Fériés et le Ménage

Following the French tradition, several days a year are dedicated to the observation of Catholic holidays. Essentially this means that every store in the nation shuts itself for these particular 'jours fériés'. Being well informed by my house mates, I knew about the public holiday that fell on August the 15th (the Assumption of Mary). I was particularly worried, however on Sunday night when I realised that we had no food left. None. Nothing. NADA. Although I was kind of excited about the prospect of going grocery shopping. I think that going to a supermarket in a different country is always amusing...you find different things, things are ordered differently... here for example, there is an entire aisle dedicated to cheese (this is not including the deli section) and TWO, I repeat, TWO aisles for yoghurt alone.

I wrote my list, and was particularly excited about going grocery shopping... mainly to look at all the different cheeses and different types of yoghurt. Knowing that Monday was a férié, I did my research to see which supermarkets would be open. Luckily the one we usually go to at La Part Dieu was! YAY! So after a long skype conversation with Alex, I set off on my cheese adventure. On arrival, there was a small sign on the front of the store saying 'Closed August 15' NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! We had no food. I miserably went back to our neighbourhood. Everything, and I really mean EVERYTHING was shut... but I eventually found a small bakery that was open! Bread! So we didn't starve to death after all.

This morning Caro and I went early to the supermarket and did a HUGE shop... getting home was a little difficult, but we survived. A little bruised, a little embarrassed, but we survived. We had a lovely lunch and then - it began. The huge project of cleaning the kitchen. I don't believe, in all honesty that the window frames etc have been cleaned in the last 30 years. We'd decided to buy a cupboard to replace the bookshelf we were storing our food on, so the boys went to buy it, while Caro and I stayed back and started to clean. It is so grossssssssssss, but we are making some progress. Here are some pictures of 'Project Kitchen'.

So as you can see, our little kitchen is not the prettiest thing in Lyon.... BUT! We are doing our best! By the end of the cleaning, our black windows were white, and our white hands black, but without pain there can be no beauty! We are now undertaking the strenuous task of assembling the new storage unit.

Here is the final result!!! IT LOOKS LIKE A KITCHEN! (if uncertain of difference, compare with previous images).

Tomorrow is lunch with Nettra Pan in the old part of town, some exploring, and a meeting with the real estate agent. Tomorrow's highlights are already obvious.

I've started dreaming bits and bobs in French. I think this is a good sign. Still learning a whole lot of vocabulary that my French teachers in high school didn't prepare me for, such as

* Blue tack - Patafix
*Pumpkin - Citrouille
*Freezer - Congélateur
*Paper towel - Sopalin
*Christmas Tree - Sapin
*Laundry Powder - Lessive

As I left my camera's battery charger in Germany (well done me), taking quality photos is a little difficult for the moment, so excuse the poor quality of the photos I've taken with my phone!

- Alice