Jommy & Carol and her three boys (of which only one is present), Aunt Sarah (now with her new son), and my grandparents have always been the company I kept here for two weeks, along with my brother and my parents (who came in June this year). Since our last August shared here, much has changed. We grew up. Babies were born. The house has been improved upon and eroded.
But at the same time, vacations in Camarat have the same traditions. Our neighbors and distant relatives, the Coutrots, come for one meal. This year it was Benjamin (who was a brat in his youth) and his new wife Aurora. We all saw the Chêne en Croix and passed hours staring off at The View. As always with the Michels, competition is fierce in both boule and cards. Last night we sat around the straw table playing bouré (a French gambling game – I won a whole euro, guys!) and tempers flew, along with nasty remarks and plastic playing chips. Such is the way with the Michel family and God, I love them for it! Our biggest treats remain lazy days at L’Esquinade and Tarte Tropezian. The wonderful life of Camarat marches on.
Living here like I have makes for some more changes. Rather than doing nothing, like one does here, I’ve been remarkably busy. It's been so difficult to write in the blog and email for this reason and also because I'm in constant competition for the internet - and for the computer. My 4-year-old cousin loves to watch DVDs, my 12-year-old cousin spends every second he can playing computer games through AOL, and my aunt, uncle and grandfather are constantly checking baseball scores and stocks and emails. Plus, I spend most of the morning at and rush to the beach to meet the family for lunch (Eating with the family is really special for me - I just love sitting around, enjoying delicious food, drinking wine, and talking about all sorts of things with my family. The meals are absolutely the most important part of my days here - an opportunity to get to know my family.) then come home and read and chill until dinner and more wine... and then, by God, it's time for bed.
I walked to the beach today with my aunt and we took the coastal route - down the mountain and along the craggy shoreline. It was most impressive. The inlets are scattered with beautiful ruins; ancient houses that have fallen apart and small foxholes guarded by rusted metal gates (this is the beach the Allies landed on when liberating France). This place is amazing - full of all sorts of surprises, the crique being one of thousands. It is close - a bit of a hike, but only a hike because we live high on the mountain.
And that’s about all I have to say tonight as we prepare to wish Sarah & Lucas “Bon Voyage.” I’m terribly sad to see them go; it’s been amazing to bond with this most admirable woman and her darling son, my youngest cousin.
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