Joyeuses Pâques

A few highlights from our Easter weekend...

Luuk should have all the credit here. He made hot cross buns from scratch - because they're hard/impossible to come by otherwise in France. I just piped on the crosses and did most of the slice/toast/butter/serve-with-coffee duty. They were delicious, if a little less light and fluffy than store-bought ones. But not at all bad for a first go at a baking recipe. (Used Edmonds, btw.)

How the French bake/eat at Easter... well. 

This is the display at the patisser/boulanger/choclatier up the street.

In the middle of this picture are some no-doubt delectable creations that I thought look like Kiwis :)

They're actually chicks, you know, hatched from easter eggs. And some of them are bunnies. 

(What they actually are: pastry stuffed with chocolate mousse, and stacked on top of another, larger, of the same. Then iced.)

On Sunday morning we went to the local catholic church, along with a whole lot of other people. They were standing in the aisles! Fortunately we were on time enough to get a seat. Louis was pretty well behaved considering he was confined to our laps. The service was of course in French but Luuk could follow much of it thanks to his Catholic heritage. I, on the other hand, probably missed quite a bit of the nuance... and, uh, yeah. 

And now, for the perks.

Step 1: pull off the foil in tiny pieces and scatter around the room.

 

Ooh, woah, this is like a party in my mouth. 

Gizza kiss.

What? You don't want kisses? Fine, I'll get back to business then.

Oh no, sugar overload. Business time is over baby.

Till later... (will post a video soon).

Went to our usual church in the evening, which was lovely and comprehensible. I am enjoying the Anglican liturgy and the old-school hymns, not to mention the tiny congregation, where everybody knows your name (or very soon will). I am also appreciating having my mind lifted from the stuff of everyday life and often this lifting seems to give such perspective that I return to the stuff of everyday life refreshed and challenged, and at the same time, with greater peace and capacity for restfulness. Well done, Vicar.

No friday public holiday here, but Luuk had monday off. Weather was lousy... so we watched a few episodes of 'Once Upon a Time' while Louis napped, and then did a big grocery shop. Also got Luuk a few shirts and some new swimming togs, to meet regulations at public swimming pools in France - no 'Bermudas' allowed!! That's right... he'll be wearing something akin to speedoes. We're off to the south of France in a couple of weeks time, with Kiwi friends who are living in London. Sun, sea... and speedoes. Will be taking some very carefully framed photographs, methinks.

One of Luuk's new shirts... purchased at 'Cora' hypermarche, in Massey, just south of Antony. 

Look closely.

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