The Cricket

The day before we moved out, it was so hot, I couldn’t fall asleep. Jube wouldn’t let me keep the fan on, either. “You Americans just consume so much energy!” he said. I don’t know how much energy I consume, but it was hot!!! I was sweating and I wasn’t even moving. I hate lying in bed and not being able to sleep… so I started counting sheep. But that never works. I started listening to the night sounds around me, and I heard a cricket. “How nice!” I thought, “It’s really summer now!” I started counting the cricket’s chirps. I remembered reading somewhere that a cricket’s chirping frequency is directly related to the temperature, and this cricket was really chirping away. “I knew it was hot in here!” I thought. But after awhile, the cricket started getting on my nerves. It just wouldn’t shut up! And then, suddenly, I had an epiphany and realized that it wasn’t a cricket at all—IT WAS THE REFRIGERATOR! Luckily it switched out of high-energy mode (who says Americans are the only ones who waste energy?) soon after I made the realization and I could fall asleep. Plus I hadn’t talked about the cricket to Jube so he couldn’t make fun of me (although after reading this entry, he might start).

Le Parisien arrived yesterday with his new girlfriend. Much to my (and belle-maman's) dismay, neither of us can detect a lisp! Jube says he can, but he's probably just being contrary. She is very nice, and from Martinique, so she can cook lots of exotic tasty spicy food for us. After they arrived, we went to the beach at La Grande Motte. I swam while Jube waded and les Parisiens tanned. After we got home Jube and I slipped into the pool to get rid of the salty hard feeling you get after swimming (or even just wading!) in the ocean (or the sea). It was wonderful! The evening air was cool, the water was still warm from the sun, and they served us our aperitifs in the water! Just imagine Gem and Jube on the edge of the pool, drinking coconut punch while the oldies talked on the terrace. Yes, a true luxury, drinking in our pool in the South of France!
Then we got out and ate croque-monsieurs that belle-maman had left a bit too long in the oven... but they were still very tasty. Tomorrow Jube, le(s) Parisiens, and I will all be taking a very special trip... but I don't want to give too much away! Hopefully I'll have lots of photos when I come back.