Monday, May 01, 2006

labor day

Today is Labor Day in France, and we'll be celebrating it just like we do in the States - by doing the least amount of labor possible. What we won't be doing here like we do in the States is having a big barbeque outside, as the highs today are somewhere in the 50's. But, if the weather holds, we will visit our first vide grenier of the year after lunch with the in-laws.

Yesterday our village held its annual Spring Commercial Fair, which basically consists of all the businesses putting tables up outside their doors as well as traveling merchants with clothes and shoes and knick-knacks. There were food stands offering barbe a papa (cotton candy) but I'm afraid the ice cream vendors were out of luck (which is just bad timing - more about that later). There was a small art exhibit in the community center and even a small carnival set up for the kids, with bumper cars and a mini carousel. For entertainment, the local Fanfare, or community marching band, marched up and down the main street. I had the oddest sense of displacement when I heard them playing the marching band version of "Gunsmoke." If I'd heard a whistle or a cheer, I think I would have fainted.

The month of April was so maverick when it comes to weather. It was gorgeous for three weeks, and we even turned the heat off in the apartment. It has been getting cooler for the last couple of days and as we were walking back yesterday it started to rain, and it rained lightly for the rest of the day. By the time I went downstairs to make dinner, the temperature downstairs was 15C! That's 60F! In the house! You better believe that heat got snapped back on in a hurry. Here's hoping we got back to warmer springtime temps soon!

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