Covid Birthday

Well, Covid birthday didn't change much from normal birthdays, anyway. I'm not a fan of big birthday bashes, so it was just the four of us, as usual. Frédéric made me a delicious red velvet cake with fancy chocolate hearts on top.

 

Covid Wedding

Our friends had planned their wedding for April 26th. Unfortunately, the entire country was in lockdown at that point, so they had to reschedule. 

They were able to reschedule for five months later, September 26th. And they were lucky, because September 28th, the number of guests allowed in weddings was lowered to 30. They and their 50-ish guests squeezed in just in time. 

This was our first masked wedding - a new Covid experience. Guests respected the mask rules fairly well, only removing them for eating, drinking, or very briefly for photographs. At French weddings, the photographers take pictures of all the guests as well as the bridal party and families.

 

Masks aside, it was quite an event, stretching over two days. The wedding was around 4:30 pm, with a drinks party followed by a dinner, and then a barbecue the next day at noon. Since the event was over an hour and a half from where we live, we stayed overnight in the domaine (estate). The owners remodeled former stables into fancy hotel rooms. 

The weather didn't cooperate as much as we'd hoped - it was cold and dreary - but at least it didn't rain on us!

Stables at left, remodeled into hotel rooms

 

 

Benjamin, hanging out with the other teenagers

All dressed up and ready to go.

Fancy.

 

Back to School!

School started on September 1st for Benjamin, who entered the 10th grade, which is the first year of high school here. He's in the European section: English of a "European high school." That means he takes English language classes but also a history class taught in English, on top of German, Greek, and standard high school courses like French, math, physics, chemistry, science, P.E., and social studies.

Noah started 8th grade, his third year of middle school. During a pandemic, back-to-school means two masks a day.