Doing the Wash

I learned today, after being in France for almost 2 weeks, how to wash my clothes! The machine is very old (probably as old as I am) and it takes the machine 2 hours per load of laundry, of which you can't put very much in. Then the dryer can only dry 3 to 4 pieces of clothing at a time, thus making it easier to line dry clothes in the bathroom. I have done one of the 2 loads of laundry, once the first load is dry I will attempt the second, wish me luck!
Also today, we were let out of class early, at 10 am. I unfortunately had to wait on my french project group to get there acts together and come up with a project idea. Which became too grandiose for the scale that can be feasibly done in 2 days of working. But after voicing my concern, I was written off and their ideas were put onto the paper. Oh well! Ce n'est pas grave!
I came home and had the house to myself for a while, it was wonderful. Then my host mother came home, we talked for a bit then she started dinner. We had a cauliflower soup that had so much cream in it you could hardly taste the vegetable. Then we had crepes for dinner. The crepes were pre-made just put onto the skillet, warmed, then an egg was fried on top of the crepe. Cheese was added as well as ham. Unfortunately I like my eggs well cooked, and some were slightly gelatinous on my crepe, oh well! I ate it anyway and it was yummy. Then raspberry yogurt for dessert.
I should explain how dinners are eaten in my family. The table is set with cloth napkins, a dinner plate with either an appetizer plate or soup plate on top, there is a knife with the blade pointing towards the plate on the right hand side and a fork tines down on the left hand side. This is normal every day table setting. Everyone is called to dinner as the main course is finishing cooking, nothing is every sauteed, so nothing needs to be tended to until we are finished with the first course. The first course usually consists of a soup or a salad, sometimes we have a palate teaser before dinner if dinner is especially late that evening. After the first course, the top plate/bowl are cleared along with any dirty utensils, which are then replaced. The main course is placed on the table, in a serve as much as you want fashion. This is not however from the same vessel that it was cooked in, it is placed in a decorative bowl or on a decorative plate. I, being the guest/newest addition to the family, am always told to serve myself first in anything, water, bread, food etc. After me is my host dad, then host mom and finally my host sister. After the main course, plates and utensils are cleared again, and a prepared dessert is brought out which respective plates/forks/knives, or dessert is chosen from the fridge. Usually these choices are yogurt in both plain and flavored varieties, chocolate mousse, coffee mousse, and chocolate pudding. After dessert is eaten, fruit is put on the table and all other dishes are cleared to the kitchen counters. Talking proceeds for another 20 minutes, or until the news begins. Then my host dad retreats to the TV, my host mom begins to put away the dishes and my and my host sister clean off the plates before handing them to my host mom to be put in a dishwasher. Wine is hardly ever opened, maybe once a week, and my host sister (who is 15) does not drink any. Water, usually still, but some times sparking is served at every meal. This night was an exception with cider being served!
This may not be the norm of French eating habits, but it's what I've experienced for the past 2 weeks, and I'm starting to get use to it!
Peace, Love, and Habits