhBW2oWJU9rPMou4BIw/s1600/077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCfM2RaJ79d4jGxFZt8NAhuJtDfxf1Ilg3EZJzoUL9_mdw5pXJSS2VXKVhyphenhyphenyEXW1cHSIh-n_wL5BvPzghWPsdPZPPiJSlOI14bHl6TQL_48BM-E0mniHfhBW2oWJU9rPMou4BIw/s640/077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Now it's a game to find the Braille on each label.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAfuU-DtKC_6ONi0fFcj8FltH-nxk0xT14yNmGsdi3NsbyAXKvjB3Ba80KGqggy0qef3LrbvWrasn26hGd4wCZNlfbvhsQ6ZplU5DvfIIOVuZM2fEddwQ-JKqDCUO4h7txKXx6w/s1600/073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAfuU-DtKC_6ONi0fFcj8FltH-nxk0xT14yNmGsdi3NsbyAXKvjB3Ba80KGqggy0qef3LrbvWrasn26hGd4wCZNlfbvhsQ6ZplU5DvfIIOVuZM2fEddwQ-JKqDCUO4h7txKXx6w/s640/073.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I'm impressed that the brand has such a commitment to accessibility for all its customers. My customer loyalty has just increased.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLu79hHsjcFe4s01e9IDn_fclhk5piFE6LZuhgfEPIdEyvui_0OqLoAZg1JpNYojuKRtdlf_KlG-il8i63W3eQuKUjQVwb5-3Oq4ZoK_zmPpbxVrB_exCzm-eaggrEOGYUT8fSIQ/s1600/074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLu79hHsjcFe4s01e9IDn_fclhk5piFE6LZuhgfEPIdEyvui_0OqLoAZg1JpNYojuKRtdlf_KlG-il8i63W3eQuKUjQVwb5-3Oq4ZoK_zmPpbxVrB_exCzm-eaggrEOGYUT8fSIQ/s640/074.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-694664169060601072011-06-18T06:30:00.001+03:002011-06-18T06:30:01.790+03:00Weighty matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="French Women Don’t Get Fat" height="400" src="http://www.diabetes1.org/Resources/images/book_review_French_women.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
It may not be true that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/French-Women-Dont-Get-Fat/dp/0375710515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308202003&sr=8-1">French women don't get fat</a>, but it is true that a French woman would have a hard time knowing if she did.<br />
<br />
We are travelling with <a href="http://saturdaymorningkhartoum.blogspot.com/2011/05/aargh.html">very tight luggage restrictions</a>, so in Bosnia we bought a bathroom scale to make sure each piece of luggage was at the maximum weight allowed but not overweight. We had a choice of six bathroom scales at the store where we shopped. But of course our weight restrictions didn't allow us to bring the scale along to France.<br />
<br />
We have been trying to buy another bathroom scale here to prepare for our return home next month, but we couldn't find one. So we started asking locals where we should shop. After an initial look of puzzlement, most people recommend a pharmacy. But every pharmacy that we checked told us that they didn't carry scales.<br />
<br />
Finally we found one pharmacy that had a scale. A coin-operated one at the front door.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcz6iii9aLXR6osMqXGsiBj7-JVHPj0rz8FlHm0K5iNHisMIoYkCJg3e2yKGMg90qRCVkBP5PH6JG2-x0FkB3IWM251ouHOZZL2QL_3SS1R5M0hyhjlh8xZbUYL37nOwCJhKg5g/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcz6iii9aLXR6osMqXGsiBj7-JVHPj0rz8FlHm0K5iNHisMIoYkCJg3e2yKGMg90qRCVkBP5PH6JG2-x0FkB3IWM251ouHOZZL2QL_3SS1R5M0hyhjlh8xZbUYL37nOwCJhKg5g/s640/047.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
So we bought a luggage scale instead.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyirD-4OHKM3Osi9kLwOpTKi-1C4g8HWC2t5c2lxHSHF6gH8VyDPd0xEBv_C8zgeGZ6bCnUc0sRCDtUvn6hZE2msQsC3J7nA6UXwVXJo4_46kWeTYGGte8kwrVmurPmnswvhAyQ/s1600/154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyirD-4OHKM3Osi9kLwOpTKi-1C4g8HWC2t5c2lxHSHF6gH8VyDPd0xEBv_C8zgeGZ6bCnUc0sRCDtUvn6hZE2msQsC3J7nA6UXwVXJo4_46kWeTYGGte8kwrVmurPmnswvhAyQ/s320/154.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And I think now I'll walk over to the <i>patisserie</i> and buy some <i>pain au chocolat.</i>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-2291773517184741622011-06-17T06:30:00.002+03:002011-07-07T17:04:52.103+03:00Behind the Scenes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpaW5sCyFW2qYj9LYMCZX_hWQJIepfYdpWS2_zggs6IQpps_xUpjNej-yiwDXNmVu0Pvp60yG6KGYVqS4uhM6CXq9OCxiHBj7R4V65AwVeK3cb7CnUKWYrVbvIxKN8656ZoQSWQ/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpaW5sCyFW2qYj9LYMCZX_hWQJIepfYdpWS2_zggs6IQpps_xUpjNej-yiwDXNmVu0Pvp60yG6KGYVqS4uhM6CXq9OCxiHBj7R4V65AwVeK3cb7CnUKWYrVbvIxKN8656ZoQSWQ/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of the great things about spending some time nearly every day in the park, is that we get glimpses of the magic that goes into making it so gorgeous.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_IZ3dUQh4hoxAHhaf7O1OO6w1R1-aggu4UKhcrslnHcEue-akwgUD4x4tB23PqWHvTDglBcG7PoS2rs6A3g_tO8XLM1h9u7tuZz4nfSCgvHI9cYXXRmUFdWnohO4kiYoRAe_3A/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_IZ3dUQh4hoxAHhaf7O1OO6w1R1-aggu4UKhcrslnHcEue-akwgUD4x4tB23PqWHvTDglBcG7PoS2rs6A3g_tO8XLM1h9u7tuZz4nfSCgvHI9cYXXRmUFdWnohO4kiYoRAe_3A/s640/006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So beautiful!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-63800097540065743532011-06-16T06:30:00.002+03:002011-07-07T17:05:56.657+03:00Swimming pool<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Clermont-Ferrand has a great municipal swimming pool just two blocks from where we live. There's an Olympic-sized pool for laps, a recreational pool, a baby pool, and even a serpentine water slide. It's taken some work to actually swim there, though. The first day we tried, the pool was closed for a strike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>The next time we went, David and Edward were stopped from getting into the pool at water's edge because they were wearing men's style swimsuits--the only kind I've ever seen men or boys wear in the US. In France, men and boys have to wear maillot style suits--skimpy little Speedo-style suits.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2OEeqNtgdCUpbIkAitxRDd_G6XQpI-RbhCsIcKoQvWF0HebFjRqtvmuhNKgUUaw9ZW0GuC59wu1gwgwFrtnJErLR4RsEW_GBYXZC7hir9URxdNnR0dy9pFrBrN7geNpHhpeHcQ/s1600/pool+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2OEeqNtgdCUpbIkAitxRDd_G6XQpI-RbhCsIcKoQvWF0HebFjRqtvmuhNKgUUaw9ZW0GuC59wu1gwgwFrtnJErLR4RsEW_GBYXZC7hir9URxdNnR0dy9pFrBrN7geNpHhpeHcQ/s640/pool+sign.jpg" width="382" /></a></div><br />
David decided he just won't be swimming in France, but we bought a French style suit for Isaac. Emma Lucy has made him promise to never wear it in the US.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfPqgKo4B8w-y53xl5hAKmlgSFnwM9iVAjTFSSNOU44-tA3FH5RsR_RqFuaUHcC0OCdeBrR0jMDWN0fedbeXxhnvTqCfi8JFTs8ZOnDrqBGlGrEbGBM9A_Hu0f_lQxtlfmGnm6A/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfPqgKo4B8w-y53xl5hAKmlgSFnwM9iVAjTFSSNOU44-tA3FH5RsR_RqFuaUHcC0OCdeBrR0jMDWN0fedbeXxhnvTqCfi8JFTs8ZOnDrqBGlGrEbGBM9A_Hu0f_lQxtlfmGnm6A/s640/042.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next time maybe we'll get through an entire visit to the pool without being informed we're breaking a rule!</div>Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-52188807166573399602011-06-15T06:30:00.002+03:002011-06-15T06:30:00.654+03:00Internet problems...Hopefully I'll be back on Thursday...Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31016496.post-60716805004728570202011-06-14T06:30:00.001+03:002011-06-14T06:30:01.447+03:00The National Pastime?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">There was a petanque tournament here last week. Petanque originated in southern France, so I guess if baseball is as American as apple pie, petanque must be as French as <i>pain au chocolat</i>.</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaVWBlosxD24H0aZOS1hlc8bhMfeynmCcem8CBBFsZPN9-n97sRbKbFR0zz4D2w0obEnVL-GtlbnxV-KCVTyDBqtdBEF2swliENVXke9qHm16Qd-OC_atfwf9TJRLG-zKmV45pg/s1600/065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaVWBlosxD24H0aZOS1hlc8bhMfeynmCcem8CBBFsZPN9-n97sRbKbFR0zz4D2w0obEnVL-GtlbnxV-KCVTyDBqtdBEF2swliENVXke9qHm16Qd-OC_atfwf9TJRLG-zKmV45pg/s640/065.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>As we neared the playing fields (is that what they call them?), Isaac said, "This looks like a sport for grandpas!" But such character-filled grandpas!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLn6ozEp-fcDFZgZZ1QicQ2ou8uO3t8aZxW4VTlRaa2mmtSmQqQi_OvMBDd-bfHCVCrTA0Jj5lTgBUIE2JkzhxitHrgdketLN6rCbrKMDPVciTTKPnm2WlGxnd8g4h72gHEWBmSg/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLn6ozEp-fcDFZgZZ1QicQ2ou8uO3t8aZxW4VTlRaa2mmtSmQqQi_OvMBDd-bfHCVCrTA0Jj5lTgBUIE2JkzhxitHrgdketLN6rCbrKMDPVciTTKPnm2WlGxnd8g4h72gHEWBmSg/s640/050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9c6XazE9eAHeu_pueF13s6rgnzzhbYOXAUlSLVxtmsN1yPJc-gCFcAMiVDpuEQ9JZzO23swfT5ixIIjXuScgme6N1SweQlRt6aWyDWGMv_W_b_ZjYx7I3UYbqhOkK8mbHZoL0lA/s1600/059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9c6XazE9eAHeu_pueF13s6rgnzzhbYOXAUlSLVxtmsN1yPJc-gCFcAMiVDpuEQ9JZzO23swfT5ixIIjXuScgme6N1SweQlRt6aWyDWGMv_W_b_ZjYx7I3UYbqhOkK8mbHZoL0lA/s640/059.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVG0cPNHoHd_0y16gko2_urMIwBRr7dq4xiee0DBBi_CrkP2m8yqymA8vpXB-15aInDwx3oxQT9-mUxaRzlq1N7lVpGnJRyfc2SC6PhtcU-V1xRdxT9qNOqKop-QqD7rx-rQFFg/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVG0cPNHoHd_0y16gko2_urMIwBRr7dq4xiee0DBBi_CrkP2m8yqymA8vpXB-15aInDwx3oxQT9-mUxaRzlq1N7lVpGnJRyfc2SC6PhtcU-V1xRdxT9qNOqKop-QqD7rx-rQFFg/s640/063.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
No grandpas around here (though Eleanor has been commenting often on David's silvering hair), but we're having fun with a minor league boule set in the hallway outside our room.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrO5xhVcbxwCTLeeo8aBS0blM62mwn8RAc5gQAS50REkwTCBFstdKB8wHAQq2-CaILb-ttbrVEfOxQwqfbfy-FKrx1fRjeMOG_r1jWd_uRUteKLqCFl44VJIeGCXziWlAzf5vXQ/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrO5xhVcbxwCTLeeo8aBS0blM62mwn8RAc5gQAS50REkwTCBFstdKB8wHAQq2-CaILb-ttbrVEfOxQwqfbfy-FKrx1fRjeMOG_r1jWd_uRUteKLqCFl44VJIeGCXziWlAzf5vXQ/s640/038.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
And we've worked out a system where we almost never hit students' doors with the balls anymore!Annettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04520519734235161989noreply@blogger.com1