Getting Better all the Time

Trip Start Aug 01, 2008

Trip End Jun 30, 2010

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Flag of Congo Pointe Noire, Congo
Sunday, September 7, 2008

I haven't blogged in a while because it's been a rough couple of weeks. There were many times when I was surfing the Air France web site, ready to plunk down several months worth of my as yet unearned salary to make a swan dive into homlessness and unemployment back in the states. To his great credit, my brother Dave was immediately willing to put us up for as long as we needed, while Jeanie Weenie worked the internet flight bargain websites. The problem, or maybe the solution, was that our employers had the boys' passports, getting them visas, then David got sick, then school started, then I got sick. Plus flights out of Pointe-Noire only leave every couple days to Paris or London. Doesn't leave much time to actually escape.
Last Friday two things happened that turned things around for us. First, I got together with Magali and her sweet girls, then we had a sort of opening reception at the school for the ex-pat community

Soiree

. We met people! Actual people with kids our kids' ages! Other than the lovely and helpful Schlumberger guys, who work like mad men and have their own lives, we have been pretty isolated. To talk to several moms in one night was a real treat. The following day we went out for drinks and a playdate with Phil and Melanie, two sweets Scotts with two little kids. I must admit I indulged in one too many Pina Coladas, but with good company, really, how could I resist?
We have also decided to sign the boys up for a French speaking preschool. How lame would it be if we spent two years here and they didn't learn French? After watching the kids perfectly new to the States in Henry's preschool go from no English to fluent in the space of 10 months, it seems like a great opportunity. It may also broaden our social base here. It is also really affordable.
So I must send special shout-outs to my homiest who kept my spirits up, telling me to hang in there, and everything would be okay: Dave, Adam, Michael, Kate, Pete, Diane, Elena, Jeannie Weenie, Sharon & Jon, Len, Allison & Michael, especially Carole & Stu! Thank you thank you, I can't promise that you won't get any more panicked phone calls or e-mails, but for now, we seem to be over the hump.
Also, a new mailing address which accepts packages and is more direct has been given to us:
Int'l School Pointe Noire
AM Cloutier (or) David Potter
C/O Schlumberger Logelco INC
Zone Indutrielle De La Foire
BP 602
Pointe-Noire
Congo

DHL delivers directly, might be expensive, but Adam sent us a big stack of our mail for $11 using a priority USPS envelope

Our School

.
Since more of our time is spent working, we've begun sending our Nanny, Adelle, to the market for us. Not surprisingly, she got a lot more than we did for our money. We gave her a list and what we estimated we usually spend, and I swear, she came back with a third more veggies, a giant piece of fish and change to boot! Not surprising, really. And even the prices we were paying were reasonable in comparison to the supermarket prices. Although, I have to admit, I am hankering for some pumpkins, squash, and corn on the cob. Autumn in New England is really one of my favorite things. So those of you lucky enough to be enjoying it, eat some pumpkin ravioli for me.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Filling:
1 sugar pumpkin or Butternut Squash
12 oz crumbled goat cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp each of fresh basil and tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
1 package dim sum wrappers (available in the supermarket next to the tofu)
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
Table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400� Stem, seed and cut the pumpkin along the equator

David thanking everybody

. Place the pumpkin face down in a baking pan with about an inch of water, cover with foil and bake until done. If you can insert a knife easily, it's done. Scoop out the pumpkin and mix with the remaining filling ingredient. Keep the oven on!

You can do this two ways, use one wrapper per ravioli, placing a small scoop of filling in the center and, wetting the edges, bringing opposite corners together to make a tri-angle, or you can use two wrappers, place a scoop of filling in the center of one, wet around the edges, and place another one on top.

For the sauce:
Cook garlic in olive oil over low heat till golden and aromatic, then add 1 cup heavy cream and butter and bring to simmer in 3- to 4-quart casserole (not a glass one, folks!) over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer gently until mixture reduces to 2/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. return cream mixture to simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low and add pasta, Parmesan, and nutmeg to cream mixture. Toss pasta gently to combine, until sauce coats pasta, cover and place in oven 30-40 minutes until pasta is al dente.

I use the small raviolis when I bake them on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil until crispy at 350�, flipping halfway through, and make appetizers with the alfredo on the side for dipping.