A look back at the (handwritten) journal from the first 8-month stay in France: Poitou-Charente 12/27/99

Mid-afternoon, and the lights began to flicker & flicker more and then die entirely. So we lit our candles. It was raining and windy, and it seemed as though we had probably lost everything for a long time, so we settled in. We had all brought work to the long farm table by the window. The heat worked, we had a stove and an oven, and we had hot water. We made wine bottles into candle-holders and got about four of those going. Charley decided it might be too difficult to try for risotto, so he made an omelet instead, with sauteed onions, potatoes, and carrots. We tried the grocery store's own mint ice cream with chocolate chips, and it was good! We played a long game of hearts with the kids, and it grew windier. We went to bed at about 8:30, but could not sleep. The wind grew steadily louder. The roof held.