La Famille Aulanger

Eating outside with the Aulanger family

The family of Mathilde, one of Sophie's penfriends, had a surprise visit from us on Sunday afternoon. We had taken a picnic lunch with us when we dropped Jeff at the airport, but rang Mathilde's family hoping they would be home. We had never met them before, but when I looked on Google earth to find the airport I realised it was not far from their place. Only 15 minutes in fact...
They were very welcoming, despite the short notice we gave them!
Unfortunately after we'd only been there about ten minutes I realised Hugh was not just hot from the car, but he in fact had a temperature. Mathilde's mum graciously played nurse, getting a thermometer, a cold wet flannel, some paracetamol, and putting a blanket in the shade for Hugh.

Poor Hugh, suffering from a fever

Sophie is usually shy at first when she meets new people, but she seemed loud compared to her penfriend. Mathilde is very shy. I know I used to be shy, so I wonder if that is what I was like when I was ten years old (I'll have to ask my mother.) Anyway Sophie didn't have to talk much, as Mathilde didn't talk at all.
Some games don't need much talking, so Mathilde's little sister Clemence got out a board game to play. It was a really good game for kids to play, and it was educational for Sophie. I'd like to find one to have here - it was a game about taxis in Paris, and each player was a taxi driver. They had to pick up a card which gave a description of the client and their destination, with options for bonus fare points for doing things on the way (like passing three boulangeries). What a great way to study a map of Paris and discover some famous roads and landmarks.

Sophie with Clemence (left) and Mathilde, (her penfriend, right)
played a board game about taxis in Paris

Bonnie and Odette were happy to find some different
playmobile characters and a house to play with

Next time we go to visit we will give them more notice, and we hope to see them here one day too.