Chaumont

We were finally living in town although I didn't venture too far out in the community. There was a little bakery across the street and we loved to buy warm loaves right out of the ovens and have them with our hot coffee in the morning. Now, these loaves were about 2 ft.long and cost just a couple cents. You could buy big round ones as well. Because Joe was gone most of the day, I found myself over on the other side of the house with the Conrads. Germaine always insisted that I eat lunch with them and I learned more and more French. Lunchtime was the main meal of the day. We always started out with cold meats followed by some sort of beef, chicken, etc. with potatoes, then vegetables and finally, cheese and fruit. No wonder they needed a siesta in the afternoon. You were given a clean plate with each course, plus different wines (red or white) After dinner, you had coffee with some kind of liquer or brandy. One weekend we were all invited for dinner (lunchtime). Germaine was making escargot and of course, we had never had it. Pierre insisted that we try it. He said that the best way was to put it in bread and pop it in your mouth! Now Pierre could understand a pretty lot of English as long as you didn't speak fast. So now he turns to Joe and asks how he liked it and your Dad never at a loss for words said very rapidly that it tastes like something he would like to throw down the toilet! And kept say Bon, Bon and Pierre smiled and said that he knew he would like it. We had a private chuckle over that. Albert Lambeth would speak fast all the time but would mix in some French phrases and all would be well. Pierre & Germaine were my family away from home. They drove us everywhere and intoduced us to their friends. He showed us the wine cellar which was a large warehouse with huge barrels of wine. The wine came in by truck with long hoses attached. He also gave us keys to his cellar and told us to help ourselves which we never did. Joe would buy him cigarettes at the base and I would give Grandmere cans of fruit cocktail which she loved. Lordy, let's end this here.