Flying Chores

Flying is fun. But when you fly with the examiner as your instructor, you have to also leave the plane clean afterwards.

No more bugs

Mesnilbus Progress: June 2024

 Everything did not go exactly according to plan this week in Normandy when Frédéric tore his meniscus on the evening they arrived. So work was interspersed with doctor appointments and x-rays, pending MRI and more doctor appointments when he gets back home. 

But Benjamin went along to help out (and drive, fortunately), and they managed to finish the bedroom, prime the bathroom, and work on the kitchen.

 

Adding rails for the drywall

Laying the bedroom floor

Mudding the drywall joints on the ceiling

 

CNC Swim Meet: The Return

 Benjamin hasn't been swimming much since he got home for the summer, but swam in his old club's meet yesterday with his friends.

 

80th Anniversary of D-Day Commemoration

Noah has had a very busy week. After two flying lessons and a trip to the prefecture in Laon, not to mention school, he tacked on a day trip to Normandy on Thursday to participate in the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day. 

He is a Jeune Ambassadeur Francophone - a young person representing the French language in an international program. His name was drawn from the group of ambassadors at his high school as the person to represent them in Normandy. 

He and Frédéric left the house at 5 a.m. to get to the train station in Paris, and he didn't get home again until 1 a.m. But he got to speak with a lot of people, including WWII veterans who were present for the ceremony, and it was an amazing experience. I lent him my camera, and he made great use of it!

Red carpet and all! Ready to board the official train.

Our view from home, on TV

the cliffs of Omaha Beach

Les Braves Omaha Beach Memorial - Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer

Dedicated seating, with fancy water and a cushion!

President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron,
First Lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden

President Macron

Noah and a WWII veteran

Le concours national de la Résistance et de la Déportation

Noah went to Laon today to represent his high school group who won 2nd place in the department for their project for the National Resistance and Deportation Contest.

 

From the government website: "The National Resistance and Deportation Competition (CNRD) is open to middle and high school students in France and in French schools abroad. It perpetuates the memory of the Resistance and Deportation among students, enabling them to draw inspiration and civic lessons from it in their lives today." 

Noah and his group from school used Grandad Crowe's typewriter and artificially aged paper to create fictional journals or letters as if they were written by real people who lived during the time.

More Flying

 Noah went flying two days in a row this week, making up for some of the lessons cancelled due to inclement weather. 

Monday he tookphotos while he was up there on his own.

The lesson I accompanied him to started like this: "Noah, go fill up the tank, then do three touch and goes, and we'll fly after that." Perhaps at some point I'll find this normal. We're not there yet!

Bruyères le Chatel

We try to visit Frédéric's aunt and uncle once a year. They live south of Paris, so it takes nearly two hours to get there and is a full-day excursion. 

Frédéric's cousin Nathalie was there this year when we went to visit. We always enjoy a delicious meal and catching up on family news.

Post-lunch walk - finally not raining, first time in a week!

Noah, Frédéric, Benjamin, Christiane, Nathalie, Michel

 

 

Noah, Frédéric, Benjamin, Christiane, Alisa, Michel