The day after Lauren left (last Wednesday witnessed our very (melo)dramatic parting at the train station), I hopped on a train to Paris to meet up with my friend Julie and her boyfriend Mathieu.  We had a picnic dinner in her tiiiiiiiny Parisian apartment and then got in the car and drove to her parents' house in Normandy for the weekend.  Her parents have spent the last month organizing une rallye: imagine The Amazing Race meets family reunion meets Fourth of July barbeque.  

(side note:  this post might not be too coherent as this is what I'm doing on the side...)

(I think I mentioned in my last post that I'm currently living with one of the teachers I work with - Pascale - and her family.  Pictured above: Ceasar and Zoe who find my computer enormously amusing.)

Anyhow, Julie, Mathieu and I arrived in Normandy a day before the rest of the gang to help prepare a bit.  This was our contribution:

tiramisu (and, not picured, mousse au chocolat) for 40.  (Don't worry, I've got the recipe!)

Both sides of Julie's family came from all over France.  While family members got to stay in hotels and B&B's, we les jeunes set up tents in Julie's back yard.  The next morning formed a massive assembly line and successfully made 120 sandwiches in less than 30 minutes.

After packing up the picnic lunches, we all assembled outside for the start of the scavenger hunt.  Each team of six got a map of the route through the forest, a sheet of photos to reproduce and a set of questionnaires.  I had a blast romping through the forrest, but when it came to the questionnaire (French trivia, French plays on words, French measurements, French history...) I probably should have been on the kids' team.  I didn't even know the answer to the one question intended for me:  What are the names of Obama's daughters?  I could only remember Sasha....evidence I think of how much of a bubble I've been living in this year!

After the scavenger hunt we ate our picnic and then went on a bike/train-track excursion.  The "bikes" have two pedaling seats and four stationary seats and the wheels run along an old train track that meanders through the forrest and crosses bridges over rivers.

And, if that was adventurous enough...

For those of us with more daring spirits, Julie's parents even organized a paragliding outing!  Ever since my dad and I were foiled by the disappearing wind on the coast of Peru a year ago, I've been dying to try it.  Lauren and I were going to go on our vacation in Switzerland as well, but the weather put its foot down again: clouds clouds clouds.  The time the sky was as blue as the Mediterranean and the view below was stunning.  Though Normandy is not the Swiss Alps nor the jagged cliff-lined coast of Lima, this time of year the fields are filled with blooming colza flowers (bright yellow) and dotted here and there with tiny, old villages and churches (especially tiny at 200 meters!).  I thought I would be at least a little afraid, but it was actually one of the most zen experiences of my life, a combination between floating and flying, all you hear is air.  Look how excited I was when I landed!  Ok, well, Blogger is refusing to let me add any more pictures at the moment (Laureeeeeeeeen, I need technical support!)

Anyhow, the weekend was lovely.  Julie's parents were generous beyond belief and, of course, it's always a treat to get to spend quality time with dear friends.  

From here on out I'm barreling toward the end at top speed.  I've gone back to organizing my life with a calendar as there are so many people to see and places to eat.  This weekend I'm heading to Germany to see Verena and then spending the next week in Switzerland, then it's back to Nantes for 5 short days before Paris then the South of France then HOME.

I can't wait to see all your luminous faces and I especially can't wait for hugs.