AMT: 04/07/2015 Fighting Paramedics and Sleep-Rowing

1. How did you celebrate the 4th of July? (Or, for you international types . . . Do anything fun this weekend?)

Being an international type, I've been sparing a thought for Americans, and working on the material for my "sharing my grandmother with you guys" series. The material is accumulating nicely, but no computer makes post-writing somewhat challenging (and we're in the middle of a heat-wave here in the south of France,  so I am basically busy melting, cooling in the pool and watching my feet swell up). All the fun is therefore currently being had by me.

2. Do you sunburn easily?

Before the bridge. Skin intact.

Yes. I do. All the time. I also get sunstrokes really easily (why am I complaining about the English weather again? Can't remember). I hate just doing the pancake on the beach, I need to be doing something, and sand is not a comfortable place to read, so I am mostly in the sea, which helps a bit. But even then, and despite regular applications of factor 50, every holiday comes with one day when I forget, and then...

Memorable sun-burns: 

In Rome, on the day of the canonization of Padre Pio. Two million people in the streets, I fell and hurt my knee, wrist and shoulder (I may be a bit clumsy), some paramedics plucked me away from my friends, I had to wrestle away from them as they were taking me to the ambulance (it wasn't THAT serious). I then struggled through the crowds to find my friends, eventually did, but in the upset, I just forgot the factor 50. ROOKIE ERROR ISABELLE!

Also, the worst I ever got was cycling the Golden Gate on a cloudy day. We just didn't realise the sun was that fierce (thanks a bunch San Francisco). I spent the rest of the holidays with impressive portions of my shoulder skin peeling off. It's a great look, you should try it. Will be all the rage next year.

3. Hot dogs. Yay or nay?

Well, depends what you mean. In French, a hot dog is exclusively the sandwich you make with a hot-dog sausage, which is mostly nay for me. They LOOK like they are going to taste great, but they always taste dry and disappointing. Bad hot-dog.

Via.

Now if you are talking about the sausage itself, I'd like to say nay, but we are living on a budget over here, so sometimes need must. They're nice chopped up and added to a carrot and lentils warm salad (also known as the pauper's version of the Petit salé aux Lentilles).

4. Have you ever personally set off fireworks?

Nope. They are forbidden in France, unless it's the 14th of July. Unless you count these tiny snappy ones you throw on the floor? (Thought you wouldn't...).

Via. Wasn't me.

5. Have you ever jumped off the high dive?

Yes. Despite myself. 

Although I am not scared of heights, I'm not a fan of jumping from high places. So when I have to do it anyway, I just push everybody out of the way and jump straight in, so I don't have time to think about it. Great, safe technique there.

Also, I remember being too scared to jump off a high jetty into the Mediterranean when I was four. My brother and 15 year-old auntie jeered. So then I jumped, and they had to run to catch my then-eighteen-month old sister who wanted to follow suite.

Don't worry, my parents were safely away on the beach, taking pictures of the happenings. 

What's the opposite of helicopter parenting?

6. Do you do anything weird in your sleep?

Sadly, I don't. Unless you count snoring as weird. My sister, however, is amazing. You can have whole surreal conversations with her whilst she sleeps. 

Marc and Isabelle come in on tiptoes to go to bed without waking her up. Banane sits up on her bed, eyes still closed.

- (aggressively) So, did I win?!

- Erm, you weren't actually WITH us, so...

- Oh, shut up you're just jealous!

Once she also sat up and started pretend-rowing in her bed. 

She also sang a couple of times (unfortunately, our laughs always wake her up).