26 August 2002

Cat Party a Success

The Senlis cat housewarming party we was a huge success, even if I say so myself.  Some people actually arrived on time, which everyone says is very un-French. 

Each family brought huge bouquets of flowers or potted plants.  The house looked like a floral shop by the time everyone arrived. 

The first family to arrive brought their two little girls who go to school with our 8 year old.  They were all dressed up in little girl frilly dresses (not looking like pretend teenagers as seems to be the fashion in the US). 

Christopher, our big gray and white cat promptly galloped down all four flights of steps and plopped himself in the middle of all of the arriving guests.  He rubbed their legs,  the wall and everything else.  Then he sauntered into the living room and put his regal body down onto the footstool.  He looked like a jaguar surveying his pride.  I could hardly believe it.

Lucy, our gray and black tabby cat was smart and stayed upstairs.  She didn’t even come downstairs when it was apparent someone had brought cat treats for her. 

At first things were a little awkward as I could not possibly be my usual charming self since I speak English, and some of the folks were much more comfortable speaking French.  Our 8 year old was the ambassador.  She shocked us all with her French.  Apparently she reserves these French speaking conversations for her friends, but will barely speak a word to us.

The meal was the big hit, even though I didn’t serve. My darling husband had warned me ahead of time that I had planned the party way too early for folks to eat much.  He felt they would eat a little bit and then retreat at 8 (or at 20:00 as they say here) to eat a big meal. 

But they did eat, and eat and eat.  Apparently Mexican food is a delicacy to the French. 

Our farmer friend teased me that the reason I had to make everything from scratch was that Mexico was too far away.  He made other jokes as well.  If he ever gives up farming he could make it as a comedian.

After I served the food buffet style, I played games with the children.  The boys were absolute heathens until I joined the ruckus they were making.  All of the children had a great time playing pin the flea on the cat, and another mouse game I had devised.  They popped the round balloons and then had light hearted fights with the long balloons.  Kids don’t care what language you speak.  Fun is a universal language.

The real hit of the evening were the brownies and strawberries.  Between dessert and coffee everyone was making great conversation.

Then I made the mistake of asking some of the women if they wanted to see my new garden.  The French women stood up, but then their husbands followed.  My darling husband and the two Americans who attended stayed in the living room to discuss their feelings of renewed patriotism after September 11.

We spent the rest of the time in the garden standing around discussing a variety of topics and picking off slugs.  No one seemed to want to go home.

Normally this would be the time when I would suggest we play a game or two, like Pictionary or Trivial Pursuit.  I had to hold my tongue to keep from making the suggestion.  I just stood in the garden making conversation with my new friends.

When everyone finally went home I felt really happy about our first party in France.  Our formula of getting to know people has always included inviting them into our home, and letting them see who we really are as human beings.  I guess that translates in any language.  Isn’t it amazing how much we all have in common no matter where we are from?