She lives!

So my few days' delay in posting seems to have caused a bit of a panic chez moi. But I can assure you that I am in fact alive and kicking. Things are just a little bit slow here, so I don't have too many adventures to share.

Enjoying the quiet valley...until the guests show up.

After my first night at the Baran, I have settled into somewhat of a routine. I get up around 9 or 10, eat a breakfast of muesli and almond milk and a banana, and see what sort of projects Rosalie wants to get done for the day. Some days it's making up guest rooms, some days it's gardening, some days it's cleaning. Since they don't have any guests due to arrive until mid-June, the pace of work is pretty slow. But since this is like a vacation for the two of them and I want them to enjoy the peace while it lasts, I also do my best to keep the kitchen clean by doing dishes often and wiping down the work spaces.

Once we've finished our projects, the rest of the afternoon is tied up by some combination of the following: reading, watching Fringe, or Tarot. I have been reading books non-stop since I arrived, and am hoping to dive into their small library downstairs very soon. We are also currently absorbed in the third season of the TV show Fringe. I have not seen the first two seasons, but they brought me up to speed as best they could. If you've never seen or heard of it, it's by the same people who did the X-Files, so there are basically bizarre crimes for the members of the special "Fringe" Division of the FBI to solve. However, to complicate matters, there are two alternate universes at play, causing drama among the characters. I was pretty lost at first, but now I'm starting to understand what's going on. It is truly an addicting show.

The third thing I mentioned, Tarot, is a card game not to be confused with Tarot cards that crackpot psychics use to read your future. It's the oldest card game known to man, dating from the 8th century. It's impossibly complicated, but I'm starting to pick it up. I'd try explaining it, but I'm not confident enough in my own knowledge of it to give a coherent explanation. However, it can only be played with a minimum of three people, so I think William and Rosalie are happy to have a willing third player at their disposal. They usually have to wait until their friend, Sharon, is here doing painting work to have another player.

As I'd hoped, I have also been learning a few recipes. Rosalie is a fabulous cook, and used to make all the meals here at the Baran until they hired a chef, named Kate. Since we have no guests at the moment, Kate and the other women who work here aren't around, so Rosalie is back in the kitchen. Whether or not we eat meals together is pretty sporadic; sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. But on Sunday, we made it an occasion by sitting down to a whole roast chicken. Rosalie showed me how to prepare it, and it is actually quite simple! I can't wait to make it when I get home. 

The painters especially love the poppy fields.

Today, our project was to clean the entire artists' studio. Here at the Baran, they host a lot of artists who come to paint the beautiful landscapes during the spring and summer. They have recently converted an old outbuilding in an artists' work space, complete with paints and easels. After their last group of relatively messy artists, the three of us had to put away all the easels, wipe down all the tables and chairs, vacuum and mop. With all of us working together, it was finished in only a couple of hours. Then William and Rosalie went off to a friends' for lunch. I stayed here and finished up, then chatted over lunch with Sharon. This afternoon will probably follow the pattern of the past week. Tomorrow, however, we will head to a nearby town to run some errands and have lunch. A little excursion to get "off the ranch," as Rosalie put it.

I almost took it. 

 Other noteworthy events: yesterday morning I walked to Duravel, the closest village. It's 5 kilometers each way, or about 3 miles (40 minutes, approximately). I took a detour on the way to see a nearby castle, which was smaller and built in a more southern style that the ones I'd seen in the Loire. I also passed a number of houses, one of which had inexplicably left their baguette on their mailbox. By the time I'd finished winding my way through the beautiful countryside, small vineyards and sparse houses in the valley, I was relieved to get into the town--which is tiny--and buy a bottle of water. 50 cents for a huge, cold bottle? I'll take it. I thought about staying there for lunch, but the only restaurant in sight was already packed. I sat in the shade for a moment, then headed home. It was a good walk, and I hope to make a routine of it. I also hope to borrow a bike to ride to nearby Puy L'Eveque, since it's a bit too far to walk.

Duravel...yup, that's about all there is to it.

On the 16th I am planning to take a day trip to Toulouse, the fourth largest city in France and the closest big city to me, to do some sight-seeing. A few days after, when guests arrive, I will ride along as William takes them on tours of the notable towns to see in the area: Rocamadour, Sarlat, and maybe a few others. I thought about taking off to see these places on my own, but it will be easier to go with them. The Baran is a little cut off from the world. Beautiful, though, and the perfect place for some R&R.