tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55328061269545844282024-02-19T14:31:32.145+01:00What I Learned in France TodayA blog focusing on the real life cultural experiences of an American family as they spend a year in France. "What I learned in France today" is my way of remaining conscious of the everyday joys and difficulties of interactions, language barriers, new experiences and attempts to assimilate. Follow along...Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-69099479982341799362009-09-26T22:03:00.006+02:002009-09-26T22:37:10.828+02:00September 2009Life keeps humming along through another transition. After going to the cabin every weekend of the summer, we have not gone since Labor Day so we are getting used to spending all of our time here in Ashland. Irie quickly adjusted to her schedule at her new school, <a href="http://www.ashland.k12.or.us/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=49">Willow Wind</a> which is an alternative school within the public system. She has restarted piano lessons and we are getting a new (used) piano tomorrow. She is also taking a hip-hop dance class, and Lisa is still searching for a french tutor for her.<br /><br />While Lisa and I both danced hula together in the park every Weds., the separate official classes have begun so Lisa is dancing on Weds. nights, I am dancing with the kane (men) on Thurs., and Lisa is teaching a beginner's class on Fri., all through our friend Andrea's organization <a href="http://www.integraldance.com/index.html">Integral Dance</a>. Last night we were delighted to have the world's oldest touring musician here in Ashland.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawETH5xkwS19XK0h2_awaO87er4pKx_IkzSkD99dS9uSj0s6GgmTpPrTa2bJdga5O5UquSme0C5Te1EK7oV947jB_76oBR6qWVdwrYEdAIC1mCxcEnV6CLC7XAv_gUDYfnrmwxwJt8sLY/s1600-h/SDC13669.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawETH5xkwS19XK0h2_awaO87er4pKx_IkzSkD99dS9uSj0s6GgmTpPrTa2bJdga5O5UquSme0C5Te1EK7oV947jB_76oBR6qWVdwrYEdAIC1mCxcEnV6CLC7XAv_gUDYfnrmwxwJt8sLY/s200/SDC13669.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385877401482359298" /></a> Bill Tapia is 101 years young and plays the ukulele. Lisa, Andrea and a few other dancers got the honor of performing with him during two songs<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNe0eDBflWF1BY1qwAekuSPq2TQAYiBO3XIlS0BQjZuBLhxLGnJVkONDwy1-nHwA6HmS3ZaFiGyqWyOnMCTjfIn4oQyrX4PO_6Y3OjOtv55YOa8kN0NRbWvCJvbtVfBrZp3-Gkoy1g_sx/s1600-h/SDC13670.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNe0eDBflWF1BY1qwAekuSPq2TQAYiBO3XIlS0BQjZuBLhxLGnJVkONDwy1-nHwA6HmS3ZaFiGyqWyOnMCTjfIn4oQyrX4PO_6Y3OjOtv55YOa8kN0NRbWvCJvbtVfBrZp3-Gkoy1g_sx/s200/SDC13670.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385877394633210706" /></a>. <br />Here are the videos:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM-Eu9U1cxo">Puamana</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy__TRLPXz4">I Want to Speak Hawaiian</a><br /><br />The unusual excitement in Ashland this week was a large fire on the south end of town that destroyed one house and threatened a whole neighborhood.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJIeqiHDA2I2DrXD60ba-6bbQwf_wACRGMPp7tEoVCMT1zEtFhd7G3phVCGwTmN8a2zI539NK6Tq_OLo-I7ld_bfW9UQq0mh6-cqhS1qf720UrU_ffs2ucvwJ2L8s2iiDzp3jPmnTrqh5/s1600-h/SDC13647.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJIeqiHDA2I2DrXD60ba-6bbQwf_wACRGMPp7tEoVCMT1zEtFhd7G3phVCGwTmN8a2zI539NK6Tq_OLo-I7ld_bfW9UQq0mh6-cqhS1qf720UrU_ffs2ucvwJ2L8s2iiDzp3jPmnTrqh5/s200/SDC13647.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385875899489967538" /></a> It turned out to be about 190 acres (while another 4 times as large raged in Medford the same day), and there are other fires in closer to our cabin that have caused smoky hazy skies all week. Our friends, John and Taylor, were not home so I raced over and rescued their two dogs, one bird, and a frog before they evacuated the nieghborhood.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSn5v30IYQCNquSrYTFIlH3foYvFEL76C3YSyCmHo630Q13NuMk2bgEm6jdvaoO1JgLcWI1CPQoyj2ku3LwOFSVZNFYC1QwsCptPUrUCuTvFoRvXYbbVkHI6WaHNWvO83CJDDkkZYBeYdo/s1600-h/SDC13652.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSn5v30IYQCNquSrYTFIlH3foYvFEL76C3YSyCmHo630Q13NuMk2bgEm6jdvaoO1JgLcWI1CPQoyj2ku3LwOFSVZNFYC1QwsCptPUrUCuTvFoRvXYbbVkHI6WaHNWvO83CJDDkkZYBeYdo/s200/SDC13652.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385875908672721410" /></a> Luckily, our brave firefighters were on it and kept it from causing a lot more damage. I filmed from John's garage roof and here's that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFRgOkOZLGw">video.</a> Warning: some foul language from my excited mouth :)<br /><br />I start University classes tomorrow (finally), but have been keeping busy with a paintbrush. Last week I painted our house, something that was long overdue, and we are loving the new look.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOFOitha5ibpbUSQFr4RjORvjub0d42yhQKod5bT08KNUr7-_Cp8UUH042sQOXmGQ75EfvNRUwP_kkqs-ute3pNl6ICGYTEc5XTCoMsyGiQZs1f0J-LA4SfY4k74CYdyUrnaWVUgpeOXf/s1600-h/SDC13631.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOFOitha5ibpbUSQFr4RjORvjub0d42yhQKod5bT08KNUr7-_Cp8UUH042sQOXmGQ75EfvNRUwP_kkqs-ute3pNl6ICGYTEc5XTCoMsyGiQZs1f0J-LA4SfY4k74CYdyUrnaWVUgpeOXf/s200/SDC13631.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385876770140021874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oPy1dz7TOHXmFzQSC_5zBGfHXqWr8qZ-y_DR0OBahPvFvBZgue8lzZ6fmysGBnd4WYYTihnRp5R27nW4OFgL4LT-71NoZ4IqUjcblfts_KmE6qMdJy_SrvRaNSjwxGu3AjxQnbC9uSj_/s1600-h/SDC13634.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oPy1dz7TOHXmFzQSC_5zBGfHXqWr8qZ-y_DR0OBahPvFvBZgue8lzZ6fmysGBnd4WYYTihnRp5R27nW4OFgL4LT-71NoZ4IqUjcblfts_KmE6qMdJy_SrvRaNSjwxGu3AjxQnbC9uSj_/s200/SDC13634.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385876765341810194" /></a> This week I painted for someone else so actually made some money...how novel.<br /><br />France seems a long way away, though we still think of our french friends and way of life all the time!Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-85553511760149166832009-09-11T06:58:00.006+02:002009-09-11T07:51:38.578+02:00La RentréeI love this time of year. September in Ashland is generous with good weather, not too hot, with the occasional nippy mornings. But I really love La Rentrée. It could be translated as a return to school, but in France it's much broader than that. After the lazy, vacation days of August, the whole of France goes back to work and school and gets down to business. That's what it feels like for our family as Irie started school this week. She changed to a new school, Willow Wind, which is within the Ashland Public School system but not quite like the other elementary schools. She has a core 4th grade class, 4th grade math and then some electives. This fall she chose a film-making class, a weather science class, and a couple writing classes focusing on stories and heroes. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzryk3uUWg4FDwj1sS8PROixcyDFxiWJ0eBeWFCuN5_opFA-WeuNLuygNC5Dt6083PoYGs9F-JRrUagDb5PUwNFYHf4giEcFs0eL5vth4qKPvntv1lah3dnrio1mfWalARp83-ENEuqfKm/s1600-h/SDC13546.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzryk3uUWg4FDwj1sS8PROixcyDFxiWJ0eBeWFCuN5_opFA-WeuNLuygNC5Dt6083PoYGs9F-JRrUagDb5PUwNFYHf4giEcFs0eL5vth4qKPvntv1lah3dnrio1mfWalARp83-ENEuqfKm/s200/SDC13546.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380080726929116914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnE7eb-8AMotlwC3T8wpvP76uENicTSMKENnbjtGxo17MikKu1M90HhxM_2DO6SJSZYJaQBaLdcETpxL8xDyiHYfufoaEXpoc5673PWjxk7FIc5QJ1vEJxk0o2G-TJczm6DEDMhw_tWgM/s1600-h/SDC13544.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnE7eb-8AMotlwC3T8wpvP76uENicTSMKENnbjtGxo17MikKu1M90HhxM_2DO6SJSZYJaQBaLdcETpxL8xDyiHYfufoaEXpoc5673PWjxk7FIc5QJ1vEJxk0o2G-TJczm6DEDMhw_tWgM/s200/SDC13544.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380080716095214082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3lZkKm48o-BjnQftyfs-YGcHZXOFF7zpOY7LmVeW2rqxlXTSW6zRX8Ns_lzp8FTG-xAQ-wYjRFnIjWmR3haKlUGRMlfPWeut9Q2XN74zldIcIuceRnl5ZMshV0hY2BJfDjwvvaVNXdSz/s1600-h/SDC13540.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3lZkKm48o-BjnQftyfs-YGcHZXOFF7zpOY7LmVeW2rqxlXTSW6zRX8Ns_lzp8FTG-xAQ-wYjRFnIjWmR3haKlUGRMlfPWeut9Q2XN74zldIcIuceRnl5ZMshV0hY2BJfDjwvvaVNXdSz/s200/SDC13540.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380080714750007202" /></a><br /><br />Though Irie was nervous for her first day she looks more relaxed than she did a year ago when she started Hippolyte Fabre! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm7P9_OSuh0SxWFT2cIa-6j2R20mHd69aWL2GNs4AiDzgHDVT3847E_0eZc8cnDqd87Lr4t5m0Akkm5J28MkKHElC65MajIAjN31vck1HdMjBfUTciGEWqcB3DbLtkwZTTxwl4jeF3Hdo/s1600-h/P9010012.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm7P9_OSuh0SxWFT2cIa-6j2R20mHd69aWL2GNs4AiDzgHDVT3847E_0eZc8cnDqd87Lr4t5m0Akkm5J28MkKHElC65MajIAjN31vck1HdMjBfUTciGEWqcB3DbLtkwZTTxwl4jeF3Hdo/s200/P9010012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380081772380972402" /></a><br /><br />This time of year also sees us starting our withdrawal from Bon Pin. The work is completed and we are spying some projects to start next year. We're enjoying cool nights and mornings with the wood stove and assuming swimming is done. We'll only go up about every other weekend through October then close it up. Staying in Ashland allows us to focus on the goings-on here. Like unpacking, still!<br /><br />While I started my practice up again in mid July it is really feeling on a roll now. I will shift my schedule to taking Wednesdays off, French style. Rick is registered for classes at SOU which start at the end of the month.<br /><br />Both Rick and I were off and running on our hula endeavors shortly after re-entry this summer. I co-taught a session of Hula in July that Rick participated in. I will be teaching a beginner class this fall as well as continuing my own hula studies. I really miss my French hula dancers and the enthusiasm and beauty they brought to our classes. I feel fortunate to be able to return to a hula community that has grown in ohana and commitment. We thank our dear friend Andrea for her strength in holding hula in Ashland and creating and growing the hui <a href="http://www.integraldance.com/hulahui.html">Ka Pi'o O Ke Anuenue</a>.<br /><br />We're also happy to report that our copine française, Nathalie, has also gotten down to business with her <a href="http://frejus-ashland.blogspot.com/">new blog titled "From Frejus to Ashland</a>. We are so touched that she has started this means of communication to us.<br /><br />Goals for the next few weeks: get a smoothly running schedule hopefully only using one car, finish unpacking, purge clutter, sit in the hot tub with a glass of wine.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-15814825755750032062009-08-25T05:20:00.010+02:002009-08-25T16:21:32.336+02:00We're not in France anymore...and whether we can figure out whether that is good or bad is pointless, because we are HERE! And busy. I realize it's been 18 days since my last post, and I keep wondering when it will be my last. Because we're not in France anymore. Thus, I'm not actually learning anything "in" France today, or any other day. However, I may still be learning something today from being "in" France last year. I hope that makes sense. <br /><br />The things I've learned are not simple or easily explained, but directly impact how I conduct my life on a daily basis. BE HERE NOW has become much more than a cliché, but in fact, a realized life mission. Communications, whether in person, on the phone, or via email, whether with a stranger or someone I know, have become something to cherish, an encounter from which something can be gained, and thus I am striving to be in the moment for each and every conversation. It's far too easy to find oneself dashing about and using that as an excuse to not make real contact when running into an acquaintance on the street, or even just buying groceries at the checkout. I know because that has been me. A smile or a few nice words can go a long way and I'm doing my best to be on the contributing side of human kindness. There is a very faulty stereotype in America about "the French" - and it is wrong! So many people in France made the effort: to get to know us...even when they knew we'd be leaving, to befriend us or our daughter, to make us feel welcome, to be helpful neighbors, to converse with me and work to understand my limited french. At it's simplest, they took the time to interact with us, strangers, and this relaxed state of living wore off on me in a way that I am trying to properly express right now. So there's a very big example of "what I learned in France <i>yester</i>day!"<br /><br />As for our lives here in Oregon, while it's been busy, I do feel that a rhythm is being established. Part of that revolves around our weekly excursions to the cabin. We have gone to Bon Pin en Oregon every weekend save one since we got home. In the interim since my last post, Irie and I stayed for 11 days while Lisa went home for 3 days to work. Irie had her friend Rachel for a few days,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOetIckoYSWpgZA9NJGgUkK_afrBSa3b9z4cadSdxChgPu0JYAiFXWw90PaP0PuIU4KONIJ-fKihYhqIzJFD8pXmR8p4mmqMgCeAL0Qvucxsp0-ppJeorYdxDqAsQ9GjXbnXQPYKZEwxWs/s1600-h/SDC13344.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOetIckoYSWpgZA9NJGgUkK_afrBSa3b9z4cadSdxChgPu0JYAiFXWw90PaP0PuIU4KONIJ-fKihYhqIzJFD8pXmR8p4mmqMgCeAL0Qvucxsp0-ppJeorYdxDqAsQ9GjXbnXQPYKZEwxWs/s200/SDC13344.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373752857913316226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshcWWQ6VPfPCeLDniXI_siKLpDJeqr_D_U-5VdJaIgu07VrCmuFiQ-MKq9fImCxnWzWv0zf-X9FMjxIdC5CBcDsQvp-kGVRptSPNOgM_0tVEIoMMRtbJfWTV4HLG1hdlgDT7ytYPovUOW/s1600-h/SDC13347.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshcWWQ6VPfPCeLDniXI_siKLpDJeqr_D_U-5VdJaIgu07VrCmuFiQ-MKq9fImCxnWzWv0zf-X9FMjxIdC5CBcDsQvp-kGVRptSPNOgM_0tVEIoMMRtbJfWTV4HLG1hdlgDT7ytYPovUOW/s200/SDC13347.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373752849484166882" /></a> <br />went on a horse ride,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicogWcaDrzq2gauBjESHsC82n52-sLuO2uIn8tcAJ4-6YJykaQAMxKxU5IklDYU2BoBtyFixO9Fcqbw0WNbtwBCA0o-ror5UQFgokcRKUeREoQN6Sl8Q3F7zXCg-LPuG33Y2-6xHcOnM8C/s1600-h/SDC13381.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicogWcaDrzq2gauBjESHsC82n52-sLuO2uIn8tcAJ4-6YJykaQAMxKxU5IklDYU2BoBtyFixO9Fcqbw0WNbtwBCA0o-ror5UQFgokcRKUeREoQN6Sl8Q3F7zXCg-LPuG33Y2-6xHcOnM8C/s200/SDC13381.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373754085630804322" /></a> <br />and biked around the lake.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi860GxhumtWBs8RGHPVxCvZzVsFhZPtn5YXBkPwQ_gBGgOh-718eZMBK7CmeJn_OoC12osYoKxkj1gZkNnXMyk84h9D9IgYuUZUPIHFDIfbOsHEwr6gxFErLsH5zhMZbEKHOHfVdpbpdNJ/s1600-h/SDC13403.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi860GxhumtWBs8RGHPVxCvZzVsFhZPtn5YXBkPwQ_gBGgOh-718eZMBK7CmeJn_OoC12osYoKxkj1gZkNnXMyk84h9D9IgYuUZUPIHFDIfbOsHEwr6gxFErLsH5zhMZbEKHOHfVdpbpdNJ/s200/SDC13403.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373754078248838866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuigyd6OGzcM6JLZ87ys7VP8DNtz39P8w6RdLeDMaup6Jho3HAnFfNZ9CrKbYEy_fqVi2kD7yRZZduBj3Kfz_uWHfm5HCrLW5a3TpEKew9NuqPHwFAaQIIS1aWyQQTgdre7_FE82iooJjp/s1600-h/SDC13415.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuigyd6OGzcM6JLZ87ys7VP8DNtz39P8w6RdLeDMaup6Jho3HAnFfNZ9CrKbYEy_fqVi2kD7yRZZduBj3Kfz_uWHfm5HCrLW5a3TpEKew9NuqPHwFAaQIIS1aWyQQTgdre7_FE82iooJjp/s200/SDC13415.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373754067088072802" /></a> Gary comes every weekend and we work our asses off! The remodel is almost complete, and what's left is stuff I can do on my own. We now have a working wood stove and washing machine, a somewhat more level foundation, a new open floor plan which has turned our tiny galley kitchen into a very functional space for food preparation and entertaining, a reworked dining room, and an enlarged back deck. I still need to get rid of the piles of brick and concrete from the old fireplace and loads of yard slash, plan on using the volcanic rock to build a permanent outdoor grill, and then we'll move on to the bedrooms and bathroom. Maybe next year. Here's a before and after: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUr0EP8VeU-9Wclrw6XbljXyhyphenhyphen2_NApb36BWH16VgXcEBimMYpeieYVQfpiykDn-ZimDPNtMreVowWKLrOK8dhN-gqNzT-Ki01eDyhobuJg9PXkgna5pVOjQw3nASic-QnZ5F8IAkD3eg/s1600-h/Cabin+Fireplace.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUr0EP8VeU-9Wclrw6XbljXyhyphenhyphen2_NApb36BWH16VgXcEBimMYpeieYVQfpiykDn-ZimDPNtMreVowWKLrOK8dhN-gqNzT-Ki01eDyhobuJg9PXkgna5pVOjQw3nASic-QnZ5F8IAkD3eg/s200/Cabin+Fireplace.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373751407537225234" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenzvK2ncBiqrcubob8HSoE8SPTb3IjXgIZSUZIzIUh0WYrnXfU32L79GvvgIttTNoLb3HdlhEdlscnw3YDehm-6cKgoUt72mIp48kv6XcDvoxfXLJMSHu8RogwB_JWJSr09iE0dDTYkXF/s1600-h/SDC13462.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenzvK2ncBiqrcubob8HSoE8SPTb3IjXgIZSUZIzIUh0WYrnXfU32L79GvvgIttTNoLb3HdlhEdlscnw3YDehm-6cKgoUt72mIp48kv6XcDvoxfXLJMSHu8RogwB_JWJSr09iE0dDTYkXF/s200/SDC13462.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373749121250557458" /></a><br /><br />Meanwhile, we have added a new member to our family. When Athena came to visit us in France she promised Irie a pet fish upon her return home. Irie never forgot and called Athena last week to remind her of her promise. Well...a fish became a hamster! A little black bear hamster that is now and forever dubbed "Pooh Bear" and who is already charming his way into our hearts.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKO5u-FnzDpn0O1r1EiCnYQbtdXxYP8rxB5o4RGkEmgmF6IaNSXnCuElq8NmGkHUPeOv58I3JBYf4tkRLu2JMPnlE6bGOw26sz8ajZ0FwbN0II54kwqtkxUQ5Z8a56ginLcWZ3eHHdXdg/s1600-h/SDC13476.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKO5u-FnzDpn0O1r1EiCnYQbtdXxYP8rxB5o4RGkEmgmF6IaNSXnCuElq8NmGkHUPeOv58I3JBYf4tkRLu2JMPnlE6bGOw26sz8ajZ0FwbN0II54kwqtkxUQ5Z8a56ginLcWZ3eHHdXdg/s200/SDC13476.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373750979223218642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWA9JHJpVL9DVw2MdWyrLTats2MLdkytLbNPGFRor6ZhloJQf3-1a1DzRv5d1ILVwo7KzJ4hyphenhyphenfy-Pd4NhiaQDLklycprR-YX_k92ktBx2FWeGFLy2NKsIERsXrxgx_Z6qPA6q891RaVCu/s1600-h/SDC13460.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWA9JHJpVL9DVw2MdWyrLTats2MLdkytLbNPGFRor6ZhloJQf3-1a1DzRv5d1ILVwo7KzJ4hyphenhyphenfy-Pd4NhiaQDLklycprR-YX_k92ktBx2FWeGFLy2NKsIERsXrxgx_Z6qPA6q891RaVCu/s200/SDC13460.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373750973052406338" /></a> He likes to sleep by day, when not being smothered in Irie's love, but gears up each evening and spends much of his night running on his wheel.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzh0cZQbxGbh8xTVyaVZVUm1CmmDD9LuYj_1IuV4MG9YZU7lej351mRfPF7GCU42G-PofdcOWuIFSj095JxPPDz5CMeb6DCm3yFXu52fKjEeCEuUkQ7raRoBQ4EnT7c6PiFz8aiEAkSR3p/s1600-h/SDC13477.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzh0cZQbxGbh8xTVyaVZVUm1CmmDD9LuYj_1IuV4MG9YZU7lej351mRfPF7GCU42G-PofdcOWuIFSj095JxPPDz5CMeb6DCm3yFXu52fKjEeCEuUkQ7raRoBQ4EnT7c6PiFz8aiEAkSR3p/s200/SDC13477.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373750988920669698" /></a><br /> <br />This weekend is our 1st Annual Fête at Diamond Lake and we're expecting about 5 families for at least one night. The weather is perfect with warm swimmable days and cool campfire nights. That's all for now.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-68931109798289763602009-08-06T00:47:00.007+02:002009-08-06T18:55:54.112+02:00Party Announcement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7Nbrhx_erAzXzjh8fZMX9wJ33NXFfbI5k_NFeidUgde9utwYtr54Bud8Qzws7ijwV9BIqjR_3HqzV7DbPsUVrX3tpTGyKoAv6wRj3DxnTyuy2vFRgtUqEVAnGMHFF_cPz-2W0JI38oYd/s1600-h/SDC13330.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7Nbrhx_erAzXzjh8fZMX9wJ33NXFfbI5k_NFeidUgde9utwYtr54Bud8Qzws7ijwV9BIqjR_3HqzV7DbPsUVrX3tpTGyKoAv6wRj3DxnTyuy2vFRgtUqEVAnGMHFF_cPz-2W0JI38oYd/s200/SDC13330.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366893499611732594" /></a><br />Little time to post these days. Lisa working during the week while I run around getting supplies for another long weekend at Bon Pin. Leaving again tomorrow and the van is loaded up with a wood stove, a washing machine, 10 bags of concrete, more wood, and we still need to pack necessities. And this time Irie and I are staying for 11 days! Driving two cars so Lisa can return to Ashland Mon-Thurs for work. Looking forward to a week+ in the woods!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR96jWqKcwdEcmzeJk4c3NkeHWc_b0WQDbiIm_0qI_oCHZ8NJFFWHc4ycdoMjC-eGEcnfhiIrtEWbQwYEseKxa9d1yNfyN8oAqaRVQ_uLcuzShU32bH-JAupqrvLLC5QjsHur8EqMkQa1Q/s1600-h/SDC13332.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR96jWqKcwdEcmzeJk4c3NkeHWc_b0WQDbiIm_0qI_oCHZ8NJFFWHc4ycdoMjC-eGEcnfhiIrtEWbQwYEseKxa9d1yNfyN8oAqaRVQ_uLcuzShU32bH-JAupqrvLLC5QjsHur8EqMkQa1Q/s200/SDC13332.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366893508281815746" /></a><br /><br />Anyway, with the crazy month of reintegration and work, it's soon time for a fun break, so we have only one thing to say: it's TIME FOR A PARTY!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutU9MCo4ShgCQH_7UatY_0W5rpaoDVM7K-eAE4F_ApIHOlz1_tmmu8KEqv9i9lDMa7P_SzuL_iTVR9HSLiKAqAlez_T9s1xSDrS3XODMALoMPmFP87U3AEFfUtVsfu8Y-ZFDxnZGt0gHw/s1600-h/SDC13339.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutU9MCo4ShgCQH_7UatY_0W5rpaoDVM7K-eAE4F_ApIHOlz1_tmmu8KEqv9i9lDMa7P_SzuL_iTVR9HSLiKAqAlez_T9s1xSDrS3XODMALoMPmFP87U3AEFfUtVsfu8Y-ZFDxnZGt0gHw/s200/SDC13339.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366892947708957122" /></a><br /><br />Also, for notre amie, Nathalie, yes we do have "good pines" in Oregon! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fbsgdELCqjPfqUxeAsc39An8MoQv0Ja9gX8rXGEFORZiv3dZvJfo8Tu2AnzkGgTGNoOL4DgMvjDnXTKyvyIk401w2ZFjcz-N61NLwYS_Q0WiCcl-w9sfFMfklqTOqphFTpaGO3TAhGqO/s1600-h/SDC13317.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fbsgdELCqjPfqUxeAsc39An8MoQv0Ja9gX8rXGEFORZiv3dZvJfo8Tu2AnzkGgTGNoOL4DgMvjDnXTKyvyIk401w2ZFjcz-N61NLwYS_Q0WiCcl-w9sfFMfklqTOqphFTpaGO3TAhGqO/s200/SDC13317.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366892689481438194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrsUUyxwt0x9VuiwwOfvAWc6iYsgpdAqLyIbZxDB0lDwB0qbUQd1I17cETUTKAQOc3PdZxZjDjWpIZ8q-39FfX06A4H0FG-OkztsU02FO0UvWqEk9mLO-jG6HCWlcvl4SteDJqmLDu_0b/s1600-h/SDC13315.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrsUUyxwt0x9VuiwwOfvAWc6iYsgpdAqLyIbZxDB0lDwB0qbUQd1I17cETUTKAQOc3PdZxZjDjWpIZ8q-39FfX06A4H0FG-OkztsU02FO0UvWqEk9mLO-jG6HCWlcvl4SteDJqmLDu_0b/s200/SDC13315.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366892679853672882" /></a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-48116871746034095202009-07-27T23:13:00.006+02:002009-07-28T03:01:39.070+02:00très occupésSummer is always busy, even when one is not going through "reentry." Thus, it was another big week. Grandma and Grandpa Browne arrived last Mon. with Maggie and our "new" van. I dropped the parents off at the Medford Airport this morning at 5 am. Maggie, the world traveller, knows she is home and has been very relaxed! The van is making a wonderful painting rig. We actually went to Toyota to see what the deal is with the "Cash for Clunkers" bill that just passed and found out we don't qualify because one has to have had the clunker registered and insured in their name for one year, but the program ends Nov. 1 or when the billion dollars runs out. Oh well, they were all sold out of new Prius' anyway. It appears from the first weekend that this is a tremendously popular program so we hope they'll renew the bill next year.<br /><br />I felt bad that we weren't better hosts, but my parents knew we were crazy busy between our jobs and moving in to the house. We took them to Roseburg on Tues.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_73oUqAgWx_dhQCem0jMz4kb_2l-G4ebZ2ARgGsWDEx8LnE3nwrrn_KUBmW2mKa76-j1fUKvqmc7aIK94cwwALFE_H4AkpZCY9wYugUkGVMT5wFBjOXVPsk-PV4HitbN1Z38c45XN3UF/s1600-h/SDC13238.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_73oUqAgWx_dhQCem0jMz4kb_2l-G4ebZ2ARgGsWDEx8LnE3nwrrn_KUBmW2mKa76-j1fUKvqmc7aIK94cwwALFE_H4AkpZCY9wYugUkGVMT5wFBjOXVPsk-PV4HitbN1Z38c45XN3UF/s200/SDC13238.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363262567731793874" /></a> <br />for <a href="http://www.halfshell.org">Music on the Half Shell</a> by Hapa and two other Hawaiian guitarists. The city puts on major acts every Tues. right next to the river all summer...for free! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nhhQGZOJ5Mw7vZNEyoGKzu-hn9RIDp1P5FkEQKxifKMm6JMRncSuJJa0m1sIqMalXb-IQquxa0l7OBkDaHn1tTjgA9yCPK72tvbhWkWM-4Lrjq4SEGuKmCGKLYojMx0a1zfDHwM1HMP6/s1600-h/SDC13228.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nhhQGZOJ5Mw7vZNEyoGKzu-hn9RIDp1P5FkEQKxifKMm6JMRncSuJJa0m1sIqMalXb-IQquxa0l7OBkDaHn1tTjgA9yCPK72tvbhWkWM-4Lrjq4SEGuKmCGKLYojMx0a1zfDHwM1HMP6/s200/SDC13228.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363261943646990754" /></a> We brought a picnic of wine, cheeses, olives, crackers, fruit, etc., and found a spot quite close to the stage.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqvdkTAWVlz2ufrn2XYZs-ZOxARHZuL49j3vMMh9mw1yr62AQPpeUGTSi90WwN8sd3PRUENUwZI7LtdjhjGFJrsOqc0XmyzRIWwvTkdliA_eGb2bWSctjKIy_ta2S8-gnRXAQKna8CAda/s1600-h/SDC13250.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqvdkTAWVlz2ufrn2XYZs-ZOxARHZuL49j3vMMh9mw1yr62AQPpeUGTSi90WwN8sd3PRUENUwZI7LtdjhjGFJrsOqc0XmyzRIWwvTkdliA_eGb2bWSctjKIy_ta2S8-gnRXAQKna8CAda/s200/SDC13250.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363264028805002066" /></a> <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100672">Lisa even danced a hula</a>.<br /><br />Thurs. we all went out to Emigrant Lake for some swimming as it has been 100℉ for over a week. Friday night my parents went to the Elizabethan Theatre and saw <a href="http://www.osfashland.org/browse/production.aspx?prod=167">Much Ado About Nothing</a> after Music Man was sold out. Meanwhile, I went out to the local hippie fair with friend Tony and immersed myself back into the local culture. The music was good, the freaks were a sight, and the place was full of a interesting smells :) <br /><br />Saturday, besides shopping for cars (kind of), we also shopped for a wood stove for the cabin. Irie's friend Alex had a birthday party at the public pool in the late afternoon,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1pyok0PRN4QQj4GGdVR6_f-1TP6jro1JoQSQwhNgd8MlNp7CxGEUhjroJqWWmbSE4jm5R0f90tXfwDs5hYd7ySZRbT6lq4RUvmfUVcMxBPaicgRKoJZENtxMG1j4oP01U7jqSDf3PiYK/s1600-h/SDC13278.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1pyok0PRN4QQj4GGdVR6_f-1TP6jro1JoQSQwhNgd8MlNp7CxGEUhjroJqWWmbSE4jm5R0f90tXfwDs5hYd7ySZRbT6lq4RUvmfUVcMxBPaicgRKoJZENtxMG1j4oP01U7jqSDf3PiYK/s200/SDC13278.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363264601956445618" /></a> and Lisa and I attended a 40th birthday party for one of her hula friends.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yuSK1dIdDaOLnYOLZOSQ24g23Gnv2agcCmb8C8-OV8SI4iNZ2Ltx4gB_KTO8-tydRzc58XU_V4O_uiiKXaU6QJ3LHXkXdhEJ7W0WHAfg5Ab06qoGjs0Op6bPeRzQvGcyaqLvJbH9TX6q/s1600-h/SDC13283.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yuSK1dIdDaOLnYOLZOSQ24g23Gnv2agcCmb8C8-OV8SI4iNZ2Ltx4gB_KTO8-tydRzc58XU_V4O_uiiKXaU6QJ3LHXkXdhEJ7W0WHAfg5Ab06qoGjs0Op6bPeRzQvGcyaqLvJbH9TX6q/s200/SDC13283.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363265782404555202" /></a> Yesterday, we were invited over to our neighbors for a small pool party which was a very nice way to spend a hot afternoon. All in all, it was yet another busy week. <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100666">Here's our photo gallery</a>. <br /><br />In between all these events Lisa and I continue to unpack boxes, find missing items, paint, fix things, and hang various decor on the walls. The culture shock is not severe, but constant. Little reminders of differences, things or people we miss, and good and not-so-swell reminders that we are indeed back in the U.S. This week should see a bit more normalcy as the house is without guests, Lisa and I are both working, and Irie is at <a href="http://www.denizentv.com/le-cirque-centre">Le Cirque camp</a>. We will return to Bon Pin en Oregon this weekend which give some relief from the heat and it will be August already.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-64848188680545873142009-07-20T03:15:00.009+02:002009-07-20T07:21:20.566+02:00Settling in...We seem to be settling back in to our Stateside routines. Lisa finished her first week of work, and while feeling a bit fatigued at the end of the week she was also psyched to put her experiences and development of the past year into practice in her work and noted that it felt good to be earning money again.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50etQtbG2h-358xXOr2vc48x0jxRx8lW9mT_COPAb8YrqxbYQRRu2e6cNXcK9AjbK_wcgQsAH3xzHGJJGOaypSI82X5M47XT6fT8Q4diVvy-lLqthsoijs_lnSpu2P08mvQxFWBxahqJ-/s1600-h/SDC13197.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50etQtbG2h-358xXOr2vc48x0jxRx8lW9mT_COPAb8YrqxbYQRRu2e6cNXcK9AjbK_wcgQsAH3xzHGJJGOaypSI82X5M47XT6fT8Q4diVvy-lLqthsoijs_lnSpu2P08mvQxFWBxahqJ-/s200/SDC13197.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360406552269013250" /></a> I amazingly already scored a painting job that will put me to work for the next 2 weeks and give an added boost to the finances. Meanwhile, Irie is happily exploring her old toys, books, and most importantly...friends. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but the reality is that her behavior is vastly improved since we returned home. However, she also now speaks longingly of France and her French friends and indicates she realizes what an experience it was for her. Better late than never!<br /><br />Friday morning we again headed up to the cabin with a full Prius, but no Maggie, who is due to arrive with my parents tomorrow. The weather has really heated up, evidenced by the helicopters filling their buckets to fight a nearby forest fire (between us and Crater Lake), and by all of us swimming multiple times each day. Irie and I got a closeup flyover of a bald eagle, but I didn't have the camera on hand, and the same was true of a scarlet tanager that landed 10 feet away. Our friend and jack-of-all-trades, Gary, joined us up at Bon Pin for some serious work.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ1ZW1ZpiHrhOGxBxksff5Xc-MuSsJB8Bo8wcIc9mMZkGR8loxuupfujqiTKiIITl8dTYlik4qC53mmdzkwRWa7OAjRQTghXMoFW75RudDcb_uZgIeVB8SePoWD6cjamFg0oF_rkh70RG/s1600-h/SDC13209.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ1ZW1ZpiHrhOGxBxksff5Xc-MuSsJB8Bo8wcIc9mMZkGR8loxuupfujqiTKiIITl8dTYlik4qC53mmdzkwRWa7OAjRQTghXMoFW75RudDcb_uZgIeVB8SePoWD6cjamFg0oF_rkh70RG/s200/SDC13209.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360405884974066722" /></a> He and I completely dismantled the huge fireplace in a 7-hour battle against ants, bats, concrete, volcanic rock, and dust.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQp3rK9Jgc1zCm8eTwYpYv-h1b4zWf-9gJ3k2ZWKUropnPVBHPdOmV5TtCVehIn9wsA0kII0Dhlta9ao8DvJlUSWvNOxXYd5V_midWKcr6pr2hK_uzTZjWsj3k93DLPeR5Jk8YnfwKJPW/s1600-h/SDC13204.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQp3rK9Jgc1zCm8eTwYpYv-h1b4zWf-9gJ3k2ZWKUropnPVBHPdOmV5TtCVehIn9wsA0kII0Dhlta9ao8DvJlUSWvNOxXYd5V_midWKcr6pr2hK_uzTZjWsj3k93DLPeR5Jk8YnfwKJPW/s200/SDC13204.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360406219029234194" /></a> Amazing but I don't think two men could have been more whipped! Here's a before and after: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP5A7Dla7sTct5i2a5rkcAGS6JAcb4ZhMRRxNFhoKIDTZCjCxZK1K8-mMF5m7XCF5YZqKtFZXgQQgiW6zOfVk0ahZzk14e1yHSlCLLl6_XPM0XdUMH6Ni2twmRZBDrjimDYGfhtPT_oBE/s1600-h/Cabin+Fireplace.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP5A7Dla7sTct5i2a5rkcAGS6JAcb4ZhMRRxNFhoKIDTZCjCxZK1K8-mMF5m7XCF5YZqKtFZXgQQgiW6zOfVk0ahZzk14e1yHSlCLLl6_XPM0XdUMH6Ni2twmRZBDrjimDYGfhtPT_oBE/s200/Cabin+Fireplace.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360404629335585874" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuYye3ldbpI4cDg4c07eP7DQ7mwoh-ljJbTybnIvQOjdLVVs0zHKmN5pkB_CUe5es8vpbaJYLdw9PGtzmyCLJFCqBSvd-dxi0ll_jpwclwB-YkD3hO40Lf_LEVAyJhtXPxI47L9QXUuJE/s1600-h/SDC13211.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuYye3ldbpI4cDg4c07eP7DQ7mwoh-ljJbTybnIvQOjdLVVs0zHKmN5pkB_CUe5es8vpbaJYLdw9PGtzmyCLJFCqBSvd-dxi0ll_jpwclwB-YkD3hO40Lf_LEVAyJhtXPxI47L9QXUuJE/s200/SDC13211.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360405619533420850" /></a> The cabin feels so open now, and we are excited about the changes that will include a stabilized foundation, new wood stove, new countertop space, a washing machine, new linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom, and a much more open floor plan. Then we'll move outside and see if we can use some of that fireplace rock for a big permanent grill. If only we could eliminate the mosquitos. <br /><br />For the moment it's back to the real world...both of us working (I know, it's about time :)) The house has started to feel like our home again, though we have not resolved the issues of damages and missing items yet.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqxZ7Tsuy3qAsF5DnxjnAoL_yTE5hfmgSLfnt1PBSO6SH3ox_2HWiSkgfrc93ky8BpUHDlReuew43_TlheVLnn4hUh4dyW9V1GNLga0zqrMhkB8KaUaEJOdLGC9FD93j1IducCJrYK_jO/s1600-h/SDC13196.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqxZ7Tsuy3qAsF5DnxjnAoL_yTE5hfmgSLfnt1PBSO6SH3ox_2HWiSkgfrc93ky8BpUHDlReuew43_TlheVLnn4hUh4dyW9V1GNLga0zqrMhkB8KaUaEJOdLGC9FD93j1IducCJrYK_jO/s200/SDC13196.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360407279616870370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO8y1-_slea7cADofwafw8pcELW6BjhWtzBIRK9beMT9VtjXxoBZF7C5HLQxI-Eb61tBTteWjn1kyeQrcxZ9_8qwcsQeRik7NiLB7iWeZafB-LwEzB8csXuYrTfrVaqPk6AVmOZBXC9_w/s1600-h/SDC13194.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO8y1-_slea7cADofwafw8pcELW6BjhWtzBIRK9beMT9VtjXxoBZF7C5HLQxI-Eb61tBTteWjn1kyeQrcxZ9_8qwcsQeRik7NiLB7iWeZafB-LwEzB8csXuYrTfrVaqPk6AVmOZBXC9_w/s200/SDC13194.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360407276089490498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtgXahlLrc0dhhzgNnPgeuamlCvh2RTmxtv_BtL3Zd9puaw4PQdSibRTEVsXYTK9OwLVktUlSGq9LLJimSrqALYqpkebbwOL0cAmSUz4qCYjY9G8TnIBVmvlVN5oVqQ5WTUeiGdCBPxQH/s1600-h/SDC13193.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtgXahlLrc0dhhzgNnPgeuamlCvh2RTmxtv_BtL3Zd9puaw4PQdSibRTEVsXYTK9OwLVktUlSGq9LLJimSrqALYqpkebbwOL0cAmSUz4qCYjY9G8TnIBVmvlVN5oVqQ5WTUeiGdCBPxQH/s200/SDC13193.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360407262631231842" /></a> Houseguests, the return of our beloved Maggie, a Hapa concert on Tues., hula on Weds., and no cabin this weekend. Lisa wants me to add that hula on Weds. includes me. I too am putting into practice some of the aspects of my personal evolution learned spending a year in France, and that includes joining the kane (men's) hula group. I'm not sure how well I can dance, but I'm willing to find out. We are noticing that while we are surrounded by the old and familiar, we are seeing it with fresh eyes.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-23817644501461572542009-07-13T18:19:00.011+02:002009-07-13T23:01:35.931+02:00Back in the U.S. of ASo it's been about 9 days. Where am I? How do I feel about the vast changes that have occured so very quickly? Or am I just too busy, and at the end of the day too tired, to reflect much about it? Yes and no. It has definitely been a whirlwind. I already wrote about our entry back into Ashland on the 4th of July and moving back into our house the next day. At times I look around our valley, and while loving the views of the surrounding mountains already drying out in the heat of the summer, realize this is certainly not the Mediterranean region of southern France. I drive around in my little Prius surrounded by BIG trucks and SUV's and vanity license plates, reminders of what I have not experienced in a year. I notice new businesses and buildings or old familiar haunts gone out of business in this sputtering economy. We are trying to find our culinary way as we replace French favorites that can't be replicated here. It was a joy to get our first farm box from the farm co-op! The most important of all is seeing friends and acquaintances...and making sure that I stop what I am doing to take the time to really connect with whomever crosses my path. This is something that we take from France that is very important for both Lisa and I - to be here now and treasure each human interaction, to revitalize our role as part of this community with newfound influences from the world, just as when we were in France we never forgot we were representing America and Americans. <br /><br />Besides the insights and reflections it has been a week mixed with the unpacking of box after box after box and slowly organizing the house (which still has a long way to go), shopping to restock our completely empty kitchen, dealing with the issues surrounding the old tenants and the property management company, major yard work,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAf9SjiF2_b5AcQmPFFHh3PnyQ-yWortH2zKgu8gio3ySqgrcgEjAa-z-bnhiN7aCHRVZre7Lvgzkzg6CtnP8S3cp__Kn9oxk__uG35RTisY9EZw6SSmx1FVaTanPhbLefQzzmGbw6k7Us/s1600-h/SDC13150.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAf9SjiF2_b5AcQmPFFHh3PnyQ-yWortH2zKgu8gio3ySqgrcgEjAa-z-bnhiN7aCHRVZre7Lvgzkzg6CtnP8S3cp__Kn9oxk__uG35RTisY9EZw6SSmx1FVaTanPhbLefQzzmGbw6k7Us/s200/SDC13150.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358015439272237714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGMlYRlIeckLBn8Eqlfe96HHvgkPHhQ4QIdgLwpJ-IdmI7K7Gf5CxIV97nAoWTIlBhW0-HdI4Yk3z5Qkn2g8sNEijxYpRWykjuWq8jza3G88_g7p7hAuYhCbD0-TJxcrI0q9f_8TpUbfx/s1600-h/SDC13148.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGMlYRlIeckLBn8Eqlfe96HHvgkPHhQ4QIdgLwpJ-IdmI7K7Gf5CxIV97nAoWTIlBhW0-HdI4Yk3z5Qkn2g8sNEijxYpRWykjuWq8jza3G88_g7p7hAuYhCbD0-TJxcrI0q9f_8TpUbfx/s200/SDC13148.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358015430828248786" /></a> getting our car and scooter back and insured,<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxfTFj6q1Sd4dzv7sL0eS9QoTbHjoNtkk5GK0G8yMh1n8iaIESl-rfIuTbwp3y6sTMidQEaY4GbqpM47z5zni5LM_4gkzyBI7puY8oZfHhLET71fYfkiemUgLe0Xq0h2GpdcHPWKUpNku/s1600-h/SDC13143.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxfTFj6q1Sd4dzv7sL0eS9QoTbHjoNtkk5GK0G8yMh1n8iaIESl-rfIuTbwp3y6sTMidQEaY4GbqpM47z5zni5LM_4gkzyBI7puY8oZfHhLET71fYfkiemUgLe0Xq0h2GpdcHPWKUpNku/s200/SDC13143.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995185270458866" /></a> getting our new phones up and running and in turn making contact with old friends, helping Lisa get her office ready for today - her first day of work in 13 months, and planning for a weekend at our cabin. <br /><br />I had visited the cabin for about 2 hours on June 10, 2008 with Will who was going to caretake the place and modernize the electrical system, but Lisa and Irie hadn't been up to "Bon Pin" since Oct. of 2007. We were all excited, and it was great to walk out onto our landing and see <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj5q51IuTnM">Mt. Thielsen standing guard across a calm lake</a>, still holding onto a bit of snow.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIs_D-0i3pmEdCWm3075D5zMaJp6l8o2CqK09R0I_ytL3VPNmoNt-yb8vKDxwgLVEvqfxwT4lAInJtJ2hshwXedTEHEYGApGhQ3dEY4wf7bmXg5SCEucRJ2N1uoDRx6ltWljTl45luuhi/s1600-h/SDC13162.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIs_D-0i3pmEdCWm3075D5zMaJp6l8o2CqK09R0I_ytL3VPNmoNt-yb8vKDxwgLVEvqfxwT4lAInJtJ2hshwXedTEHEYGApGhQ3dEY4wf7bmXg5SCEucRJ2N1uoDRx6ltWljTl45luuhi/s200/SDC13162.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358008995301477698" /></a> The cabin, like everything else in our repatriated lives, needs lots of work! That's OK, it is with enthusiasm that I see the changes that will occur and make the cabin an even greater place of repose. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQqvSKSs5WYjC12h8W6Uwxh2bZDmLU3fZppu-pnseaWrCKhriqeFR9JAPOj1M9W_Rj29tsbu22nQGtvFypu-hBcK47gSymOmyuEq40eA0Fv8narDFDf7oXKTCXN80UyGEd6s0inNWVnsA/s1600-h/SDC13161.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQqvSKSs5WYjC12h8W6Uwxh2bZDmLU3fZppu-pnseaWrCKhriqeFR9JAPOj1M9W_Rj29tsbu22nQGtvFypu-hBcK47gSymOmyuEq40eA0Fv8narDFDf7oXKTCXN80UyGEd6s0inNWVnsA/s200/SDC13161.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358013207815485810" /></a> We fell back into old habits quickly: coffee on the landing in the warm morning sun, interior cleaning and yard work (there is always wood to be cut and chopped) in spurts throughout the day intermingled with lounging in the sun, paddling around in the tahiti and swimming in a surprisingly not frigid lake.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKIyICPjCm3NIj_9wu_eT9TCn6TF_y-bQBv2phxxTFKwcVEvH9F9fDc6uzaR2SNaEal5cGBMRWus2dskcLPSIZMixXtGselIzPxmkXg7JvGPOHxQUZnO879NTJ-HZdiwmbh0MZqNolP0F/s1600-h/SDC13186.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKIyICPjCm3NIj_9wu_eT9TCn6TF_y-bQBv2phxxTFKwcVEvH9F9fDc6uzaR2SNaEal5cGBMRWus2dskcLPSIZMixXtGselIzPxmkXg7JvGPOHxQUZnO879NTJ-HZdiwmbh0MZqNolP0F/s200/SDC13186.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358013210307608434" /></a> I put up the dock so that maybe soon I can get the boat in the water and go trout fishing. In the evening after grilling, we had a small fire outside in the fire pit and later played games <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEoYvIuavjLu0ofMIGRZ_QjZHuU3lu2yM_j3rfaFwk9ALVWop_Pg3Vd2xy1GKeB6zz8y9QqWLiCKj1qsKLkQTIQtPq4gLsUD9iVOS3kJ-0UgMd6VsR70m-eIpfJwe3ErWfGNxaTKx79J3/s1600-h/SDC13164.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEoYvIuavjLu0ofMIGRZ_QjZHuU3lu2yM_j3rfaFwk9ALVWop_Pg3Vd2xy1GKeB6zz8y9QqWLiCKj1qsKLkQTIQtPq4gLsUD9iVOS3kJ-0UgMd6VsR70m-eIpfJwe3ErWfGNxaTKx79J3/s200/SDC13164.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358009007533038034" /></a> before diving into our cozy beds for the night. Dirty and exhausted, but delighted to be back.<br /><br />Today begins a new week of more of the same. Lisa is officially back at work and she seems refreshed and excited about it! I am bidding on a paint job, have a new shopping list a mile long after our cabin visit, and a laundry list of other items that need attending to. Our walls are still empty, except for the metalwork we bought in France which is the Frejus city symbol.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aurv8JbtK-F91PmVN_9ZTCH5oIcydfUNMsFZZjVLkLf7aY0G1UmQJS5TNCl45eVBg_70URgSCCANW8iEIjAVq1md0gx1sq0dE9PaOtu7Xm0Hbsi_BM6D1siaomn1RgOr5ZollNJ9UHtq/s1600-h/SDC13191.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aurv8JbtK-F91PmVN_9ZTCH5oIcydfUNMsFZZjVLkLf7aY0G1UmQJS5TNCl45eVBg_70URgSCCANW8iEIjAVq1md0gx1sq0dE9PaOtu7Xm0Hbsi_BM6D1siaomn1RgOr5ZollNJ9UHtq/s200/SDC13191.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995192602504834" /></a> I wrote about it <a href="http://whatilearnedinfrancetoday.blogspot.com/2008/11/frjus.html">here</a> last fall. We also want to squeeze in some fun. Tomorrow, I plan on celebrating Bastille Day by going to a concert my friend Alice DiMicele is playing. Weds., we are excited about seeing the new Harry Potter film, and Thurs. we are going to dinner at Jason and Kim's who we are excited to see again! Then it will be off to Bon Pin again. <br /><br />Have a great week everyone, and Happy Bastille Day to our French friends!!!Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-5595725673764488482009-07-06T11:50:00.012+02:002009-07-07T15:28:46.009+02:00OverwhelmUPDATE: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmNh6mBER6E">4th of July parade</a><br /><br /><i>early hours July 5:</i> That one word describes exactly how I feel right now. Why am I even awake? It's 4:30 in the morning and I have only had about 8 jours of sleep in the last 60+ hours, none of it good sleep as I have too much on my mind. Our journey was long, but not difficult taking 29 hours from leaving our hotel in Nice to arriving at our friends home in Ashland at 4 am on the 4th of July. Aer Lingus was clean, modern, and relaxed. United seemed dumpy and cheap in comparison. But somehow our good karma got al of our bags through (over the limit and over weight) without any charges.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtOHLEodbzmdcFKaNTiHHPWKSvAR8DIFfRwe1AWSoVnmaC4AJXl_RPFQJ5W0gXANLtN3TdTkrVFobg-DQcTPmNopGoPHdgDOxJZaFxLE4YCdzGvrYU_R3d8buUbDJgfV1dSRcwAwHhh0t/s1600-h/SDC13042.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtOHLEodbzmdcFKaNTiHHPWKSvAR8DIFfRwe1AWSoVnmaC4AJXl_RPFQJ5W0gXANLtN3TdTkrVFobg-DQcTPmNopGoPHdgDOxJZaFxLE4YCdzGvrYU_R3d8buUbDJgfV1dSRcwAwHhh0t/s200/SDC13042.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355369648109284674" /></a> Huge thanks to Phaedra who drove to SF and back just to get us!<br /><br />We awoke after 3 hours of sleep to attend the parade which is always a big event here in out litttle burg.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJnrq7ZImA-NH_cmhn9c0Z7sKXv5etsLIdV7mm5w7y0NJRpT1WP1Uj39JUPF9nL2ztAtvGPtIUCSr2DK9l9MyIHIYdGVycB1bDHlpZWxAk92DXQC-6q3Bg5WHdpKTIGHtwQlCv7JSMRKl/s1600-h/SDC13095.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJnrq7ZImA-NH_cmhn9c0Z7sKXv5etsLIdV7mm5w7y0NJRpT1WP1Uj39JUPF9nL2ztAtvGPtIUCSr2DK9l9MyIHIYdGVycB1bDHlpZWxAk92DXQC-6q3Bg5WHdpKTIGHtwQlCv7JSMRKl/s200/SDC13095.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355373869271225970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM-lFNer-RzV3U1D6rT1f6O9dl1JVktqnOFHveIan0Kh8SYbKVzT49O07fU-SIFIrB2WEow9trLNcuwWnOAQQSzu3NZhDe7MqMrKammN9TTwAQ8NXHi7-UDzxSZuWsGeTWbfUOyowtW0k/s1600-h/SDC13089.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM-lFNer-RzV3U1D6rT1f6O9dl1JVktqnOFHveIan0Kh8SYbKVzT49O07fU-SIFIrB2WEow9trLNcuwWnOAQQSzu3NZhDe7MqMrKammN9TTwAQ8NXHi7-UDzxSZuWsGeTWbfUOyowtW0k/s200/SDC13089.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355373853476693890" /></a> I didn't feel too bad considering the lack of sleep. What a day to repatriate! Walking down the closed main street, Siskiyou Blvd,, lined on both sides by people waiting for the parade, was like Napoleon making a triumphant return to Paris, I was a on mission to get 2 dozen donuts for our group (not french pastries these, just good ole American fried dough and sugar), but ran into dozens of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances who I knew. Lisa and I walked down to see her hula sisters preparing for their dance entry in the parade and the surprise, the tears, the joy of seeing Lisa was so very evident.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjjX26C5NKNr1jagGaWVAuNxa_mHCFKeNV_gjwhHvewYIMHRlfaVrARG9UltmmEFo3OA5J3ShEKIlGvRnFpdtwd_OWXWCHFO4lV9Jhp1HFP_F1Mgop-pyQvawX5pO810EnKuWkPdBrEPV/s1600-h/SDC13085.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjjX26C5NKNr1jagGaWVAuNxa_mHCFKeNV_gjwhHvewYIMHRlfaVrARG9UltmmEFo3OA5J3ShEKIlGvRnFpdtwd_OWXWCHFO4lV9Jhp1HFP_F1Mgop-pyQvawX5pO810EnKuWkPdBrEPV/s200/SDC13085.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355370855440928162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GTYBUXlsE_N29df7aJeHsAADTaGRn6h3GGF7t36GLgLLKotcdJgnOZuZOH5_1pwpp-VAVrWsraO1G_keLYsW-fAphizfxs5ie1hP-zGGbpGBBeU0xpeV-BZVaeI0-4B7Tj3xsz6ZXSHU/s1600-h/SDC13086.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GTYBUXlsE_N29df7aJeHsAADTaGRn6h3GGF7t36GLgLLKotcdJgnOZuZOH5_1pwpp-VAVrWsraO1G_keLYsW-fAphizfxs5ie1hP-zGGbpGBBeU0xpeV-BZVaeI0-4B7Tj3xsz6ZXSHU/s200/SDC13086.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355370845830216674" /></a> Between the parade, staying at John and Taylor's (who have been so welcoming and generous), going to a picnic in our neighborhood, and a pool party at the Feinberg's we had a glorious and busy first day home!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15sVupQUflFlo_xgE0ZEaaM2VZj7gnq2Wr0GR94u_fc8ypYnLXu_qEbIFCejgUpKFOLiWUEnu244jdggtaTy2WOZECkt05L-lAb3BjV1icTMrjt-egBnbqjH5CxjJV9RdjpoPN3bBG_yN/s1600-h/SDC13118.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15sVupQUflFlo_xgE0ZEaaM2VZj7gnq2Wr0GR94u_fc8ypYnLXu_qEbIFCejgUpKFOLiWUEnu244jdggtaTy2WOZECkt05L-lAb3BjV1icTMrjt-egBnbqjH5CxjJV9RdjpoPN3bBG_yN/s200/SDC13118.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355374619012460066" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfhWYeXDHWigK_2aMu4ndr7tArS8AQZARR7ltXWW4MhbzvO4Cyr6I6DQHJqYjZIPSxtU0SOwHnnGkAhfmluhz6AsmzNVO9SMRdn7H-_ZYzodLYToKUjuB7ZgnUtDi2r4_qPaMkVcQX5c_/s1600-h/SDC13123.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfhWYeXDHWigK_2aMu4ndr7tArS8AQZARR7ltXWW4MhbzvO4Cyr6I6DQHJqYjZIPSxtU0SOwHnnGkAhfmluhz6AsmzNVO9SMRdn7H-_ZYzodLYToKUjuB7ZgnUtDi2r4_qPaMkVcQX5c_/s200/SDC13123.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355375954797230018" /></a><br /><br /><i>morning of July 6:</i> Then there's our house. With a few down-time hours in the afternoon before the neighborhood picnic we went to our house for the first time. The cleanliness factor wasn't bad considering our tenants have been out since early May, however, there are some bigger issues here that will be addressed today. We pulled up to see a huge bundle of cables snaking up the front of the house and along the gutters to a satellite dish for which we were never asked permission. Broken kitchen cabinets hinges and entertainment center door. A long florescent-tubed light removed from the ceiling of the garage. Missing shelving units, ironing board, paper towel holder in pieces, and a huge binder of all our appliance warranty info (WHY?). Our yard looks like it was completely ignored all year:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJWJ4_j3lcAbiT9IQGNSnRdZLyUXDXoWn5mVdPQ5Rna3rwhuSUhr0XwnmyaxYmzT-Tg8hbMcS3ygVZ6Tl-FbR6tUzdH3fL8uo9kJ9HYs29eNvRzpE_hYhciXOx5lsBFEqVrpIeB53pBfo/s1600-h/SDC13112.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJWJ4_j3lcAbiT9IQGNSnRdZLyUXDXoWn5mVdPQ5Rna3rwhuSUhr0XwnmyaxYmzT-Tg8hbMcS3ygVZ6Tl-FbR6tUzdH3fL8uo9kJ9HYs29eNvRzpE_hYhciXOx5lsBFEqVrpIeB53pBfo/s200/SDC13112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355375337304254354" /></a> yard dead and waist-high, dead plants, automatic drip sprinklers not turned on, no clipping or raking of any kind done. And then we discovered that one of the cabinets in our bedroom to which I had applied strong keyed-locks had been pried apart and the contents stolen! Luckily, they left the other one alone and that was the cabinet that had our iMac and safe in it. Sadly, we haven't even yet figured out what is missing. The property management company seems to have missed all this, but we will be filling them in today. <br /><br />Yesterday we had great support from so many friends! We essentially emptied our locker of it's contents which are now all filling our house (or Lisa's office). The house feels much better with stuff in it, even if it will be weeks before things are in their proper places.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iTOxyEvfLOYgjgUubJmwkhheV7j-W3BMMxBPh78Q2VwuOKLoA0tB_FG5OKQAm_JBqNISr2nnx_phB20xmtKh1Vb7gbuREXptaSYKOrGUZ1Fvs4E3ri38t4tQnoI2e1Fy0XaI3UwChViO/s1600-h/SDC13126.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iTOxyEvfLOYgjgUubJmwkhheV7j-W3BMMxBPh78Q2VwuOKLoA0tB_FG5OKQAm_JBqNISr2nnx_phB20xmtKh1Vb7gbuREXptaSYKOrGUZ1Fvs4E3ri38t4tQnoI2e1Fy0XaI3UwChViO/s200/SDC13126.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355371994452939810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7St2jA97yVFK7PCG6Aeg7BkYJ05lKbJAzvsbrp-hOtbrSz1J9RP0eRtwc1lgs73tqFCQEm5cKLqYvDuYpWXwuRbdYPtM6AQGU_l-HWe8aJVAP-_u8adoKGoJ1E69HZx_8XIw1Sel6cltv/s1600-h/SDC13130.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7St2jA97yVFK7PCG6Aeg7BkYJ05lKbJAzvsbrp-hOtbrSz1J9RP0eRtwc1lgs73tqFCQEm5cKLqYvDuYpWXwuRbdYPtM6AQGU_l-HWe8aJVAP-_u8adoKGoJ1E69HZx_8XIw1Sel6cltv/s200/SDC13130.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355371990388935538" /></a> I hurt from head-to-toe, mostly my back from going so hard on so little sleep, but it sure felt good to be so productive and get so much done yesterday. For a reward we took ourselves and The Nabes out for mexican food and stayed again at their house so we wouldn't be surrounded by the chaos. <br /><br />Today, Lisa is off to get our phones and internet up and running, and to get her office ready for her return to work one week from today. I want to get our beds put together, get some groceries in the house, and start on the yard. Luckily the 99 degree temps of the 4th and mid -90's yesterday are lowering to about 80 today. We are back in the U.S., and yet I've had very little time to reflect on that yet. Last night I downloaded over 100 photos from the camera and it was a mix of our last couple days in France and our first 2 days here - a very interesting conglomeration of our week. I would like to do more about these last few days: both our goodbyes and our hellos, parade videos, etc., but that will have to wait until the next post when I have more time and internet up and running at home.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-26217291275635197902009-06-29T08:18:00.018+02:002009-06-29T14:51:44.416+02:00Last post in France?This is probably our last post here in France. I plan to continue posting at home as long as our experiences are relevant to this year abroad. Philosophically, that will be the rest of our lives, but for this blogs purposes that will mean continuing through the transition from France to Ashland, Oregon, ie. the reintegration into our home and what that constitutes. <br /><br />We had a fantastic weekend!! The <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100621">fête at Bon Pin</a> was everything we expected. They certainly know how to create an atmosphere around a table here in France. It starts around noon with the apero's, in this case, rum punch, specialty breads with olives, sausage, cheese, etc., Lisa's cornbread, Nick's calzone, guacamole and chips,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxdiJkCziqWdHnRADqHwxf4LlOaQTe5XhHgGurIfOffersQbrG4IgI91Acv5BJTaid8H5fKe4p5yAN1ERZBUZPiUMuyQCEaVuTCId945AA9XyO4enpCxoby6mqnwcc7G4dnJBE-cF8u-3/s1600-h/SDC12849.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxdiJkCziqWdHnRADqHwxf4LlOaQTe5XhHgGurIfOffersQbrG4IgI91Acv5BJTaid8H5fKe4p5yAN1ERZBUZPiUMuyQCEaVuTCId945AA9XyO4enpCxoby6mqnwcc7G4dnJBE-cF8u-3/s200/SDC12849.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352647111405277506" /></a> One could fill themselves on just this course, but no...then appears the merguez (sausages), tomato tarts, and god knows what else I'm forgetting. Of course by now, the bottles of vin rouge and vin rosé have been decorked. Then Laurent, the Grillmaster, starts pulling the pork chops off the fire, and out comes the couscous, salads, bread - the "main course." Everyone takes their time with the meal, talking (about every topic under the sun), taking photos, drinking wine, and the kids go off to swim, while some clear enough space to keep the food and drink coming. Laurent soon appears with a tradition that is always a big hit, the fire-melted camembert cheese. Damn I love that stuff!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjaBYmLJewv1t0Dlo2rX_cfPwRovT-DyuN7x64dEZhAU86WnafafJoBuc4yfi_kDNfMig1j3iX8ycR8oJ_w6xjtpeXlGO_a13TPFkNKAFF1yci48Xt1SfxIEBhpORoqGco6zucc3pmE4f/s1600-h/SDC12885.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjaBYmLJewv1t0Dlo2rX_cfPwRovT-DyuN7x64dEZhAU86WnafafJoBuc4yfi_kDNfMig1j3iX8ycR8oJ_w6xjtpeXlGO_a13TPFkNKAFF1yci48Xt1SfxIEBhpORoqGco6zucc3pmE4f/s200/SDC12885.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352719300844069218" /></a> <br /><br />Ahh, time to give our stomach's a break. It was a beautiful sunny day and the pool was full of kids all day (I think Irie spent 10 hours in the pool) and the water was a delightful 81 degrees.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_LI7peuPue4vcVTbq1Q-8219PG1vbwdEqVfvg73JQgn2SE8iX_C_UObSryoKXziBolhYZ0X-lr3zH3cz2rlKKhrKEjk-WCdbshM6TDya53Tp_og6xlMHcA6SAxHDdo9pDAHwBI4M-RRG/s1600-h/SDC12878.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_LI7peuPue4vcVTbq1Q-8219PG1vbwdEqVfvg73JQgn2SE8iX_C_UObSryoKXziBolhYZ0X-lr3zH3cz2rlKKhrKEjk-WCdbshM6TDya53Tp_og6xlMHcA6SAxHDdo9pDAHwBI4M-RRG/s200/SDC12878.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352729401868584722" /></a> Everyone moved down to the pool area, where Lisa and her hula girls gave a final performance for the guests, many of whom had never actually seen a hula dance before. They looked radiant and happy together!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG01NidCq2POHe-IJ6kJz9DEVOnm67arcZbgl77dlLlPDNM0P2n8BAQ1fmJOG5o2mzzjQvZlZ5A_JX_yDRGg4TmfHbmbt2Xs-wNfyAjpR3MBXuXlj8UBYsTvOpFa0jmE4b0Pjm21oxVNJK/s1600-h/SDC12897.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG01NidCq2POHe-IJ6kJz9DEVOnm67arcZbgl77dlLlPDNM0P2n8BAQ1fmJOG5o2mzzjQvZlZ5A_JX_yDRGg4TmfHbmbt2Xs-wNfyAjpR3MBXuXlj8UBYsTvOpFa0jmE4b0Pjm21oxVNJK/s200/SDC12897.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352661242238876354" /></a><br /><br />Edouard,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDN3EfuGOfNvVbACqFxu_ojJcbdwO0CM9GUqwiLWXZlm2U5X5az5psspLqUtNXBl9BW4N5jZLZx0BENBOULpuvVODrsQmygRwJ39U5u1xMlhlXm0k6OLcthfBtvKL9INBdorKk_Juphds/s1600-h/SDC12955.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDN3EfuGOfNvVbACqFxu_ojJcbdwO0CM9GUqwiLWXZlm2U5X5az5psspLqUtNXBl9BW4N5jZLZx0BENBOULpuvVODrsQmygRwJ39U5u1xMlhlXm0k6OLcthfBtvKL9INBdorKk_Juphds/s200/SDC12955.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352720332769236082" /></a> who makes documentaries for a living, brought his projector, speakers, screen, etc. so at some point near dusk we all settled in on the back patio to watch the DVD I made of our year in France. Everyone seemed to love it, and the recurring theme is that we've seen more of France this year than most of the French have seen in their lifetimes.<br /><br />Time for dessert. Out came the fresh fruit, followed by tarts of all kinds: apple, berry, etc. and coffee of course. Meanwhile, the bottles of wine were steadily disappearing. Slowly some of the guests began to trickle home, but it was well after 10 pm before the core friends departed. We were the lucky ones who got to spend the night so Irie and Abbie were still out swimming with Laure and Fanny in the dark and having a blast.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAx1wmNvjeEVf6fvP0hlRjm1GnPxQdRxU3N3ZDMz0EevIQO0_YXJDsGX-NEZ5teR2RZnS-CVowM_YbZedu2x0QlctJKgUgIeweklHwQKVk4QZhKsHz6DB1hPfK_EBnNlKQquByin3Rm1g/s1600-h/SDC12968.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAx1wmNvjeEVf6fvP0hlRjm1GnPxQdRxU3N3ZDMz0EevIQO0_YXJDsGX-NEZ5teR2RZnS-CVowM_YbZedu2x0QlctJKgUgIeweklHwQKVk4QZhKsHz6DB1hPfK_EBnNlKQquByin3Rm1g/s200/SDC12968.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352654024995752402" /></a> When it was just us and the Bruzzone's, after the tired girls finally went to bed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4LqhVQxFWhtEipHAXw2ZrEmRRE9_0lnSYijF79UbRZ744kwaO3qleMBWOBHP0LfBNYam0MkplvBj1rVm8q-hWMh0xXaT66tNTl3M_bOINj-JXv_TV8PTiwf8ZRg650OSlXEtduEyZAgU/s1600-h/SDC12978.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4LqhVQxFWhtEipHAXw2ZrEmRRE9_0lnSYijF79UbRZ744kwaO3qleMBWOBHP0LfBNYam0MkplvBj1rVm8q-hWMh0xXaT66tNTl3M_bOINj-JXv_TV8PTiwf8ZRg650OSlXEtduEyZAgU/s200/SDC12978.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352721562416580498" /></a>...we finally moved inside and finished the night with a digestif before crashing hard from a very FULL day. As exhausting as any fun party can be, listening and speaking in French all day is alone incredibly fatiguing so I was wiped out!<br /><br />Michelle and her family (minus Abbie who stayed at Bon Pin with us) kindly got a ride home with other guests so we could drive ourselves home on Sunday. We spent the day lolling around the pool, and of course the table. About 5 pm we finally left as we had another outstanding <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100638">engagement.</a> We were invited over to Laly's grandparents apt for an "apero" which of course turned into a full meal and drinks. Laly really reached out and made Irie comfortable here in France and at her school, and they became fast friends. Her grandparents, Guy and Annie, have become our surrogate Mamie and Papie. Laly's parent, Karine and François, are very relaxed and enjoyable as well, and we will miss their family too.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYuFEsJk35LCBpBelgmKgORgi3Kscov0IqniI3TjXeR5IdsJIvJTtyG7FADiFrh0jb576MQKjsGrgUWyqJKJzDCa_sj8O2Ka43l2nhVNGgAtE196qx7ehF_HU1PiT9h5i3iFujPNH_Osb/s1600-h/SDC12999.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYuFEsJk35LCBpBelgmKgORgi3Kscov0IqniI3TjXeR5IdsJIvJTtyG7FADiFrh0jb576MQKjsGrgUWyqJKJzDCa_sj8O2Ka43l2nhVNGgAtE196qx7ehF_HU1PiT9h5i3iFujPNH_Osb/s200/SDC12999.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352672916431393282" /></a><br /><br />We are much loved here and have become part of a larger family of kind and generous human beings. I believe we could come back in 5 years and fall right back into the closeness and way of life with these families. There have been many tears, but also tons of laughs, and we are all truly richer for the experience! We are happy here and I think this photo represents that well: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_j9cfToTcGTN2_zNBeu78EctHDf4v16rUsf_1LCkozaqfEz9Mp_-MstP7p29N20gAtk-YUQ3JLRwUGDTPrQMs1IXx-oGZkwsWcFiCSv9B92Bvv8Fc1q9USjlA92EcDMczPGfasRLkD8p/s1600-h/SDC12868.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_j9cfToTcGTN2_zNBeu78EctHDf4v16rUsf_1LCkozaqfEz9Mp_-MstP7p29N20gAtk-YUQ3JLRwUGDTPrQMs1IXx-oGZkwsWcFiCSv9B92Bvv8Fc1q9USjlA92EcDMczPGfasRLkD8p/s200/SDC12868.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352664535459841250" /></a> <br /><br />I don't think words will ever do justice to the year we've had, but I need, at some point, to acknowledge all these wonderful people. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtHMl1AtfnS73-tZXkGRS6k-ogGVMi-I-Yj2ld6eDAdbH793SK_BPsE3H8qrFJuPedkawe6YZAQWiN9ewoSpedAmhfqNiVpzNhFn_2maKK5sYfiuIbLqP1p69dmv4-pjyHkiuIPEJlnpf/s1600-h/SDC12860.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtHMl1AtfnS73-tZXkGRS6k-ogGVMi-I-Yj2ld6eDAdbH793SK_BPsE3H8qrFJuPedkawe6YZAQWiN9ewoSpedAmhfqNiVpzNhFn_2maKK5sYfiuIbLqP1p69dmv4-pjyHkiuIPEJlnpf/s200/SDC12860.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352726236016580450" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjoRQ3czzDuGBJYm8rq9Up-ScKL3IHY0oB6JWebDM-2oMCi8wqbKbGy_YDgU0B-jiJQHpdEZ-8IRFWQ-PYUDsfUgWCn9CPoe5fnyeMPhHL7VS4dhGTxRH94AeMbmUWyZaQs4E8jZPT3iM/s1600-h/SDC12862.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjoRQ3czzDuGBJYm8rq9Up-ScKL3IHY0oB6JWebDM-2oMCi8wqbKbGy_YDgU0B-jiJQHpdEZ-8IRFWQ-PYUDsfUgWCn9CPoe5fnyeMPhHL7VS4dhGTxRH94AeMbmUWyZaQs4E8jZPT3iM/s200/SDC12862.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352726247710635234" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xgFczZUe_DrHE5vnSuGTHGYU8Fa8yKYCo-kNZLWwucdJNHqvAPBuo-ZLOYai1V8NshGNbEe5sEvo3Bye4jarkVYoAhGFjF6wQhcnrts8uwDOxG2HvYDzfqTT2yFWc1TXieAqIGYzZyrh/s1600-h/SDC12867.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xgFczZUe_DrHE5vnSuGTHGYU8Fa8yKYCo-kNZLWwucdJNHqvAPBuo-ZLOYai1V8NshGNbEe5sEvo3Bye4jarkVYoAhGFjF6wQhcnrts8uwDOxG2HvYDzfqTT2yFWc1TXieAqIGYzZyrh/s200/SDC12867.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352726243303405906" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2QJcICa_wL7PH1QIFMJs3QjD7lLT-rxekBL1L2H_ZAHycohcdcPEK2aXrCm2_ahYLSJMZRIVQN9tCY38RrKr9zNYmhvZH_7PHk98ADtOFIVRizjzD_o8phEKbpLeWdzcgw1vEt3bArGg/s1600-h/SDC12959.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2QJcICa_wL7PH1QIFMJs3QjD7lLT-rxekBL1L2H_ZAHycohcdcPEK2aXrCm2_ahYLSJMZRIVQN9tCY38RrKr9zNYmhvZH_7PHk98ADtOFIVRizjzD_o8phEKbpLeWdzcgw1vEt3bArGg/s200/SDC12959.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352726230412729602" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYE1kcXuvaZYcOVgd45KXQvcm4aBDunwkqV8KPVCjDSoZk3GGRrkJvaaUO3_4Btag3dW8qLKMfiwAkUHRsalBi1MilpDmMUQ0GANO0lOM1_CwmMzQlBsXg5JhAI3xYtpJnPtkMXSdN6hC/s1600-h/SDC12880.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYE1kcXuvaZYcOVgd45KXQvcm4aBDunwkqV8KPVCjDSoZk3GGRrkJvaaUO3_4Btag3dW8qLKMfiwAkUHRsalBi1MilpDmMUQ0GANO0lOM1_CwmMzQlBsXg5JhAI3xYtpJnPtkMXSdN6hC/s200/SDC12880.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352729404993669106" /></a><br /><br />That will have to be another post. Maybe, time permitting, I'll sneak one more post in before we leave...Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-19757298012925174102009-06-26T08:09:00.004+02:002009-06-26T08:19:09.961+02:001 week to go!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKv66x6iZSuztLdlAj2A_ihlMsDpKKx78qYrC7UYsGNYbjeTqNK5MUDQwefWZaATcLifX-xTbhswC3tZEevsPOEEf1FDqKKdVnK0NM4yIrsErV_eSu6YnrTs6n5jLzCvCoM-Op3Hk7-8o/s1600-h/PIC_0274.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKv66x6iZSuztLdlAj2A_ihlMsDpKKx78qYrC7UYsGNYbjeTqNK5MUDQwefWZaATcLifX-xTbhswC3tZEevsPOEEf1FDqKKdVnK0NM4yIrsErV_eSu6YnrTs6n5jLzCvCoM-Op3Hk7-8o/s200/PIC_0274.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351515126065979042" /></a><br /><br />I've got nothing. At least for a blog post. But I feel I should put something down before we leave town for our last weekend in France. We've got piles of "stuff" everywhere. Suitcases out and open on the extra twin bed in Irie's room. Clothes that we know we're taking home but don't need are in vacuum bags, clothes we might leave here if we run out of room are in another pile, and of course we are still wearing summer garb. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTDMAhJHnISuMLiOy6qeqkt3xEz-8Kg8yQ7H-iMvhU_DpnIU3v2wnriNLdYHmqF-nhrVsMgglm-qLFq93zFE7TzCvDL_pTaBE20rI9Ua2fZufHaGhO0cn_V13b3RM4JI4jNFTe_r_MmE/s1600-h/SDC12787.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTDMAhJHnISuMLiOy6qeqkt3xEz-8Kg8yQ7H-iMvhU_DpnIU3v2wnriNLdYHmqF-nhrVsMgglm-qLFq93zFE7TzCvDL_pTaBE20rI9Ua2fZufHaGhO0cn_V13b3RM4JI4jNFTe_r_MmE/s200/SDC12787.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351513979841485666" /></a> We've taken anything that is ours off the walls and bookshelves, out of the cupboards, and are trying to sort out the rest. <br /><br />We have the airline regulations down in writing: 2 checked bags each with at total weight of 36 kilos or 80 lbs. Carry on bags must be under a specific size and can weigh no more than 6 kilos or 13 lbs. That's 93 lbs. each, which may seem like a lot to someone going on a vacation, but after a year of living here we have accumulated a few things :) Just think if Brenda hadn't taken Maggie home, as well as 2 bags of our purchases and some winter clothes. Books are a big question mark. We don't want to part with books we love and books we still haven't read. Then there's the breakables and the technology gear. I'm leaving behind all the skiing clothes I bought, and our landlady is buying our bikes and helmets which is nice of her.<br /><br />We have been having a week of "lasts." Last French classes, last weekend volleyball, last hula class, last sailing lessons, piano lessons and sleepovers for Irie, even last foods that we know will disappear from our regular menu. Luckily, we haven't had our last day at the beach just yet.<br /><br />So here's our remaining schedule:<br /><b>Tomorrow</b> Irie has school, then after school Nathalie is driving us up to Bon Pin where we will spend the night alone as a family. It reminds us of our own cabin (that we are deeply excited to return to), but instead of a lake, it has a pool. And occasionally sanglier, or big wild pigs.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyWCAgqqMsbRYX3rJZBFXliT-ynWANkffCTsgMavd52JZexU86kltlS_cPGZDfHmwq2LQ4AVIoCi31S6eUjxSmwMrU507PewRsGfeuDIy0_9d25qSzeIXPHAN8TE4XwktTQVTSMG9sUU/s1600-h/SDC12683.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyWCAgqqMsbRYX3rJZBFXliT-ynWANkffCTsgMavd52JZexU86kltlS_cPGZDfHmwq2LQ4AVIoCi31S6eUjxSmwMrU507PewRsGfeuDIy0_9d25qSzeIXPHAN8TE4XwktTQVTSMG9sUU/s200/SDC12683.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351515940553634578" /></a><br /> <br />The big Bon Voyage party is <b>Saturday</b> up at Bon Pin, and I think they are expecting about 20 of our wonderful French friends. We have had a few fêtes up there, always fun, so we know well what to expect and appreciate, yet know that this time will be different. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKfFIfdRElVrch1klYThn_Qvko9_-pnW-HRDMR6nrAqbB6vR6xoMwCR4K7HzHRoIUKo1fe5d98FP_XR8VErtr1tea8e5Sj3PCAKOOwYjkSRV41M3ewZPZp6QtkiW4srx8KV4sr3x7Xtw/s1600-h/SDC12690.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKfFIfdRElVrch1klYThn_Qvko9_-pnW-HRDMR6nrAqbB6vR6xoMwCR4K7HzHRoIUKo1fe5d98FP_XR8VErtr1tea8e5Sj3PCAKOOwYjkSRV41M3ewZPZp6QtkiW4srx8KV4sr3x7Xtw/s200/SDC12690.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351515945890159218" /></a> Hopefully it won't actually be the last time we see most of them. In any case, Lisa and I have spent the past week staying up late putting together a movie of our Year in France. We just finished it this evening (minus the burning part) and got our year condensed down to a jam-packed 48 minutes. <b>Sunday</b> we will return home from Bon Pin at some point, but will be in no rush.<br /><br />Irie still has school this week on Mon., Tues., and Thurs. <b>Monday</b> she is going to Michelle and Abbie's for lunch then Laure is picking her up from school. Lisa and I were originally planning on hitting Nice one last time, but may actually hop a train someplace we haven't yet visited. <b>Tuesday</b> is packing day. As is <b>Wednesday</b>, though we also need to be packed enough to clean the apt. as our landlady visits Weds. afternoon to finalize our departure. <b>Thursday</b>, our last day in Frejus...hard to believe! Irie has school, and after school our friends Kurt and Stephanie are driving us and all our stuff to a hotel near the Nice airport. <br /><br /><b>Friday</b> morning the big return trip ensues. Flying Nice to Dublin to Boston to San Francisco - a total of 20 hours - arriving into SF after 9 pm (PST). A friend from Ashland is picking us up in her van and driving us home with an expected arrival at The Nabes at about 4 am. We have every intention of crawling out of bed 5 hours later to attend the 4th of July parade. What a homecoming. Assuming all goes as planned. So there it is in black-and-white. Yikes. So much for having nothing to say...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaEmU83kVFpwmUsHlk5HBfQYQlL1PRwNY9RQwSWvsaW8Bc0uZrjrn7cGS1Luff6L6nU_ULVuTg4KIIGZRFENP30I6S019M4SJpLZ91TZkX8507xNQg-GexbDOzm6wK9Zl4D5beyQ3T70/s1600-h/PIC_0304.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaEmU83kVFpwmUsHlk5HBfQYQlL1PRwNY9RQwSWvsaW8Bc0uZrjrn7cGS1Luff6L6nU_ULVuTg4KIIGZRFENP30I6S019M4SJpLZ91TZkX8507xNQg-GexbDOzm6wK9Zl4D5beyQ3T70/s200/PIC_0304.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351515124409921410" /></a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-47742331784925918382009-06-22T18:32:00.009+02:002009-06-22T19:33:06.713+02:00What a weekend!It was our 2nd-to-last weekend in France, and our last one here in Fréjus. Next weekend Nathalie and Laurent are throwing a goodbye party up at Bon Pin. Lisa, Irie and I are staying there alone on Friday night, then the big party on Saturday and we again spend the night, coming home sometime Sunday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbXa89BvWR4VAnGAckE9hWVxXZJC3_CP-uPyrOdOpsRyI5AzYDwCAORtcqrGZb7sl_1oXkbhQ9c3G8WBWp-NoGTD3SaBAQyoI4FTAGFkMuBSmLA-Fss6JTmLSviPdjK31dKBExoN_Zhs/s1600-h/PIC_0215.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbXa89BvWR4VAnGAckE9hWVxXZJC3_CP-uPyrOdOpsRyI5AzYDwCAORtcqrGZb7sl_1oXkbhQ9c3G8WBWp-NoGTD3SaBAQyoI4FTAGFkMuBSmLA-Fss6JTmLSviPdjK31dKBExoN_Zhs/s200/PIC_0215.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350199836334675282" /></a><br />Friday night was Irie's reward for playing in the piano recital. She had 3 girlfriends spend the night - Abbie, Laly, and Théa. Our friend Kurt had a belated birthay picnic at the Base Nature that night so we took the girls there to hopefully get out some energy on the playground and to avoid feeling cramped in our small apt. In the video you'll notice them playing "Zombie" with some of the other kids from Kurt's party/picnic.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV46NaI6wbpJMXj0P34wTlsKvqdGoT4b-IINDUy7fi7VC5KFJUOPZwR4m08tkMUzN-9isNymS19cbB2m88xgFogNqguV5hF8eO7cWBvCugFkIBG5SWhaLAGwPq2kEdpTxd8XpCzBqyAk/s1600-h/PIC_0198.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV46NaI6wbpJMXj0P34wTlsKvqdGoT4b-IINDUy7fi7VC5KFJUOPZwR4m08tkMUzN-9isNymS19cbB2m88xgFogNqguV5hF8eO7cWBvCugFkIBG5SWhaLAGwPq2kEdpTxd8XpCzBqyAk/s200/PIC_0198.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350199844485747874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45tXcv_FPzT-5w7ncXUCaKJF3X2uKb1er8EMxSuZWqDmTvcLmow8-7is3hctH1tLTpkMr_63SCGtcxedofBxDGsgW1qsa0GRUdQ7b-kW_n5ulJrXt4w50c1kzw52xmdhRetbGtL14dns/s1600-h/PIC_0220.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45tXcv_FPzT-5w7ncXUCaKJF3X2uKb1er8EMxSuZWqDmTvcLmow8-7is3hctH1tLTpkMr_63SCGtcxedofBxDGsgW1qsa0GRUdQ7b-kW_n5ulJrXt4w50c1kzw52xmdhRetbGtL14dns/s200/PIC_0220.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350199840131251394" /></a> On the way home, walking through the port, we stumbled upon "gondola jousting" (my term) and had a laugh at their expense. We bought the girls ice cream, then headed home tired. Ha, between Irie's meltdowns from feeling excluded (there are always language issues) and the excitement of 4 girls in two twin beds in one small bedroom, it was 1:30 am when I finally dared lay down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYjx24ox3hBjqT3_mjWY_V9xO51HPAlIA-Ss5-oPQ8E17IV7JcjdZZ7bZrNVt-3vxlQ_2OkXu-xQaP0fopdoF2WFg1E_femMm7C3Np5v_lK_tpucFa1-qH2I9FbCScE8Age7-BrjkBUE/s1600-h/PIC_0244.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYjx24ox3hBjqT3_mjWY_V9xO51HPAlIA-Ss5-oPQ8E17IV7JcjdZZ7bZrNVt-3vxlQ_2OkXu-xQaP0fopdoF2WFg1E_femMm7C3Np5v_lK_tpucFa1-qH2I9FbCScE8Age7-BrjkBUE/s200/PIC_0244.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350200442584475042" /></a><br />Sat. and Sun. mornings I played my last 2 days of beach volleyball with the regulars who show up every weekend morning. I met them through Edouard and there are some very fine players. I will miss the exercise, their kindness toward this foreigner, and jumping into the sea between games to cool off!<br /><br />Saturday night we had Irie's teacher, Khaled, and his girlfriend AnnaPaula over for dinner. We were both tired from the night before (and volleyball) and found ourselves not wanting to have guests. As usually happens, we ended up having a great time! We started at our apt. with the customary Apero, ie. drinks and snacks, then we headed to the beach at dusk for another picnic. They were both très à l'aise and we found ourselves sharing the evening in 3 languages: french, english and italian. Another great thing about Europe one learns after awhile is that there are so many languages in such a small geographic area, that people find ways to communicate through their differences. AnnaPaula was born in Italy but lives and works in Paris now and speaks french just fine, and they both speak english to some degree so we all spoke in whatever language worked at the moment. Not that Lisa or I speak any italian, but just as they like to practice their english we like to try on other sounds and words. What I've found with my still-limited french vocabulary is that often I don't have a word in my repertoire so I'll find a way to say something with the words I do know. Irie got to play a game of freeze tag with her teacher (and all of us) and we enjoyed being seaside well after dark. A fine evening!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwmo-qwoJgxv3L3eidRjulDRiLhSSCFbypYpthlkqcAxA6J5Ax9YsMZD1g9zZUY125pG8u4CPI4Rg1f6m2pvJKRQKlAt4SCWzrQAZR-TaGelvZAv3y7TYXXc31gN5sW_DP5nCzsjfnuI/s1600-h/PIC_0232.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwmo-qwoJgxv3L3eidRjulDRiLhSSCFbypYpthlkqcAxA6J5Ax9YsMZD1g9zZUY125pG8u4CPI4Rg1f6m2pvJKRQKlAt4SCWzrQAZR-TaGelvZAv3y7TYXXc31gN5sW_DP5nCzsjfnuI/s200/PIC_0232.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350199028875162210" /></a><br /><br />Sunday night was the Fête de la Musique which takes place throughout France every year on the Summer Solstice. We headed down to the plage about 7:30 and they had blocked off the street along the entire bord de la mer.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXhRQbubnCcSZXuco-GFakfc8SCojMbfSF1PZEK3yVzQffbmU8dxzugA0dpRywEGveEYwGmZAikfL4oU0JGApzRy9mW_J9edm0WfGxEiqfqdAZln-bjjJ4BDN_5eOKeFvODWyE_Pfitw/s1600-h/PIC_0265.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXhRQbubnCcSZXuco-GFakfc8SCojMbfSF1PZEK3yVzQffbmU8dxzugA0dpRywEGveEYwGmZAikfL4oU0JGApzRy9mW_J9edm0WfGxEiqfqdAZln-bjjJ4BDN_5eOKeFvODWyE_Pfitw/s200/PIC_0265.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350200738851912978" /></a> <br />They had stages set up every 50-100 meters and we heard all kinds of music. A DJ, rock-n-roll, reggae, various dance groups, Sinatra-style jazz, and as you can see in the video New Orleans jazz and even country music with the line dancing that is surprisingly popular here. It makes me laugh that the French were so villified by the right-wingers a few years ago, yet here they are wearing their red-white-and-blue and proudly kicking up their heels to American country music. I think there is a lesson in there somewhere. Anyway, we met up with Laurent and Nathalie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mRB04ab0-vIFrJIYmJaqompScDV-V9kdHj_2QSqOGzpm9eDhWJ8bkrH-l_qRETB9P_XfXXEqKOMyxmVjjka6qtQyY49Vs3YA57bDOUvhHXyZWPZqx4E_FNMIJDs9zPAc-VR5GHHtBIo/s1600-h/PIC_0277.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mRB04ab0-vIFrJIYmJaqompScDV-V9kdHj_2QSqOGzpm9eDhWJ8bkrH-l_qRETB9P_XfXXEqKOMyxmVjjka6qtQyY49Vs3YA57bDOUvhHXyZWPZqx4E_FNMIJDs9zPAc-VR5GHHtBIo/s200/PIC_0277.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350200741936121458" /></a> and spent the evening walking from Frejus plage to St. Raphael and back milling about, listening to the various bands, and just watching all the people.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlXzL1ctoW3yfc_qXavGMuJbaeGLTIgx94fX_qnaGGZ-uMstRlOTAE56yQ7doc2pvPk2_m-z-nCg1V1AARB4roGUkOnJRQ3O10NZ4y-kLFFfCSP8KSERDPMevhAvV-IiQyATw_MJlbHA/s1600-h/PIC_0280.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlXzL1ctoW3yfc_qXavGMuJbaeGLTIgx94fX_qnaGGZ-uMstRlOTAE56yQ7doc2pvPk2_m-z-nCg1V1AARB4roGUkOnJRQ3O10NZ4y-kLFFfCSP8KSERDPMevhAvV-IiQyATw_MJlbHA/s200/PIC_0280.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350200740333805474" /></a><br /><br />We even caught a rainbow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS61hOfoiwTz6-gbrObFPs9Q6s_eNEqPnsZKc7RfvOOWJU4UqO6z8tVELWlznc5A3DpvKRqHz8WqyKDrszFOVtwEfzbHdoQUcoHfZwiiN4mcXoe3Kc2r6t0ou9MdnpzS5sl_EWaCi2ZY/s1600-h/PIC_0268.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS61hOfoiwTz6-gbrObFPs9Q6s_eNEqPnsZKc7RfvOOWJU4UqO6z8tVELWlznc5A3DpvKRqHz8WqyKDrszFOVtwEfzbHdoQUcoHfZwiiN4mcXoe3Kc2r6t0ou9MdnpzS5sl_EWaCi2ZY/s200/PIC_0268.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350201997175303554" /></a><br />It was yet another night that we were all out after midnight and today we are all feeling it. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1qXKYTj5N4&feature=channel_page">Here's a collage of events from the weekend.</a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-30546789271889462652009-06-19T08:38:00.005+02:002009-06-19T16:15:11.631+02:00Crazy Times<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStMaARROxwAF-4YZwB0hGXS6hr55NEHAz-Ht0PERYwabdY11XCX0r1Iu2VIUZjvYooVMEDM4xEA2IV7VY9ox3bpot1r1mkHTbD4DeqOse7j66Fa5P6Hr_TVN54ThY_6SuQvjTqkJxihw/s1600-h/SDC12284.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStMaARROxwAF-4YZwB0hGXS6hr55NEHAz-Ht0PERYwabdY11XCX0r1Iu2VIUZjvYooVMEDM4xEA2IV7VY9ox3bpot1r1mkHTbD4DeqOse7j66Fa5P6Hr_TVN54ThY_6SuQvjTqkJxihw/s200/SDC12284.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348942028038825602" /></a><br /><br />Well, I guess it's time for another post. We leave in exactly 2 weeks, hard to believe! So many things going on at once that posting on the blog isn't at the top of my list of "things to do," but I'm going to pound one out right now, first thing in the morning. We passed a year away from home on June 16. Working on a video year-in-review for our going-away party next weekend.<br /><br />1st: It's HOT! Yesterday was probably around 90. We face the problem of the French not believing in screens for doors or windows so if we choose to leave them open then every night we go on a mosquito hunt so we don't get chomped in the night.<br /><br />2nd: Irie had her last day of sailing on Weds. - an all-day affair that left her tired and her face slightly sunburned. They sailed their little boats way out to Le Lion de Mer island,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9o1iWnoB8JhkEQdC33g-Lh5Lfv_P748GaD_qV586RJCBTnbx-fMg_5ROC8XDPgrvVo1inGXCfPuuIm8J6mJLHZ2yWFceNOj-GBWG5TXMU6BETf3nW1TcfioueqkucN0m4YVt3kzJOhFg/s1600-h/P8300041.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9o1iWnoB8JhkEQdC33g-Lh5Lfv_P748GaD_qV586RJCBTnbx-fMg_5ROC8XDPgrvVo1inGXCfPuuIm8J6mJLHZ2yWFceNOj-GBWG5TXMU6BETf3nW1TcfioueqkucN0m4YVt3kzJOhFg/s200/P8300041.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348939308847468402" /></a>, around to a beach in St. Raphael, and back. Her instructor said she was excellent. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53gzsRxpV9I">Here she is!</a><br /><br />3rd: June 5th was <i>World Environment Day</i> and they showed this film - <a href="http://www.home-2009.com/us/index.html">HOME</a> - on TV throughout France that night while also showing it on a big screen under the Eiffel Tower. The first 5-10 minutes are the least exciting, basically a quick summary of where we came from, but after that it is fantastic! The visuals are simply amazing! It's 90 minutes long and free at the link above. Give it a watch.<br /><br />4th: Busy weekend ahead. Tonight is Irie's reward for doing her piano recital. A sleepover with 4 girls in this small apartment should be an interesting night for all of us. Irie, Abbie, Laly and Théa. Irie's question of "should we watch a movie in french or english?" is indicative of how this is no ordinary sleepover.<br /><br />Tomorrow we are having Irie's teacher and his girlfriend over for dinner, then on Sunday night is the France-wide event <a href="http://fetedelamusique.culture.fr/87_English.html">Fête de la Musique</a>. Every year on the night of the Summer Solstice, "the longest day of the year," they have music and dance performances throughout the country. Paris, I assume will be a complete madhouse with big-name acts. Here they will have multiple stages along the plage and according to friends the beach will be packed. Should be fun...<br /><br />5th: Logistics for returning home are falling into place. A friend, Phaedra, from Ashland has incredibly offered to drive to SF, pick us up at the airport in her van, and drive us home. Assuming no disruptions, we will arrive at John and Taylor's about 4 am (after 30 hours of travel) and crash in their extra room. The 4th of July parade begins at 9;30 am and we plan to be there.<br /><br />6th: I've mostly left the politics off this blog with the exception of celebrating Obama's election and how much that meant to us. However, I am deeply interested in what is happening in Iran right now - this could be the most important global event in years! These are my thoughts: This is the Iranian people's chance for true democracy and I support them 100%. They are not our enemies! The multitudes of peaceful demonstration and opposition are an inspiration to the world. I also support Obama not meddling and letting the Iranians solve this themselves. I do believe his approach is best, and unlike his Neocon predecessors whose hardline stance solved nothing but ratcheting up tensions and distrust around the world, I believe his own election and Cairo speech were a direct inspiration for what is taking place in Iran right now. Countries revolt and change from within, and these brave millions thronging the streets are human beings who desire much the same things we do - they are not faceless enemies to be bombed into submission. Bon courage and godspeed to them!!! <br /><br />Mainstream American news sources are not doing their jobs on this historic event, so if you are interested in reading what is happening over there, I suggest <a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/">http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/</a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-38040561538885405902009-06-14T21:05:00.009+02:002009-06-14T22:39:40.030+02:00Irie's piano recital<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-URMLYBob5sUppE3qz3pELoFuZTq8UOWTLETtpE_xgJyArtEDlIBVV8LKhtxOH-d8uPXx7JrmoA1KUYd3V3MPlUuBc241koa6jUeFtVnEfQMOaaC2OPtnhyphenhyphenrnx4aOetcjmgwyTtfuyfs/s1600-h/PIC_0066.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-URMLYBob5sUppE3qz3pELoFuZTq8UOWTLETtpE_xgJyArtEDlIBVV8LKhtxOH-d8uPXx7JrmoA1KUYd3V3MPlUuBc241koa6jUeFtVnEfQMOaaC2OPtnhyphenhyphenrnx4aOetcjmgwyTtfuyfs/s200/PIC_0066.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347279049081063298" /></a><br />Saturday, June 13, 2009 and Chez Bailey-Browne is full of nerves. We talked Irie into participating in the "concours de piano" about a month ago and it took some serious persuading. Now the day was here and she was very nervous. Who could blame her? Elisabeth came in the morning for a specially-scheduled practice, mostly to explain how the event would proceed and give last-minute tips. Irie knew the song by heart and was ready, but she was anxious. We took her out to lunch along the beach, then headed into town via the bus. From the bus stop we walked into the park that is home to the Villa Aurélienne as well as the remains of Roman aqueducts.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe3ahnyqlKkrpGKZpHSLw2BkPb2hHbAdKtOt6cbkSv_Wm39swt6jqR7aD-m53d521UHWipsL0uK0CfnZglfKfa_Au4znEmsgoK_PU5ThH3oRiR9KgEUOBQgg9xG33l5xuShpSjbnp3-s/s1600-h/PIC_0056.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe3ahnyqlKkrpGKZpHSLw2BkPb2hHbAdKtOt6cbkSv_Wm39swt6jqR7aD-m53d521UHWipsL0uK0CfnZglfKfa_Au4znEmsgoK_PU5ThH3oRiR9KgEUOBQgg9xG33l5xuShpSjbnp3-s/s200/PIC_0056.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347279041920479218" /></a> When we arrived at the Villa we could hear the strains of advanced students playing their pieces which only increased Irie's anxiety. She repeated multiple times: "I can't do this" while we assured her that she knew the song, and tried to calm her nerves. Problem was, Mom was almost as nervous. Finally it was her group's turn and the little room was packed full. Only when Irie's name got called did I experience that same feeling, silently rooting for her to "nail it" which she did. Then it was all smiles, the nervousness gone. She did a great job! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v761OownGzw">Here's the video</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to her friend Laly's grandparents for showing up and supporting her, even though Laly had to be somewhere else. And to Michelle, Abbie and Nicholas who also came to give their support (and help take <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100606">pictures</a>). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzMPW01nKs-fnEnqvIZufK3y5WoMtbJQO0fjYJ4PdHOfDjhyOdoOF1s56FLTQsHmxlEehauW-IUGW8LuqeIx6JJb5nNwtmqmpJC7mk1tLo75387CoO8l-AiK8RWoLe9Iothq_tjoMLgs/s1600-h/DSC_7845.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzMPW01nKs-fnEnqvIZufK3y5WoMtbJQO0fjYJ4PdHOfDjhyOdoOF1s56FLTQsHmxlEehauW-IUGW8LuqeIx6JJb5nNwtmqmpJC7mk1tLo75387CoO8l-AiK8RWoLe9Iothq_tjoMLgs/s200/DSC_7845.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347281096768539042" /></a> Afterwards, we all stuck around for a "goûtée" (snack) then went back inside for the awards. They had 3 categories: assez bien (rather well), bien (good), and très bien (very good). Irie received a "bien" and seemed genuinely pleased and interested in the other prizes she got with it which included some piano music, a coupon for shopping at a local store, and a rose.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq5Q948X61XYgjPKc5fFbfIC9wUpZOv-EOokx-uI7aPHNAe2Dtb_U9q8wOz0HNH5H6-bNS0MO3qBvmkvnOdfRBTOXygHfXdIbT1cR0110XgNpiHQ4J1AJ3Nk_PQ5VgWu9QJ73-G7Y3wQ/s1600-h/PIC_0085.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq5Q948X61XYgjPKc5fFbfIC9wUpZOv-EOokx-uI7aPHNAe2Dtb_U9q8wOz0HNH5H6-bNS0MO3qBvmkvnOdfRBTOXygHfXdIbT1cR0110XgNpiHQ4J1AJ3Nk_PQ5VgWu9QJ73-G7Y3wQ/s200/PIC_0085.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347282407069186562" /></a> Her excitement in playing the piano in the last 24 hours has been noticeable so we hope she will want to continue lessons back home. We have promised to buy a piano if she does.<br /><br />Laly's grandparents have really adopted Irie (and our family) as if they were HER grandparents.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW460EHaTx0QeysPPoX-PKb2DhPCu87iVrViNKTCxpDktag0LsN9U8xyEPV28xZAZ-9JHws3pVuzhwMf64rLsOWK6hecs1dE12kFNt7oduS3swIHeF9a0LZEXO3ieCLC1-twBhIDRANRM/s1600-h/PIC_0116.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW460EHaTx0QeysPPoX-PKb2DhPCu87iVrViNKTCxpDktag0LsN9U8xyEPV28xZAZ-9JHws3pVuzhwMf64rLsOWK6hecs1dE12kFNt7oduS3swIHeF9a0LZEXO3ieCLC1-twBhIDRANRM/s200/PIC_0116.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347280571877374002" /></a> Besides Easter dinner and a beach picnic which were fun family-wide events, they have included Irie in many other activities with Laly. Today, after the recital they offered to drive us home, and on the way we made a stop at the Vietnamese <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100613">Buddhist temple</a> and war memorial for France's own Indochine war which occured before the U.S's involvement. The grounds of the temple were very peaceful and relaxing and a perfect way to wind down from the tension of Irie's big day.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ECeNVPW7kzXFSF5KoIaHAa8SPTKRzwIk15T8dXgSQVGAY_LcvSmfdlrNjyo4kVJKbnVtqPfnsTvLjHoxK6hciHkR2hqxuD-WNbho5ieto8Tr1uQ-XNrY4bBx2nf2WCcZkavlNHRKJxY/s1600-h/PIC_0087.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ECeNVPW7kzXFSF5KoIaHAa8SPTKRzwIk15T8dXgSQVGAY_LcvSmfdlrNjyo4kVJKbnVtqPfnsTvLjHoxK6hciHkR2hqxuD-WNbho5ieto8Tr1uQ-XNrY4bBx2nf2WCcZkavlNHRKJxY/s200/PIC_0087.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347280566794789090" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1pQmSyHwWu1X5MKryDwbDUbOG1gK_v0ybamBB1ckh1hpjdBwPp-vWjhwhoQ6YQMoBArUtAGexk3lo1Y7YqiKLeL8hu5jnzXQdVJ4nHF8atlAjZque02RxJTsIuAT3UvK1SfvDdUx8yM/s1600-h/PIC_0100.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1pQmSyHwWu1X5MKryDwbDUbOG1gK_v0ybamBB1ckh1hpjdBwPp-vWjhwhoQ6YQMoBArUtAGexk3lo1Y7YqiKLeL8hu5jnzXQdVJ4nHF8atlAjZque02RxJTsIuAT3UvK1SfvDdUx8yM/s200/PIC_0100.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347280566167013730" /></a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-73365006486309806672009-06-12T11:31:00.005+02:002009-06-12T13:06:42.972+02:00Villa Mauresque<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88YhhWuphyUboseqHEaP6Qmp0jMTyu5jKCSbDBqqtY7SD1fdlOFAKkxxn8OTFeHo8yhGWthyZRIPuRu3R8CBxTp5rtQTibWGd-dkJXxOPgCCyzmmyZkHbc1Pzrn14SZHsD8G_4300Iq0/s1600-h/PIC_0046.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88YhhWuphyUboseqHEaP6Qmp0jMTyu5jKCSbDBqqtY7SD1fdlOFAKkxxn8OTFeHo8yhGWthyZRIPuRu3R8CBxTp5rtQTibWGd-dkJXxOPgCCyzmmyZkHbc1Pzrn14SZHsD8G_4300Iq0/s200/PIC_0046.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346374256809982242" /></a> <br /><br />Our friend Katell works at this "lux" (as in luxury) <a href="http://www.villa-mauresque.com/">villa</a> just outside of St. Raphaël along the Sea.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuBF0SZQcAeLmZoAEmrCyvD74Auc5wfhVLry-TSzYjfoDIQwiiH20nYk4NnzQWfUl39F4WtnQityY_twGTczmnOpgEyP876jaQ37D_CdLslODksCQYx8mMe2w7_PWrrhlhOVfZ7CduCk/s1600-h/PIC_0010.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuBF0SZQcAeLmZoAEmrCyvD74Auc5wfhVLry-TSzYjfoDIQwiiH20nYk4NnzQWfUl39F4WtnQityY_twGTczmnOpgEyP876jaQ37D_CdLslODksCQYx8mMe2w7_PWrrhlhOVfZ7CduCk/s200/PIC_0010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346374259959708162" /></a> <br />We had heard much about the place, but had never actually seen it. Weds. we got a last-second email saying that noone was staying that night and we could come hang out and swim in the pool for a couple hours if we wanted. With only 3 weeks left here, we (and our friend Nathalie) gladly took advantage of the invitation.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud-QrX-7cZ7g71wmHj6d7i7G2Ef_KlL1yR80DXb81KLt1TrH84pMaWU-OxpD6-n_DNYY0Fw7kho0mh-p4ugBLj7NVYiEI_6MmZI4arjHGenFGs58qWzkKTQ8onnkCKa1xizFUwlJViLc/s1600-h/PIC_0007.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud-QrX-7cZ7g71wmHj6d7i7G2Ef_KlL1yR80DXb81KLt1TrH84pMaWU-OxpD6-n_DNYY0Fw7kho0mh-p4ugBLj7NVYiEI_6MmZI4arjHGenFGs58qWzkKTQ8onnkCKa1xizFUwlJViLc/s200/PIC_0007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346374263803013362" /></a><br />It has two big villas full of suites, two pools, and a beautiful tree-filled property.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zETn5jJteQ9ldItmSxh1Jk5BYFKl5C6oRH55DzZpJd-C8PsWYekXo8EV7zTrygMxSZ64bHXDqALKJYHd9oZuGn9tiuqiXuvITlooHAJovwghtlzXYea_cS3c_Ba0lVpKN5iEv21kstc/s1600-h/PIC_0039.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zETn5jJteQ9ldItmSxh1Jk5BYFKl5C6oRH55DzZpJd-C8PsWYekXo8EV7zTrygMxSZ64bHXDqALKJYHd9oZuGn9tiuqiXuvITlooHAJovwghtlzXYea_cS3c_Ba0lVpKN5iEv21kstc/s200/PIC_0039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346374259959265410" /></a> <br />The night after we visited she had a soccer player and his entourage staying there partying it up. Starting next Tues. for 3 weeks they are filming the European version of The Bachelor here with one lucky (or maybe not so lucky) guy and 14 women vying for him. While I never watch such rubbish, it is interesting nonetheless since we now know the place. I'm sure Katell has some stories she could tell.<br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100598">Villa photos</a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-48009295009069334022009-06-08T08:49:00.013+02:002009-06-08T12:18:33.015+02:00Whoosh - the week in reviewIt's all speeding by now, it seems. As they disappear, each week takes on added importance. So many events and gatherings, even the scheduled weekly appointments are laden with the knowledge of an upcoming finality. Bien profiter, bien profiter, bien profiter!<br /><br />Last Monday was a holiday which would normally mean beach time, but it rained so we caught up on organizing the apt. and packing some stuff. Tuesdays are always busy for Lisa as she has her own French class in the morning and an arts class in the afternoon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7oifZwGCz6YO5JskQ2NfHcruP0KZ1RoLIfBwX3u0qZtOSEAyjFdNzlEfSNDNO7ve84Bg9Pmct4MapqTjQGygeDZskjT_EWTfZoLv1XnPAfBfqU9-yFWL0S586br-CpfGRdQ90S6g8U/s1600-h/SDC12719.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7oifZwGCz6YO5JskQ2NfHcruP0KZ1RoLIfBwX3u0qZtOSEAyjFdNzlEfSNDNO7ve84Bg9Pmct4MapqTjQGygeDZskjT_EWTfZoLv1XnPAfBfqU9-yFWL0S586br-CpfGRdQ90S6g8U/s200/SDC12719.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344891113985379554" /></a><br />Irie and her friend Abel spend lunch together each Monday or Tuesday, switching homes, this week they were at Abel's. Since their teacher was absent we let them have the afternoon off and I took them to the beach with Irie playing in the water and sand<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFPtlarHACTLyJxWM6xX-WQz_MvCpGBuqn5eDja7-twPLCs63oVhWDjQGmrrkFAQRxkpWd-odJhDqO-yvSkaLgLqkHwW9pPLzr9mIpIf8ohbCyNCuHbYqOUH1iR5BpyVQUMQVRE6vS4g/s1600-h/SDC12731.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFPtlarHACTLyJxWM6xX-WQz_MvCpGBuqn5eDja7-twPLCs63oVhWDjQGmrrkFAQRxkpWd-odJhDqO-yvSkaLgLqkHwW9pPLzr9mIpIf8ohbCyNCuHbYqOUH1iR5BpyVQUMQVRE6vS4g/s200/SDC12731.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344874592502489794" /></a> while Abel goaded me into playing paddle ball for hours. He was calling himself "Rafal Nadal" as the French Open was midway, me reminding him en français that Nadal lost, but still, Abel is pretty good at it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD1qYynWplRCOETLf2h4600Wv2QyqEKUWgwQgrWjamkI5VbUvxJisvtCk-S6Tu-SNUnMSgKdb4eIaj6BUB06oxz1v8udEcn8_icVWf8KXD89JLBrRyei0G1T3z26gRxNb2PmcvmvVgk8/s1600-h/SDC12725.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD1qYynWplRCOETLf2h4600Wv2QyqEKUWgwQgrWjamkI5VbUvxJisvtCk-S6Tu-SNUnMSgKdb4eIaj6BUB06oxz1v8udEcn8_icVWf8KXD89JLBrRyei0G1T3z26gRxNb2PmcvmvVgk8/s200/SDC12725.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344874588591800162" /></a><br /><br />Already Weds., no school, but Irie sails from 9-12, so we usually show up about 10:30 on the beach to watch, have lunch, and swim. Then we need to get back home for my french lesson (with Pascale)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPaWKXk4OOpANMoEvty7-wKaMa8qsmT8JHmFPv5G_sv9vqU8a9ujYQuvtnLE8T2A0aTFBDl1l7-uVqzNZmj7m5p33c-frt0lZFS-5lW8FbyZrmHJHUAIkS9A0Kz4JXUL-L3pIl07oBV0/s1600-h/SDC12728.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPaWKXk4OOpANMoEvty7-wKaMa8qsmT8JHmFPv5G_sv9vqU8a9ujYQuvtnLE8T2A0aTFBDl1l7-uVqzNZmj7m5p33c-frt0lZFS-5lW8FbyZrmHJHUAIkS9A0Kz4JXUL-L3pIl07oBV0/s200/SDC12728.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344871867868643170" /></a> <br />and Irie's piano lesson (with Elisabeth).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGbVm7RDnCOtUKcXk7uHDblhohwsS6IBIgBy0sSo4NUXLVelbwxSzekfLBbEZp03_ToxnsCogVn-riupmuUG0R5ggdBXLdiN2dX7-IJYJi9B9l2XEqcOkKp9RTBMMs_c4m7hDUCW-C6M/s1600-h/SDC12726.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGbVm7RDnCOtUKcXk7uHDblhohwsS6IBIgBy0sSo4NUXLVelbwxSzekfLBbEZp03_ToxnsCogVn-riupmuUG0R5ggdBXLdiN2dX7-IJYJi9B9l2XEqcOkKp9RTBMMs_c4m7hDUCW-C6M/s200/SDC12726.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344871862669616258" /></a> She has her first-ever recital this Sat. playing a song called "Got the Blues."<br /><br />Thurs. mornings Lisa is off to yoga/exercise/hula, and Irie went to Abbie's for lunch so Lisa and I had the whole afternoon to ourselves so guess what we did? That's right we went to the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2a0oN27EqGbJs6Ucj41wCQqoKtDQRBuSRSv-hvzudNTKoz5T1Y45Qb_HuIcW5o1m7uBJGNTpfte5A7715TvBWL49jihsyEbvoT3tTSRnVRahMR1P3Cqaul40lhKPovQeytdHIFHbR3o/s1600-h/SDC12736.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2a0oN27EqGbJs6Ucj41wCQqoKtDQRBuSRSv-hvzudNTKoz5T1Y45Qb_HuIcW5o1m7uBJGNTpfte5A7715TvBWL49jihsyEbvoT3tTSRnVRahMR1P3Cqaul40lhKPovQeytdHIFHbR3o/s200/SDC12736.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344892361213740002" /></a><br />Friday, already the end of the week! 4 weeks left. I went to Lisa's hula class in the afternoon to videotape. Her class has grown and they have now learned 4 dances I believe. They are so beautiful and graceful, working so hard with this dance style and language that is so foreign to them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGKmxLMYPNehn5PUMdWc75FFWbh8Zaxd6A1tEmGeyD9qeNG0qnsxjg8v3i6U3OiJEnxIt1LmZMCO0bw5hncAXK4s3r-5Ww3uxPS6L0f_wWRa8zVa35CxCEn2Yfmo4Reex3s1BaqC28c/s1600-h/SDC12737_2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGKmxLMYPNehn5PUMdWc75FFWbh8Zaxd6A1tEmGeyD9qeNG0qnsxjg8v3i6U3OiJEnxIt1LmZMCO0bw5hncAXK4s3r-5Ww3uxPS6L0f_wWRa8zVa35CxCEn2Yfmo4Reex3s1BaqC28c/s200/SDC12737_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344892364066463026" /></a> I am not normally present for these classes and it makes my heart burst seeing Lisa in her element, à l'aise and beaming with pride. Here they are doing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz9PhBhvSK8">Honomuni</a> which Lisa choreographed.<br /><br />Saturday, June 6, D-Day. We took special interest in the proceedings on TV (see last blog post) with the Obamas arriving. We read in the news the next day that they <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090607/ap_on_go_pr_wh/eu_the_obamas_in_paris;_ylt=ApZb5spfIXmGmVpjmODpQWys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFldWU3MXNlBHBvcwM4NgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX3BvbGl0aWNzBHNsawNmcmFuY2VnZXRzaXQ-">hit Paris like a storm</a>: getting a private tour of Notre Dame, Pompidou, and then having dinner somewhere near the Eiffel Tower. There were cheering throngs of people everywhere they went, they are probably even more popular here than back home. We were going to take Irie to the <a href="http://www.aqualand.fr/les-parcs,frejus.html">Aqualand</a> water park here in Fréjus but realized that they don't open for 2 more weeks - just one more thing to squeeze in. The winds had really picked up, so we took Irie and Abbie to the beach (oooh, big surprise :)) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbhK7hSccro">had some fun in the big waves</a>. Irie has become a strong swimmer and just can't get enough of the water. Fighting these waves caught up with her as she came home exhausted and fell asleep quickly (which is rare). There was also, amazingly enough considering the winds and waves, a regatta happening further out in the bay.<br /><br />Sunday, another bright sunny morning, and the winds had died down. Lisa was on a mission to bien profiter from the big Sunday market while I went to the beach to play volleyball with Édouard and his cast of players who show up every Sat. and Sun. mornings to play. There are multiple players who used to play in professional leagues here in France so I just try not to make a fool of myself. Great exercise! And a warm sea to cool off in, then home to get ready for our next fête. It was Mother's Day here in France and we were invited by our friends Kurt, Stéphanie and Charlie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyP1dG0lU2TXfb7ioDZ2k-eKtazF3EByXBYQKMnvXbPWIq2F3r1mCIu9fD-5O-nunuKC0AzARbqgOsmNE-v7oAZXKTWRbs-aY8RWFGHKsLO7kUbqECOw7TsRXd1ojr9RSdYPikaX1YhZA/s1600-h/SDC12769.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyP1dG0lU2TXfb7ioDZ2k-eKtazF3EByXBYQKMnvXbPWIq2F3r1mCIu9fD-5O-nunuKC0AzARbqgOsmNE-v7oAZXKTWRbs-aY8RWFGHKsLO7kUbqECOw7TsRXd1ojr9RSdYPikaX1YhZA/s200/SDC12769.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344881697065020642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqXm9FkZvZWGNTYSu8fkQU05CPq49qG034Yg5DnX9-X8aybr2Q6R9bwFDYOKULpmSSde6idmZVLvkp1dghGh1huUEfhyT2ieZX691aPNkImSpyN9DZWlb2-AiR813KcL3Az-li0PF8Q/s1600-h/SDC12767.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqXm9FkZvZWGNTYSu8fkQU05CPq49qG034Yg5DnX9-X8aybr2Q6R9bwFDYOKULpmSSde6idmZVLvkp1dghGh1huUEfhyT2ieZX691aPNkImSpyN9DZWlb2-AiR813KcL3Az-li0PF8Q/s200/SDC12767.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344881685130565090" /></a>to an informal gathering with them and other friends who we hadn't met before. We still aren't exactly sure of the connections, but everyone met up at a private domain up in the hills with 3 pools, tennis and basketball courts, and a restaurant. We swam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKWQ_6ARQFGj3bqsYDtiHMgOK4LGUPraPhY-WmCPR1lFdDRL7q6nhWBFv6cxSy4uYGXXG6PVekOrUys2d32IyHI06MxUTOKGqJNk5wbcI6hAfNQYOnkcZcycHnIPsVI9FXe1dJno3YpU/s1600-h/SDC12756.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKWQ_6ARQFGj3bqsYDtiHMgOK4LGUPraPhY-WmCPR1lFdDRL7q6nhWBFv6cxSy4uYGXXG6PVekOrUys2d32IyHI06MxUTOKGqJNk5wbcI6hAfNQYOnkcZcycHnIPsVI9FXe1dJno3YpU/s200/SDC12756.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344891118821940978" /></a>, I played <a href="http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Sports/DF_boules.shtml">pétanque</a> for the first time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2cVLhlFdHxzwAXppZVTyMuPiXdjqrZm0nDcPLIpFWbcEtjMPeRcJP-6zrfUFhXEJsha8j3URR4pzmpHZ1XKR-_rA5vY4mCsl6G37IQKGoS8tX3k2vQCpWhlEwqtvxaXxjVai7gp1TwI/s1600-h/SDC12761.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2cVLhlFdHxzwAXppZVTyMuPiXdjqrZm0nDcPLIpFWbcEtjMPeRcJP-6zrfUFhXEJsha8j3URR4pzmpHZ1XKR-_rA5vY4mCsl6G37IQKGoS8tX3k2vQCpWhlEwqtvxaXxjVai7gp1TwI/s200/SDC12761.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344881700033165346" /></a>, and we had a very nice meal. It was dusk (at 9:45) as we left for home. <br /><br />Onward to another full week ahead...Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-11731083482714072362009-06-06T13:11:00.005+02:002009-06-06T17:41:25.999+02:00D-DayLast month we got the chance to see Sarkozy on a very important day here, May 8, the day Germany signed an unconditional surrender giving France it's country back. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090606/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama">Today, in Normandy</a>, Barack Obama and his wife came to honor the 65th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy, France. The number of veterans from WWII are shrinking each year, and like them and most historians, I believe these efforts are worth remembering if only so we can avoid a repeat of such a monstrous loss of life. Over 160,000 Allied troops stormed the shores that day with almost 10,000 of them losing their lives. This event led directly to the retaking of France from the Nazis and 11 months later to the defeat of Germany.<br /><br />I know that we have felt very honored to be in France watching Barack make history back home! It feels good to have an intelligent diplomatic leader and watching him and Michelle on TV this morning, along with the Sarkozys, here in France made us feel connected to these two countries we love. We stayed in Normandy for a week upon our arrival last summer and visited Omaha Beach and the massive cemetary so I have a few photos. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkXEeOPD51qQhu3JJn79wq_K8UmcasdGNCcVSx2Ms9WodaBChoX_GsKCyKvm4MFofI3DWjgwd6rYVpTlq01YuOsORcTJWsJ6K3x5uTq64e2iOHXD_fuyCornrNawsiSV0zCfs6oRNpt4/s1600-h/P7180012.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkXEeOPD51qQhu3JJn79wq_K8UmcasdGNCcVSx2Ms9WodaBChoX_GsKCyKvm4MFofI3DWjgwd6rYVpTlq01YuOsORcTJWsJ6K3x5uTq64e2iOHXD_fuyCornrNawsiSV0zCfs6oRNpt4/s200/P7180012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344237984618364754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xkSRgITXz_ZjPGICB22EdembWAYsTwKtFwl7tVOTmCjEUpAtBMzBedmTMQuxXSVb-C2R4CjOK6IWpCUSsHgZyD6D4zz2g0rGqRwnYdMvKWNIj7KX2BY3gBsZyQgs4BckKOMc23ZVpeI/s1600-h/P7180011.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xkSRgITXz_ZjPGICB22EdembWAYsTwKtFwl7tVOTmCjEUpAtBMzBedmTMQuxXSVb-C2R4CjOK6IWpCUSsHgZyD6D4zz2g0rGqRwnYdMvKWNIj7KX2BY3gBsZyQgs4BckKOMc23ZVpeI/s200/P7180011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344237977744505842" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciLasGeQ-D34ibsNAlu5fF7MuczF7SQ_Q4fr4BY-XpY4AZub-QbELyDKk5NlifeD2kGH-9Jehfm9VaHMB0G4JboxQl7qkpT03L-NhyphenhyphenFwa_DrZB9JmidVUKu3Wuc4-ZSkMauh1LyOfYrs/s1600-h/P7180010.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciLasGeQ-D34ibsNAlu5fF7MuczF7SQ_Q4fr4BY-XpY4AZub-QbELyDKk5NlifeD2kGH-9Jehfm9VaHMB0G4JboxQl7qkpT03L-NhyphenhyphenFwa_DrZB9JmidVUKu3Wuc4-ZSkMauh1LyOfYrs/s200/P7180010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344237975706720402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiwr1FWePNyrykEsfGFmSq528G9zpgOow_UskWwSJ2w2YGedmENmS50ppcD-xt0apOCg-ygKkrfsiyLxKpgcH71r4TctSMB2gtsMAQaIa_lTmxY8Y2wQZ1R92lbLrKLc33ZkmFlEP8f0/s1600-h/P7180008.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiwr1FWePNyrykEsfGFmSq528G9zpgOow_UskWwSJ2w2YGedmENmS50ppcD-xt0apOCg-ygKkrfsiyLxKpgcH71r4TctSMB2gtsMAQaIa_lTmxY8Y2wQZ1R92lbLrKLc33ZkmFlEP8f0/s200/P7180008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344237970118558194" /></a><br /><br />Irie is always so excited to see BarrackO, and as you'll hear on the video she can't get over how "pretty" Michelle is. <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100590">The video</a> is simply Irie filming the TV so the quality is not great, but for those of you interested enough to watch, you can get a glimpse of french TV and how events like this are covered here.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-73591880082859615842009-06-01T09:20:00.012+02:002009-06-01T11:02:21.679+02:00Fête!fêter--to celebrate; une fête--festival, party; un fêtard--reveler; être en fête--to be in a party mood<br /><br />Though not yet June 21, it's summer in the South of France and tout le monde has woken from hibernation to be outside and celebrate something. Sometimes it's an organized event, often it's celebrating life with loved ones. <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100583">Photos from the past week</a><br /><br />May 26 was the Fête de Voisins (Festival of Neighbors). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2phPXEDeGHm7ckXUDoeuzY9nz-NSom4S3xPhsQ3Lm32-oT1I1EajpsZbHnykwoPPTMDEHOUl_mcfgUM-XHieRpOfUxWNFFPqIgnmAWPE0a2pFlx1HCEkLXmhhujOnLVaJp2zn7BP4cUc/s1600-h/SDC12631.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2phPXEDeGHm7ckXUDoeuzY9nz-NSom4S3xPhsQ3Lm32-oT1I1EajpsZbHnykwoPPTMDEHOUl_mcfgUM-XHieRpOfUxWNFFPqIgnmAWPE0a2pFlx1HCEkLXmhhujOnLVaJp2zn7BP4cUc/s200/SDC12631.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342265671444476786" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvswhqkz6rLr4LQIKkePXdbVLDuUHWFZl925hLJSfmB5WHz8c0iUBMLswO-4D5SOna0TphYiW4bJZFk5I706h4aoytsx3GNCE-iPf7zVVlVCEw8KfiMg1EgjiXDoSX3WF3ushpsyrF-7c/s1600-h/SDC12632.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvswhqkz6rLr4LQIKkePXdbVLDuUHWFZl925hLJSfmB5WHz8c0iUBMLswO-4D5SOna0TphYiW4bJZFk5I706h4aoytsx3GNCE-iPf7zVVlVCEw8KfiMg1EgjiXDoSX3WF3ushpsyrF-7c/s200/SDC12632.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342265116423119074" /></a> We enjoyed an apéro out in the garden. We reminisced about Maggie and brainstormed with the neighbors about coming back to France. And of course Irie made a new friend. <br /><br />This weekend we went down to St. Aygulf to catch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvlPQvva7iM">kite surfing championships</a>. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHl5_Fk773abst-oY23UkhZ6Vy1QET5Q6NEGr0awYnrfNsAw4se0Vp7A71VIKuutr8V9nFCFrKtnnLM2KzQ1heAuyJUlBS-ciqZ0Z0zjeECJZiGXGQzMnAt3xH0kOG3RrzEUa977qL-o/s1600-h/SDC12670.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHl5_Fk773abst-oY23UkhZ6Vy1QET5Q6NEGr0awYnrfNsAw4se0Vp7A71VIKuutr8V9nFCFrKtnnLM2KzQ1heAuyJUlBS-ciqZ0Z0zjeECJZiGXGQzMnAt3xH0kOG3RrzEUa977qL-o/s200/SDC12670.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342266144246993586" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnTRcUgdOb51v1jSdCJR29Re64vL6oXiQUdOZPETk4icoDl9XkmgoLz66vt5c5hv7qqPzoNPnknhG0-gEJ7H6TC7_svD1_hz1lpj34PP0F_YchlZjQ85UK8pjV60y3mr9Hsg6TdXOR-U/s1600-h/SDC12679.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnTRcUgdOb51v1jSdCJR29Re64vL6oXiQUdOZPETk4icoDl9XkmgoLz66vt5c5hv7qqPzoNPnknhG0-gEJ7H6TC7_svD1_hz1lpj34PP0F_YchlZjQ85UK8pjV60y3mr9Hsg6TdXOR-U/s200/SDC12679.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342266531647014514" /></a> Rick had 2 lessons in kite surfing last fall and I can see his reluctance to take it up again. There was wicked wind and all the spectators were lined up along the back of the beach, semi-protected from the wind. Interestingly, the kite surf beach shares territory with the nude beach. It reminded me a bit of the seal beaches found in Northern California....<br /><br />With the extended light and warm weather we were able to bien profiter with Édouard, Marielle, and Séréna out on their patio and its gorgeous views. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp3LthT9rHih2d90yf7Dnfb1tOG3b-rDAS5WDZsk4VmAYCsR8O10hE3OhxWPNfsBJw-7IU_vIYrbWs-fer9M43QJzTYZNw6TExczO6Kl4YI5Qqks0_JXtVNm9F6A2ulbZCsEAwkLitsY/s1600-h/IMGP3412.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp3LthT9rHih2d90yf7Dnfb1tOG3b-rDAS5WDZsk4VmAYCsR8O10hE3OhxWPNfsBJw-7IU_vIYrbWs-fer9M43QJzTYZNw6TExczO6Kl4YI5Qqks0_JXtVNm9F6A2ulbZCsEAwkLitsY/s200/IMGP3412.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342268827241412930" /></a> The nice weather also sees the "opening" of Bon Pin; Nathalie and Laurent were ever welcoming and we enjoyed a typical French Sunday of too much libation <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwanBzf6wRHotmWelT4hNpsdWZhjviGyJZwUHUEMg5-jbUD2NV_aEumyleyzyiTpUNLIKfrz0uH1zftssUvXCywMZVdTAZCz9Yi6mNofZ8YC-O_x10h7MWx5m70_42iWLEdxMMCUXTMI/s1600-h/SDC12690.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwanBzf6wRHotmWelT4hNpsdWZhjviGyJZwUHUEMg5-jbUD2NV_aEumyleyzyiTpUNLIKfrz0uH1zftssUvXCywMZVdTAZCz9Yi6mNofZ8YC-O_x10h7MWx5m70_42iWLEdxMMCUXTMI/s200/SDC12690.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342267530681962946" /></a> and the ensuing drowsiness. There was a bit of work as well: Rick helped Laurent with the pool cover and mowed part of the lawn. When Laurent teased Rick about knowing how to work a lawnmower (la tondeuse) they all got the story of Rick's first encounter with Norm. <br /><br />We have been seriously celebrating the beach, and living near the beach. It's really a treat to get in a hour or two of swim time after Irie gets out of school. Both Abbie and Laly are eager swim companions. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BPXeucG0uIGKsqc3iLVGb3RwSliH8HYV3l-AbSSgSxapkpP1zVIah8T_E7CwdA2H75OXhBUUIo1RRkiscnZLJsoLAaaWJT1H-knxa8WxTYIz0zYbQiCQnzuaSLyg-Mxh3HYQYXh1Zic/s1600-h/SDC12583.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BPXeucG0uIGKsqc3iLVGb3RwSliH8HYV3l-AbSSgSxapkpP1zVIah8T_E7CwdA2H75OXhBUUIo1RRkiscnZLJsoLAaaWJT1H-knxa8WxTYIz0zYbQiCQnzuaSLyg-Mxh3HYQYXh1Zic/s200/SDC12583.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342270668067248850" /></a> And since Rick and I don't work... well, let's just say we're tan. La Méditerranée has warmed up to a refreshing 23°. Rick continues to play basketball with Édouard pretty much weekly, and has started playing beach volleyball too. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hlveayVJ6Z1YuBwJR0qpxvGIECY55_makoxh-2j3wLPqhBAwFg7bRPQjciLRK6dC31TS_rmt71CHHz7HIWaQOgZAkv3HNehU6WuhxeX_f3PapO5hAn7wbTAxwI2SmyMoaF1Xny9ZDQE/s1600-h/SDC12576.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hlveayVJ6Z1YuBwJR0qpxvGIECY55_makoxh-2j3wLPqhBAwFg7bRPQjciLRK6dC31TS_rmt71CHHz7HIWaQOgZAkv3HNehU6WuhxeX_f3PapO5hAn7wbTAxwI2SmyMoaF1Xny9ZDQE/s200/SDC12576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342272762121485714" /></a> See if you can notice the effects of sun and sea on Rick and Irie's hair! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMnI-UpnbVElsnqwISaAVyCQZfJ3XEwzTr-h9Ng5A8QJ1Z2ZEto82wRdEfqmYTM-8IXWJPiJHI9_1jNJqDQUe3swPCyIaWVd1LJFOHJatKmgl6QLS3niEV0Zv2T4cptZhJiERIyTETfg/s1600-h/SDC12636.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMnI-UpnbVElsnqwISaAVyCQZfJ3XEwzTr-h9Ng5A8QJ1Z2ZEto82wRdEfqmYTM-8IXWJPiJHI9_1jNJqDQUe3swPCyIaWVd1LJFOHJatKmgl6QLS3niEV0Zv2T4cptZhJiERIyTETfg/s200/SDC12636.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342271558566362690" /></a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-65829008546942370872009-05-26T09:45:00.010+02:002009-05-26T15:26:15.668+02:0038 days...and counting. The days are rushing by now. Where did the year go? We are in such a groove, feeling like we belong. It's now OUR town too. The French is flowing more freely from all our mouths. We see familiar faces at school, on the beach, at the market. Friends wanting more time with us as that time disappears and vice versa. Lots of talk of a return; when and how? Irie is having regular play dates and sleepovers. She talks of wanting to come back for a month every year to see her friends. She says things like "we need to go home NOW or I might not want to leave." We talk of our "network" here and the possibilities of work. <br /><br />Part of the rush of time is typical of the seasonal changes, no different from at home, or probably anywhere else in the world. Winter brings a slowing down, hibernation behavior; spring equals rebirth, longer days, more activity. Days at the beach melt away in the daze of sun, picnics, wine, swimming, paddle ball, reading, and conversation. Every weekend brings invitations - to dinners, picnics, volleyball and basketball games, Bon Pin - or another springtime festival or event of some kind. <br /><br />Fun, joy, amazement, and yes, sadness and struggles, and learning as we go . Such an old country, but alive with new experiences. The return to old haunts, the excitement of new places. I'll never forget the Queen Mary 2 voyage, Mont St. Michel, a month in Paris, the vineyards of Alsace, boating the Canal du Midi, our amazing odyssey to Morocco, skiing the Alps and driving a team of dogs, Carnaval, Menton, the ride in the glider, the chateaux region, and living in the French Riviera! I absolutely love living near the sea! The connections to home through the visits of familiar faces, the joy of discovering new wonderful friends who have filled our lives here and created a new place to which we now belong. We have been welcomed into homes of people who didn't know we existed 9 months ago, people who will miss us, as we will miss them. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HOoPMEV1nZiqsvyLqUZKrneIHF3JPH5Ta3qXIsX8UGMg6BOlNXO6q9FBgqXdLg6utkywQr-DUu5cdCef_hcHBSfQvYJlM_Xh7igsHhhS7lHDTIQyqIPJt7sJfxec2JPlgkSKm0nSTAk/s1600-h/P1000293.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HOoPMEV1nZiqsvyLqUZKrneIHF3JPH5Ta3qXIsX8UGMg6BOlNXO6q9FBgqXdLg6utkywQr-DUu5cdCef_hcHBSfQvYJlM_Xh7igsHhhS7lHDTIQyqIPJt7sJfxec2JPlgkSKm0nSTAk/s200/P1000293.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340113178561874594" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXpEUuU8MGgIczzIa3xcPPfWOchsojog8BDNPZjif1gz2XdrCLGHMjldZz4Ahd6-9OL3wtUL3rmBWBApkzacGze1mpP-haT0nBp8vlkX5XabXIVKsvfLJAFm_BR21hsdQiUF87U_2EmY/s1600-h/SDC10699_2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 159px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXpEUuU8MGgIczzIa3xcPPfWOchsojog8BDNPZjif1gz2XdrCLGHMjldZz4Ahd6-9OL3wtUL3rmBWBApkzacGze1mpP-haT0nBp8vlkX5XabXIVKsvfLJAFm_BR21hsdQiUF87U_2EmY/s200/SDC10699_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340118908303002626" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bBuXXM2qCU8ddsiBCqxCRpiYM-_QNPn4jxtXrxAE4Cx3FUCml58Z5_pR-ru50Uf-b_SSuxuuXFfn7zP-UvXEV9nzP2UjPWaHWpfnMbNqIw9F6x64OhGgzfAbIPDxS6CUT4zYrbQwot0/s1600-h/DSC_4736.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 121px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bBuXXM2qCU8ddsiBCqxCRpiYM-_QNPn4jxtXrxAE4Cx3FUCml58Z5_pR-ru50Uf-b_SSuxuuXFfn7zP-UvXEV9nzP2UjPWaHWpfnMbNqIw9F6x64OhGgzfAbIPDxS6CUT4zYrbQwot0/s200/DSC_4736.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340113172913134626" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqHF4Rs4ht6i4XHWIPIPcK03gtprKeSs6Y8q_3KD2Y-Vjc1tMCH5ZxoIgmaybygzwjCZ5_Fc0qUCY7XxEjN3ySi8SVJg_jqQ7KQ2qQ89q7fwuoFusP8fwwsSktxLlAQFX_49K6mh9-nY/s1600-h/DSC_4601.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqHF4Rs4ht6i4XHWIPIPcK03gtprKeSs6Y8q_3KD2Y-Vjc1tMCH5ZxoIgmaybygzwjCZ5_Fc0qUCY7XxEjN3ySi8SVJg_jqQ7KQ2qQ89q7fwuoFusP8fwwsSktxLlAQFX_49K6mh9-nY/s200/DSC_4601.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340113169823537746" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKQfVeZbjUidJjn62vyOjLDchrauDptQpe4icNk2D3ffbKhDAlc6-pPjmgaBnuwdaLjzScJqu02Teu6WTRWI0XPPtEHwMBJsYE_5a-cFJDuNOieGBkwX5-EVSVl5InXUrjKi_GIh68XM/s1600-h/DSC_6430.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKQfVeZbjUidJjn62vyOjLDchrauDptQpe4icNk2D3ffbKhDAlc6-pPjmgaBnuwdaLjzScJqu02Teu6WTRWI0XPPtEHwMBJsYE_5a-cFJDuNOieGBkwX5-EVSVl5InXUrjKi_GIh68XM/s200/DSC_6430.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340113187410986130" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOmFYpIM-6SNaSorXLk5ayn59yW9aV6XjLM36Izo4b-dbRvgGoPoIssMbvwwzEbHHVeNgV3crrBW2PI_K_BjKsW7D5BwT9V2kaTIqw85oSm-OcBwIVtD6YnEFJRzbxD2-q5nJaIWAWPM/s1600-h/DSC_4799.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 182px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOmFYpIM-6SNaSorXLk5ayn59yW9aV6XjLM36Izo4b-dbRvgGoPoIssMbvwwzEbHHVeNgV3crrBW2PI_K_BjKsW7D5BwT9V2kaTIqw85oSm-OcBwIVtD6YnEFJRzbxD2-q5nJaIWAWPM/s200/DSC_4799.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340113183640429634" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbrwgHNiZi0LrmHU_4pKIRRbgCxMv_dc2gwi9FsmawaGlwykRrUTy9EbX9MhNqS67lSeP61pvYvqXaR9cF_b37f-u3OFMAwwcQtURE3p72MDiOr9GRdw0paafgQHHYFdmg6GzsEujbBg/s1600-h/SDC12250.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbrwgHNiZi0LrmHU_4pKIRRbgCxMv_dc2gwi9FsmawaGlwykRrUTy9EbX9MhNqS67lSeP61pvYvqXaR9cF_b37f-u3OFMAwwcQtURE3p72MDiOr9GRdw0paafgQHHYFdmg6GzsEujbBg/s200/SDC12250.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340114813446875618" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiEDN4JKwPif5ILViSI6NjMWf0ANVp2qa62blFRMlU_MI33bdEXiCB92wltJyyfCU82DW7cD9iCsAQX5DZ_xjYImKbtQa9L4KK3o1VGuMo_V-yIxFdUqHAIHJ4Iwu9Sy97eyduwVhMg0/s1600-h/SDC12605.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiEDN4JKwPif5ILViSI6NjMWf0ANVp2qa62blFRMlU_MI33bdEXiCB92wltJyyfCU82DW7cD9iCsAQX5DZ_xjYImKbtQa9L4KK3o1VGuMo_V-yIxFdUqHAIHJ4Iwu9Sy97eyduwVhMg0/s200/SDC12605.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340114812278393618" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlHC5Zsvdtfcr1PMKDtUzkn44WKr6DkqkFqcMEbuKCFBHLTw9jY0CCv_CePIYJRPzjxL99X7kkEo1bk8fxuuL3ox5Vun6xEg_Ykqb2gm2HmhojGn5dj5LRZCLgd3W4Lj8ylW5n8tUBVE/s1600-h/DSC_4623.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 189px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlHC5Zsvdtfcr1PMKDtUzkn44WKr6DkqkFqcMEbuKCFBHLTw9jY0CCv_CePIYJRPzjxL99X7kkEo1bk8fxuuL3ox5Vun6xEg_Ykqb2gm2HmhojGn5dj5LRZCLgd3W4Lj8ylW5n8tUBVE/s200/DSC_4623.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340120875971644082" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZvbw3CdwXUyoPS4Ey3RAoYpwTvzcO-FZbennKtNrpezGYP74EZASkyN-sVQx5vX3SmQwXcw4k5uEysEXZEoPeimAD5JVaHVs7tmNA8vSybmyMCeauGmjhLBk-Nc4xG4CNfL1OvBbdZU/s1600-h/SDC12502.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZvbw3CdwXUyoPS4Ey3RAoYpwTvzcO-FZbennKtNrpezGYP74EZASkyN-sVQx5vX3SmQwXcw4k5uEysEXZEoPeimAD5JVaHVs7tmNA8vSybmyMCeauGmjhLBk-Nc4xG4CNfL1OvBbdZU/s200/SDC12502.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340117042828762402" /></a><br /><br />Life is a balancing act, but how to balance two places we love that are so many miles apart? Our lives will never be the same! We planned our Year In France for a year, now we've lived most of that year, very soon we will reintegrate into our lives in Oregon...for how many years will this year impact us? Forever I imagine. How can one not be permanently changed from living in a different culture? Language dissolved to the basics (for me at least) and seeing how the use of language, the turn of a phrase, the specificity of word choices, the importance of syllabic emphasis or facial expressions changes our perceptions of all that we experience on a daily basis. The joys of la vie en France: the food and wine that has changed how I want to eat and drink forever, the spreads of diverse cheeses, dried saucissons, olives, breads, tapenades, etc., the à l'aise pace of eating and conversation, the massive array of world class wines; also the activity of daily life - I've never walked or ridden my bike so much (at least since childhood), I swim in the Mediterranean daily, the devouring of books, the pace just feels right. I truly feel that HOW I live here in France has left me healthier in both mind and body. <br /><br />Of course, we will return to work, I to school and Lisa to her private practice, to home ownership, cabin ownership, the reality of managing rentals, to Irie's extracurricular activities, to having a car and needing one. The pace will quicken, but I seriously desire with every fiber of my being to stay in the here and now, to relish each conversation, each chance encounter, to make time for breathing and the joy of a long meal or a morning in bed with a book. 38 days...Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-91371299229383315382009-05-22T13:48:00.006+02:002009-05-22T16:00:40.996+02:00CannesYesterday was a national holiday here in France (Ascension) so Irie didn't have school. We decided at the last minute to go to Cannes <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100575">(our photos)</a> since it's only 30 minutes down the tracks and the world's most well-known <a href="http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en.html">film festival</a> was happening. When we arrived, at about 11:30 am, we walked around the Festival grounds,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEObPJ1YP9Sqk0U5xqzwl__8IScOtOnFKR2n0MgzisQKqfZQlPaZbGsnzeosOHR7KD2LKi11gcP7RWo97gkp-ZQ7VAe10WgVfT7tv9fvwFAvmtmKgNZiuHZmetwj0gjXHqOhoIwQB5NsY/s1600-h/SDC12549.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEObPJ1YP9Sqk0U5xqzwl__8IScOtOnFKR2n0MgzisQKqfZQlPaZbGsnzeosOHR7KD2LKi11gcP7RWo97gkp-ZQ7VAe10WgVfT7tv9fvwFAvmtmKgNZiuHZmetwj0gjXHqOhoIwQB5NsY/s200/SDC12549.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338646273207340466" /></a> which are directly on and next to the bord de la mer. It was still early so not much was happening.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLT0HPy1bSaYkRDC0UD9fSIBRHCmMRpCfP5JVPxb-uP5W5AXPaRXq_eb2m4P3f5HC43LQV3eV1EShoYhRMYg_7oi3sU7ScWJt4fX2nnXjQlStu0ySh_Mwu-0RTJJj5xfVCwg9RkK9QK0/s1600-h/SDC12551.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLT0HPy1bSaYkRDC0UD9fSIBRHCmMRpCfP5JVPxb-uP5W5AXPaRXq_eb2m4P3f5HC43LQV3eV1EShoYhRMYg_7oi3sU7ScWJt4fX2nnXjQlStu0ySh_Mwu-0RTJJj5xfVCwg9RkK9QK0/s200/SDC12551.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338646747041831154" /></a> <br />Lisa and Irie did some window-shopping, while I did some eye-rolling people watching. Cannes has an up-scale exclusive feel to it anytime, but especially now with all the movie stars and wannabe's in town. Plenty of gaudy glitz and interesting apparel, and later in the day (as we were heading to the train station) more tuxedos and gowns. Lots of big yachts out in the bay, and helicopters coming and going as well. We didn't take in any movies, but every night after dark they show a classic on the beach for free and that would have been fun to do.<br /><br />We found a sushi restaurant for lunch and had our first sushi since we left the States. Good, but pricey. Then we hit the beach, which by mid-afternoon had to be the most crowded beach I've ever been on. Film Fest + National Holiday + warm sunny day = EVERYONE AT THE BEACH! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKjuoy-hYR67i8NjQgC08Fce7k-hrB-Ta8Kndzmyw7WeUD8xs5fDNiHi7Km1q9dnuwS5BdE8Dl6NmGbP4jcOahUv9aCfqdeg_hR6HNCzPw3c3MDitE5v4vsn1BcwFU2TLNzbUfhreX7E/s1600-h/SDC12568.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKjuoy-hYR67i8NjQgC08Fce7k-hrB-Ta8Kndzmyw7WeUD8xs5fDNiHi7Km1q9dnuwS5BdE8Dl6NmGbP4jcOahUv9aCfqdeg_hR6HNCzPw3c3MDitE5v4vsn1BcwFU2TLNzbUfhreX7E/s200/SDC12568.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338645853797547682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHQD1zWWcexaOS7LqkARenXEqq_jURuCzU_u1SGTEqBxe8gZWDwKlBmcxYDzhDYssy-jFeuIaGT9eXJRAe83NTD-YRj_tM3Thcrm5MPWoRl4Tkk7KsPLJgkGf1xVHy6c_Oef_qjYL-SM/s1600-h/SDC12567.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHQD1zWWcexaOS7LqkARenXEqq_jURuCzU_u1SGTEqBxe8gZWDwKlBmcxYDzhDYssy-jFeuIaGT9eXJRAe83NTD-YRj_tM3Thcrm5MPWoRl4Tkk7KsPLJgkGf1xVHy6c_Oef_qjYL-SM/s200/SDC12567.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338645854655342658" /></a> The water has really warmed up so we did plenty of swimming, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YDpxG-go1EhwesG3aYPnubijgbkgoVC356wvoY2lAL8f4pxvM6hAg2XXCcg11Xe1ehVQtWNR9m_31RW_ZfuaCZ_BzTxOPmcnm0Jgb8Z4vOK1GV5_FWmkSe8EMhEfahtsUnlNvDxX1r8/s1600-h/SDC12561.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YDpxG-go1EhwesG3aYPnubijgbkgoVC356wvoY2lAL8f4pxvM6hAg2XXCcg11Xe1ehVQtWNR9m_31RW_ZfuaCZ_BzTxOPmcnm0Jgb8Z4vOK1GV5_FWmkSe8EMhEfahtsUnlNvDxX1r8/s200/SDC12561.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338647383118409698" /></a>more people-watching, and headed home. It's great to be able to hop on a train (for about $7 each) and take in a place like Cannes or Nice, but one day here was plenty. No we didn't see any stars (that we recognized at least), but when we saw big crowds we beelined in another direction. <br />Another example of what one can do living here on the Côte d'Azur.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-22437035815580436902009-05-18T17:28:00.008+02:002009-05-18T20:42:52.009+02:00Un autre bon weekend!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pb1KYVLZmFGtCl5oc70AjcHGWYgRRWpWX9iI7_3li8MjbMhqaF5NftvMeTuxFyXGU_i8AD5kIOHeEhmbcEoylXuxSDcAwhiT9gSythPbRT0rjmWHK-eF7oQCqpf7_WsfsKjf3XPHeV0/s1600-h/SDC12522.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pb1KYVLZmFGtCl5oc70AjcHGWYgRRWpWX9iI7_3li8MjbMhqaF5NftvMeTuxFyXGU_i8AD5kIOHeEhmbcEoylXuxSDcAwhiT9gSythPbRT0rjmWHK-eF7oQCqpf7_WsfsKjf3XPHeV0/s200/SDC12522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337214105528822546" /></a><br />Now that the weather has finally become all that we had hoped for, the weekends are jam-packed with pleasure. The weekdays are just as nice, if not nicer, because the beaches are not as crowded when all the kids are in school and the majority of adults working. Not us! Irie gets a bit jealous when she sees us packing for the beach and she is heading off to school, but she knows she can always go on the weekends, and Weds. when she sails.<br /><br />This weekend the city's Club Nautique, where Irie takes her sailing lessons, held its annual Fête de Nautisme.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZl4m8JvO1Q-LGYVwK_ar9bN7v9TtQiM_uwaAsADaw0kz-J4E7dpZDq-Xw4bFAK97eVuVeNiz2Rfnj3PcCpGUBNdIQvg8pFGpq9Wa2-rCwJ1uor38SXimSiVCcq1AbexI-NHTb3VErN0/s1600-h/SDC12489.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZl4m8JvO1Q-LGYVwK_ar9bN7v9TtQiM_uwaAsADaw0kz-J4E7dpZDq-Xw4bFAK97eVuVeNiz2Rfnj3PcCpGUBNdIQvg8pFGpq9Wa2-rCwJ1uor38SXimSiVCcq1AbexI-NHTb3VErN0/s200/SDC12489.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337200343452980146" /></a> They had music playing on the beach, the "toys" were free to be tried out, and lessons could be had. Saturday we got a 45-minute catamaran lesson, and Sunday morning I headed down early to try out the planche à voile (wind-surfing). The typical weather here these days is mid-to-high 70's and very calm in the morning with the wind and waves picking up in the afternoon. The catamaran was a blast in the afternoon winds as our ace instructor whipped across the bay. On the other hand, my wind-surfing experience was colored by the breezeless morning making it difficult to pick up any speed. I was also interested in some sea kayaking, but we were invited to a picnic with Laly's family. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6QTsxD3y12koRG5iCHlASIgBKQhjV6BNFvIsk-f4oIChIQTPnQtiHFg2Q4zxtIh6jNFikxu7D497pG6mvIPnZPvhBEZk3gw6-CNadf3aieQOtcJyNvQD5mI48kqAF_7csZU7Xh3CLYI/s1600-h/SDC12503.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6QTsxD3y12koRG5iCHlASIgBKQhjV6BNFvIsk-f4oIChIQTPnQtiHFg2Q4zxtIh6jNFikxu7D497pG6mvIPnZPvhBEZk3gw6-CNadf3aieQOtcJyNvQD5mI48kqAF_7csZU7Xh3CLYI/s200/SDC12503.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337208938528981666" /></a><br /><br />Laly is probably Irie's best "French" friend and it was her family that had us over for Easter dinner. The grandparents treat us like extended family, and the parents are easy-going and relaxed. We headed over to the Base Nature beaches where we were treated to a wonderful lunch of salmon pastry appetizers, big salad nicoise type sandwiches, yummy cheeses, rosé wine, coffee, and our contribution, an apple tart. Meanwhile, the girls used the multitude of sticks that had washed up on shore (from a heavy rain on Friday whose runoff turned the bay's waters from their normal blue to brown) to create their own beach shack <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zRP2D7-xXIDnGjJyMPLUxnrNWpQVx8qbzOnI1YSE8MQOV_Ri8j_5LlFW3_vRytxYqGiW66pPFw_CMdQisXLULLYYxOKDQ_wWrKjeUhtmYNPIyb_jPcHcdocpFA248WhJzE5idI2St8k/s1600-h/SDC12513.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zRP2D7-xXIDnGjJyMPLUxnrNWpQVx8qbzOnI1YSE8MQOV_Ri8j_5LlFW3_vRytxYqGiW66pPFw_CMdQisXLULLYYxOKDQ_wWrKjeUhtmYNPIyb_jPcHcdocpFA248WhJzE5idI2St8k/s200/SDC12513.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337201828269457810" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsWTvuRf64WUiymaiGSWhhM98m_FLb0YoVevGmS6591TEXXt4fSZcVINFXiQO-su6s5CKZI1wprzJblxyWl7EaTyVKt1w-y9dhE7BVkL6x_cHSkXrXrBW-nS1sg41oJu4TXFweih8Oso/s1600-h/SDC12515.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsWTvuRf64WUiymaiGSWhhM98m_FLb0YoVevGmS6591TEXXt4fSZcVINFXiQO-su6s5CKZI1wprzJblxyWl7EaTyVKt1w-y9dhE7BVkL6x_cHSkXrXrBW-nS1sg41oJu4TXFweih8Oso/s200/SDC12515.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337201835784975602" /></a><br /> while the rest of us got sunburned and (Lisa and I) swam in the ever-warming waters. <br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100563">Another great weekend!</a> And, here's <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100567">the video</a>.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-67708443577046723992009-05-14T08:29:00.010+02:002009-05-14T13:29:34.802+02:00Up, up and away<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxM7_G09jduw50RLC0EFjUUISTHcIGGLYDPSFUlj8yi3H7JZktFQyQ0wHNn63mdTi7fgCqafamrI8-5W4oWgc1Ypvf03r5UWsQOtXxNLcSARzeyR-suBELInYcKRLFAN7MEMZ2_PPjpH0/s1600-h/SDC12310.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxM7_G09jduw50RLC0EFjUUISTHcIGGLYDPSFUlj8yi3H7JZktFQyQ0wHNn63mdTi7fgCqafamrI8-5W4oWgc1Ypvf03r5UWsQOtXxNLcSARzeyR-suBELInYcKRLFAN7MEMZ2_PPjpH0/s200/SDC12310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335609152441669154" /></a><br />Lisa: One of Irie's birthday presents was a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKOorTn5vdo">parasailing ride</a>. Since Rick had recently been up in the glider I got to go with her. The parasailing boat left out of the port, Rick got to drive a little while the captain hooked up the parachute. He reports the little motorboat handled easier than the penichette we took last fall. Irie and I sat on the back of the boat, harnessed in and the captain let loose the winch. The wind picked us up and we were gone. The typical ride is about 20 minutes, but because we were the only customers that day and the captain and Rick got to discussing politics, Irie and I spent quite a bit of time up in the air. Plus, he knew it was Irie's birthday present. We had quite a bit of line, so were very high up, with fantastic views of the beach, downtown Fréjus, St. Raphaël, St. Aygulf, and the Esterels behind it all. As evidenced by Irie's giggles and smiles, she loved it. I was a bit motion sick, probably from handling the camera. Yet another experience in the books for our girl of many adventures.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAu582ptnlJ9ObUVs8bgjhuPygjGr3yBw08dxBSwhyphenhyphenrc1dPkIt0vJ8KcIEsviDQY2BCsXSNANn1jTVlDj9e71i8xvTKlL5gQzuvLnTTKwqj-FN9E-cM10JwTSMD3u8xBl27paiSeNWAI/s1600-h/SDC12291.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAu582ptnlJ9ObUVs8bgjhuPygjGr3yBw08dxBSwhyphenhyphenrc1dPkIt0vJ8KcIEsviDQY2BCsXSNANn1jTVlDj9e71i8xvTKlL5gQzuvLnTTKwqj-FN9E-cM10JwTSMD3u8xBl27paiSeNWAI/s200/SDC12291.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335605946646482322" /></a><br /><br />Rick: Meanwhile, Irie has become très à l'aise (relaxed), speaking more French, talking about missing her friends here and wanting to come back to visit them, even having a bit of a springtime crush. She is sailing her own boat now in sailing class,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1gF0rjAAjFnAKllvb0-VNvAOSDAcnFe3vlyofof4emXY-h4qCzoJm_TsLVwPo_222siVYY2kEByhW8eejShqoPjykic1ANMhlbVjjIkdwK73cV2YjJ86JAsRSDkQrlRWBqNLvu7dUfE/s1600-h/SDC12284.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1gF0rjAAjFnAKllvb0-VNvAOSDAcnFe3vlyofof4emXY-h4qCzoJm_TsLVwPo_222siVYY2kEByhW8eejShqoPjykic1ANMhlbVjjIkdwK73cV2YjJ86JAsRSDkQrlRWBqNLvu7dUfE/s200/SDC12284.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335608486371414498" /></a> and walking to and from school by herself.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVH13OBRvoZUOFUtNRFqFzY8quWyUZ_CGCoEbI-7ZybauI2wou0UqIr1_hLPNWMp6xTRuMqnTkEKkOfH5vwqINiDydR1k2yXEbdBUmCbdCNvF5_hR4PGZR3fonHCvVHvNdG-clJcWUgo/s1600-h/SDC12447.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVH13OBRvoZUOFUtNRFqFzY8quWyUZ_CGCoEbI-7ZybauI2wou0UqIr1_hLPNWMp6xTRuMqnTkEKkOfH5vwqINiDydR1k2yXEbdBUmCbdCNvF5_hR4PGZR3fonHCvVHvNdG-clJcWUgo/s200/SDC12447.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335607140522447170" /></a> Turning 9 seems to have been a turning point of some importance for Irie! Of course, it doesn't hurt to have some cool new Converse high-tops.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl9J0_wtIJL0gDmd0Ejv0TCy70iEsbdFbi2LTaeF_7e4JVneevPQCdUptJ2HMFM_sEJhHm4wdbSOMLVype83Vg8jS6CxIPMr82_6AKavjWfiHuN2oR28hEUVPPt9xKEzfmcFYTWCNM40/s1600-h/SDC12453.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl9J0_wtIJL0gDmd0Ejv0TCy70iEsbdFbi2LTaeF_7e4JVneevPQCdUptJ2HMFM_sEJhHm4wdbSOMLVype83Vg8jS6CxIPMr82_6AKavjWfiHuN2oR28hEUVPPt9xKEzfmcFYTWCNM40/s200/SDC12453.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335580235457234402" /></a><br /><br />Speaking of spring, the weather has been consistently nice, low 70's, regular beaching, even some swimming as the Mediterranean slowly warms up. We are feeling the time slip away (7 weeks and counting) and I know I'm wanting to get the most out of living near the Sea.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj185tHCbBiOUYNb1I4uz1T-pxSSfM1-wa8GjZIt-0609O5rGVnTY3UAxi9M4JwE-cJHp2s3wfUPurYlJ-MDwYsOLqR2W2MyoLy5wnjwtoLcT259brWKe6tu2baVtMDkQ79myW2n5J5f6Q/s1600-h/IMG_2044.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj185tHCbBiOUYNb1I4uz1T-pxSSfM1-wa8GjZIt-0609O5rGVnTY3UAxi9M4JwE-cJHp2s3wfUPurYlJ-MDwYsOLqR2W2MyoLy5wnjwtoLcT259brWKe6tu2baVtMDkQ79myW2n5J5f6Q/s200/IMG_2044.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335615242453362562" /></a> <br /><br />Last weekend, there was a Terroir du Vin at the Base, so went to do some wine-tasting. They had wines from all over France, as well as French food specialities such as saucissons, tapenades, viandes, etc.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXQm1dHGwFjXwGXl5E0KPCWvekXKKDfjP-fMvkVOQn5hCOzZ03WlH_mOM3iHHcOrg3tIIPxtfJvk8fUegKwVG6i5EhTwIcNqXilBDBbLuLL31n0RsSdaJUaG1pVJXZlSffyZ3rXrU43c/s1600-h/SDC12431.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXQm1dHGwFjXwGXl5E0KPCWvekXKKDfjP-fMvkVOQn5hCOzZ03WlH_mOM3iHHcOrg3tIIPxtfJvk8fUegKwVG6i5EhTwIcNqXilBDBbLuLL31n0RsSdaJUaG1pVJXZlSffyZ3rXrU43c/s200/SDC12431.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335582637512881026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpxdY-J-9aHqapylbYvjhuyttuz6qQHHomhDTGfcD2En9gAn61Ka6XIira5PEO9xjjOPxgbJ8t01fH6X_x1QyDkhEEH0ZpLvd8mlLh9sr7nxGLDiwOa8Ebm3UNGhEQR6oB02eX43sXnQ/s1600-h/SDC12419.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpxdY-J-9aHqapylbYvjhuyttuz6qQHHomhDTGfcD2En9gAn61Ka6XIira5PEO9xjjOPxgbJ8t01fH6X_x1QyDkhEEH0ZpLvd8mlLh9sr7nxGLDiwOa8Ebm3UNGhEQR6oB02eX43sXnQ/s200/SDC12419.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335582631738043618" /></a> While it only cost us 2 euros to get in, we left having lightened our wallets considerably.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bXOCfElInxL4NBqvhFeiSkoo8gmsegQh37w3Cv9H73-iYfA3RxQv5-S-JnXF8vogcpRmPqk1lkoQO_abZM96eCPgwMaJ0QYl9oU0w9YO-D-d0MsBvLx61Q6jJabf_XenxrzmkuHub4Q/s1600-h/SDC12433.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bXOCfElInxL4NBqvhFeiSkoo8gmsegQh37w3Cv9H73-iYfA3RxQv5-S-JnXF8vogcpRmPqk1lkoQO_abZM96eCPgwMaJ0QYl9oU0w9YO-D-d0MsBvLx61Q6jJabf_XenxrzmkuHub4Q/s200/SDC12433.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335582638634891138" /></a> As with my wish for profiting from being 3 blocks from the beach, I plan to make the most of the gourmet smorgasbord available to me while I can, so "eat, drink, and be merry" will be my guiding principle for the next 7 weeks. Or as the French say: "bien profiter."Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-41626734094721395372009-05-08T20:44:00.009+02:002009-05-12T16:37:16.689+02:00VE Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctjkHw6mk6R-DNin6aYMnuJoq3BpWL4IhinXlZv5z3NlvHqWsjQczWdl7SD16LYhzrd_Ftdxx_t39uRi3F9uOKUK4KjpJPIpZ4rHZHhHKopvYRs1INSkXDtLp8EknfRTXuf6stliVjac/s1600-h/SDC12352.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctjkHw6mk6R-DNin6aYMnuJoq3BpWL4IhinXlZv5z3NlvHqWsjQczWdl7SD16LYhzrd_Ftdxx_t39uRi3F9uOKUK4KjpJPIpZ4rHZHhHKopvYRs1INSkXDtLp8EknfRTXuf6stliVjac/s200/SDC12352.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333537199280456082" /></a><br /><br />EDIT: Here is an <a href="http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/President-Sarkozy-s-speech-on-64th.html">english transcript</a> of Sarkozy's speech we heard that day. Quite moving.<br /><br />Irie's piano teacher works for the Mayor of Frejus (who is also a French Senator - they are allowed dual roles here), and she informed us at her last lesson that she had reserved 3 tickets for us to go see President Sarkozy give his VE Day speech in St. Maxime. We were delighted and jumped at the chance! Victory in Europe Day is a national holiday in France as it was the day Germany signed an unconditional surrender ending WWII in Europe. While most Americans are taught in school about the storming of Normandy, France (on June 6, 1944), they are less aware that we also invaded France from the Mediterranean in the south. The Allies invaded on beaches that are in neighboring communities of Frejus, near Dramont/Agay to the east, and St. Maxime and St. Tropez to the west. This invasion, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon">Operation Dragoon</a> which took place on August 15, 1944, helped push the Germans out of France and to eventual defeat.<br /><br />Today we left our apt. at 7:20 am, as we had to walk to Frejus centreville to catch an 8 am bus full of Frejusians who, like us, had invitations to this event. St. Maxime is less than 30 minutes along the coast, and we were dropped off at 8:30 with a lunch and told we would be picked up by the same bus at 2:30. The event was extremely well organized with various groups being put in various, pre-arranged spaces. The event was taking place directly on Le Nartelle beach where one of the Allied landings took place. There were rows of chairs for special guests, mostly veterans and their families, and behind them, rectangular corrals. We were there so early that we walked right to the front railing of our corral and stayed there for the next 4+ hours. We had a remarkable view as the crowd filled, the band played patriotic songs, the various military outfits marched into place,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTfSBPybkhqnF9a2m_yOebIczyhYFclpVSyCQq4W1QBMqGHGIrMdaFZNNpfAhDHPZcMWpBIeMEl0ExMt_Y6NG2sQlv06mPZGEB-BnzpBIGxF2r6QvGPCPix6sNYPcdkgygwxesIq9f6w/s1600-h/SDC12358.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTfSBPybkhqnF9a2m_yOebIczyhYFclpVSyCQq4W1QBMqGHGIrMdaFZNNpfAhDHPZcMWpBIeMEl0ExMt_Y6NG2sQlv06mPZGEB-BnzpBIGxF2r6QvGPCPix6sNYPcdkgygwxesIq9f6w/s200/SDC12358.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333540727429779586" /></a> and volunteers handed out free water, cookies and madelines, and collected our trash. Like most of our experiences in France it was very civilized and orderly...and in this case, gratuit.<br /><br />Two days ago, while on the beach in Frejus, we had seen large military ships heading west and knew they were moving in for this event. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTXwQZlB7IkaQAGHVEu8Z2GaodGbZ_eNe_aAhE6Qk65X2b2olMWnIfO1Q7BHPz3Vcot3tIcbftWYggDjDVyn3uX_K3I5Uj3rXduNiplIjD8mQ-6ovYTkQanNV6U3ubehv1jcRZOZYQns/s1600-h/IMG_2038.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTXwQZlB7IkaQAGHVEu8Z2GaodGbZ_eNe_aAhE6Qk65X2b2olMWnIfO1Q7BHPz3Vcot3tIcbftWYggDjDVyn3uX_K3I5Uj3rXduNiplIjD8mQ-6ovYTkQanNV6U3ubehv1jcRZOZYQns/s200/IMG_2038.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333537542469030450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlmw9fmeTyaNkuxY7mF7GZsk4OBYCq7YqD7orSF4_jthpJt8kgOyUE-njBVKkBodyuOEUGTiLOBDY6BBExWcAio2KDQOf9isPikYGNcuSckizF3IfmYMMLLV_Le7MBg-QmUw9M1OGnHY/s1600-h/IMG_2037.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlmw9fmeTyaNkuxY7mF7GZsk4OBYCq7YqD7orSF4_jthpJt8kgOyUE-njBVKkBodyuOEUGTiLOBDY6BBExWcAio2KDQOf9isPikYGNcuSckizF3IfmYMMLLV_Le7MBg-QmUw9M1OGnHY/s200/IMG_2037.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333537535927955554" /></a> <br />Today, they could be seen out at sea, standing guard and ready to display France's naval power. Sarkozy entered right on time, reviewed the troops lining the beach, shook hands with vets, and walked directly in front of us on his way to the podium.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AACpodI3G6g1lXH19pqc8Jbw61b7zdESw2uniWiuDtAJlyw-kpFEoyRMB5yNwDIqlyxGTvrwwnOjSiV8f6oxNCurySnJbcpBYq43Ta1b6nxmqZOrFN-fzBTq20VZW_1MZIP1vjc4uFQ/s1600-h/SDC12367_2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AACpodI3G6g1lXH19pqc8Jbw61b7zdESw2uniWiuDtAJlyw-kpFEoyRMB5yNwDIqlyxGTvrwwnOjSiV8f6oxNCurySnJbcpBYq43Ta1b6nxmqZOrFN-fzBTq20VZW_1MZIP1vjc4uFQ/s200/SDC12367_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333542548585649730" /></a> He gave a short, but poignant speech about war, how it is to be avoided, but sometimes cannot be, and thanked the allies for helping France save their country.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-H6VsY8fHuV-E8sdU-vIL64U_pQzxEwp2cr74cqGU4qx9E6OzhitOLXTQ2_3_-_zm_OaDJwZ-8INRaKqHFWmsVxhRcS8R0XzvV_1XhFIk_ozlJsfjaYjSCFRVi1jwxVH-_5SBVbSSgg/s1600-h/SDC12374.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-H6VsY8fHuV-E8sdU-vIL64U_pQzxEwp2cr74cqGU4qx9E6OzhitOLXTQ2_3_-_zm_OaDJwZ-8INRaKqHFWmsVxhRcS8R0XzvV_1XhFIk_ozlJsfjaYjSCFRVi1jwxVH-_5SBVbSSgg/s200/SDC12374.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333538573868254866" /></a> Lisa said she got about 95% of it and that it was very Camus-like. After his speech he was helicoptered out to the big aircraft carrier where he, with all of us, watched a display of naval and air force maneuvers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRCzuvK2J0g3YEGEY2-4QGQac7d873UuYb5674sS5x1paYDMx3xJWUBdSlFIdjz0U8j2VgxGAGr0VXKMlrMxT5J0h5I0fjxT9fXwNXlH1luNiGg-kY569H2XZM9TrPjdUJlwpMAdROIo/s1600-h/SDC12389.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRCzuvK2J0g3YEGEY2-4QGQac7d873UuYb5674sS5x1paYDMx3xJWUBdSlFIdjz0U8j2VgxGAGr0VXKMlrMxT5J0h5I0fjxT9fXwNXlH1luNiGg-kY569H2XZM9TrPjdUJlwpMAdROIo/s200/SDC12389.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333539037679353682" /></a> It was a dramatic day, one we felt honored to be a part of, as well as being unofficial representatives of the U.S. A couple different cameramen focused in on Irie standing at the barrier with us, and after the event Lisa was interviewed by a major news source en française. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6IuqeA-_I4">Here's the video</a> of our day. Thanks Elizabet for the tickets!!Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-47147702040527324842009-05-05T12:13:00.009+02:002009-05-05T16:47:43.152+02:00Irie's BirthdayIrie finally got to have a birthday en française. She puts a lot of importance on holidays, something we're not entirely pleased with, as her expectations always aim for the moon. She waited, rather impatiently, for the almost 11 months since we left home, watching Lisa have her birthday, then Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine's Day went by, and finally my birthday. We've been hearing about how hers was "next" ever since then. She must spend a lot of time worrying in her head because she has a serious need for everything to go just exactly perfectly, which as we adults know, never does. <br /><br />Anyway, we thought she had a great birthday yesterday. Her Nana is here (Terri too), the weather was perfect, and loads of people remembered her. We sent out invitations before the school vacation to 8 friends to come to our apt. for the two-hour lunchtime this first day back to school. 7 of them were able to make it:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BoDj7CdQxqwkLM0rqJKZF8cnVtvrrcbOvMX1pNvnkeNCjxvF1iwYTCXLH0TquFtDXvQ_x0QHLuIPOf_9oDxUQd9bEsZMxzPL7HF1_56BZGvn2Ze0lEdnumjn7l7fkt75vm2gs5FiCL4/s1600-h/SDC12250.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BoDj7CdQxqwkLM0rqJKZF8cnVtvrrcbOvMX1pNvnkeNCjxvF1iwYTCXLH0TquFtDXvQ_x0QHLuIPOf_9oDxUQd9bEsZMxzPL7HF1_56BZGvn2Ze0lEdnumjn7l7fkt75vm2gs5FiCL4/s200/SDC12250.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332291119820624130" /></a> <br />Thea, Lily Rose, Laly, Noame, Abbie, Assia, and the lucky boy, Abel. <br />Marching this troop the two blocks home from school was a riot, and as was true for the duration of the party, they all had tons of energy.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnFQhY9DGMGeq3EoyJEa3SQYrL4JqLZ-JBbRGPl8RM_CWzG7eTA3vWb8lw0MNFclyJMSsc_NXszZciwgkWgwceDyPyXwynuE4zKT6UQuX5XxnUcl7dPv2H8Mwt5uM76W6zO00jXAsPgU/s1600-h/SDC12210.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnFQhY9DGMGeq3EoyJEa3SQYrL4JqLZ-JBbRGPl8RM_CWzG7eTA3vWb8lw0MNFclyJMSsc_NXszZciwgkWgwceDyPyXwynuE4zKT6UQuX5XxnUcl7dPv2H8Mwt5uM76W6zO00jXAsPgU/s200/SDC12210.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332291115041990914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpR37RZOFQyMTtYGMU6NkgHoZ-05QuPZzb-5ZLVYEKjvkf5OlBstfnO3viC2RYLU0vdOfuAOMOGXLl3I1mvY1bDrrn-25YsMfQdS2HXtEzLotQrZrbpGYvPXBDb2dJBZWVUHGQgN1vZY/s1600-h/SDC12213.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpR37RZOFQyMTtYGMU6NkgHoZ-05QuPZzb-5ZLVYEKjvkf5OlBstfnO3viC2RYLU0vdOfuAOMOGXLl3I1mvY1bDrrn-25YsMfQdS2HXtEzLotQrZrbpGYvPXBDb2dJBZWVUHGQgN1vZY/s200/SDC12213.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332291110630816834" /></a> Poor Maggie was exhausted after the party (as were we adults).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvUeijMpSUAgZfWnCzRZzIeBGmuNyD4eu1M2gMAPVV3NWMihGzvz32s2sMEjWy1qbABm63CGu7l9SrlcJ8OOjx-njNlgfdUOmCD042uFmX2tjmM7zsHg1M74yCYjJa2WBXlZhU4TpRtw/s1600-h/SDC12234.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvUeijMpSUAgZfWnCzRZzIeBGmuNyD4eu1M2gMAPVV3NWMihGzvz32s2sMEjWy1qbABm63CGu7l9SrlcJ8OOjx-njNlgfdUOmCD042uFmX2tjmM7zsHg1M74yCYjJa2WBXlZhU4TpRtw/s200/SDC12234.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332302240082095154" /></a> <br />We set up a table and blankets in the courtyard <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NeRqFR5jcFHYKqEz8072aGAzKs4VvAh-noJim0scnYc04nkKR7AWacROR1PFRs-CpRlaaAnju3n47_ZIIlKcNnFaT2Urt8_m1Fx9Aq68lG8h_7quEbUvJMfcFm4ffRS_rxQu6fZSkys/s1600-h/SDC12206.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NeRqFR5jcFHYKqEz8072aGAzKs4VvAh-noJim0scnYc04nkKR7AWacROR1PFRs-CpRlaaAnju3n47_ZIIlKcNnFaT2Urt8_m1Fx9Aq68lG8h_7quEbUvJMfcFm4ffRS_rxQu6fZSkys/s200/SDC12206.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332291611144504370" /></a>where they manged on fruit, candy, chips and drinks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPWi7791TspflRRMPZsSARB1lXCKQ3T4OCZf-cPTX_GEasYiHWG2dq70YoxVNivbFDQIuNPI0NYDmaOXMuBnD5xMBeNU6Zr3CIwPyqz2PJuZ2zqAr7xdVVhYYsab755BbjhzvtfUIJrE/s1600-h/SDC12219.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPWi7791TspflRRMPZsSARB1lXCKQ3T4OCZf-cPTX_GEasYiHWG2dq70YoxVNivbFDQIuNPI0NYDmaOXMuBnD5xMBeNU6Zr3CIwPyqz2PJuZ2zqAr7xdVVhYYsab755BbjhzvtfUIJrE/s200/SDC12219.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332292573371078514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBogXd_SmBYBYdHvX5ooQh9uBn2rnL7vT3oAGA2pCUZp8nstvGIBSJeuJQrkHOPy6mZpjx__Y_IoMjkHqe1trqtURfkFK5X7znP8T6P81YLEcm-OnJI_dgluqyLn9QzNcV6E78DxCdjKI/s1600-h/SDC12216.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBogXd_SmBYBYdHvX5ooQh9uBn2rnL7vT3oAGA2pCUZp8nstvGIBSJeuJQrkHOPy6mZpjx__Y_IoMjkHqe1trqtURfkFK5X7znP8T6P81YLEcm-OnJI_dgluqyLn9QzNcV6E78DxCdjKI/s200/SDC12216.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332292574023989538" /></a> while Dad cooked pizzas. After the pizza, Irie opened up all her fabulous gifts,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHQvwwUpldLWyZfvCIQBwU4w3yTVGzMSZA6tRIrhHBNDvXCug0gn4xvu6isWPXYnL5aXr_H9Ba4LGsNRxqM1xp2jvr3m23KXDimw_pE_aN3JNc3qfIMbKbOBnwZssVPT-pkzJ3WusW9c/s1600-h/SDC12222.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHQvwwUpldLWyZfvCIQBwU4w3yTVGzMSZA6tRIrhHBNDvXCug0gn4xvu6isWPXYnL5aXr_H9Ba4LGsNRxqM1xp2jvr3m23KXDimw_pE_aN3JNc3qfIMbKbOBnwZssVPT-pkzJ3WusW9c/s200/SDC12222.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332292584852782978" /></a> and then it was time for cake and ice cream. They even sang <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100549">Happy Birthday</a> in english We thought the party went great, to have 7 French friends show up with smiles and gifts, but Irie felt it was too short and thought she was being ignored. We tried to point out that they were excited by an American birthday party, the dog, the food, going to a party at lunchtime, that everything about it was new to them, even the climbing tree was a hit.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9NFrknaCXlyua9cyaVnGNBxmpK70kieC1_HGsVTlfXaq6k8SraCiWDGcqZ8NeGra9G3HPd0VwJeMB_SnCynuE9xqRXa-GKdD74OJ-ZuFtBcY3yUuJF7TrN_STKWdpzXjDv8IH_C0mYw/s1600-h/IMG_1971.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9NFrknaCXlyua9cyaVnGNBxmpK70kieC1_HGsVTlfXaq6k8SraCiWDGcqZ8NeGra9G3HPd0VwJeMB_SnCynuE9xqRXa-GKdD74OJ-ZuFtBcY3yUuJF7TrN_STKWdpzXjDv8IH_C0mYw/s200/IMG_1971.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332294821125297442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29NQT2ZLL4_p1GOSt72BGxE4FcwXlMyEZOEHS8WR2dQeaoe827oibSWNn6iTRvzOh4LWxebDGm0yjmMLb3J1v3Mso4InGJW0HTPBQEyDY2anEVB97E7NTWl6YqpPfsh8uiS96moPR9jA/s1600-h/IMG_1973.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29NQT2ZLL4_p1GOSt72BGxE4FcwXlMyEZOEHS8WR2dQeaoe827oibSWNn6iTRvzOh4LWxebDGm0yjmMLb3J1v3Mso4InGJW0HTPBQEyDY2anEVB97E7NTWl6YqpPfsh8uiS96moPR9jA/s200/IMG_1973.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332294815482157170" /></a> The guests all had a blast! <br /><br />After school, we were going to surprise Irie with her first parasail adventure but it started raining so that will happen tomorrow. Meanwhile, she got skyped by lots of family members in MI, a dozen emails from friends in OR, and a phone call from our French friend Nathalie. Despite all this attention, as bedtime approached she was incredibly sad that her birthday was "so short." We are hoping this is just a phase and that we know she misses her friends back home, but our continuous message is that she controls her own happiness. Today, she seems to be realizing that it was a special day and is back to making set-ups and telling stories with some of her new presents.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-17598031529603995522009-04-29T22:13:00.010+02:002009-05-01T11:04:33.843+02:00Enchanting Chateaux<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisv-I6m91idL55DX7Bb2sLR92S2BLLgvHUL6m3lcx5uf0ymqZJeljeu01Dfv4g_y819oUAQd8At5PdFQrUd3R9NicLdMaRjwTCoVey8TdHQ2yIghcKp2gH6wvnSsJKgHKwYioqI5SC_00/s1600-h/SDC11985.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisv-I6m91idL55DX7Bb2sLR92S2BLLgvHUL6m3lcx5uf0ymqZJeljeu01Dfv4g_y819oUAQd8At5PdFQrUd3R9NicLdMaRjwTCoVey8TdHQ2yIghcKp2gH6wvnSsJKgHKwYioqI5SC_00/s200/SDC11985.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330774968629098258" /></a><br />We capped off our week of vacances with 3 days in the Loire Valley. In 1996, when we were last in France, Rick and I toured the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Chambord">Château de Chambord</a>, a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture that Francois I had built as a hunting lodge. While the outside of this castle is scrumptious, the inside doesn't hold much interest, except for the double helix central staircase. This escalier was designed so that lovers could go up or down a floor and not be seen by passersby, including their spouses. Ribald! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRcSOpvkc617i4h2OeNj6pTUio3qlzd2hM6QyNnZ7rtg4DPyk-k04wriXxNmSfyvdolpXr8POB5jL_1KBiL169UwrHZWWgWJUfs0rDB7CMnCfdip8ges8oy008Q4_SYJ1DBFuUiVwZ8A/s1600-h/450px-Escalier_double_helice_Chambord.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRcSOpvkc617i4h2OeNj6pTUio3qlzd2hM6QyNnZ7rtg4DPyk-k04wriXxNmSfyvdolpXr8POB5jL_1KBiL169UwrHZWWgWJUfs0rDB7CMnCfdip8ges8oy008Q4_SYJ1DBFuUiVwZ8A/s200/450px-Escalier_double_helice_Chambord.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330614392765991522" /></a><br /><br />There are dozens of châteaux still standing, many restored thanks to becoming patrimoine heritage sites, others kept safe, through wars and revolutions, by the families who inherited them. I was always amazed there were so many châteaux in the Loire Valley--if there was only one royal family, why have so many homes? Well, this trip I learned that the royal court was enormous. Thousands of people hung out with the royal family--relatives, religious powers and others of whatever import. These thousands would traipse about the countryside amongst "the court" and all needed a place to stay. <br /><br />We chose to stay in the little town of Amboise (<a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100516">our pics</a>), centrally located just east of Tours. I found an apartment online, across the street from the <a href="http://www.francethisway.com/places/chateauamboise.php">Château d'Amboise</a>, with magnificent views of it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Sb7WfkUrApkimyFjnWgrITZrtdo3S5zr14k-ITHaLu-xceEwbrRurO27887YqSbXIVhxhZWij-v7N_PurKOPNjP45IbSqqyaxy34_8bGFHLVK7H9JwKJpiY4tfxqEBsxVzr5fkdikqk/s1600-h/SDC11756.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Sb7WfkUrApkimyFjnWgrITZrtdo3S5zr14k-ITHaLu-xceEwbrRurO27887YqSbXIVhxhZWij-v7N_PurKOPNjP45IbSqqyaxy34_8bGFHLVK7H9JwKJpiY4tfxqEBsxVzr5fkdikqk/s200/SDC11756.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330615404791421522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Q4prQDpvkfx9BvnzqMly4s9gvIt6ZmhiIDoNkXNtlJkyPLBlWrEj9nR_dWvI9KWkTkYXJP79_431BkXtULJcIhnMZKyHdVvmichdyZnneTdfB_u1ADyql1iCK4tLQrmTkNPD1ts4-rA/s1600-h/SDC11758.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Q4prQDpvkfx9BvnzqMly4s9gvIt6ZmhiIDoNkXNtlJkyPLBlWrEj9nR_dWvI9KWkTkYXJP79_431BkXtULJcIhnMZKyHdVvmichdyZnneTdfB_u1ADyql1iCK4tLQrmTkNPD1ts4-rA/s200/SDC11758.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330615399928225506" /></a> This apartment, with some of its wood paneling dating back to the 16th century has been newly renovated and is completely modern. We were only the second tenants. Its 2 bedrooms felt very spacious compared to the cramped quarters of our Paris hotel. The town of Amboise is charming--set on the bank of the Loire with the lovely gothic and flamboyant facade of the chateau overlooking the little streets.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3p3xXOuAwgG0qb9NAKQgzNIOoN9zeBTF2CN2J5ic0wWKx8N1iBcHcAU0KnYWHA5e5XWBId74_EvE7RaOrI4lgHmqPoBqEmiIMIkSbE7Dkk44N5BLVcYox1H-S0L4_hCHCiwZlc5uQBc/s1600-h/SDC11781.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3p3xXOuAwgG0qb9NAKQgzNIOoN9zeBTF2CN2J5ic0wWKx8N1iBcHcAU0KnYWHA5e5XWBId74_EvE7RaOrI4lgHmqPoBqEmiIMIkSbE7Dkk44N5BLVcYox1H-S0L4_hCHCiwZlc5uQBc/s200/SDC11781.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330618153228098610" /></a><br /><br />The Château d'Amboise is called a "château royal" because it indeed housed several kings. In fact Charles VIII was born there and also died there, after bumping his head on a doorway after viewing a tennis match. Once the court moved closer to Paris, however, the château fell into ruin. Only 1/5 of the original remains, the rest of it was sacrificed to rebuild what stands today, under orders of Napolean. The chapel on the grounds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImhmcXVdqjyDyRdDODX-UBN1ZkmrwBP0ikbuOaBCRMum19jw0_TyjT6KAqOngs2G1RLaurSCGTXuuDztuqP9lKY-43k_qQJhQD-DpRzHDsXZP95n0uia53fYnn89PBqyxiGfXsu07EX0/s1600-h/SDC11785.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImhmcXVdqjyDyRdDODX-UBN1ZkmrwBP0ikbuOaBCRMum19jw0_TyjT6KAqOngs2G1RLaurSCGTXuuDztuqP9lKY-43k_qQJhQD-DpRzHDsXZP95n0uia53fYnn89PBqyxiGfXsu07EX0/s200/SDC11785.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330617052319773154" /></a> houses the tomb of Leonardo de Vinci, who lent his talents to French kings interested in Renaissance style and spent his last years in Amboise.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtluQUPmobzuhy0erLgmXcXRejTtmqSBB5rL0lccRKbifhSQruFx44s26itYo65AU7UD2oeXREiie58BeJJsXg3lGCfRGZr4PgJTdPjSzUIPL41Ppjl0B-CGQlklQjgzQFtvXSzG03aCE/s1600-h/SDC11795.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtluQUPmobzuhy0erLgmXcXRejTtmqSBB5rL0lccRKbifhSQruFx44s26itYo65AU7UD2oeXREiie58BeJJsXg3lGCfRGZr4PgJTdPjSzUIPL41Ppjl0B-CGQlklQjgzQFtvXSzG03aCE/s200/SDC11795.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330617055478012674" /></a><br />This château also served as a house arrest for an Arab emir and his retinue who were captured when France decided to colonize Algeria. He was released after 4 years but several of his household died while living here and they have their own burial plot on the manicured grounds. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5d5Wby9u1UzscTOfI046IH_xDM_epyRxL6SseuSvzOz1-v3BW_wTi35nfkmfEqzyyKu21VOFXQKqPEBy3YFjJWQj5loN7VJ0JCuWvgCC0GN4FlWDHP_49vll9gej6RP0klkw5IMz-t4/s1600-h/SDC11855.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5d5Wby9u1UzscTOfI046IH_xDM_epyRxL6SseuSvzOz1-v3BW_wTi35nfkmfEqzyyKu21VOFXQKqPEBy3YFjJWQj5loN7VJ0JCuWvgCC0GN4FlWDHP_49vll9gej6RP0klkw5IMz-t4/s200/SDC11855.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330766775535185874" /></a><br /><br />After pouring over websites of the other châteaux to visit, we selected <a href="http://www.chenonceau.com/media/gb/index_gb.php">Chenonceau</a> for its uniform rave reviews and its close proximity to Amboise. After seeing this delicacy we've decided Chenonceau is the gold standard of Loire Valley châteaux. It has everything: a sugary façade,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkPoyV4X-jFTeH3Osa3auug4TcrRW-MOUgyk-ULcfM5BFCoyElTHQ5HyJFpEswtTw7BMeVPWRToWaV5DoqVqIpgq9X1Mp3kz6qACIEu4TxZuzHmPPeLy5BmYIQEyot8F7bvrlqkXv4aQ/s1600-h/SDC11982.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkPoyV4X-jFTeH3Osa3auug4TcrRW-MOUgyk-ULcfM5BFCoyElTHQ5HyJFpEswtTw7BMeVPWRToWaV5DoqVqIpgq9X1Mp3kz6qACIEu4TxZuzHmPPeLy5BmYIQEyot8F7bvrlqkXv4aQ/s200/SDC11982.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330772733901453122" /></a> formal manicured French gardens,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XvvTWTJXK30m_cRYUxTSQ9RjSQyw6w90512w1_yFQtoUuv66tryLwioMy8faARsLjTF2V7kTdPgUGZl-njFIQ9DTkF0MfJCMsXS5fJAjFRf9YQHmQELoNVf7lDVpjrLOw9kb4M5EGsw/s1600-h/SDC11975.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XvvTWTJXK30m_cRYUxTSQ9RjSQyw6w90512w1_yFQtoUuv66tryLwioMy8faARsLjTF2V7kTdPgUGZl-njFIQ9DTkF0MfJCMsXS5fJAjFRf9YQHmQELoNVf7lDVpjrLOw9kb4M5EGsw/s200/SDC11975.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330773922297951522" /></a> and exquisite furnishings. In addition to period furniture this château houses original tapestries and paintings. The attention to detail with each room went from the monogrammed ceilings to to the fresh flower arrangements.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qF6GxiTftrzWb85o1HvGSsiASYoY1-wspR2aolmhStAMENnaCcU6heZB7BOIdqLCd-de3qE8M3RCE7vT8yS4zkzvR11sW12EIOWqzbvVnaPWxia45Kz_Va8frtK9xdM_bKoyVkLkKjE/s1600-h/SDC11953.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qF6GxiTftrzWb85o1HvGSsiASYoY1-wspR2aolmhStAMENnaCcU6heZB7BOIdqLCd-de3qE8M3RCE7vT8yS4zkzvR11sW12EIOWqzbvVnaPWxia45Kz_Va8frtK9xdM_bKoyVkLkKjE/s200/SDC11953.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330774421016593074" /></a> As this castle was built over the Cher river,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aJcYJWP-FG5VN0vx4f0IcQaFi9LYT1F5YjWBDVNc0Hylql2DB2zot__WWFkVVFp9lExZgsUi2mzpgk_IRsdpJc4CXH-wieV3baksr1BCxp9a26oaOjlJjiqN1sZw5nZuvZJ-jJ8DwBM/s1600-h/SDC11884.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aJcYJWP-FG5VN0vx4f0IcQaFi9LYT1F5YjWBDVNc0Hylql2DB2zot__WWFkVVFp9lExZgsUi2mzpgk_IRsdpJc4CXH-wieV3baksr1BCxp9a26oaOjlJjiqN1sZw5nZuvZJ-jJ8DwBM/s200/SDC11884.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330778359020328514" /></a> supplies could come via river and be deposited right to the kitchens, which seemed so well equipped it was like the staff only had the day off. This château is not huge and so most of the rooms were available for viewing. During WWI the entire château was used as a hospital. It was a beautiful day, the only thing to mar it being the ubiquitous scaffolding. <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100539">Here's our photo gallery.</a><br /><br />Château de Chenonceau is called <a href="http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Western_Europe/France/france13.htm">le Château des Dames</a> because it is known for the women who lived there. Diane de Poitiers was given the château by Henri II, her lover, and she is responsible for the grand place that it is. But when he died his widow Catherine de Médicis kicked Diane out and moved in. She made a few changes including building a gallery over Diane's bridge, and designing her own rival garden. Other queens, daughters and daughters-in-law lived in Chenanceau as well, all leaving their mark, but the creepiest of all was the room dedicated to Louise de Lorraine. After her husband Henri III was assassinated she withdrew to Chenonceau and spent the rest of her life in prayer. Her room is a veritable house of mourning. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqbSQ1qG9MWX3_UKmNykJOYq4pjtD-dab127c4XrVx-BGN9xfSonLUtEne8D4IrYTie7mEhQnVoH1_BLTjopU36FTol4_0AfMIkjFH4ieL-7EagK6nM-1tJEbSTS7kqBZXO-YQkEvCPM/s1600-h/SDC11968.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqbSQ1qG9MWX3_UKmNykJOYq4pjtD-dab127c4XrVx-BGN9xfSonLUtEne8D4IrYTie7mEhQnVoH1_BLTjopU36FTol4_0AfMIkjFH4ieL-7EagK6nM-1tJEbSTS7kqBZXO-YQkEvCPM/s200/SDC11968.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330771155212031650" /></a><br /><br />Our whirlwind trip up north ended with taking the TGV back home. We were whisked south in a bit over 4 hours from Paris. We went to get Maggie from Chez Katell, where she spent a happy week getting spoiled with several walks per day, including some marathon balades in the Esterels. Today, a week later, we found a juicy tick--her souvenir from her vacances. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8ReDvsbCjOte2_i6h-AffHk8M0fV0w1nx8U0HsrLG6f_zrHco99lXegrV7IUafYkUKl2XML1R3TLf5KpnS1-scPCqD73Rb7iaGBZywA3cja-YBD7kp0TOwTWt0hYzmrMbjg-5p2OJYU/s1600-h/SDC12147.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8ReDvsbCjOte2_i6h-AffHk8M0fV0w1nx8U0HsrLG6f_zrHco99lXegrV7IUafYkUKl2XML1R3TLf5KpnS1-scPCqD73Rb7iaGBZywA3cja-YBD7kp0TOwTWt0hYzmrMbjg-5p2OJYU/s200/SDC12147.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330776149797750690" /></a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532806126954584428.post-34020711831677534852009-04-25T08:25:00.017+02:002009-04-25T18:32:39.015+02:00Back to Paris/New ExperiencesOur trip to Paris was a 3-day cyclone of activity. Since we were taking Brenda (and Terri who had been before) for her first visit to this fabulous city, there were obviously repeats such as the Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, etc., but we also were able to experience some new things. This started with getting on the train at 8:30 pm for an 11-hour night journey. Lisa and I both traveled at night on trains back in college, but this was our first time this year to do this, let alone with a kid, too much luggage (what's new?), and two extra adults relying on us. While the train was nice enough, the seats reclined but did not go flat, and the lights stayed on all night (we still can't figure that one out, we even asked...), so none of us except Irie slept worth a damn. We pulled into the Gare de Lyon in Paris at 7:30 am, piled all our stuff on to the Metro, and made our way to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d239648-Reviews-Les_Argonautes-Paris_Ile_de_France.html">Les Argonautes Hotel</a>. We had been told we could leave our luggage, but the rooms wouldn't be ready until early afternoon. The rooms were actually available so we all took power naps until about 10 am, then started our day. We love this little hotel in the Latin Quarter! Small, personable, friendly, cheap, and ideally located, but yes it can be loud at night with the bar scene in the alley.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1C_GF9ZsfzIITKYMpc8rdst0SVBv7CJfHgJd4oWOi7plzIN1PUsECBBP7dZ5HadaSjXGUX4kjJb3JE3RBn8FcQxQqlrkX2h0A6qAoX_243mQ_2dC1lqUxIBlUS8stYuC54aD7GrxDdk/s1600-h/SDC11477.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1C_GF9ZsfzIITKYMpc8rdst0SVBv7CJfHgJd4oWOi7plzIN1PUsECBBP7dZ5HadaSjXGUX4kjJb3JE3RBn8FcQxQqlrkX2h0A6qAoX_243mQ_2dC1lqUxIBlUS8stYuC54aD7GrxDdk/s200/SDC11477.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328538393266007506" /></a> It was raining so we walked across the river to Notre Dame. Then the girls wanted to shop on the Ile St. Louis, after which we had a fabulous lunch. <br /><br />The next day we went to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris">Catacombs</a>, which was on our list of things to do last summer, but somehow had not happened. It was really a trip! You walk down through these narrow passageways of what used to be the city's quarry mines, past amateur sculptures <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKR4Mr5y_BYk3P3ROp5WhuYCT3jFddoW0h7NRdYlijsGi4HWcGPlRSUyfRLfQ22zg-eN6RsMA7WDMhmRjM0A1gkt7zBnspEvWe0kBKg5IozntZfSdDyAfzeUXiKgSjXBQTdV1jHZl6QQ/s1600-h/SDC11494.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKR4Mr5y_BYk3P3ROp5WhuYCT3jFddoW0h7NRdYlijsGi4HWcGPlRSUyfRLfQ22zg-eN6RsMA7WDMhmRjM0A1gkt7zBnspEvWe0kBKg5IozntZfSdDyAfzeUXiKgSjXBQTdV1jHZl6QQ/s200/SDC11494.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328566711230259106" /></a>, and finally into the actual tombs where they moved 6-7 million of Paris' dead in the late18th-early 19th centuries. They were moved under cover of night by priests because cemetaries had filled up and poor burying practices were resulting in disease. The bones and skulls are stacked incredibly orderly, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic1ATRvF8xEB9xb7r8imVAS_maHoYBVX3qr-XbY-TtLqoueQyvSlGp2crBzKBhfJamBpi3tP01PP_6ZBxJBy1tR0AlQ1hiQAv9T78uNOYnnbHtU719CwQ4x4DZwPgn91G44GxcFRZjLQ/s1600-h/SDC11514.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic1ATRvF8xEB9xb7r8imVAS_maHoYBVX3qr-XbY-TtLqoueQyvSlGp2crBzKBhfJamBpi3tP01PP_6ZBxJBy1tR0AlQ1hiQAv9T78uNOYnnbHtU719CwQ4x4DZwPgn91G44GxcFRZjLQ/s200/SDC11514.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328568452528983938" /></a>sometimes with a bit of artistic flair like skulls in the shape of a heart or a cross (see <a href="http://gallery.me.com/baileybrownes/100508">photo gallery</a>).<br /><br />After the Catacombs, the sun was finally starting to peak out from the clouds so we headed over to the Eiffel Tower and took the elevators to the top. Always a spectacular view! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibirnOB6hVtWZOTVrwD9LUBKetF0snFgDe0X5dq8AkS-TP0U1GzmVSScnBMluF49Ro0Oq_2tH7FiyI-eGVF8LWG4it5t91SBqV4jYMoQ8eer4GVLDpqBdA7UlJKaW5yONjM2NZWvILOzU/s1600-h/SDC11522.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibirnOB6hVtWZOTVrwD9LUBKetF0snFgDe0X5dq8AkS-TP0U1GzmVSScnBMluF49Ro0Oq_2tH7FiyI-eGVF8LWG4it5t91SBqV4jYMoQ8eer4GVLDpqBdA7UlJKaW5yONjM2NZWvILOzU/s200/SDC11522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328569638597415698" /></a> Then on to the Arc de Triomphe, and a walk down the jam-packed sidewalks of the Champs-Élysées.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7c7wSiH43jMn2NdS6DGmPhXb3Kwuko-g3MJJPelmqCRW85x8I7I8_DJGksSpJKSlLwEY1W7dkZUoPlwiNCeUijqu6Bfubb93qC6_TZAu7E1QCROLy5kbqHYuDh4J7wdL3Ysv8vmCPU4/s1600-h/SDC11561.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7c7wSiH43jMn2NdS6DGmPhXb3Kwuko-g3MJJPelmqCRW85x8I7I8_DJGksSpJKSlLwEY1W7dkZUoPlwiNCeUijqu6Bfubb93qC6_TZAu7E1QCROLy5kbqHYuDh4J7wdL3Ysv8vmCPU4/s200/SDC11561.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328570473262112498" /></a> Speaking of new experiences, I certainly would never have stopped for a drink in this incredibly pink brasserie if I hadn't been with 4 women! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99hO6EajxtXy_2ObIXQRD12HiYx3YUvUHTyMXP9BAy6OyYxeG8au0iaW7m5zn5wqglivvnE5-CXQPmVgug1kajC-zFrvxl489s7uThjwBZfP86PdlP7mR7ER93uW7-QF0XnS09ZatRY4/s1600-h/SDC11563.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99hO6EajxtXy_2ObIXQRD12HiYx3YUvUHTyMXP9BAy6OyYxeG8au0iaW7m5zn5wqglivvnE5-CXQPmVgug1kajC-zFrvxl489s7uThjwBZfP86PdlP7mR7ER93uW7-QF0XnS09ZatRY4/s200/SDC11563.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328570480834876562" /></a> <br /><br />Later this night, Brenda realizes her Passport is missing. Being a Sunday night there is nothing to be done about it until the next morning at which point Lisa and she head off to the U.S. Embassy to get a new one. It turns out to be a very easy process, but the unknown of "where is it?" is unsettling. We got home to Frejus to find her original sitting on the table, so at least it wasn't stolen, and Lisa got another new experience. Meanwhile, I took Terri and Irie on a leisurely stroll along the Seine River, over the Pont Neuf into the Louvre courtyard<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hSWWQL4CKjWZMnFLgLcKSwN46YE7cFF6wJNmLRaB0KXyWXTkHKARpXln_0AgoJdesTKd-F5tJXp81R_vaP6EKI3ATeWRUI0XWQ6CFM1IGhrgPdvDQPuU7-xyj-Cxz5Y115MSb5ssJ0g/s1600-h/SDC11573.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hSWWQL4CKjWZMnFLgLcKSwN46YE7cFF6wJNmLRaB0KXyWXTkHKARpXln_0AgoJdesTKd-F5tJXp81R_vaP6EKI3ATeWRUI0XWQ6CFM1IGhrgPdvDQPuU7-xyj-Cxz5Y115MSb5ssJ0g/s200/SDC11573.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328573852580045538" /></a> and the Tuileries Gardens where we met up with Lisa and Brenda. <br /><br />After lunch in the Gardens, Lisa and I got away for a little alone time strolling the Luxembourg Gardens (Lisa's #1 garden in the world) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tfcICN8m6E1h7yUwo05NHP177s4svVluK5VdkTHs_0yWzAXTmj1uU9xADwWgAiQqUpnnHrjo9eLZXKleUtQHxmpKO0X5dOnURv3wWEtg6bXZqF6k5McYJaRD37RXeQ0mtvFYjO-mpqY/s1600-h/SDC11575.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tfcICN8m6E1h7yUwo05NHP177s4svVluK5VdkTHs_0yWzAXTmj1uU9xADwWgAiQqUpnnHrjo9eLZXKleUtQHxmpKO0X5dOnURv3wWEtg6bXZqF6k5McYJaRD37RXeQ0mtvFYjO-mpqY/s200/SDC11575.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328574450047145490" /></a> while the ladies and Irie went shopping again. Later that evening, we took them all to St. Chappelle for a stringed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAVFFnuBbDM">performance</a> of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT1FlDi278PHPgNBEdBWI6LIWEGYVHuO6nB243nJMn7rDIPKTzdwVQJXvQoTRjKmawZOuFDvNDkmzuw5xKZI6aiN891QID2_axx04mRqN3cM8ifHB62jDuY9Uvc2BCxmm2vCh76Z73Es/s1600-h/SDC11587.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT1FlDi278PHPgNBEdBWI6LIWEGYVHuO6nB243nJMn7rDIPKTzdwVQJXvQoTRjKmawZOuFDvNDkmzuw5xKZI6aiN891QID2_axx04mRqN3cM8ifHB62jDuY9Uvc2BCxmm2vCh76Z73Es/s200/SDC11587.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328577680630657506" /></a> While this was something Lisa and I had done on a date last summer, it was well worth the repeat - a different sextet, front row seats, and afterwards the ladies got to meet the "hot' lead vioinist, buy the cd, and get his autograph.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHy4VtqHrgX1dZi-mdLJ76yUZCecE7Vjpw2U2GN56xc0pnCibTkUbbf09V7uXnChzibABb-k7JQIJIBSHDWhl9fSHCxRZ8JuBFBGQ2o6t73vcNh8dnlgs3M-rZTpOcqwOH8htZSpSCug/s1600-h/IMG_2943.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHy4VtqHrgX1dZi-mdLJ76yUZCecE7Vjpw2U2GN56xc0pnCibTkUbbf09V7uXnChzibABb-k7JQIJIBSHDWhl9fSHCxRZ8JuBFBGQ2o6t73vcNh8dnlgs3M-rZTpOcqwOH8htZSpSCug/s200/IMG_2943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328577691633037474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhUQNeRa40ytykkwlZNpz7g5gXc0ve3jQ5dHtq35PgyIb0tMKmTrwDzsTo-CiPm6OpUlgq5RCGD9NpwLShZ6q9rhFxEGhMmNqbhoBbNPL5hVO0-dE7WT9A0eoNHZRVTJtaWHeOsIly_s/s1600-h/IMG_2939.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhUQNeRa40ytykkwlZNpz7g5gXc0ve3jQ5dHtq35PgyIb0tMKmTrwDzsTo-CiPm6OpUlgq5RCGD9NpwLShZ6q9rhFxEGhMmNqbhoBbNPL5hVO0-dE7WT9A0eoNHZRVTJtaWHeOsIly_s/s200/IMG_2939.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328577686993916882" /></a><br /> <br />We then hit a fun Latin-themed bar in our hotel alley where we scored some Havana hats <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbE96lGCCzmT2Hx7_Lko34L3KoQNkujuuiSMWG3Vq14k5HXzNNcr5gY4n_GHKkJYh78da1K15tZ13lHeB6EcIPIV7eAX21YyK1hctj_jLao4Tg4vBeXD25OxHD2TKnN4pYZBCFWevQHM/s1600-h/IMG_2949.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbE96lGCCzmT2Hx7_Lko34L3KoQNkujuuiSMWG3Vq14k5HXzNNcr5gY4n_GHKkJYh78da1K15tZ13lHeB6EcIPIV7eAX21YyK1hctj_jLao4Tg4vBeXD25OxHD2TKnN4pYZBCFWevQHM/s200/IMG_2949.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328579035832654082" /></a>, and did a little dancing before heading to a Moroccan restaurant that was excellent.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EcvHSQ6jnQBD5edY7-mQpqfPA3Q7RHDamcuXknoCVbMYS6FIyi8PjyChwOhzFQmUC9l1AO-xZoxhYfbhcS8CHo83GuW71wMUcWUpH2jRD_VeLoh4b60PD3ttYTd6OdBBGJc-S7FWw7M/s1600-h/SDC11623.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EcvHSQ6jnQBD5edY7-mQpqfPA3Q7RHDamcuXknoCVbMYS6FIyi8PjyChwOhzFQmUC9l1AO-xZoxhYfbhcS8CHo83GuW71wMUcWUpH2jRD_VeLoh4b60PD3ttYTd6OdBBGJc-S7FWw7M/s200/SDC11623.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328579028733337970" /></a> Lisa, Brenda and I even headed out to catch the midnight dazzle of the Eiffel sparkling on the hour.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOnfxhpG8FIY5_MjjkGATzFtjL5uMr252MuTS00mjb68GR6d8stNklka5wCBIrjr1dPBtzonhHZ-mob-6TITuE6-R7Jnd9y4K46LERnRyVRm95OoPBzxB3mYnEC2mIg0MB80tA9PhY_E/s1600-h/SDC11632.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOnfxhpG8FIY5_MjjkGATzFtjL5uMr252MuTS00mjb68GR6d8stNklka5wCBIrjr1dPBtzonhHZ-mob-6TITuE6-R7Jnd9y4K46LERnRyVRm95OoPBzxB3mYnEC2mIg0MB80tA9PhY_E/s200/SDC11632.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328580182448317282" /></a> All in all, a fun-filled three-day tornado of sights, sounds, tastes and activities that left us all feeling spent...as the length of this post can attest!Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405871921782690036noreply@blogger.com3