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I recently read a list of sayings all starting with, “You know you’re in Texas when…”, such as “You know you’re in Texas when you have once worn a parka and shorts at the same time”–which is so true. I’ve done that. The weather changes really quickly there. I think I could do a list called, “You know you’re getting old when…” I really felt my age this weekend when we went to a dinner at the home of one of Maurice’s relatives. Everyone there was young with Maurice and I at the very end of the age spectrum. We arrived at 8:30 which to me is really late, sat and had drinks and some munchies. The TV was on the whole time set to some MTV type station with all of the music I’m not fond of, mostly rap, both French and American. I can tell I’m getting old because I couldn’t believe how the women were dressed in the videos. Anyway, I digress. Let’s just say that the music played all night and then, after a couple of hours, it all repeated again, so I didn’t even get fresh rap (which rhymes with crap, come to think of it).

We were waiting for the sister of the hostess to arrive. She finally walked in at 10:30 and said, “You didn’t start eating? You were waiting for me?” Sigh. We finally sat down to a very good meal at 11 PM. Now, this is the time I am usually in bed so the part of my brain that handles fast French conversation going on around a table had pretty much gone to bed itself. Anyway, Maurice and I didn’t get to bed until almost 3 AM. I was dropping around all day and couldn’t even relax because Maurice had invited eight (8!!) people to dinner. We don’t have a table that sits ten people. Luckily, one of them couldn’t come and we managed to squeeze around our table. I had planned on serving everything buffet style with a few people having to sit on the couch with plates on their knees but Maurice decided we could make it and we did, somehow.

Maurice made a really good beef burgundy and we had potatoes with that and a salad and cheese and I made an American Apple pie which everyone liked but Maurice’s son who doesn’t like cinnamon. I just can’t make apple desserts without cinnamon-they just go together in my mind. As an appetizer, I made a hot artichoke dip which I was really disappointed in. For some reason, it just didn’t come out the texture I wanted, but it was scarfed down so I guess it was ok. And, the best part, we got in bed by midnight.

Sideroads of Europe