Family fun

Joel and Jess are a dream team. Joel drives with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. Jess has the skill and wisdom of navigation that surpasses expert rally navigators. She surveys and reads a map like a pro.

I was so lucky to enjoy the freedom of having this kiwi couple and their trusty little car to speed along the roads. I loved the way Jess would point things out to me; like the overgrown bunkers left over from the war; the stunning countryside vistas; the town spires and ancient fortress walls. Her favourite spots to eat, her friends' houses, their favourite running routes, etc were fascinating to see. It was so cool to briefly experience her taste of France. We dwell in opposite sides of the country. For a brief moment, I wished that we lived closer to each other, so that we could visit each other more often.

We pulled up outside the house of some good friends of Jess and Joel. Their house was loaded with charm. The style seemed to be typically northern; brick and more than one storey. One of the adult sons came outside to move his car forward to make more room for our car in the driveway. His bumper gently nudged the back bumper of the car in front. We all smiled at the audacious cheekiness of this manoeuvre.

After introductions were made, we settled into relaxed conversations in small groups. There was a grandmother, (mami), grandfather, (papi), a daughter, three adult grandchildren and the three kiwis. Between all of us, we made a merry party.  Lively conversation, galettes de roi, songs, games and a saxophone performance: ingredients for a fun-filled afternoon that stretched till 9:00 p.m.

The tradition is to share a type of sweet pastry pie. The person who finds a small treasure in their slice becomes king/queen and wears a crown for the duration of the party. Well, "blow me over in the clover," there was a strange hard thing in my slice of cake. Lo and behold, it turned out to be a small Mother Mary. My loud exclamation of delight announced that I was "Queen". Someone played a trick on me. I was told that the Queen had to sing a song. I found out later that this is not true. However, my Maori rendition of our national anthem was listened to with great respect. I invited for the French cohort to respond with a traditional song. Before you could say "Hum tiddily-um," a stack of ancient song sheets was produced. The paper was brown, tatty and eve so precious. Some of the song sheets dated back more than 70 years. This particular song sheet here, is a song traditional and very much representative of these northern parts of France. It's a lullaby sung to little babies.

It was sooooo cool to listen to the french family singing and humming their beloved tunes. Mami even found some CD's of these songs and the family was lulled into a cocoon of happiness as the much-loved, ancient tunes wafted in the background. I could see the grandparents smiling softly as nostalgia filled their hearts.

As the afternoon drifted on, I saw that a pile of interesting games had been placed on the floral tablecloth. I LOVE games. I wasn't disappointed as Ligretto, a german card game became the focus of attention. It was so easy to pick up and ideal, as it didn't require language in order for it to be played. Its fast furious and packed with fun. A tournament was announced. A battle of New Zealand versus France was fought. The tournament raged for a good hour or so. Tension mounted as Joel and one of the boys were neck and neck. The final blow was dealt, I am not really sure who won as there seemed to be a conflict of opinion. Definitely there was handshaking, good-natured jesting and everyone was suitably satisfied with a well-played duel between the countries.

Here's a picture of the cover of the box. If you see it around. Buy it. You won't regret it. On returning home, I promptly bought a Ligretto box. I know it will be a hit back home.

Tea and coffees, soup and a saxophone recital took us well into the evening. It was with deep gratitude and love in my heart that I bid a fond farewell to this loving family. They embraced us kiwis with warmth, humour and generosity. I am so glad that I took photos as I never want to forget that precious day.