The Fete

With clear skies for the first 2 days the Fete has been a real success. The only ingredient missing is Lissa’s Mamie and Pappy. They remain in Lille, Pappy’s needing time to recover from some recent treatment. Last night’s extravaganza stretched into the early hours with champagne and conversation extending beyond midnight. There would usually be spontaneous karaoke and dancing, but the Grandparent’s absence has mellowed the festivities. This family is full of close friendships and there is great affection for Pappy and Mamie.

Anne has lots of space and has renovated her property to accommodate the family with extra  bathrooms and kitchen. A make shift tent community houses most of the pilgrims with a privileged few housed indoors. Entertaining the crowd is quite an enterprise. Meals are shared around tables in the barn. There is lazy French breakfast of bread and bowls of tea/coffee. The 5kg bottle of Nutella is getting low. Lunchtime is long and social, dinner more simple. This is the way of the French, at least on holidays. There is sunlight light until after 10pm.

The kids gather in various combinations to ride bikes and play games. The children of Lissa’s cousins number 11. The youngest cousins, particularly Lucas have been doing a great job of bringing them together. With a few brief exceptions there has been harmony amongst the little ones. In true French style a group of bike riders, young and old, will often take off to enjoy the country roads. Kael and Naomi each had a turn riding Thibault’s horse.

Saturday night’s entertainment came from a Husband and Wife team of professional entertainers. They brought funny songs and musical stories much to delight of the audience. Who can resist a piano accordion?

If you can picture the level of expression in a normal conversation in French, imagine French Cabaret. I barely understood a word. It seems my plan to go to bed one night and wake up speaking French is not working. Like a good opera though, language is no barrier when there is music.