The “what the hell are we doing here” feeling is diminishing, thank goodness. It’s Sunday and either the shops are closed or, if a shop is open, it closes at noon. So I hop out of bed and get on the road to Pézenas (the Servian market is closed). It takes me forever to find everything I need in the market especially the nonfood items. I must traverse the nonfood item isles numerous times to finally find what I need. And the produce is another challenge! You must find the code for the produce item, weigh the item and slap the weight label on the bag of whatever you are buying. At first I thought I’d just buy the pre-weighed items. But then I remind myself “We are going to be here a long time–I need to become a native!” And today I easily master the price labels.
You can’t believe the flavors of jam and yogurt! I choose a jam flavor that I cannot translate. It’s “Myrtilles Sauvages.” Howard says it’s “wild blueberries.” Some of the yogurt flavors include pineapple & passion fruit and strawberries & lychee.
Howard calls me just as I approach the village. I have been gone a long time but I assure him I am on my way home. The dogs greet me as I pull into the car park across the street from our home. Howard says they have been adapting nicely to all the activity on the street. That means little barking.
We need to consider this house our home for 3 months. I water the parched herbs on the front terrace. I weed the back garden as the puppies wander around and do their “business.” I consider planting flowers in the bare planters.
Lucky is happy to enjoy the activity in the street below from the terrace on the 2nd floor.
His nose is pressed through the decorative metal grate. He rarely barks but misses nothing.
There is a bar/cafe next to us. We have not yet been brave enough to venture inside but it appears to be a popular place. It looks very much like a “working mans’ bar so it is a little intimidating.
We are on the terrace enjoying our wine. The glass recycling place is across the street. Howard says the people who stop to drop their wine bottles in the bin have more wine bottles that we do! Of course they probably have saved up for a month whereas we need to visit the bin on a daily basis! The street below our front terrace is quite busy but the noise and activity does not bother us. On the contrary, it conveys a feeling of lovely urban life. Toby was just getting “exercised” about a cat across the street. As I looked over the terrace railing the lady next store looks up at me; she is on her terrace with her very young daughter. I was able to tell her that our dog was interested in the cat down below.
Howard prepares a fabulous rabbit dish for Sunday lunch. In France Sunday lunch is set aside for good food and entertaining family and friends. It is incredibly garlicky and luscious! We are soooo lucky to be here!
We have a double bed here which is quite cozy for 2 people and 3 dogs. We also have a claw-foot bathtub. Both Howard and I have doused the entire bathroom several times with the French-style hand-held shower nozzle. (I’m talking about 1/2 inch water on the floor and spray-marks on the walls when we’re done.) I’m not sure if we will ever master it! We decide to move our bathing to the second story shower.