Back in the kitchen again...

So the chief has returned and I am finally back to being the peon in the kitchen, Happy am I! I am actually wishing though that the current group of 6 that I am cooking for waould be slightly larger in number so I would be a little busier, but as it is only 6 I am trying a new recipe.

Hypothetically this is what my new recipe should look like, we shall see. If it is a winner I will post the recipe for all to try.

The cats away...

Since Jay and Debbie are gone at the moment they left us a list of things to keep us busy. One of which being removing the wallpaper in one of the dorm rooms. Here I am, you can tell it was the begining because it was still fun.

Here is a bit of the wallpaper mess, as we were mid-removal.

We did do some fun stuff though before they left. We all went and climbed a regionally known rock formation called Solutre. Here is one of the views from the top.

Here is me on the top, picture evidence that I made it to the top.

From the chateau...

Lots has been going on at the chateau over the last few weeks with my visiting friends/ family, cleaning and cooking for groups. Here are a few pictures to give you some idea of what exactly has been going on here.

The summer keepers of the chateau, Emilynn, Me and Jay and Debbie Hocking.

Marion and I, as she was up teaching at a children's weekend at the chateau.

My pastor and has wife at my house for dinner.

Here is our little group of quilters, it was a little crazy with 50 women at the Chateau, poor Jay was the only guy.

Here is a delicate procedure of dusting coaco powder onto the top of each piece of chocolate tart, it took only 3 people to do it.

Here are the happy cooks, because we know that if you feed them you will come.

How many Americans does it take to cut a loaf of bread?

Here we are doing a little shoppping for one of last weeks groups.

Visitors, cooking, and all that fun stuff...

Here is me with my visitors, my mom and Mrs. Johnson, we took a day to hit some of the local highlights.

Micah and Debbie came along with us and we had a picnic along the way

Oopps, someone caught me putting in a little more garlic

Our first group, and already trying new things, Potee

Mrs. Johnson at work putting together clafouti

Here Micah and Jay were ripping down vines and got a record length one, yes the thing on the ground is a vine.

Birthday's, Picnics and Lizards oh my!

Everyone likes a good suprise birthday party.

As today is Melody's birthdy we had a party last night for her.

Being that pinics are easy and can be done fairly spontaneously we wind up doing them rather a lot. Here we are on our day off picnicing on a nearby hill and playing some games. In the picture from left to right Melody Brickel, Micah Cerasani, an intern for a month, me, and Debbie Hocking.

The lizard population is alive and well here in saint Albain, too well. My co-workers cat caught one then let it go in their house, we found it later when Debbie went to grap her sweater and found the tailless lizard.

Morning in Saint Albain

Return to Saint Albain

This is the new "chez moi", the favorite part of my house being the lovely back porch with a view of the village.
This is my house from the front nice and little.

The worst part of this house is the commute to the chateau everyday, as you can see it is a long way.

This was our first picnic of the year here in Saint Albain, as you can see it was too exciting for words.

Last Days in Lyon

Our class for the month of April minus one, from left to right: Quan Ng, Carlos, Chihiro, Masako and I

Being the end of the month we took our monthly outing with the class in Lyon. This month we went to visit the Traboules, a type of passage way. In Lyon, they were originally used by silk manufacturers and other merchants to transport their products and are often credited as one of the reasons why the occupying Nazis were unable to take complete control of these areas during World War II. The layout of Old Lyon is such that there are very few connecting streets running perpendicular to the river. These shortcuts thus allowed workmen and craftsmen to transport clothes and other textiles through the city while remaining sheltered from inclement weather.

Entrance to the first of the Traboules in at the Croix Rousse a part of Lyon.

It was a bit sad as it was the last day for many of us before spliting up to do diffrent things. Some of my classmates returned home to their homelands, some are going on to university here in France, and a very few are staying at Alliance.

Chicoza, Me, Chihiro, Carlos, and Masako at our teacher's house

After our afternoon of walking we had an international potluck dinner at one of our teachers house with most of us from the class in January. It was a nice way to end our time together for those of us together for the last 4 months of studies.