Sleepless in Clermont

Today I really really miss my family.  I hope that McKinley and Madison are cleaning their rooms and helping their daddy get ready for this weekend (the babysitter is coming for relief).  Yay Isabel!

The morning was long.  I had a lot of trouble staying away through many lectures.  I'm sure you will laugh when I tell you the most INTERESTING part of the morning lectures was the one about taxes.  This is ironic because it was actually very funny and I will remember the material that was covered.  The reason is that it was filled with hilarious quotations and comics.  For example one was "The only difference between the tax man and the taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."

The afternoon was filled with a team building exercise. My team of 9 (including myself) was given a map and a destination with a "territory" to cover.  The rules are the game are:

1.  You must be able to prove where you went and what you saw without taking any pictures, using any electronic devices, or spending any money.

2.  You are competing against the other teams for a prize

3.  When we all assemble back at the meeting point we must tell our story and convince the other teams that ours is the BEST

4.  We must have fun.

So my team is a team of 10 people (including our monitor who wasn't to participate in this event) from 8 countries (the most diverse group in this training program).  I love my team and together we will have a lot of fun.  Here are the places we visited and some of the "proofs" we obtained

1.  We visited a pharmacy in Place delille- Proof was the receipt/business card of the pharmacist with an official stamp.

2.  We visited the church Notre Dame du Porte - Proof was that we got an artist who was enjoying the cathedral to sign a statement that we were there AND we etched the insignia of the virgin mary from an engraving in the church onto the signed statement (we also signed the visitor log in case anyone cares to go verify in person)

3.  We visited a remote control moto shop - Proof was the card with stamp and signature of the vendor

4.  We visited a tattoo parlor and convinced the proprietor to give us a free tattoo (dont worry she only gave us a photograph of a tattoo she had put on a person)

5.  We visited a lovely water fountain called Place de la Poterne - Proof was that we could produce the likeness of the fountain (which was filled with cherubs) with our bodies (complete with their positions and poses on the fountain).  AND we took a sample of moss from the ground (a forensic scientist could make the analysis).  We also "buried" a treasure there for the other groups to find.  The treasure is due north of the fountain and due west of the lady who looks over the city.  We have declared that anyone who can locate our treasure will be awarded with purchase of their entry or beverage at the next social outing.

6.  We visited the Cathedral De Notre Dame de l'Assumption - Proof was the brochure given out inside the church and a paper airplane that one of the other groups MUST have left there

We won a prize with our story and will work well together I know.  I left the day on a high.

After the competition, there were cocktails and appetizers.  I mingled for a bit, walked back to my hotel, dropped off my stuff, went to eat a "quick" dinner (if there is such a thing in France), had a lively conversation and returned "home."  It is only 11!  I am now very sad because Shannon and the girls called to talk to me and just after saying hello the connection failed.  By the time I got back on, they had run off to eat dinner.  Now I am sad and missing them all.  I suppose I should go to bed.....since it is now almost midnight.  I have trouble sleeping here at night.....but normally about 5pm I could lay down and pass out.....I am afraid I am going to develop narcolepsy.

Well, maybe a hot bath will make me feel better.  I am all melancholy and feel lonely for home.  Sleep tight for me girls, and enjoy your weekend with Isabel.