The following weekend, I went with a very good friend Michel, to his mother’s house in a small village—Noyers. This town has about 80 people and Renée lived in the “suburb” of the town of 7 people… needless to say, it was a relaxing weekend. So Michel and I arrived from the big city and took a quick tour of the house. I have been there once before with Matthias, Lori and Max four few years ago so I already knew it but Michel reminded me of a few of the quirks, like the bunnies that his mom raises, the slant of the house, the cellar that houses potato, wine and an eau de vie fermenting barrel.
Then Michel and I went for a walk with the cows. I know it is silly, but I was somewhat scarred. I know that cows are not violent animals, however, going into their pasture, they were all quite curious (as chewing and re-chewing grass all day-Michel and I were the highlight of the week!) thus they all ran over to greet us. At this point I ran behind a tree. Yes, I, Nicole Buratovich, am somewhat of a scaredy cat. But, to my defense, I recognize how docile these animals are, yet I also acknowledge that they have about a thousand pounds on me and hunger in their eyes. Well, not so much the latter sounds like the fear talking, but nevertheless, thirty curious cows can be intimidating. So, long story short we walked thought the pasture, and many a poop-pie, to have a rest on the hill with a great view. Then the cows came and I made Michel high-tail it out of there, stick in hand… just in case.
Then Michel and I went for a walk with the cows. I know it is silly, but I was somewhat scarred. I know that cows are not violent animals, however, going into their pasture, they were all quite curious (as chewing and re-chewing grass all day-Michel and I were the highlight of the week!) thus they all ran over to greet us. At this point I ran behind a tree. Yes, I, Nicole Buratovich, am somewhat of a scaredy cat. But, to my defense, I recognize how docile these animals are, yet I also acknowledge that they have about a thousand pounds on me and hunger in their eyes. Well, not so much the latter sounds like the fear talking, but nevertheless, thirty curious cows can be intimidating. So, long story short we walked thought the pasture, and many a poop-pie, to have a rest on the hill with a great view. Then the cows came and I made Michel high-tail it out of there, stick in hand… just in case. Then we had a very nice lunch with Michel’s cousin Claude, her partner Vincent and their adorable son Gabriel. Lunch was fantastic, despite all of the dissecting of food the French do… a bit dry, not enough crumbs in the baguette, etc. From there we enjoyed yet another very nice walk with the family through the fields. No cows this time, thankfully. Dinner time came quickly and we enjoyed another great meal prepared by Renée. I really enjoyed the family experience: a nice reminder of home as well as a great, super amazing help to my French. All French, all the time… a dream come true! With a dictionary at our side, we ate and drank well then all fell into a deep slumber.
The girls dressed up and played house in Renée’s very nice aprons: Michele taught me how to clean the squid: rid it of it’s innards, brain, goopy stuff and skin. I did the skin, which is no easy task, but after diligent knife work we had a beautiful naked squid.
Good times in the kitchen:
Here is baby Gabriel experiencing a new view
of the world from his papa's shoulders.
The following day Michel’s family left and Michele, a friend from Phoenix who had been studying at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, joined us. We went and found her at the train station, and being the foodies we are, hit the grocery store where we bought a squid—something I would later have fun with! We brought Michele back to the house, and after a play session in Renée’s hay stacks, started to prepare dinner. Squid risotto.
The girls dressed up and played house in Renée’s very nice aprons: Michele taught me how to clean the squid: rid it of it’s innards, brain, goopy stuff and skin. I did the skin, which is no easy task, but after diligent knife work we had a beautiful naked squid.
Good times in the kitchen:
Dinner was followed by an eau de vie taste-a-thon. For those of you who might not know what eau de vie is, it is an alcohol, about 50%, made from fruit: one would take the fruit, ferment it in the barrel in the cellar, then distil it at your local distillery. Michel made a few himself, which we compared with the other bottles and decided his Mirabelle eau de vie was the best-by far! Some of the drinks were quite hard to smell, let alone drink. Off to bed, hiccup.
On Sunday, Michel and I had a few things to do around the house while Michele prepared a lovely dinner. So he and I hoed the potatoes in the garden, then we were spent and relaxed in the grass… it was too hot to do much. 
Before dinner was served, we went for a quick walk through the hills all together. Michele and I enjoyed being in nature where we saw a deer and several other wild animals. This is also when we came up with the best movie idea ever, inspired by the romantic horizon and reality of the mosquitoes... 
A beautiful house in the village: 
We had one last coffee the following moring before we returned back to the reality of work and school. I had two massive papers due and a final in the week to come… but the memories of Noyers really made it easier to get through, as did excitement for my next trip to come: Antibes! 
We had one last coffee the following moring before we returned back to the reality of work and school. I had two massive papers due and a final in the week to come… but the memories of Noyers really made it easier to get through, as did excitement for my next trip to come: Antibes! 
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