There are a few funny stories with that trampoline, actually. First off, my family waited until the grandpa was in town before attempting to assemble it because they trusted his mechanical and supervising power to do it right. Watching the two men try and put it together (yes, without directions) was a funny sight. The sun was hot, the rubber head of the mallet kept flying off the handle, and the arduous muscle work made for some funny laughs.
Watching the kids "mount" the trampoline as Delphine said in her thick accent, was hilarious. It was like watching Bambi learn to walk. Bent knees, wide stance, and barely getting off the ground. Apparently trampolines are not so common in Sevres! The second story is even funnier. After the kids had gone to bed and the adults and I sat down to eat dinner, they decided they wanted to try out the trampoline too. Mix some extreme Bambi-style jumping and a few bottles of wine and champagne and viola. I was dying! Every time one would fall down, they wouldn't be able to get back up from laughing so hard! Even their grandma who is in her 60s got on to test out the bounce. The French certainly know how to have a good time. Oh, and they love the Beach Boys!The old people here do not even act like they are old. They take all 9 of their grand kids on vacations to the beach and are doing a 200+ mile walk across France pretty soon. I was telling Delphine, "I hope I'm that athletic when I'm old!"
So after the neighbor kids tried out the trampoline, Delphine took Julie to her orthodontist appointment to get braces! Oh the exciting, awkward days.She looks so cute with them on! The weekly dinner ideas are now starting to evolve around soft foods :) Two neighbors and their au pair, Mary, came by and hung out for a bit to wait and see Julie with her braces, or "bagues". We compared French schools to American schools and all I can say is, I wish I went to school in France. 12 different subjects/classes and 3 different languages. Oh la vache!
While everyone else was out at their friends or working, I stayed home with Alex and played all day. This sun just makes everything that much more exhausting! I seriously feel like I'm in Florida-style humidity. We jumped on the trampoline until we were sweaty and exhausted, played with play dough, had a stuffed animal birthday party for Alex's "dodo" (sounds like doodoo. The term used to describe a special stuffed animal), and then played soccer. Alex is exhausted now! And frankly, so am I!
While playing with the dodos, Alex and I took on different roles, responding for each animal. I had like ten animals and he had his one dodo. It was entirely in French!!!! I was shocked at how I could understand and respond to his questions. It was more practice for deciphering fast French talking than it was vocabulary, but I held my own with a five year old. So proud. And SO true when people say it is easiest to learn from the kids. He is so smart for a five year old. He asks a question in French and if I understand then I respond for the animals, but if not, I ask him to translate and he does! He is my little grammar and pronunciation checker. I love it. He managed to teach me a lot of jungle animal names as well. Every time I say a word wrong he manages to correct me without fail. It's great! Slowly but surely I am learning!
Not a bad first day of work in France. I still can't believe I live here. So surreal!
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