Vers, Poux et Autres Parasites de l'Humain

Sending kids to school is just an invitation for illness to come party at your house. That plague invested centre of learning seems to harbour all that, surely in the 21st Century, we should have stamped out around the same time as Smallpox.

Ew. Yuk. Why oh why do these things exist?!

But, apparently not...

So, in the past month I've been subject to an infestation of head lice (I didn't actually get them, but the friendly warning letter that came home from Marc's school was enough to get me running through my hair with nit combs twice a day and soaking it in tea tree solution - and, no Sarah, I didn't feel the need to announce it to everyone I know).

Just the other weekend, the newest residents, namely 'worms', were casually introduced at the dinner table; 'Yeah, so Marc has worms. We've all got to take some drugs. Don't you just love kids.'

No, is the answer to that rhetorical statement. Right now, I do not. Thankfully, this common parasite has been around long enough (and in enough species) for the human race to have developed pretty effective drugs, so just one dose of it kills off any possibility of them for two weeks, when any remaining eggs apparently start hatching and it's good idea to re-dose yourself with the stuff. Just in case. I've been hoovering and washing everything in sight all week. Just found out that household detergents do nothing to the eggs though so tempted to start throwing bleach around.

Absolutely disgusting. I'm itching all over just thinking about it.

No, I'm not deluded and I knew about these before, but the reality is just something else... Working in childcare before you have your own should probably be banned as it must put so many people off! If everyone did it, I think the human race would be extinct right now.

I just can't wait to find out what's next! Fingers crossed that's not Giardia or Scabies. Half expecting him to come back with Ebola. Eurgh.

Le Bébé de Chocolat et Bonne Fête à Rayures!

Today I was really poorly. We've all been suffering with a nasty cold since last Thursday, but it's really caught up with me today. Not fun.

Fran went out to teach one of her lessons this afternoon and left me with the children. Marc is also feeling poorly and was apparently up at 6am, so he was playing up. As a bit of a bribe/calming him down after school thing, Fran let him have one of his chocolate eggs (he still has some little ones left over from Easter!) and rather than having just one, he brought his whole chocolate stash bowl into the living room.

He then had one of his eggs (after opening one other and deciding that he didn't want that one anymore - probably because it was broken but he just had a tantrum about it) and I stuck him in front of Sesame Street (I have about 75 podcast episodes of this on my laptop and he loves it!) while I went to make dinner in the next room.

Aurianne has finally learnt to crawl and is now getting into everything so I came back in every few minutes to check she hadn't found wires/got stuck under a chair. I then went out to serve up their dinner and was definitely not out of the room for more than 3-5 minutes. I walked back in to tell Marc that it was time to come and sit up to the table, and heard Aurianne scrunching some plastic. She had her back to me, but when she turned round I realised what she'd got; a plastic bag that (had) contained Marc's star chocolates and foam fish sweets. I then noticed there was no chocolate in this bag, and that, instead, it was all over her face, hands and clothes. She was really pleased with herself!

I took the remainder of the sweets away (just some of the foam fish sweets, one of which she'd clearly chewed on and decided she didn't like...) and tried to clean up the sticky baby! She'd managed to get it everywhere, including on the glass table and the carpet! I wish I'd taken a picture because it was hilarious, but I was too busy trying to sort her out.

I was mid-stripping her clothes off while trying to keep Marc, who was attempting to punch/hit his thieving little sister, at a distance, when Fran came back. Not quite the 'calm and well-organised scene with children happily eating dinner up to the table' look I was aiming for! So embarrassing!

Chocolate cake and
Chocolate/Raspberry Sauce

I decided that I would make a chocolate cake this afternoon (cravings), but didn't get a chance to thanks to the chocolate baby, but did once the children were asleep. I had planned to use the Kenwood but it seemed like more effort in the end...

I used the BBC All in One Chocolate Cake recipe to make it. When they say "the cake mixture will be very liquid" they aren't kidding! It also says 'Preparation time less than 30 mins' but I'm pretty sure it took me well over an hour - partly because I'm not feeling very well so everything is a bit all over the place, but also because I don't know where Fran keeps all her baking stuff yet. I also managed to pour boiling water, straight from the kettle, all over my finger, which obviously slowed me down even more.

Chestnut Creme
(It doesn't taste like Christmas)

"Mmmm, so moist!"

We also made a chocolate sauce which we'd intended to make into a ganache, but instead we made it with creme fraiche, dark chocolate, frozen raspberries and chestnut cream or 'Creme de Marrons de l'Ardeche' which Fran & Charly insisted I tried, telling me 'it tastes like Christmas!' (for the record, it doesn't taste like Christmas, it tastes like fig rolls).

The cake ended up being very well-timed though as it turned out that Charly actually got a promotion today! Being in the Navy, this means another stripe on the uniform (hence the 'Happy Stripe Day' blog title) so a cake was very befitting.

Fran got out candles, and then Fran and I sang 'Happy Stripe Day to youuu' to Charly and then we ate cake.

Just one last thing to add, Charly had to help a barge that had fallen over in the harbour today. Apparently, 'just like in one of Marc's Thomas the Tank engine books'. I wish I had a picture to post, ideally with the caption 'go home barge, you're drunk', but I don't. A shame really as the pictures Charly was showing me were hilarious.

Ma Vie à Cherbourg

As I mentioned in one of my Paris posts, I have lots of things to write about my time in Cherbourg! (I've also got lots to write about my time in the Vosges mountains too, but that can wait).

Lovely roses for my room!

Firstly, I've settled in really well. I'm getting on with the family and we're all starting to get into a routine. I'm starting to find my way around much better and know how to get to the town centre, school and nursery (Garderie). I also discovered the Office de Tourisme this week, and the Ciné.

I've completely unpacked in my room and am starting to add little homely touches like potted plants, for which I went to Carrefour and found two little pots of roses for just 1.50€ each. Bargain. Still yet to find a decent plant pot for them - I'd quite like a long windowsill pot but no idea where to find such things round here...

For those of you who don't know (most of you as I've not really made it public), I've just started a distance learning degree in English Literature and Language with the Open University. Officially it doesn't actually start for another week or so, but I've already done around 4 weeks worth of work on it. Just hoping Student Finance don't reject me...

Take-out Thursday Burger
Double Camembert and Steak Haché burger
with tartare sauce. Yum!

I'm feeling much healthier here too. We're eating really well (except for ready meal wednesday and take-out thursday...) and Charly is obsessed really into his MyFitnessPal app (which I was also encouraged to join in with). It actually works really well because it makes you pay attention to what you're eating more. Plus it encourages you to exercise, but mainly so you get more allowance to eat more cake haha!

All the Language Assistants (18-25yr olds that help part time in local schools) are hopefully starting here in Cherbourg in the next week or so. I haven't found any other au pairs yet but perhaps I will at French Class next week. I'm just hoping I can find some anglophones to hang out with as I don't really have anyone except Fran, Charly and the kids at the moment... Soon!

Ma Première Semaine à Cherbourg

My first week here in Cherbourg has been really good. Marc started school for the first time this week, and I spent lots of time walking around, getting to know the routes to school and garderie (nursery), and to the shopping centre. I've just about learnt the route to school and town, and I think I know how to get to garderie too just about.

Marc has struggled with school this week. He's only 3 so starting school at 8:30am and finishing at 4:30pm is a long day, made longer by the 20 minute walk there and back, and also coming home at 11:30am for an hour and half lunch (not quite an hour at home).  As a child in 'Petite Section' he also has a scheduled nap time - which they call 'dark school' - for an hour when he returns after lunch. This involves taking a blanket, pillow and teddy to school, then taking off shoes and lying on a little bed in the semi-dark. He hates this as he doesn't usually have a nap, and although he is allowed to read books, it's not really that fun to have quiet time when you'd rather be learning/playing! On Thursday, he got sent home as he didn't want to lie down quietly in the dark and I think Fran & Charly have a meeting with the headteacher at some point about getting him out of 'dark school'.

Marc's school is a private catholic school. Private schools in France are apparently not very expensive. I think Fran said they only pay something like €11 a month, although in France, private apparently doesn't always mean better education. Private schools are also allowed to include religious aspects, such as in religious assemblies and prayer/hymns, whereas State schools are not. They are also allowed to adapt the curriculum slightly to suit them (provided they are still achieving results in the government regulated exams), and can have the Wednesday off without making up time on Saturdays - I think the state schools have to do standard Monday-Friday in most places now. Private schools can also have extra days holidays (though I think there's a limit) provided they give a clear reason for why - this means religious schools often have extra days off for religious holidays.

This week I have also been knitting again. Although I brought all of my needles and hooks, I didn't bring very much wool so was a bit annoyed because I don't have the colours I wanted. Fran is an avid knitter/crocheter however and offered me pretty much full rein of her wool supplies! (I'll just bring a load of mine back next time I'm home and let her use what she fancies to repay the favour). She's got some really nice DK wools and lambswools so I spent a long time trying to decide which to use! Fran also has a large collection of knitting magazines and one evening I sat and flicked through them all. I've been having a lovely time!

I've been eating much healthier, though still not back down to my happy size 8 (darn it). They eat well here. It's muesli and fruit/yoghurt for breakfast. Occasionally there's Croissants or Pain au Chocolat but only once or twice a week. Lunch tends to be either a soup (Fran made a lovely courgette soup the other day), or baguettes with ham/cheese/salad, or just salad. Today it was a really nice grilled chicken and mozzarella salad.

Carpaccio (raw beef) with four cheese Ravioli
and mixed Veg. Very tasty!

Most nights the kids will eat at around 6:30pm and then Charly with bath Aurianne while Fran reads Marc a story (in English), then they swap and Charly reads Marc a story (in french) while Fran gets Aurianne ready for bed, gives her milk and then tries to put her to sleep. I tend to stay out of the way of this as it's a pretty good routine, and so clear up the destruction that has befallen on the dining room table.

Charly, Fran and I tend to eat after the kids are asleep - often around 8:30pm, or sometimes later. This week we've had Thai/Asian takeout, homemade burgers, risotto, carpaccio with ravioli and veg, roast chicken and some pasta ready meals.

I'm also very pleased that my energy is finally starting to increase. I think that's a mixture between more sleep, being able to get up whenever I'm ready, rather than forcing myself up (Fran doesn't usually need me in the mornings - lunch times, afternoons, after school and dinner mainly), eating better and getting out more. I might even consider joining a gym or doing some other kind of regular sporting activity!

I'm also looking into doing an Open University degree - possibly English Literature and Language. I've got 5 more days til the deadline for this year's entry and am very tempted. They even have the option to do a French module which would be pretty handy given that I need to learn French! I think I'll make some enquiries on Monday!

I'm really pleased I'm enjoying my new life in Cherbourg. Life with Helene was so awful and I was really worried that I wouldn't get on well here either.

Ici à Cherbourg

So I have arrived in Cherbourg! I'm loving my new family and getting to know the town.

My first day in Cherbourg was Friday 29th. Fran and Charly were really lovely and told me that because I had arrived early I didn't need to worry about waking me early and that I could just chill for a couple of days which is just what I needed.

My New Room!
(They bought me chocolates
and flowers as a welcome present!) 

Fran and Charly have two children, a boy and a girl. Marc-Alexandre (boy) is 3yrs old and then Aurianne (girl) is 8 ½ months.

Marc, being 3, tired and overexcited, gets a bit naughty and stroppy but on the whole is an interested and smiley boy. Monday will be his first day of school! They start school at 3 years old in France.

Aurianne is a very happy, smiley baby but two weeks ago hit the clingy phase and so is not very comfortable with strangers. Thankfully for all involved she took to me very quickly and is happy to be left with me for periods of time.

I'm learning how to find my way around places, and am having a lovely time settling in. It's been very relaxed which has been great after the stressful time with Helene!

Fran and Charly are on a bit of a health kick at the moment too. By this they mean eating better food, and in smaller portions; this is excellent for me, given my rocketing weight over the past year. Hopefully, with this and the walking to and from school, and up the two flights of stairs to the flat etc. I'll be back down to my happy size 8 again by Christmas! (Ideally well before that, but there's no point being unrealistic!)

In Cherbourg, they live in a large, 3 bed flat. The building used to be two, three-storey houses but the owner decided to knock through to join the two houses and make each floor into a flat instead. It's in a pretty good location with about 20 minutes walk from the town centre and harbour. It's a really good sized house but unfortunately has no storage. The kitchen has all of 2 cupboards under the sink so they've been forced to improvise with shelves. The lack of storage makes the house feel really cluttered, but there's not much that can be done about that. The other bad things about this flat is that the guy in the ground floor flat smokes, and it comes up through the air vents. Every now and then you get a big whiff of it which is not very nice. We also have other flats opposite and when they hang out of their windows to smoke we have to make sure the windows are closed else it blows right in.

Fran is taking me to find out about French classes the other day too. I think they're on Friday mornings and start next week (not 100%). I'm hoping that I can meet other au pairs/english speakers of a similar age so that I have people to hang out and do things with soon! We'll see!