Lyon - September 20, 2004

Zorro bears a strange resemblance to Batman. I hadn't realized this until watching the animated series a few days ago, but both wear black cloaks and masks, and jump from tall buildings without injury (in Zorro's case, onto the back of a horse). Both are crime-fighters by night, and enormously wealthy playboys with apparently nothing to do by day. Both have sidekicks dressed in maroon. And both, strangely enough, speak perfect French.

In other news, Lulu lost a tooth. She took fiendish delight in wiggling it around her mouth for everyone to see, over the last week, and it finally fell out the night before last. She couldn't find it though, so she recruited my help in searching for it with my mag-light (it was under her bed). Which remind me, for the first time this week, I saw the third floor of their house (where the kids' rooms are). I am also now on 'tu' terms (instead of vous) with their dad. That's a good thing. Anyway, last night, Lulu put the tooth under her pillow so the toothmouse would leave her a gift, but she left for school before I could ask if she got anything.

Speaking of gifts, the other day both Lulu and Touim were drawing Christmas lists (they're really into Christmas). From his drawings, it appears that Touim wants knives, swords, and pistols. Lulu wants barbies, teddy bears, clothes, and knives, swords, and pistols. Children are so violent. Lulu said that they were for 'te tue' but I believe she was kidding. If you don't hear from me next week, it probably means she's decided to get rid of me (either that or the internet isn't working). Lulu also drew a section for 'Nathan's gifts.' I'm getting a plane, a boat, a sled, shelves, and a duck. I've always wanted a duck.

Last Thursday, we organized a class picnic, where everyone brought food to share. I attempted cookies. I finally managed to find oatmeal and chocolate chips (a tiny bag) but it appears that brown sugar does not exist here. My family has a small bag of vanilla twigs - it appears that vanilla extract is also unheard of. And, I bought levure (according to my pocket dictionary, baking powder), only to open up the box and discover packets of yeast. Anyway, long story short, my cookies didn't taste EXACTLY like the ones I make at home, but they were still good. I made some eggless as well, since Touim's allergic.

On Saturday, I went to a Frank Zappa & co. concert at a chapel near here, but the kids both got restless after the co's, so we left before hearing much by Zappa. The chapel was next to a hospital, which also had a garden and a deer petting zoo. On Sunday, I went to a huge dance/parade through the streets of Lyon. There were a ton of people there (though fewer than at the Formula 1 race). Apparently, they organize this dance once every two years, with thousands of participants and about twenty companies from towns all over France and Europe, as a way of sharing in the beauty and magic of dance. This year's theme: hip-hop. The individual topics included, among others: Jules Verne, Hercules, Medusa & Perseus, Alice and Wonderland (two of those), Theseus & the Minotaur, Faust, Cassandra at Troy, and Yggdrasil, the tree of life. I was very disappointed - if this had been in America, there would have been at least one with a Simpsons theme. It was extremely well done, though. I took lots of pictures (I'm already on my 4th roll).

That's about all the news here. I'll send more next week (unless, of course, the children succeed in offing me).