Frogs' legs

Louis and Sacha were the ones who insisted that Caroline should buy a packet of frozen frogs' legs from the freezer shop. The packet has been waiting in the freezer for one of her visits. At last, tonight was the night for frogs' legs!
I let Caroline do the cooking, as this is one of the few French dishes that I prefer to leave to the French. They smelled  heavenly, with all that butter, garlic and parsley. 


There was a lot of lip-smacking, and much sucking of those fragile little bones......Sacha asked whether we could have them again tomorrow.

 

Sacha's plate

Euro men

Louis had to take a purse at the beginning of term, and he has come home with it filled with mini-euros, both notes and cardboard coins. They are using them in maths classes to learn how this  money system works. Sacha has a purse too, at home, and he is enjoying  collecting the real thing.






On Tuesday night I went to Sacha's parents-teachers evening. This time the two hours were even more back-breaking as we were seated on tiny toddler-sized benches. I rebelled towards the end, and walked to the back of the classroom, where I found.... a single, full-sized chair. Perhaps some of the other parents had noticed it and not dared to take it. I had no such compunctions. It was a shame, as the talk given by Catherine Prieul, Sacha's teacher, was fascinating. She explained that this was a calm class, with more girls than boys, and a lot of children whose families she already knew. She told us of some of the techniques that she is using to help the children to learn. Sacha is very lucky to have such an inventive, caring teacher.

The camera doesn't lie

Wednesday, and swimming class. It was François' first visit, and straight away he noticed, as I had,  that Sacha stuck to Louis like glue, never taking his eyes off his brother, even though he is perfectly able to perform all the exercises. Not only does he watch Louis like a hawk, but he also gets in his way. I took a couple of hurried snaps, and here is the evidence! (They are the  little duo  swimming towards the camera.You have to use the zoom to see what is happening.) He can't bear it when Louis overtakes him.

We have said our little piece, but next week I'll have a word with the instructor, to make sure that the brothers are kept away from each other in future!

This afternoon, Louis was invited to tea with Hugo, and Sacha went with his Papy to see the animals in the garden centre. It did the boys good to be separated for a while.When I collected Louis, Hugo's Maman told me that the boys had both been saying how nice it was to be away from their little brothers! (Little Adrien was at a sports activity.) When we got home, we found Sacha and Papy happily doing Lego : they too had enjoyed some male bonding time together..

Five weeks already!

The children are now entering their sixth week of school here. Eight and a bit school weeks to go! The headmaster told me today how very well the boys have settled in : remarkably quickly in fact .  It seems that last year, some little Danish children spent the first term cowering together in a corner.

Goûter today was "beignets de pommes," a sort of apple doughnut. "We don't like doughnuts, " said Sacha, confidently. Here they are, not liking beignets de pommes :

How nice that the figures and the graph at the bottom of the screen are going up and up. It is very encouraging for the boys to know that so many people are reading about them and wishing them well on their French adventure. Thank you again for all your kind messages.