Random Thoughts

At the laverie (washeteria) this morning, I witnessed this poor man put a small comforter/blanket into a machine that is for 3 kilos worth of laundry. He then proceeded to purchase two packages of soap which equates to enough detergent for 14 kilos of laundry. Now, I might not be all that sharp in the math department, but I certainly can figure out that anything that fits into a 3 kilo washing maching does not need enough soap for 14 kilos of laundry. Apparently, he did not take notice of that until it was too late, and I thought the place was going to look like that episode on the Brady Bunch where one of the kids puts too much soap in the washing machine and the entire place is filled with bubbles.

Speaking of the laverie, though, I would like it duly noted that I did one small load of laundry today and purchased a delicious pain au chocolat aux amandes (croissant with chocolate chips and delicious almonds and almond flavoring) all for 7 euros exactly. So, I'm getting better at the laundry game :)

Not much happened today at school other than making a soupe au pistou that was (in a french accent), "Good. Maybe more salt. Perfect sized veg." And I am not the one abbreviating the word vegetable. The French chef loves to say veg. It's almost all he has said for the past 2 days. Cook the 'veg', cut the 'veg', love the 'veg.' Except the word the in that sentence is more like ze.

After spending 4 or 5 hours prepping, cooking and plating the food for the Chef's approval, we began the cleaning process. There is a dishwasher for all the big copper pots, etc, but we clean the kitchen and our knives. Today, I was assigned to clean the monstrosity pictured below. In your head, just imagine that the ridiculously large stove you see below has been heated with gas all day long and is thus hotter than, well, hell to be honest. Then you are told to wash with soap and water, then sand with sandpaper. After all that, you would want a beer too, which is what several of us consumed after school tonight at a brasserie in Odeon.