Hey Mr Tambourine Man

Seb was true to his word and woke up wanting to busk at today's market. So we set him up on a folding chair in the square and warned the neighbours that he might not exactly make sweet melodies. He chose his accordion (thanks Nannie), his drum (thanks Wedge-Bulls) and harmonica (thanks Katy & Babush - even though he pinched it from you) as the instruments of the day. He took out a little bag for coins and his penguin "piggy"bank that he made at his summer camp. It was a hoot and he greatly enjoyed himself, as did the neighbours and the tourists visiting the market. I get a feeling that Seb might be out there next Sunday too!

As for his take, he wasn't that interested in counting out the dosh and we didn't want to encourage any greed. I think all the adults were curious and were interested to find out (about 4 hours later) that he had generated about 6 euros (approx $9 Canadian) in the hour. Hey, that's above New Brunswick's minimum wage!

Our visitors wanted to go to a vide grenier, so Seb accompanied them with his penguin and returned with a dump truck and an electric guitar. Supposedly it works if we plug in some batteries. Needless to say, I was NOT with him when he bought it.

We have some lovely video too which I will try to figure out how to upload before next week's jam session!

Over-medicated

Here is a snapshot of all the meds that were prescribed for Seb's recent respiratory problems (cold turned terrible cough turned wheezing). Actually, that's not true, the doctor also prescribed an appetite enhancer but we desisted. He is still on the bronchial spray for another 6 days, but his appetite is back with a vengeance. He had 2 bowls of pasta, loads of bread and spread, 2 glasses of milk and strawberries and cream for supper last night.

We are holding off on labelling him asmathic, as really he should be followed for 6 months, and if he is, then hopefully it will only be during a cold. But how do you keep a pair of little ones (and then their parents) cold-free in winter - or summer for that matter!!!

Note the shot doesn't include his epi-pen or anti-histamine that he carries for his allergies...

Blue-eyed Wedge

Well, I can't say that it is forever, but Sophie's eyes are still a lovely shade of blue. It's easy to spot that her dad's eyes are a gorgeous bluey-grey and so are her paternal grandmother's. But my dad also has blue eyes and so do his 2 brothers. Here as "proof" is my uncle Mike (and our hot water heater); all the blue clothing helps to bring out Sophie's gems (thank you Rubina, Rahima and Norrie). Our neighbour refers to them as "marbles". As I said, it may not be her lasting colour b/c Seb's were blue till 11 months, so I am holding off on any knitting projects.

We have my school friend Emma and her family are visiting for 5 days from Brighton. Seb is adoring his role of big host to 21 month old Ava. She can do so much more than Sophie. Soph is less thrilled by little Ava, who keeps pushing her over; but she is taking it in her stride - or should I say in her sit.

Seb wants to busk at today's market - in which case there will be some new shots posted later!

The promised art

As promised, here are 2 pieces of grown-up art that we have purchased this summer. I know we are living on a tight budget but it's ART. When you have a coup du coeur and generous friends and family who donated to Sophie's art for life fund and our armchair in Issigeac fund (which got raided for the oil painting), you just have to commit.

The oil painting is "The last village" and painted by an artist based in Cadouin. We spotted it at a cafe in Limeuil. I hope to get it back to Canada one day... The piece on the right is Sophie's birth

present (Seb's was a silk screened maritime view) and was made out of various textiles by a neighbour, Elma (a transplanted Scot who married a Parisan and worked in Ethiopia for the UN in the 60s). The snap doesn't do it justice. She found the sacking 1/2 buried and created something around it. It's titled "The forgotten garden" and is glued and stitched and painted.

We are so pleased with them both. So thank you!

Too loose - Toulouse

Yesterday, we headed off to Toulouse - France's 5th largest city for a day trip. At 2 hours drive each way and 15 Euros of tolls, it was an unusual choice for us, but the big city was calling and we loved it! Warm and sunny weather helped and we felt within a stone's throw of the Med (ok, so it would have been another hour but we could feel it). It's a very young city with 3 universities and 1 in 8 residents a student. There was loads of street life and the city just oozed cafe culture. Every turn would leave us in another wonderful square, with many of the buildings in the warm pinky stone the city is known for; I was also very impressed with all the ironwork on the buildings. Plus there were several wonderful playgrounds and parks - one had this terrific rust-iron dragon sculpture.

Seb and Mike took the metro and reported it was inexpensive and efficent. seb was impressed.

And we all LOVED eating "glace on the place".

Like father, like son

Mike has always sworn that he wouldn't take kindly to being kitted out in father-son outfits. Inadvertently, we ended up with 2 green gingham shirts and today, by chance they were both wearing them. Ahhh, don't they look sweet!

They were heading off to drop Seb at his playcentre. Note that he is the one with the busy lifestyle what with car keys and mobile phone.

On Mike's hair - he now is going about saying "it's so long, it's a style".

The girl with the tongue

If you haven't seen the snap below, then you should probably head there first. But to get an idea of what Sophie REALLY looks like, then I had to attach this photo. She spent 10 days obsessed with the sensation of rubbing her tongue over her new teeth. I can attest to how sharp those puppy teeth are. Here she is also holding Brad doll who she loves to stuff in her face, no doubt so he can get the full effect of the teeth too. Kind-hearted girl.

We spent today at the market and the village's annual Basket Fair which draws thousands, topped off by 3 1/2 hours at the nearby plan d'eau (artificial lake) in Lanquais which is overlooked by a chateau designed by the architects of the Louvre.

Worth the wait

For Christmas, we gave Mike's grandmother a homemade calendar; every month, she would open a "window" and see the gift inside. Goodies have included a movie date with her grandson, a photo shoot with her great-grandchildren, a bouquet, etc. Well, June was to be a "mystery package from France" - nice and vague. So we sent some Sebby art and a homemade picture frame, plus this gorgeous snap of Sophie. Now that the package has arrived, we thought we would post it for everyone's enjoyment. It was taken on our Lamu daybed on the top floor here. She is happily displaying her 2 new teeth - and yes, she's wearing pink...

Bodega Night in Issigeac

As promised, here are the photos of last night's Bodega in the village. Yes, Sophie and I were also there... The music was good and the crowd somewhat reduced by the threat of rain. But the weather cleared up; Seb got his desired crepe and we had fun till bed starting calling at 10.30 or so.

New and old art

Our collection of artisanal pieces has been revamped in recent months. No longer in Africa, we are no longer acquiring African pieces. Now parents, we seem to have a number of "artisanal pieces for and by children", shall we say. Above left is a mobile that belonged to my sister and I. It was incredibly tangled and missing some fish but Nana Lorraine got it restrung and in some sort of equilibrum.

On the left is part of the growing collection of pieces that Seb makes for us with our neighbour Marite, who is a potter. There is a bird; above it is a tiny jug / vase; bottom right is a knife rest for Mike; top right is one of the citronella-scented necklaces we were given today that also have our names. They smell so strong that Mike had to banish his to the garden for fear of getting a headache!

Marite is tremendously patient with Seb and he loves to go over to "do" pottery -which involves mixing clay, whacking it into shapes, cutting it with blunt knife, shaping it with a chopstick, etc. He also feeds her fish, brings in pieces that are drying outside if it looks like it will rain, closes the boutique (what a sense of authority that gives him!), and oh, has a few bonbons along the way. He is over there (across the Place) 4 -5 times a day and his French is improving thanks in part to this daily interaction. Marite is also tremendously generous with us. Both children got "name plates" and matching bowls when Sophie was born. Mike got a sauce bowl for his birthday. She gave a great discount to George & Lorraine.

I'll try to post a photo of some non-child art that we bought this month. Just debating how to get it to Canada. Marite's husband - who is a painter of largish canvases- learnt to say in English 'Too big to fly".

The photo that got away

Here he is in his marching band splendor...

Getting started

We thought we would start a blog for all of Seb & Sophie's devoted fans to see what they are up to. Being us, we can't promise to update every couple of days or even every couple of weeks. But being on holiday for 9 months (only 3 remaining...) should allow us to get off to a good start.

In the first two shots, Seb is enjoying himself at last Saturday's school fete. He managed to win a candy necklace, a game of pick up sticks and a 100% plastic girl doll who he has named "James Henry Trotter" after the hero of James and the Giant Peach.

Below, Master Sebastian is giving his thumbs up on this project - or perhaps the chocolate cake he just made with Dad for our neighbour Michel's 60th.

I have added in last weekend's Canada Day celebration in our courtyard (note our patio in "progress" in the background). Seb is proudly wearing the marching band jacket that we bought for a euro at our latest "vide grenier" outing (5th of the season, which provoked a long e-mail to the kids' Nana Lorraine to say that the kids had too many clothes...).

Oh and up top, there is a lovely pic of my sis and her niece enjoying lunch (well, Sophie has the empty spoon).

All of this took me an hour to do and the photos are still out of order, so I obviously have some practicing to do...