A day of recovery

The night past quickly as I slept like a log. Feeling better I went down for breakfast served at 8:00 and again family style at the big table. The breakfast was light, toasted French bread, jams, granola and coffee and I had a modest appetite. After breakfast I went back up to bed and fell asleep. When I woke up about 10, I made a decision. This place was so relaxing and beautiful and the food, even with a sour stomach, was beginning to taste good that I decided to stay an extra day and take a day of rest. I didn't even tough my bicycle.

Photos of my day of rest when I had a morning and afternoon nap, caught up on my blog, checked in on Corey and EVNE and sent some SOS emails home to Sarah, i.e. Dr. Horne.

The 2 sons home from school on vacation who loved to hear about America and to practice their English. The older boy is in med school and wants to come to NY City. I gave him Hannah's blog and Facebook.

The view from my bed while napping.

To stay the extra day I had to give up my nice big room and move to a smaller room with a sleeping loft in this stone annex building.

My room is 2 stories, the window by my bed is above.

The view from my bed.

Inside the loft area.

The day I stayed was a change over day with a whole new crowd arriving. Most people stayed a week or more. This group was 3 couples, no children. More upscale, a doctor, a health insurance administrator (in France a federal employee) and a police security investigator/lawyer (like the FBI) from Caen France. Though i asked none of the ladies would say what they did although they seemed bright and accomplished. Nellie the host cooked an incredible duck and a pepper and squash dish that were fabulous, no pasta, potato or rice.

Dinner that night was a real trip!!!!!! It was like sitting down to dinner at a close friends house with two local celebrities and the Queen of England for an elegant dinner with everyone speaking a foreign language. I felt like a deaf person, I couldn't understand a word they were saying, but just followed the conversation and the gestures and expressions and pretended i understood, laughing when everyone else did. I watched closely how they ate. Definitely a "small bites of salad" crowd, holding your knife in the left hand and the fork inverted in the right, and the trick was to have your napkin look like it wasn't used at the end of the meal. Another very strange thing was that between each of the 3 or 4 courses you used bread to wipe your plate absolutely clean, so that it was ready for the next round. You kept the same plate and never got a clean plate for salad, main course, cheese or desert. Everything was served "family style". Fortunately I had learned a little of the routine the night before at dinner when it was a little less formal and I think I did very well.

After we had enough wine to float the Titanic they caught onto me and peppered me with questions in English about my work, family and cycling trip. Questions came from one lady who confessed to knowing some English, and then she translated my answers to French. It really was a lot of fun. They thought I was this strange American because, as I was taught .... between courses to serve and to clear I got up to help Nellie, the host. I even went into the kitchen to help as she prepared this elegant dinner seemingly effortlessly. All the French were baffled by this, Nellie although surprised seemed grateful.

Nellie the host is on the front left.

The most ironic thing was that my Dalai Lama quote for the day was, "Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent".

I went to bed late but well fed and rested.

The bill the next day for 2 nights, 2 dinners (including wine) and 2 breakfasts was 115 euro ......... pretty good I thought. I want to bring Sarah for a few days ....... or maybe for next years ski weekend.