Literary Pigs

In this (sort of) new blogging venture, I wanted a certain theme.  In  the past, it was dictated by our settings.  Well, now I'm back in the south.  I must admit that I don't feel particularly southern.  I don't speak with a charming drawl or refer to that unpleasant time in the mid-1800s as the war of northern aggression.  In the essentials, I am completely southern~ I refuse Pepsi for Coke, always say (even type) yall, and favor a warmer (though ridiculously humid) climate.  All this is to say that the theme for this blog wasn't going to be about discovering or exploring life in the south.  I chose to focus it on family and home.  These things are so important to me that it's in my name, or at least my old one (my maiden name Heim is German for "home").  So with the catchy new title compliments to my clever husband, I wanted the welcome to reflect the words.

Now anyone who knows my sweet husband knows he has a tremendous weakness for all things plaid.  This, too, may be hereditary since Hamilton is a serious Scottish name.  Above in the background is one of the Hamilton tartans.  What's a tartan, you ask?  Traditionally it is woven wool with a pattern of horizontal and vertical strips in various colors.  Since the 1800s certain patterns were associated with Scottish families or clans.  We happen to love remembering these traditions, so naturally I wanted to incorporate Kyle's heritage into the design.  Above is the standard Hamilton tartan.  On a brief tangent, here are a few other Hamilton goods we happen to love....

Kyle sporting his Hamilton hunting tartan tie among more Hamiltons.

I rock my Ham hunting plaid scarf for an extra layer of warmth in chilly Metz.

Behold the clan crest perfectly etched on a frosty glass.

So you could say we're Hamilton enthusiasts.

On a not so special day many months ago, Kyle and I referred to ourselves by accident as the Ham fam.  Well, you've seen me exploit our shamelessly self-dubbed nicknames all over this blog.  The Ham abbreviation of our last name simply progressed to a fine swine theme.  How perfect would it be to have pigs in the intro?  I looked no further than my younger sister, Miss Foo, who is a gifted artist with one simple request~could you illustrate literary pigs?  While developing the idea on a very bumpy unpaved road in Corsica, Kyle seemed puzzled by the concept of a literary pig.  For you see there are all sorts of pigs~country pigs, cartoon pigs, real live pigs, guinea pigs, cooked pigs... the list goes on, but I'll spare you the Bubba Blue illustration.  A literary pig is best defined by John Tenniel's (The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland) or Pauline Baynes' (first edition Chronicles of Narnia) style illustrations.  You could also recall the cover of Charlotte's Web to imagine a literary pig.  Quite different from a Porky Pig, Piglet, Pumbaa, or (my favorite) Pippo of Sanrio/Hello Kitty collectibles fame.  Thankfully, Miss Foo had no trouble rounding up these pigs; she drew them one evening last week on her computer.  She has serious skills. 

There you have it~the story behind the new look.  Hope you all had happy Thanksgivings and are happily looking forward to this wonderful Advent season. 

What a cheeky little ham!

Saturdate

Rather than spending a sunny weekend in Paris, we improvised a lovely date day Saturday.  We are having the most glorious weather you can imagine here~sunny, clear blue skies with temperatures in the 60s.  Believe it or not, there is no trace of ash in our skyline.  It's a mystery.  Kyle had to accomplish a good bit of studying as well as prepare a cheat sheet for his upcoming exam.  I took the opportunity to dedicate my afternoon to lovely reading so as to not distract Kyle from his studious efforts.

Would you believe me if I told you that's his thinking face?

Hizzle Cizzle

It gets worse the closer you get.  I only like talking about random variables when hypothesizing Lost theories...

Kyle rewarded my good behavior with a Coke!

The view from my cozy couch at GTL.   Told you~ no ash here!

Keeping it classy with Jane Eyre and Braised Chicken flavored ruffles.  Even french snacks are so chic.

This was a lovely way to pass the afternoon, but we were on to more serious date related activities for the evening.  We returned to our abode for a fancy salad.  You know I'm in the kitchen preparing dinner when it's a salad.  I found these awesome jars of salad mix~sun dried tomatoes, feta, herbs, and lots of olive oil.  Throw in some olives and hard boiled eggs, et voila~ fancy European salad.  Kyle is so sweet; he kept telling me it was a great salad as to not discourage me from further esculent experiments in our kitchen.  I think it's working~ I'm going to make pigs in a blanket today using pate feuilletee and saussice de strasbourg (that is, puff pastry and hot dogs... it's so regal sounding in French). 

I should note that this day was special because I insisted on Kyle choosing a shirt for me to wear.  He instinctively selected my most plaid garment as well as one of his own.  His Scottish love for tartan textiles is in his blood.  You'd know it even if you didn't know his last name is Hamilton.  (On a brief side note, Hamilton is also the maiden name of C.S. Lewis' mother.  I hope through some genealogical miracle that he and Kyle are related...)  It just makes the day so much better when you're in plaid.  It inspired me to look up quotes where I could easily insert the word "plaid" in the place of "glad".   I added the best one to my facebook account, but I'll share some of the less than charming examples I came up with...

For Ladies:

I've been a wicked girl," said I: "But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be PLAID!
Edna St. Vincent Millay

Let the wife make the husband PLAID to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.
Martin Luther 

A woman whose smile is open and whose expression is PLAID has a kind of beauty no matter what she wears.
Anne Roiphe

Just silly:
Bluegrass is wonderful music. I'm PLAID I originated it.
Bill Monroe

I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be PLAID to make an exception.
Groucho Marx quotes

The great secret of happiness in love is to be PLAID that the other fellow married her.
Henry Louis Mencken

I'm PLAID I don't have to explain to a man from Mars why each day I set fire to dozens of little pieces of paper, and then put them in my mouth.
Mignon McLaughlin

 On Life:
I suppose what makes me most PLAID is that we all recognize each other in this metaphysical space of silence and happening, and get some sense, for a moment, that we are full of paradise without knowing it
Thomas Merton

Be PLAID of life because it gives you the chance to love, to work, to play, and to look up at the stars.
Henry Van Dyke 

Foodies:
I don't like spinach, and I'm PLAID I don't, because if I liked it I'd eat it, and I just hate it.”
Clarence Darrow

“Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am PLAID I was not born before tea”
Sir Philip Sidney 

There you have it... the less desirable PLAID quotes.  Back to date business.   My salad certainly couldn't fill us up.  We needed dessert and headed to our local McDonald's to satisfy our ice cream craving.  A little over a year ago, this McDonald's burned to the ground, but we never learned if there was criminal involvement.  They rebuilt and incorporated super modern decorations to make this McDo very trendy (here's a news article if you are interested and can read French).   The McFlurries are pretty good, too!

Thankfully, it no longer looks like this...

Still no ash, inside or out.  Just happy cups of glace italienne (soft serve in French).

M&Ms were a good choice!

I can really get into plaid, salad, ice cream dates.  We topped off the evening with our friend Peter and his girlfriend Cecile.  The fellas jammed on guitar and banjo, and we enjoyed beer and wine until super late at night.  No pictures from this segment; it was our first time meeting Cecile.  I have yet to snap a shot of someone to put on my blog in our first shared social event.  May I never be "that girl". 

There is still a glimmer of a hope that the Hamiltons will come to visit us, but it's no guarantee.  Hopefully we'll get to see them soon and share some stories with you.  A plus et bon dimanche!