Bonjour everyone - I hope you are enjoying the warm summer days that we long for so much during the winter! It has been in the 90's consistently lately, and we had some hunker down days, but then a huge rain storm blew in and cooled us off--it was a nice break.
We had our second annual Branch Picnic last week, and had a good turnout at the big shady park filled with tables under tall trees, just like the ones we have at home. Everyone came to relax in their comfy clothes, and play boules (a game where you try to throw a heavy metal ball the closest to a marker). The Elders wore themselves out when they, and a couple of men from our group, got sucked into a pick-up soccer game with some athletic young guys. We had to revive Elder Archer by pouring water on his head. Richard is now divorced from Lucienne, so he invited a young family to come with him, and made sure they had plenty of food to eat. His brother, Patrick had two of his children and their young families with them, plus Jean Pierre and his kids (and their frisky, silly dog Boo-Bah), made for a lot of youngsters running around. We mostly had sandwiches and salads, and Alain's two roasted chickens into the mix, and we passed out our chocolate dessert bars and it was good. Patrick organized a nature walk along the lazy Charente River, where in one particular shallow bend they used to perform their baptisms for the church. Alain picked a bouquet of "Don't Pick These Flowers" from French native flora & fauna beds that were growing along the path, and thrust them at me to carry. Jack told him that if I got arrested for flower-napping HE was taking the rap, not me. I was later able to press quite a few of them in a heavy dictionary we have at home, so we'll see how they do. As we walked, Remy Demolombe pontificated about the world's political messes to Jack (he just nods his head, and tisk tisks here and there) to which Remy smiled and was satisfied. Our big, noisy group managed to disturb a beautiful family of swans from their restful spot in the shallows, but they were patient and waited us out until we got on our way again. It is odd and sad for me not to have been able to talk to the people I've grown to care for here, in any meaningful way. I know I have missed so much by not hearing Jacqueline Demolombe's whole story, as told personally one on one, and she feels it too, as our eyes express what our language barrier cannot.
On Sunday morning, for the first time in 4 weeks, I had children to teach in Primary! It is so daunting a prospect, but I always find a sympathetic helper, and together, with bumbling and lots of humor, we get through it. Today it was Christoph Humblot, who knows some English, who sat in with his 4 year old daughter, Kyana, and translated for me. Then Brother Savreaux brought his two grandchildren, Eva and Julien, ages 7 and 5, with him also, so we had a crowd! What this Primary needs is a good French woman to lead it, and I truly hope that comes to pass one day. I had a 'Prayer' lesson prepared, with a prayer can filled with pictures of things we are thankful for, and things we would ask blessings for; the printed out coloring page from the manual; and a take home project of more pictures to cut and paste about prayer. It adds up to lots of busy work (the less said in fractured French, the better), but it went well, so that was good.
Jack has his fun for the day by going to pick people up who can't seem to be ready when church starts at 9:30. It's frustrating when they don't seem to realize that they are really inconveniencing someone who needs to be at the chapel during the meetings. (You can probably tell this is a pet peeve of mine, but he just wants them to be there so badly, that it doesn't bother him.) Our feeding the Elders lunch each week after church has begun to become an institution, because of all the 'bachelors' we have in the Branch. They began coming too, since we always seem to have enough food for one more. Alain often brings his square bread, that is actually becoming lighter and more edible; and so thus encouraged, he's trying his hand at desserts. He brought in two home made "sugar pies" that had to be chiseled out of their pans. The Fourtina's, home from their three and a half month mission to the Madrid temple, came to speak to us, and stayed to eat afterwards. She was a lifesaver, and brought plenty of extra food, as they brought Madeleine Chauveau with them; so we had enough for the three tables of people that showed up that day.
Well, life goes on, it's kinda nuts, but it's all we have, so let's enjoy the journey, it's worth it. We think of you all often, so don't forget that!
Love, Sister Mom (Joanne) Granny
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