Ding Dong! Merrily on high!

I don't actually know how that song goes, but it sounded like a good blog title. Anyhoo, Merry Christmas to all! I'm very much in the Christmas spirit right now and I thought I'd share a little bit of my joy with you all. We've been having various Christmas parties this week and that has probably contributed to my joy...that along with the fact that I am on Christmas vacation. Yay!!! So...once again I'm sitting at McDonalds listening to techno music, but not even that can diminish my christmas spirit. In fact, this mcdonalds has a real tree inside and is completely decorated. So, last night, we had our bbmb christmas party. (BBMB= basket du bassin marennes bourcefranc...our basketball club). We started off the evening by meeting up at the gym in marennes and from there we all carpooled over to Yop's house in Brouages. Brouages is a fortified town nearby that I've been dying to see but I could only just make out the walls by the street lights. I rode with Florian, Benoit, and David and we listened to ACDC in the car. They knew all the words and even sang along with the guitar solos, but when I asked them if they understood what they were singing...."Nope". We all trooped into Yop's house where he wined and dined us quite liberally. In true French fashion, the wine was flowing and the foie gras was consumed. I preferred the quiche, but that's just me... I had a bit of white wine just to pacify Yop but really the stuff is vile. I'm really glad I brought some soda for me and Lea (the 7 year old...). Yop's house is quite charming. He's painted all of the door and window frames a vibrant red...which instantly had me scheming on how I could decorate my house some day. Anyways, from there we piled back into car to drive to the bowling alley...the most happening place in our area. Normally, I suck at bowling, but last night I had an unusual streak of luck and had about 5 strikes. Maybe its because David told me I was going to lose. I usually do better if there is a serious element of competition. He won the first game but I won the second...in fact I wiped the floor with his face the second game...but that may have been due to the increased amount of alcohol in his system. I'll take whatever handicap I can get. Anyways, during the night, David kept telling me that I needed to stay in France. I told him it was impossible unless I was able to find another work contract or unless I married someone. So, Benoit volunteered. (It was Benoit's birthday last night). So, with David and Florian presiding, Benoit took my hand and we were married. But first it was necessary to obtain a divorce between Benoit and Roselyn, who he has married the previous night. So...now that I'm married I can stay in France forever! Bwahahaha!!! But as benoit was very drunk (very drunk) I don't think he'll remember this today. As the car drove away that dropped me off last night, he was still leaning out of the window calling "Je t'aime ma femme!" or "I love you, my wife!". Interesting to say the least. But I had a lot of fun. Once again, I didn't get home until 2 in the morning. Welp, its time to hop back on my bike, return to Bourcefrance and start cleaning my apartment in order to ready it for Sarah's arrival. I swept and mopped the floors yesterday as well as cleaned the bathroom, but there is still much to do. So...I will bid you all adieu until we meet again. Probably not until after Christmas and then I will have much to say of my excursion in the beautiful city of Paris with my sister. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may the love of Christ fill all of your hearts and homes this Christmas season!
Love, Lauren