Bastille Day

Known as La Fête Nationale in France and sometimes referred to as le quatorze juillet (the 14th  of July), it commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France, including a big fireworks display in Clermont-Ferrand. While I’m sad I wasn’t able to witness the celebration in France, we did have our own fête in Gaŗezers. Over the past years it has become a family tradition to celebrate Bastille Day with a sampling of French cheese, wine and other delicacies. Alnis selected the cheeses in Chicago, with plenty of telephonic assistance/advice from Daina, which was paired with a delicious rosé. My contribution was two different mustards, and one jar of peppers in olive oil, which went well with cream cheese on crackers. The thought had briefly crossed my mind that a cheese or wine would be much more authentic, but the mustard won out after I imagined the ruckus a smelly cheese could cause at customs…

Picking blueberries

During our stay in Michigan we also celebrated my good friend Kristine’s engagement. I was finally able to meet Daniel, whom I had heard so much about, and our friend Cathy was able to make the trip from Chicago as well, with her two children. The day was passed in and out of the lake, eating, laughing, and relaxing. How things have changed since our senior year! My high school friend Miśka also took a road trip to visit me, and was forced to retell her weekend plans only 10 times to all the various folks at the summer house. She had to return early the next day in order to drive down south for “Tour de donut” with her husband; a spoof on Tour de France, the bicyclists have a 5 minute reduction in their times for each donut they eat at the two pit stops during the 30 mile race. 



During the first week Lauris seemed a little shy, but it wasn’t long before he was tagging right along with his cousins and the other kids. In Gaŗezers the main crew included my cousins who range from 7 to 11 years old, but who loved having Lauris along on their excursions to the tree house, to the beach, or just hanging out on the deck. There was many an ice cream cone, watermelon slice and cookie eaten, and highlights included our trip to pick blueberries and quality time with Lauris’s grandparents and godparents.

Enjoying a quiet moment with grandfather