Les Vacances de Toussaints--Partie 1 Chez les Cousins

Vendredi le 21 octobre :

Today I got up and packed my bags for going to Les Sièges to spend a long weekend at the cousins’ house.  I went to a little boulangerie and picked up some cookies to give to the cousins and then sat around my room twiddling my thumbs before heading off to the train station.  So I got to Gare Paris Bercy early, and I knew I wanted to be there early but I got there really really early!  But that is alright.  I knew I had to composter my billet but I had no idea where to do this so I asked a guy that worked there and he said at the yellow box so that is what I did.  But then I was still rather confused because there was a silver box too and said “compostez ici” so I got my billet stamped there too!  I think I did a little too much stamping of my billet but whatever.  The train finally arrived and I got on and headed off to Sens where the train lets off.  The scenery was just gorgeous and it only took about 50 minutes to get there!  When I got off the train Françoise was there waiting for me with Caline.  We then headed to Les Sièges and stopped at a friend’s house along the way to have a café and chat.  We then went to the house and hung out until later in the evening when we went to a different friends’ house for an aperitif.  That was really nice.  We then went back home and had some dinner.  We watched tv and then they went to bed and I facetimed with Maissie until almost midnight!  It was so great being able to talk to her but then I didn’t sleep very well because I was so excited from talking with my wonderful sister. 

Samedi le 22 octobre:

Today I got up kind of early but not super early since I didn’t sleep very well the night before.  I then got ready and headed downstairs for breakfast.  When Françoise saw that my hair was still wet she insisted that I borrow an extra hair dryer that she had this weekend.  I was thankful because I was still sick and didn’t need to be going out with wet hair.  After breakfast and blow drying my hair Françoise and I went to Villeneuve to get some stuff we went to the market and it was freezing standing in line waiting at the meat stand!  It was rather cold out this morning!  We ran into Manu’s dad and Manu’s dad’s twin brother!  That was fun!  We went home after shopping and chatting for lunch.  In the afternoon Manu and I watched the second Lord of the Rings movie, it was in French of course, and happened to be on the tv.  It was rather amusing to hear the characters speaking in French!  But it was still good nonetheless.  After that Manu left to go somewhere and then later Françoise and I went to a friend’s house and Manu was there because he installed a heater thing.  We hung out there for a while and I got to try some cremante (sorry I have no idea how to spell it).  It was really good!  I had one glass with cassiss in it and then had another glass without and I liked them both.  After hanging out for a while we went back to the house and then dropped off Caline at Gilberte’s because we were going to a different friends’ house for dinner and pry wouldn’t be getting back till late.  We had beef fondue in wine and it was really good with potatoes and salad and bread of course!  There was one couple that had a little girl there and she was adorable!  It made me miss the Petry kids a lot and that I could see them.  At dinner I had a delicious glass of rosé and then with dessert which was a homemade tarte aux pommes we had champagne.  It was a nice time but I was super tired since I didn’t sleep well the night before and was still sick which wasn’t making things better.  We finally went home at 1:30am and I went straight to bed.

Dimanche le 23 octobre:

Well today I got up rather late but that is ok because I really needed the sleep.  I watched the final rugby match with Manu and it was France against New Zealand for the World Cup.  Sadly, France lost and came in second place.  We had lunch with Gilberte and then after lunch Manu’s parents came over with Manu’s sister and her husband for an aperitif.  It was a nice time; they mostly talked while I did a bunch of listening and not much talking but my French isn’t that good.  After they left Gilberte went to her house and then we just hung out watching tv the rest of the afternoon.  It was so nice outside and I was really antsy so I wanted to take a walk but wasn’t sure how to ask/tell Françoise that I wanted to go for a walk so I just hung out at the house.  Dinner time rolled around and afterwards we just hung out and then went to bed.

Lundi le 24 octobre:

Today was another nice day in the French countryside.  Françoise and I went shopping in Sens at les marchés and that was fun.  We said hello to some friends of hers that have a stand at the marché.  We then went to the indoor marché and looked around.  There was a lot of food there! 

Inside the indoor marché

We then checked out some stores and I didn’t get anything but Françoise picked up some stuff.  We eventually had lunch and that was really good!  I had a galette which is a type of crêpe and mine had brie cheese in it.  It was delicious!  We of course got a café afterwards and then looked around at some more of the outdoor marchés. 

Françoise is on the left

Anyways we were walking around and my stomach started feeling upset so I told Françoise that I needed a bathroom.  We drove to the grocery store and I stopped in the bathroom there.  We will just leave it at I had an upset stomach and it wasn’t very fun.  I got a hairdryer at the store and then we went home because I started not feeling well again.  I then spent the rest of the afternoon not feeling well.  And of course when Manu got home Françoise had to tell him that I had an upset stomach, ugh so embarrassing.  I just chilled around the house and was so frustrated that I had to get an upset stomach!

Mardi le 25 octobre:

Today was my last day at the cousins’ house.  When I went into the bathroom to go take a shower I saw a huge wasp by the window!  I started silently freaking out!  I thought maybe I could take a shower really quickly but no I couldn’t do it.  I went downstairs and tried to explain to the best of my ability that there was a huge wasp in the bathroom!  Françoise came upstairs and opened the window and out flew the wasp.  Of course it was like it was no big deal.  I was so thankful and then took my shower.  When I went downstairs after getting ready and the huge bug fiasco, Françoise pulls out this huge croque monsieur (it is kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich with ham) and said it was for me to take home for dinner!  It was so sweet of her to do so!  She then made me take the left over rolls that I had been eating for breakfast.  She must think I am not eating enough in Paris or something.  We then went into town to stop at the boulangerie, boucherie at Gilberte’s house.  When we were by the boulangerie I took some pictures of the church across the way.

The church in Les Sièges

We then went back to the house and had some lunch.  Manu and Fred came home for lunch and then said goodbye to me since I was leaving later that afternoon.  Françoise and I just hung out until we had to leave to go to Sens so I could catch my train back to Paris. 

The view from the cousins’ house

We then left for the train station and made it there in plenty of time.  Françoise said goodbye and then left.  I hung out until my train arrived.  On the ride back the scenery was just gorgeous with all the fall colors.  It started to rain and I saw a rainbow on the way back to Paris.  Once I got to Paris I had to take the metro back to my foyer.  I was rather bummed to be back in Paris because I liked being at the cousins’ house where I could just relax and not have to be on my own.  I was super thankful though for the time that I did get to spend at the cousins’ house and I pry won’t be out there again until February when Maissie is in town.