lundi, juin 11, 2012
dimanche, mai 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day!
To celebrate American Mother's Day, spring and the beautiful sun we have this morning I decided to make bircher muesli the way my mom does. Today was the simplified version, let's be frank it's Sunday morning and I'm still in my pjs - no need to over complicate things!
Just take an apple and using a box grater grate it into a bowl. Mix in some delicious vanilla yogurt (recently discovered this brand and love the big tub it comes in!) and add in your favorite muesli. Stir and bon app!!
You can of course dress it up, honey, sliced fresh fruit, nuts etc but this is the way I like it, easy to put together.
Just take an apple and using a box grater grate it into a bowl. Mix in some delicious vanilla yogurt (recently discovered this brand and love the big tub it comes in!) and add in your favorite muesli. Stir and bon app!!
You can of course dress it up, honey, sliced fresh fruit, nuts etc but this is the way I like it, easy to put together.
lundi, avril 30, 2012
La casse
Saturday night Mystery Guest and I met up after I got off work to go see the Avengers (two thumbs up!) and on the way home since we had two cars he followed me home.
When we got home he went straight to my car because something was off- literally. The plastic covering my taillights had completely fallen off and my bulbs where exposed. Not only that but Saturday night and all day Sunday we had torrential wind and rain. He covered the exposed part as best he could and we took a look online to see how much a replacement part would cost if la casse didn't have it.
First thing this morning we called to see and they had one!!! So a quick trip to the junkyard, 40€, a scraped knuckle and 5 min install later and my car has a new-to-me taillight. Woo!!
When we got home he went straight to my car because something was off- literally. The plastic covering my taillights had completely fallen off and my bulbs where exposed. Not only that but Saturday night and all day Sunday we had torrential wind and rain. He covered the exposed part as best he could and we took a look online to see how much a replacement part would cost if la casse didn't have it.
First thing this morning we called to see and they had one!!! So a quick trip to the junkyard, 40€, a scraped knuckle and 5 min install later and my car has a new-to-me taillight. Woo!!
lundi, avril 02, 2012
'cause I eats me spinach
A big pack of baby spinach on sale inspired me to go back to this recipe. Yum.
http://confituredulait.blogspot.fr/2011/05/new-recipe.html
http://confituredulait.blogspot.fr/2011/05/new-recipe.html
mardi, mars 27, 2012
Weekend recap
4,000 words... Warm spring breeze, camellias, Orion starry night, best friends skipping stones, fantastic cookie stop...
It doesn't get any better than that.
It doesn't get any better than that.
mercredi, mars 14, 2012
Petit chocolat
I just think its so cool that my boss recommended a dessert that is locally made - down to the milk that comes from her parent's farm.
They are little mini pots aux chocolat that are the size of a petit suisse but taste like a delicious dark chocolate pudding.
And no, Montebourg is not in reference to the French politician but rather a town out here in the Cotentin.
They are little mini pots aux chocolat that are the size of a petit suisse but taste like a delicious dark chocolate pudding.
And no, Montebourg is not in reference to the French politician but rather a town out here in the Cotentin.
mardi, mars 06, 2012
Tip of the day
Step 1: Get plastic 'rouleaux' from your bank.
Step 2: Take tin can full of copper change that your American friends left you and sort into 5, 2, and 1 cent piles.
Step 3: Fill your plastic rouleaux.
Step 4: Admire your handiwork.
Step 5: Depose your hard earned 8€ at the bank.
Smile :-)
Step 2: Take tin can full of copper change that your American friends left you and sort into 5, 2, and 1 cent piles.
Step 3: Fill your plastic rouleaux.
Step 4: Admire your handiwork.
Step 5: Depose your hard earned 8€ at the bank.
Smile :-)
vendredi, mars 02, 2012
dimanche, février 19, 2012
vendredi, février 10, 2012
Workin girl
I've been neglecting my poor blog but with being the busy workin girl that I am I'm too lazy to fire up the laptop for a real post.... But I do have one about our fantastic new kitchen (and knives!) up my sleeve.
In the meantime work is still going swimmingly, I even got in some quality knitting time on my lunch break today.
In the meantime work is still going swimmingly, I even got in some quality knitting time on my lunch break today.
samedi, février 04, 2012
lundi, janvier 16, 2012
Chilly
Better late than never I guess! We finally have hit cold winter temps (only 2months late... I hope the gods don't have any nasty payback in store for us!)
I went up to the market to get my veggies, those cold crisp winter mornings do make great pictures!
I went up to the market to get my veggies, those cold crisp winter mornings do make great pictures!
samedi, janvier 14, 2012
Numbers..
At work I've had to get used to long rapid fire series of numbers (in French of course!) but also to French handwriting. Inspired by a post written by Gwan a few months ago I present the kind of stuff I'm faced with everyday.
A prize goes to the lucky reader (non-French of course!) who gets it right!
A prize goes to the lucky reader (non-French of course!) who gets it right!
vendredi, janvier 13, 2012
Workin'
My job is keeping me busy but I'm really really enjoying myself. The colleagues are fantastic (there are only 3 of us) and the customers are friendly too.
On top of it all I'm working in a beautiful seaside town which is flooded with tourists in the summer but in the winter retains is magical charm. Lunchtime walks are a treat!
On top of it all I'm working in a beautiful seaside town which is flooded with tourists in the summer but in the winter retains is magical charm. Lunchtime walks are a treat!
lundi, janvier 09, 2012
January walk
Yesterday Mystery Guest and I took advantage of the mild winter we're having (unlike the horrible snow from the last two years!) This winter we had a few days of frost back in October but nothing since then. But don't think I'm complaining! Living out here in the countryside where people aren't used to snow, where no one has snowtires and the roads are rarely plowed I'm perfectly happy with the mild temps!
But yesterday you would have thought it was an early spring day once the sun came out. We drove over to Carteret which isn't too far from where we live. We walked down by the church ruins (which you can see in yesterday's post) and since it was really low tide we walked all the way down to the water passing by some crazy shellfish which we found out later (thanks to Facebook!) are gooseneck barnacles and apparently a delicacy in Spain and Portugal. In the center picture you can see how clearly we could see Jersey yesterday, beautiful.
We were playing the goats scampering over the rocks by the point when we realized the tide was coming in so we made a mad dash over the rocks to get to the other side. Once along the main beach (where those cute beach cabins are) we hiked back over to where the car was parked following the Sentier des Douaniers and saw one of their old stone shelters overlooking the sea.
It was a beautiful day, every five seconds that came out of my mouth but I couldn't help ooohhhing and ahhhhing! :) Work has been off to a great start but being stuck in an office all day it sure was nice to get outside and have the sea air deep in my lungs.
But yesterday you would have thought it was an early spring day once the sun came out. We drove over to Carteret which isn't too far from where we live. We walked down by the church ruins (which you can see in yesterday's post) and since it was really low tide we walked all the way down to the water passing by some crazy shellfish which we found out later (thanks to Facebook!) are gooseneck barnacles and apparently a delicacy in Spain and Portugal. In the center picture you can see how clearly we could see Jersey yesterday, beautiful.
We were playing the goats scampering over the rocks by the point when we realized the tide was coming in so we made a mad dash over the rocks to get to the other side. Once along the main beach (where those cute beach cabins are) we hiked back over to where the car was parked following the Sentier des Douaniers and saw one of their old stone shelters overlooking the sea.
It was a beautiful day, every five seconds that came out of my mouth but I couldn't help ooohhhing and ahhhhing! :) Work has been off to a great start but being stuck in an office all day it sure was nice to get outside and have the sea air deep in my lungs.
dimanche, janvier 08, 2012
lundi, janvier 02, 2012
2011
I wanted to post this earlier but I started a new job Tuesday and haven't had much free time especially since the cell connection in the old stone building is really bad.
I've been meaning to do a recap on 2011... It was a good year. Some of the highlights were finishing my call center job with its grueling 3 hour daily commute, meeting my new nephew in Mystery Guest's clan and becoming a French citizen. I also got to help dear friends celebrate their marriages and had my first (but not last!) experience working in a 'real' French job.
Looking back one of the real highlights of my year was spending quality family time. Seeing my little sister after 4 years all grown up! My parents and especially my grandparents. Back in February I spent 4 days with them in Southern California listening to stories and doing puzzles. I'm so lucky now that I was able to because after a bad fall on Christmas day my Grandmother was hospitalized and subsequently operated on. She sadly never woke up and passed away Monday night.
It's so hard not being able to be there for my family at a time like this, the service is going to be this afternoon in my Grandma's church and I've been thinking about them all day. But with a new work contract and California so far away I just can't make it back and am trying to say goodbye in my own way.
I know she'd understand, she was one of the strongest women I know. A nurse, always telling me what nice veins I have.... :-) She was full of pride and commitment to her family. I have such wonderful memories of her. And to quote my uncle, "while this is a sad time, let's try to remember to celebrate Mom's life: Kansas farm-girl done real good."
I've been meaning to do a recap on 2011... It was a good year. Some of the highlights were finishing my call center job with its grueling 3 hour daily commute, meeting my new nephew in Mystery Guest's clan and becoming a French citizen. I also got to help dear friends celebrate their marriages and had my first (but not last!) experience working in a 'real' French job.
Looking back one of the real highlights of my year was spending quality family time. Seeing my little sister after 4 years all grown up! My parents and especially my grandparents. Back in February I spent 4 days with them in Southern California listening to stories and doing puzzles. I'm so lucky now that I was able to because after a bad fall on Christmas day my Grandmother was hospitalized and subsequently operated on. She sadly never woke up and passed away Monday night.
It's so hard not being able to be there for my family at a time like this, the service is going to be this afternoon in my Grandma's church and I've been thinking about them all day. But with a new work contract and California so far away I just can't make it back and am trying to say goodbye in my own way.
I know she'd understand, she was one of the strongest women I know. A nurse, always telling me what nice veins I have.... :-) She was full of pride and commitment to her family. I have such wonderful memories of her. And to quote my uncle, "while this is a sad time, let's try to remember to celebrate Mom's life: Kansas farm-girl done real good."
jeudi, décembre 29, 2011
Christmas lights
lundi, décembre 26, 2011
Christmas recap
Well things went really well for our first time hosting Christmas. Everyone arrived at the end of the afternoon for an apéritif (my MIL brought lots of bottles of bubbly for the occasion!) I served Deviled eggs which went over well, along with some bought puff pastry nibblies.
For dinner I made a Chapon which MG and I thought was a castrated turkey - turns out it was a castrated chicken but given the size of it (3,5kg!) I kept calling it a turkey anyway... So that turned out yummy and we had it with mashed potatoes & gravy, polenta, green beans & bacon, stuffing and carrots!
Afterwards sticking with local tradition we had a trou normand to help us digest before attacking the cheese and then dessert. I made a hazelnut/blackberry cake that my FIL adores and a pumpkin pie which everyone loved. I snuck upstairs for a 6 way google hangout with my dad, sister, uncles and grandparents which was SO fun!
By then we were stuffed and exhausted so we opened our stockings (it was my little surprise this year - I made personalized stockings for the family! I think it's a tradition that should take hold here!!) and I think they all liked them along with the goodies inside! Then we watched a movie.
But we voted 3 to 2 to open the rest of the presents the following day (Christmas morning).
After a relaxed breakfast of challah and lots of coffee we finally got into it ;-) and there were fantastic gifts all around!
We kept it simple the rest of the day, leftovers for lunch and Carcassonne all afternoon.
I called my mom after they had left and did another FaceTime chat with my sister in Oz. I love technology!!
So all in all a great Christmas weekend. We're seeing some friends tomorrow & invited for NYE so between now and then it's time to relax a bit because I got offered a 3 month contract starting January 3rd :-)
Merry Christmas!!
For dinner I made a Chapon which MG and I thought was a castrated turkey - turns out it was a castrated chicken but given the size of it (3,5kg!) I kept calling it a turkey anyway... So that turned out yummy and we had it with mashed potatoes & gravy, polenta, green beans & bacon, stuffing and carrots!
Afterwards sticking with local tradition we had a trou normand to help us digest before attacking the cheese and then dessert. I made a hazelnut/blackberry cake that my FIL adores and a pumpkin pie which everyone loved. I snuck upstairs for a 6 way google hangout with my dad, sister, uncles and grandparents which was SO fun!
By then we were stuffed and exhausted so we opened our stockings (it was my little surprise this year - I made personalized stockings for the family! I think it's a tradition that should take hold here!!) and I think they all liked them along with the goodies inside! Then we watched a movie.
But we voted 3 to 2 to open the rest of the presents the following day (Christmas morning).
After a relaxed breakfast of challah and lots of coffee we finally got into it ;-) and there were fantastic gifts all around!
We kept it simple the rest of the day, leftovers for lunch and Carcassonne all afternoon.
I called my mom after they had left and did another FaceTime chat with my sister in Oz. I love technology!!
So all in all a great Christmas weekend. We're seeing some friends tomorrow & invited for NYE so between now and then it's time to relax a bit because I got offered a 3 month contract starting January 3rd :-)
Merry Christmas!!
vendredi, décembre 23, 2011
Happy Holidays!!!
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