mothers being mothers and mine being mine had to tell EVERYONE that it was my birthday. so i got a free cicada alarm from a shopkeeper, "un cadeau!". the provencal people have a thing for those huge scary bugs (that will soon appear in droves in michigan too). they replicate it in everything, from pottery to fabrics, and my gift was a little gadget that chirps when moved. i can't imagine how any place can want to make the cicada a regional emblem. anyway, yes back to the point...thanks to my loving mom, these men were singing "joyeux anniversaire...