I couldn't resist. Tonight I took Sara out WAY past her bed time. Julia was asleep, Dan was working, so it was just Sara and I who stepped out into the night air.
Sara was up anyway. She's been going to bed really late, much past her normal bedtime since she can see the light coming in through the windows near the ceiling - and it makes her think it is still day time.
We could hear music coming in through the windows, so I figured, it was our last night here -- why not head out and see Uzes at night?
Sara was eager. We put shoes on and walked down the spiral stone staircase that leads from our first floor apartment into the stone walled court yard of our building. Those spiral stone stairs are tricky, but we nearly run down them now after having been here a week.
We walked through our court yard, opened the heavy door that leads outside using our body weight as leverage, then we stepped out into Uzes at night.
Lights were everywhere. On cafe tables, on trees, and the windows of houses. Music was everywhere. We heard a singer and guitar player to our left -- and we heard a 3 piece smooth jazz band in the market.
We picked the singer. About 100 steps lead us to the cafe where she was singing. She was outside by all the cafe tables. Even though it is nighttime it is warm - and people want to eat outside. That's where I"d want to be too.
Sara and I were flies on the wall - though at first Sara jumped right up on to the cafe terrace and stood 3 feet from the musicians. That is what they do at kid's shows, so that is what she thought was normal. I reigned her back in, and we stood in the shadowed archways dancing. She twirled, she leaped, she waved her arms in time with the music. She was dancing like only a kid can - with no inhibitions - just doing exactly what she felt like doing. I tried to join her. And after a while, I was dancing like a kid too, trying to mirror her smooth movements as we twirled together in the night air and shadowy candle light coming from the cafe.
Then we walked over to the market place. It wan't full of market tents, it was full of cafe tables and people. Lots of people. And kids. I thought it would only be Sara - the only kid in a sea of adults, but other kids were chasing each other - other kids were riding bikes - and other kids were dancing. I guess their parents were at one of the cafes, of which many line the market place. Instead of the trees providing shade from the sun, the trees provided lights - thousands of twinkling white lights hung in the night area to give the market a dusky warm glow.
Sara wanted to play hide and seek. So we did. The trees became our hiding places. We darted around in the night air hiding and seeking each other. I kept my eye on her the whole time, even though she once said, "Mom - you can't watch where I hide!" but I had to, because if I really didn't watch, not knowing where she was in the vast open market place would make my heart skip a beat. I think some of the cafe diners watched us. I suppose a mother daughter hiding/racing team may provide for good people watching. She didn't stop moving, or laughing, and after a while I lost a few years and laughed like a kid with her.
We also enjoyed the jazz, but merely as backround music to our evening game. Our racing feet added a beat to their tune. At one point Sara picked up two huge leaves from the trees above and waved them around - she was happy. "This is the best night ever Mom" she said.
We walked back to our apartment, opened the big heavy door with one energized arm, and both of us were asleep shortly there after.
End of Post
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Friday, September 6, 2013
Friday - wow, last day Uzes, leave Saturday
How and it be that our time here is over already? We leave tomorrow for our next stop.
We got up early, had eggs together then headed out on a hike around Uzes. They have walking/hiking paths well marked. Ours was the red blaze, which took us to a gorgeous riverbed and also the ruin of the roman aquaduct portion that is here in Uzes. (The Pont du Gard aquaduct that fed the city of Nimes back in Roman times used water that started in a Spring here in Uzes! We walked along that spring today - and walked in the old Roman stone work!)
Sara did a great job walking. Dan and I both wear pedometers, so we know she walked 2.75 miles with us - and it was up and down rocky hills! Huge rocks that we had to scamper over. And she even took more steps than we did (so did more distance) since she LOVED crossing the stream on any foot bridge we came across. It was a lovely area - no other people in sight, just a babbling stream winding its way down hill - lined with tall leafy trees that made the whole area shaded. And there was also green fields, that lead to rising cliff mountains and the rock towers of Uzes. Georgeous, and how neat to have the whole area to ourselves. I think there was one jogger there, even though there were many trail heads and trails that were in the area. Our hiking was fun. Julia was in the Kelty Backpack and so she enjoyed the view. Sara wanted to be the leader - so she kept up a fast clip as she walked - with a hearty spring in her step - she had the best time being out in the fresh wide world - with no boundaries - no cars around - nothing but nature - and everything felt timeless since it was all about trees, water, and views. Very relaxing and refreshing for all of us!
Sara carried our provisions - a french baguette that we picked up at a bakery - actually Sara bought it all by herself. She enjoys walking into the bakery, looking at all the bread choices in the display, ordering one, paying for it, and then carrying the bread out the door. Really -- she does it all her self! She loves it. Then she carries the baguette under her arm just like everyone else in town - as if she's carried around french bread all her life.
So Sara carried that bread the whole hike - and nibbled as she walked - offering some to Julia and us as well. It as a happy go lucky family outing.
The roman ruins were neat. No ticket needed - just found them as we walked. There was a sign to tell us all we needed to know - that it was a cistern and a channel for the water to flow. We got to walk right through it - talk about time travel!
After the hike, we walked up a steep stone path back to the real world. Sara told us stories as we walked. Dan and I shared amused glances. Sara can tell great stories - some that really happened and some that she makes up. They are all full of detail, and give a glimpse of her imagination.
We walked back to the apartment, where Dan started to telecommute after lunch. We made hamburgers (no bun) and vegetables. Julia napped, Sara and I played lego, and Dan worked.
In the afternoon I put Julia in the Kelty backpack and carried her around town as Sara walked by my side. Well, Sara didn't always walk by my side, she liked walking ahead. We hit our bakery first -to get Sara's favorite Swiss bakery treat (a long soft sweet bread) which she ate right on the bakery's steps. After a short walk we ended up at the chocolate shop, where she picked out an eclair.
There are three kinds of eclairs: vanilla, cafe (coffee), and chocolate. Sara picked the cafe (coffee) one. She wasn't fond of the flavor, so I got to eat more of the eclair than I was expecting. :)
After that we wandered around town, enjoying the sunshine, the fountains, the french people, some tourists, and the leafty court yards. We also popped into the cathedral/church. Julia likes being in the Kelty but she is so adept with her hands that she can nearly get out of it - which is scary to think that she'd plummet down out of it! So before she did that - we came back here around dinner time.
While I made dinner the girls played nicely together - in their pool (dry, but with toys in it!) they were quiet - just playing, which has to be the best ever. They were putting legos together and they are so cute when they hand each other lego pieces as if they have an unspoken language telling the other sister what piece they want. If Sara passes a piece to Julia, no matter what Julia is building, she will use that piece. Same goes for Sara. They just collaborate and have seemless teamwork.
While they played I made dinner - left over vegetables, hamburgers, and salad. Since we leave tomorrow it was kind of "clean out the fridge" night.
This evening has been quiet as we pack up. The sounds of Uzes are right outside our windows - we hear muscians serenading the cafe customers as they dine in the outdoor tables - but little do they know they are serenading us too. Many years ago Dan and I sat in one of those tables, before kids. Now here we are with Sara and Julia and we eat our meals at a dining room table - not a cafe table, but we are happy and the kids are too.
Quote of the day: While we were eating a "coffee" flavored eclair from the chocolate shop, Sara determined the flavor was "funny" and thus wanted me to get rid of the top layer of frosting on the eclair that was light brown and coffee flavored.
Sara: "Mama, will you eat the top of this? Then I will be happy."
Mama: "Okay."
Sara: (Watches me with hawk eyes to ensure I don't do anything else other than eat the coffee flavored icing off the top)
Mama: "Here you go."
Sara: "Thanks Mom, now this will be delicious."
End of Post
We got up early, had eggs together then headed out on a hike around Uzes. They have walking/hiking paths well marked. Ours was the red blaze, which took us to a gorgeous riverbed and also the ruin of the roman aquaduct portion that is here in Uzes. (The Pont du Gard aquaduct that fed the city of Nimes back in Roman times used water that started in a Spring here in Uzes! We walked along that spring today - and walked in the old Roman stone work!)
Sara did a great job walking. Dan and I both wear pedometers, so we know she walked 2.75 miles with us - and it was up and down rocky hills! Huge rocks that we had to scamper over. And she even took more steps than we did (so did more distance) since she LOVED crossing the stream on any foot bridge we came across. It was a lovely area - no other people in sight, just a babbling stream winding its way down hill - lined with tall leafy trees that made the whole area shaded. And there was also green fields, that lead to rising cliff mountains and the rock towers of Uzes. Georgeous, and how neat to have the whole area to ourselves. I think there was one jogger there, even though there were many trail heads and trails that were in the area. Our hiking was fun. Julia was in the Kelty Backpack and so she enjoyed the view. Sara wanted to be the leader - so she kept up a fast clip as she walked - with a hearty spring in her step - she had the best time being out in the fresh wide world - with no boundaries - no cars around - nothing but nature - and everything felt timeless since it was all about trees, water, and views. Very relaxing and refreshing for all of us!
Sara carried our provisions - a french baguette that we picked up at a bakery - actually Sara bought it all by herself. She enjoys walking into the bakery, looking at all the bread choices in the display, ordering one, paying for it, and then carrying the bread out the door. Really -- she does it all her self! She loves it. Then she carries the baguette under her arm just like everyone else in town - as if she's carried around french bread all her life.
So Sara carried that bread the whole hike - and nibbled as she walked - offering some to Julia and us as well. It as a happy go lucky family outing.
The roman ruins were neat. No ticket needed - just found them as we walked. There was a sign to tell us all we needed to know - that it was a cistern and a channel for the water to flow. We got to walk right through it - talk about time travel!
After the hike, we walked up a steep stone path back to the real world. Sara told us stories as we walked. Dan and I shared amused glances. Sara can tell great stories - some that really happened and some that she makes up. They are all full of detail, and give a glimpse of her imagination.
We walked back to the apartment, where Dan started to telecommute after lunch. We made hamburgers (no bun) and vegetables. Julia napped, Sara and I played lego, and Dan worked.
In the afternoon I put Julia in the Kelty backpack and carried her around town as Sara walked by my side. Well, Sara didn't always walk by my side, she liked walking ahead. We hit our bakery first -to get Sara's favorite Swiss bakery treat (a long soft sweet bread) which she ate right on the bakery's steps. After a short walk we ended up at the chocolate shop, where she picked out an eclair.
There are three kinds of eclairs: vanilla, cafe (coffee), and chocolate. Sara picked the cafe (coffee) one. She wasn't fond of the flavor, so I got to eat more of the eclair than I was expecting. :)
After that we wandered around town, enjoying the sunshine, the fountains, the french people, some tourists, and the leafty court yards. We also popped into the cathedral/church. Julia likes being in the Kelty but she is so adept with her hands that she can nearly get out of it - which is scary to think that she'd plummet down out of it! So before she did that - we came back here around dinner time.
While I made dinner the girls played nicely together - in their pool (dry, but with toys in it!) they were quiet - just playing, which has to be the best ever. They were putting legos together and they are so cute when they hand each other lego pieces as if they have an unspoken language telling the other sister what piece they want. If Sara passes a piece to Julia, no matter what Julia is building, she will use that piece. Same goes for Sara. They just collaborate and have seemless teamwork.
While they played I made dinner - left over vegetables, hamburgers, and salad. Since we leave tomorrow it was kind of "clean out the fridge" night.
This evening has been quiet as we pack up. The sounds of Uzes are right outside our windows - we hear muscians serenading the cafe customers as they dine in the outdoor tables - but little do they know they are serenading us too. Many years ago Dan and I sat in one of those tables, before kids. Now here we are with Sara and Julia and we eat our meals at a dining room table - not a cafe table, but we are happy and the kids are too.
Quote of the day: While we were eating a "coffee" flavored eclair from the chocolate shop, Sara determined the flavor was "funny" and thus wanted me to get rid of the top layer of frosting on the eclair that was light brown and coffee flavored.
Sara: "Mama, will you eat the top of this? Then I will be happy."
Mama: "Okay."
Sara: (Watches me with hawk eyes to ensure I don't do anything else other than eat the coffee flavored icing off the top)
Mama: "Here you go."
Sara: "Thanks Mom, now this will be delicious."
End of Post
Thursday - revisit to Pond du Gard; Medieval Garden
Thursday (updated)
Busy day today. Dan got up with Sara and Julia - did their breakfast. When I got up it took me just a few minutes to get ready for the day, then we headed out.
For the first time all trip we went out for breakfast. There is a bakery/tea room next door that we go to everyday for bread/treats, but they also serve breakfast. I got there first with Sara and Julia (Dan was back at the apartment) so I got our table and ordered.
They had meals all pieced together, so I picked the 8 Euro combination of eggs, bacon, OJ, coffee with milk, and grain bread. It was enough for all of us to share (though I did get an extra coffee for Dan at 1.25 Euro). What a treat to relax and have breakfast together like that! We liked the grain bread so much that we bought a whole loaf (at Sara's request) before we left. The lady showed Sara how the loaf cutter worked. Pretty neat.
Dan and Sara went out the back of the bakery and Julia and I went out the front (since the stroller only fits out the back). Julia held my hand and we walked through the bakery - she sure moves those legs fast to keep up - and does a great job. I can't help but smile when we walk together. Before we left the bakery, Julia pulled me over to the cutting machine. She pointed to the bread in the display, then she pointed to the cutting machine. She remembered! Way to go Julia. She communicates a lot like that.
We wanted to go back to Pont du Gard (the 2000 year old Roman aquaduct/bridge) so today was the day. It is a short drive away (about half hour) and when we got there I tried our stick shift car in the parking lot. I did okay. Though I'm happy to leave the driving to Dan!
This time we did the kid's museum at the Pont du Gard, and also the adult museum and the movie. Julia slept through the movie, and Sara LOVED the kid museum. She could have stayed there for hours - and we were the only ones in there. Not another person in sight! It was an active museum, where kids could channel running water in different directions by moving water blocks etc. The adult part of the museum was facinating about how they got those big ton blocks to build it (google "Pont du Gard" to see it) and details about how it has gone through all these years.
Then we got outside and swam. The river flows under it, so we had our bathing suits and swam in the chilly water. The water was clear and you could see many fish around. It was not a sandy bottom, there were large rounded stones - it was hard for Sara to walk so I let her travel into the water on my back. Julia played near the water's edge with Dan. Many other people were swimming, and many other people were going by on Kayaks. It is an active place.
Dan had to get to work around 2:00 so we headed back to the apartment.
I decided to take the girls to the Medieval Garden here in Uzes. I didn't know what to expect, but didn't want to take the Bob-stroller (which is a double stroller) there, so I tried on the Kelty back carrier with Julia in it. It was heavy! But worked okay, and Sara and I were nimble with Julia up there and no stroller to bog us down. The medieval garden is well named. Back in medial times, they used the area with in castle walls to build gardens. Herbs, medicinal things, and a few things of beauty were common. This garden was wonderful - a true pleasure to walk through. They had a grape trellis - with green grapes hanging down. They had more herbs than I can name. And there was one tree that Sara noticed had a green fruit on it - and when I looked at the tiny sign at the base of the tree - then I translated it in the hand-out - it was a pomegranate tree! We often buy pomegranates at home for the seeds so it was neat to see a tree!
Another fun part about the medieval garden was simply being next to the castle - tower of Uzes. A real castle - that just ooozes atmosphere. The walls were so thick - and there was ancient writing on the walls. Mystical really. The garden had manicured bushes in a labyrinth dotted with olive trees. Tiny stones made the pathways. Our feet crunched as we walked. It was a fairly small place, and not many other people were there. It was great to share it with Sara and Julia - just a peaceful stroll to explore a garden in the shadow of castle walls. Great.
After that we walked back here - stopping for ice cream. It was so good. It was "artesian" icecream - and Sara nearly cried when he put the chocolate on the top instead of the bottom of the strawberry scoop. She is particular about her ice cream! We sat on a white wooden bench and ate - Julia even got a few tastes!
Back here I filled the pool I got at the market with all the Legos we had. The girls sat in the dry pool in the dining room and played quietly while I made dinner. (Around 5:30 ish.) It was heavenly. So nice to be able to make dinner and not rush it - and also not have to interrupt making it a million times to do something for Sara or Julia. They just played so nicely together while I cooked! Timing is everything - we had just come back from the garden, and they weren't starving, so I guess the conditions were perfect for them to mellow out and play. I made fish for them, and ham for Dan and I, with greens, potatoes, cheese, and french bread. Ready in about 20 minutes.
After dinner I gave Julia a bath and put her to bed around 6:30. Dan went out with Sara for a quick Father/Daughter soccer game and to move the car. Then Sara got a bath - and got ready for sleep.
It was a full day. A really good one. We are getting into the swing of things schedule-wise - what works and what doesn't. One thing we always underestimate is how much water to bring. We easily go through the two water bottles we typically carry. So we need to bring more. They drink tap water (and so do we) but there are not drinking fountains around to fill up our bottles. I end up asking at various places and they are happy to fill it up - but it would be easier to do it ourselves. We just refill our water bottles with tap water here - and use them again. We've also learned to feed the girls before we go anywhere, so food isn't the first thing they ask for once we get somewhere!
Quote of the day:
Sara: "Mom, are you going to move? Those are the bubbles I wanted to use." -- while Sara was in her bath, she was really interested in a particular group of bubbles!
End of Post
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Wednesday - Market day - and walking around Uzes
Wednesday - Market Day and enjoy walking Uzes
I got to sleep in today - 'till 9:13! Dan did the morning circus with Sara and Julia - getting them into their clothes right as I was getting up. Julia has been going to sleep around 6PM and waking up around 7AM. Pretty good! Sara has been staying up later, mainly since the long day light hours make her think it is still time to be awake. But when the town bells ring on the hour we all stand still and count. When they ring 6 times Sara knows it is almost bedtime.
We walked out of our apartment and probably 100 steps later we were in the main square for the market. Wednesday is food, so things like olives, cheese, fruits, vegetables, cookies and chocolate. It is immensely enjoyable to stroll and look at everything. While there are other tourists like us, there are a LOT of old ladies with market baskets that look like they've been coming to the market for decades. They are there to shop - and probably also to say hi to friends.
Today Sra and I picked a vegetable stand that offered little hand-held baskets to collect what you wanted in. Sara thought she was mighty nifty as she carefully selected a cucumber, a HUGE tomato, several hand-fulls of green beans, and whatever else looked good. Our basket looked like a still-life picture in a museum when we were done. I gave Sara the money to buy it - and it was only 5Euro for all that stuff! The tomato alone was 2.56 Euro, and fully worth it! Having that little hand-held basket was nice so we didn't have to point to the things we wanted - we could just collect it and then pay at the end.
Naturally we also got some cookies (made in Uzes). Sara and I walked up - and the man gave us a sample cookie. Then he said, "she knows eh?" - he remembered us! (Well, he remembered our Sara - she is so enthusiastic and in awe of everything that she is easy to remember I bet!) we got 5 cookies for 3Euro and we sat and ate them all (sharing with Dan and Julia). They were gone before we were 10 feet away from the cookie vendor. Next came chocolate. We picked out two kinds - then the man gave us 2 squares. He put them in a bag, then offered us 2 samples. It was melt in your mouth good! It was slabs of chocolate - with chunks in it. My sample had orange bits in it. Sara's was white chocolate (she ate it so I don't know what it was like!). It was about as thick as a Hershey bar - but with no impressions in it - the mold must have been just a large rectangle - you could have as much or as little as you wanted. The vendor was kind of cute - with a funny French grin. He enjoyed Sara's bright eyes - she was very happy and excited about everything (she gets that naturally, Dan and I are happy to be at markets too!).
Before we left the market we got some dried plums, crystalized ginger, a head of lettuce, -- and it was time to head back for lunch. It was easy to toss together a good lunch with all our market stuff. Then we went for a long walk around Uzes - going down side streets, and also climbing up to view points, and so forth. Sara and Julia were in the stroller so we talked and enjoyed the sights and sounds of France.
Around 2:00 Dan started telecommuting and Sara/Julia and I cooled off in our little pool. (Julia espeically likes splashing around in it - and Sara likes to see what floats and what sinks). Then we went for a walk - with the kids out of the stroller so I was busy keeping them safe - as they had the time of their lives wandering around TOP speed - laughing together, climbing on fountains, window shopping at the toy store, wandering through the arches that line the square -- and amusing everyone. Around 4:00 they were ready for dinner. Julia bit into an avacado so I knew it was time to feed her. It was easy to have salmon, fresh salad, and melon, and potatoes with herbs.
After dinner we played a little - then Dan put Julia to bed - then he got back to telecommuting. Sara and I have been playing on the veranda - mainly with the hose water, legos, building forts, and watering the plants the owner has out there.
As I sit here I can hear music - there are often 2-3 sets of musicians around, making it sound so nice that Dan even took a recording so we could remember how it sounds. Since most everything is stone (the houses, the roads) there is no wood to absorb sounds. So every sound echos around and right into our ears.
Our time is flying by. We've already talked about packing up to leave here - which we do on Saturday to head to our next visit stop. Even though we had a good amount of time here I feel like I need to soak up every moment - since it does go by fast. The days seem so long (hour by hour, minute by minute), but at the end of the day, it zipped by! And all of a sudden the week is flying by too! We are getting to know Uzes well - beyond just the main areas - it is neat to wander down a street, then recognize where we are - based on a particular fountain or a shop or something. Even Sara knows when we are almost back to the apartment - so she is looking around at things well too. Also, on one particular street where the girls walked yesterday Julia yelled "UP!" to be let of of the stroller - so I think even she is familiar with certain bits of Uzes! Hooray!
Quote of the day:
Sara: "Did we come to France when I was a baby?"
Me: "Nope."
Sara: "Why not?
Me: laugh at her funny question
Sara: "Are you going to tell me about how people grow and change over time?"
Me: "Sure. When you are born, you are a baby, then a toddler, then you go to school, then you may get married and have kids of your own some day."
Sara: "I will bring them to France. They haven't been to France yet."
Me: "Sounds good honey."
End of Post
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Tuesday - Musee du Bonbon (candy Museum) and Dan back to work
Tuesday - Musee du Bonbon ("candy museum") and Dan back to work
Today we all got up at 7:13. It may seem odd that I always remember the time, but since I often have to convince my eyelids that it is time to open and not time to snooze, I at least like to know how long I did get to sleep. Sara on the other hand, knows (or thinks) it is time to get up if she looks out the window and sees day light. That could be at 7:13 or earlier - if she sees daylight it is time to get up.
We had fruit and French bread for breakfast and went to the Bonbon museum. We were early. It didn't open 'till 10:00 so we had time to kill. Dan suggested we go to the McDonalds outside of town just to see what it was like. But it wasn't open for the day yet! The lady saw us parking and she held up two hands so indicate they opened at 10AM! Funny to think of a McDonalds opening that late! We ended up at a little cafe where we got two tiny cups of coffee and a french pastry. Everyone was happy. I could have had about 5 more cups of coffee though.
A candy museum (that is what the Bonbon museum is) seems odd. But this area of France once made licorice - which was a big deal to them locally. That later sold to "Haribo" (maker of gummi bears) and today right here in Uzes they make 100 tons of candy a day. That is hard to believe! (I may have that exact number wrong, but it was a lot.)
The kids were free to get into the museum (that is nice!) and Dan and I paid admission, which got us about 10 packages of various candy. We aren't big on candy (it wasn't chocolate, it was things like gummies and things to suck on) so I just tossed it into my back pack. The displays were interesting. There were four floors of candy stuff - with old machinery from the 1800s and many interactive exhibits.
Julia enjoyed the robotics of one of the interactive exhibits, and used both hands to move a mechanical arm - and she has good hand eye coordination! Sara enjoyed looking at the modern machinery - especially a cutting machine. We watched it over and over. Soon we discovered that we could manipulate the machine by waving our hands to intercept a laser beam. Sara loved that. We must have stayed there for half and hour just on that one exhibit. Sara also did some dancing in a room that had music.
Dan and I enjoyed the part about the licorice, since that was local history. But I must say even the Haribo stuff was interesting. The company was started by one guy in his kitchen - and now is internationally known. They make 100 different things. They are good at what they do and like it. That is always fun to learn more about. (Sort of like Hershey back home in the US). Plus, it was a candy museum so it was light and fun!
At the end of the tour you got to put a token into a machine and it made you a pack of candy! Actually it made 5 packs. It was a very generous machine. Sara loved it. As for the candy, we let them try a little, but then it some how disappeared. The gift shop was amazing. We didn't buy anything, but people were buying it by the box full - carrying so much to their cars that it was hard for them to carry it all. If you like that sort of stuff, it was a good place to buy it. There were huge (I mean HUGE) bags of candy for 3 Euros. Our samples were more than enough - and the quality did seem good. All in all it was a fun visit.
After that (it was only a 10 minute drive away) we came back here for lunch at the apartment, then the girls swam in our pool, and played legos, then we went out for a walk. Today was Dan's first work day - so at 1:30 PM he started working (that is 7:30 EST). That meant it was me and the girls just like home. We wandered around Uzes - finding some really neat side streets, chocolate shops, flowers, etc. Perhaps the highlight for Sara/Julia was when I let them out of the Bob-stroller and they got to RUN around the main square. It was a busy time for me (chasing after them to keep them safe - and to keep them from knocking over a shop keeper's display of breakable things!) - but everyone on the square thought they were cute. They were holding hands - walking and running - and giggling - up the coblestones and through arches, and finding knooks and crannies of this village that only a kid could find.
After our walk I needed to rest (chasing kids is tiring work!) and so we came back here - we used our little pool (very refreshing!) - then changed clothes. While I made dinner Sara played on the iPad and Julia played with shoes (she can play with shoes for a while - no matter who they belong to - she can put them on her hands or her feet - today she put my shoes on and walked around!) --- I made dinner in about 15 minutes -- then we ate. Pork, tomatoes, broccoli, beans, and pasta with some ham in it. Everything was quick and easy. Then I put Julia to bed and Sara and I went out for a walk. It was so much fun. She got an ice cream and was on top of the world - walking around like a happy lark - and I thought how lucky I was to have my sweet Sara (and Julia too - but she was sleeping!).
Before we got back to the apartment Sara managed to get a second ice cream (strawberry and chocolate) then we came back here. Fun. I should mention that I planned to buy a quart of ice cream at the store so we could scoop our own and share with Dan - but Sara said, "come on Mom, I'll show you something better" and she lead me to the nearby ice cream shop. We got two scoops there, instead of a practical pre-packaged quart at the store, but we had the fun of a cone -- and got to sit together in a table for two on the main market square. I people watched all the strolling people going by as Sara enjoyed the cone. She even let me try some. ;)
Quote of the day:
Sara: "How come when I'm 7 Julia will be 4?"
Me: "She is 3 years younger than you."
Sara: "Does that mean I'm not young anymore?"
End of Post.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Monday - day trip to Nimes
Monday - Drove to Nimes for the day
Today we were in Nimes by 10:30. We parked in the Arena lot. "Arena" refers to the Roman arena, which is similar to the Roman colosseum in Rome Italy, but our guide book says it is even better preserved. It is like a time capsule of A.D 100. Dan and I have toured it on our last trip, so we showed it to the kids from the outside and kept enjoying Nimes.
Now I'll back up a bit. Our drive to Nimes was gorgeous. It was 30 minutes, and amazing. For part of it we were way up high driving along a gorge, with no guard rail, just a rock wall. And the road was like a one lane road, but it was two way traffic. It swerved and zigged and was exhilarating. Similar to our other drives, there was nothing man made to scar the view except a bridge, some planted trees, and maybe a stone house or two in the distance.
As we got closer to Nimes that changed. Nimes is a city, so naturally there were gas stations, shops, houses, etc as we got closer.
Nimes as a long history. There is all the Roman stuff still around the city (from 2,000 years ago) - and also in the middle ages Nimes was busy making a fabric. It is called "denim" - jeans! It is named after Nimes (de Nimes = from Nimes and that became denim). Levi Strauss brought it to the US to be used in the West. It all started in Nimes.
We didn't have a check list of things to do in Nimes, since we've been here before we've done all those things - which is nice, since we just get to walk around and enjoy rather than try to see sites. The girls took everything in. It was another bright sunny day, warm, and breezy.
When we first stepped out onto Nimes Sara took Julia by the hand and they walked around together. Julia took two steps to every one of Sara's since her legs are a bit shorter, but Julia kept right up and scooted along the pebbly path with her sister. They looked mighty cute. It was windy. And I worried that Julia would blow away, so after a while I swept her up into my arms, then she wiggled back out again and walked with Sara.
Our first stop was a chocolate shop for a cup of chocolate mouse. That wasn't brillant, it seemed to super charge Sara, who was running top speed down the narrow streets of Nimes about an hour later. The old part of Nimes reminded us of Venice Italy, how the buildings are so close together and they seem to line tiny narrow streets that don't seem to bother keeping a direction - they just turn and zig and zag as they please. It was traffic free, so I didn't worry to much about our running Sara getting struck by a car, but I didn't want her to get whalloped by a bike or a scooter. That meant I had to run with her. She is fast - but she was impressed that Mama can run fast too.
We made lunch a priority. It may sound like all we do is eat. Anyway, Dan picked us out a great outdoor cafe right by the cathedral - it had carvings on the fresco from Roman times and the food was amazing. I had a salad with olives, greens, potatoes, duck, chicken, tomatoes and whatever else. Sara had ham and pasta. Dan had a crepe with stuff in side of it. Julia ate everything that came near her - though she was more interested in the pigeons wandering around the tables than she was in the food. Water is free here (a nice change from some countries) and they always give you a carafe of water and a basket of bread. It makes a meal 25 euro instead of 29 euro which is nice. Our table was in the shade, though we were near the sun so it was the best of both worlds.
After our bellies were full we did more walking around. We saw the Maison Carree, which "rivals Rome's pantheon as the most complete and splendid building that survives from the Roman Empire." For us it is neat since it is said to have inspired Thomas Jefferson (a Virginian) to build his house Monticello. I climbed the steps - marveling that those steps have been around for so long, and then we kept walking.
A high point of the day was when we got to the "Jardin de la Fountaine" or Fountain Garden. It is a huge open space, which was a Versailles style park, but built for the people! I loved all the statues, the steps, the grandness of it all. The girls LOVED running around - dashing behind trees, chasing each other in the sun, climbing up steps, playing "follow the leader", and even playing in a hollowed out tree - that served to entertain them for almost an hour. After all that fun, they were glowing, and we went to a park side cafe for ice cream.
Sara didn't finish her lunch (that we ate by the cathedral) so we pulled it out of my backpack (we had tupperware like we always do) and she had to eat that before getting ice cream. Lucky for Sara, Julia reached for some of it, so Sara finished her lunch with Julia's help and we all had ice cream.
Soon after that we saw the "Temple of Diana" that is "one of the best examples of ancient stone work." It is a ruin, free to enter, and I think it spoke stories to those who listened. I enjoyed walking around it, and Sara nearly insisted on playing hide and seek in the garden that is attached to it. Meanwhile, Julia napped. I did play hide and seek with Sara (how could I not?) and it was fun to hide behind pilars that have been there for thousands of years. Her hiding spots were usually plants - so it was pretty easy to spot her golden hair poking out behind greenery as she hid in the bright afternoon sun.
We walked back along the canal (the needed water to power their textile industry) and wandered back through the narrow streets to the parking garage. Along the way, Dan stopped in an artesian beer store and Sara and I stopped in a bakery. We had to try one of the decorated chocolate muffins, and it was mighty good. It cost 2 Euro, and hte nice lady re-filled our water bottle too. Sara is a distinctive customer, so she can usually get us anything we are hoping to procure. (Read: Sara is cute and shop keepers are amused by her.)
The drive out of town was a confusing set of roads, twisting under bridges, winding around round-a-bouts, and finally back onto a main road. We hit the big super market (spent 100 Euro on all sorts of stuff for meals to cook in the apartment) and then I gave the girls a nice warm bubble bath in their new pool. The apartment only has a shower, so it was a neat idea to use the pool for that, and it even fits in the shower area. They were squeeky clean for dinner. Chicken, melon, tomatoes, and a lot of milk to drink. Strawberries for desert.
Sara loved the day's adventure. Julia laughed a lot and both of them were good travelers.
Sara and I looked at the stars before she went to bed - and she was out like a light.
Quote of the day: The following occurred while Sara was sitting on Dan's lap, at an outdoor park side cafe waiting for the ice cream to arrive. Dan ordered the ice cream, so in Sara's mind it was going to be his -- and by what she said she was hoping to solidify her desire to have some of the tasty treat.
Sara: "You know Papa, everyday people share food, water, and love. You have to share."
Papa: "Okay Sara." (And he did. We all shared Dan's two scoops of ice cream. I think he even got to try some.)
End of Post. Happy Labor Day.
Today we were in Nimes by 10:30. We parked in the Arena lot. "Arena" refers to the Roman arena, which is similar to the Roman colosseum in Rome Italy, but our guide book says it is even better preserved. It is like a time capsule of A.D 100. Dan and I have toured it on our last trip, so we showed it to the kids from the outside and kept enjoying Nimes.
Now I'll back up a bit. Our drive to Nimes was gorgeous. It was 30 minutes, and amazing. For part of it we were way up high driving along a gorge, with no guard rail, just a rock wall. And the road was like a one lane road, but it was two way traffic. It swerved and zigged and was exhilarating. Similar to our other drives, there was nothing man made to scar the view except a bridge, some planted trees, and maybe a stone house or two in the distance.
As we got closer to Nimes that changed. Nimes is a city, so naturally there were gas stations, shops, houses, etc as we got closer.
Nimes as a long history. There is all the Roman stuff still around the city (from 2,000 years ago) - and also in the middle ages Nimes was busy making a fabric. It is called "denim" - jeans! It is named after Nimes (de Nimes = from Nimes and that became denim). Levi Strauss brought it to the US to be used in the West. It all started in Nimes.
We didn't have a check list of things to do in Nimes, since we've been here before we've done all those things - which is nice, since we just get to walk around and enjoy rather than try to see sites. The girls took everything in. It was another bright sunny day, warm, and breezy.
When we first stepped out onto Nimes Sara took Julia by the hand and they walked around together. Julia took two steps to every one of Sara's since her legs are a bit shorter, but Julia kept right up and scooted along the pebbly path with her sister. They looked mighty cute. It was windy. And I worried that Julia would blow away, so after a while I swept her up into my arms, then she wiggled back out again and walked with Sara.
Our first stop was a chocolate shop for a cup of chocolate mouse. That wasn't brillant, it seemed to super charge Sara, who was running top speed down the narrow streets of Nimes about an hour later. The old part of Nimes reminded us of Venice Italy, how the buildings are so close together and they seem to line tiny narrow streets that don't seem to bother keeping a direction - they just turn and zig and zag as they please. It was traffic free, so I didn't worry to much about our running Sara getting struck by a car, but I didn't want her to get whalloped by a bike or a scooter. That meant I had to run with her. She is fast - but she was impressed that Mama can run fast too.
We made lunch a priority. It may sound like all we do is eat. Anyway, Dan picked us out a great outdoor cafe right by the cathedral - it had carvings on the fresco from Roman times and the food was amazing. I had a salad with olives, greens, potatoes, duck, chicken, tomatoes and whatever else. Sara had ham and pasta. Dan had a crepe with stuff in side of it. Julia ate everything that came near her - though she was more interested in the pigeons wandering around the tables than she was in the food. Water is free here (a nice change from some countries) and they always give you a carafe of water and a basket of bread. It makes a meal 25 euro instead of 29 euro which is nice. Our table was in the shade, though we were near the sun so it was the best of both worlds.
After our bellies were full we did more walking around. We saw the Maison Carree, which "rivals Rome's pantheon as the most complete and splendid building that survives from the Roman Empire." For us it is neat since it is said to have inspired Thomas Jefferson (a Virginian) to build his house Monticello. I climbed the steps - marveling that those steps have been around for so long, and then we kept walking.
A high point of the day was when we got to the "Jardin de la Fountaine" or Fountain Garden. It is a huge open space, which was a Versailles style park, but built for the people! I loved all the statues, the steps, the grandness of it all. The girls LOVED running around - dashing behind trees, chasing each other in the sun, climbing up steps, playing "follow the leader", and even playing in a hollowed out tree - that served to entertain them for almost an hour. After all that fun, they were glowing, and we went to a park side cafe for ice cream.
Sara didn't finish her lunch (that we ate by the cathedral) so we pulled it out of my backpack (we had tupperware like we always do) and she had to eat that before getting ice cream. Lucky for Sara, Julia reached for some of it, so Sara finished her lunch with Julia's help and we all had ice cream.
Soon after that we saw the "Temple of Diana" that is "one of the best examples of ancient stone work." It is a ruin, free to enter, and I think it spoke stories to those who listened. I enjoyed walking around it, and Sara nearly insisted on playing hide and seek in the garden that is attached to it. Meanwhile, Julia napped. I did play hide and seek with Sara (how could I not?) and it was fun to hide behind pilars that have been there for thousands of years. Her hiding spots were usually plants - so it was pretty easy to spot her golden hair poking out behind greenery as she hid in the bright afternoon sun.
We walked back along the canal (the needed water to power their textile industry) and wandered back through the narrow streets to the parking garage. Along the way, Dan stopped in an artesian beer store and Sara and I stopped in a bakery. We had to try one of the decorated chocolate muffins, and it was mighty good. It cost 2 Euro, and hte nice lady re-filled our water bottle too. Sara is a distinctive customer, so she can usually get us anything we are hoping to procure. (Read: Sara is cute and shop keepers are amused by her.)
The drive out of town was a confusing set of roads, twisting under bridges, winding around round-a-bouts, and finally back onto a main road. We hit the big super market (spent 100 Euro on all sorts of stuff for meals to cook in the apartment) and then I gave the girls a nice warm bubble bath in their new pool. The apartment only has a shower, so it was a neat idea to use the pool for that, and it even fits in the shower area. They were squeeky clean for dinner. Chicken, melon, tomatoes, and a lot of milk to drink. Strawberries for desert.
Sara loved the day's adventure. Julia laughed a lot and both of them were good travelers.
Sara and I looked at the stars before she went to bed - and she was out like a light.
Quote of the day: The following occurred while Sara was sitting on Dan's lap, at an outdoor park side cafe waiting for the ice cream to arrive. Dan ordered the ice cream, so in Sara's mind it was going to be his -- and by what she said she was hoping to solidify her desire to have some of the tasty treat.
Sara: "You know Papa, everyday people share food, water, and love. You have to share."
Papa: "Okay Sara." (And he did. We all shared Dan's two scoops of ice cream. I think he even got to try some.)
End of Post. Happy Labor Day.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Sunday - day trip to Montpellier
Sunday - drove to Montpellier
My day started at 7:09 AM. Julia's day started at 7:05 AM. Sara's day started at 7:50 AM. Dan's day started at 9:55 AM!
That is to say, I got up with the girls this morning. Normally Dan does it. But today Julia was standing and calling to be gotten up for several minutes -- and Dan didn't budge. He was sleeping. Snoring in fact. So I got Julia up. Then I closed the door and let Dan sleep in.
Thankfully, I noticed a chest in the corner of one of the bedrooms. It had a bugs bunny on it. I opened it up. Toys! A whole lot of toys. Julia walked over. Her excitement was palpable. She dove in and I actually left the room to make coffee since she was so enthralled with the toys she didn't notice I left.
As the coffee perked, I got ready for the day. I checked on Julia - though I didn't need to. She was glued to those toys. Nothing beats "new" toys, even if they looked like several generations had already played with them.
Soon Sara was up too. I invited her in to play with the toys, but she stayed in her cozy bed for a while to wake up. Then she joined us. Soon Julia's quiet play time was loud sister play time, since Sara discovered some of the toys were musical instruments - and songs erupted from the play room.
Meanwhile I drank 3 cups of coffee. Every other morning I wondered why there was so little coffee left when I got up. Know I know! The kids go from 0 to 60 in the morning, while we adults go from 0 to 10 in the morning -- after one cup of coffee. It takes more coffee to make it all the way to 60, and even then, an adult 60 is slower than a kid's 60.
When Julia walked over to the refrigerator and leaned on it I knew it was time for breakfast. I made oatmeal, which Sara said it was the "best oatmeal I've ever tasted."
I peeked in on Dan. He was out. Snoring. I didn't have the heart to wake him with our morning noises, so I took the kids out. Uzes has a Sunday flea market. On the streets wear just yesterday there were linens, wood things, pottery, etc, the streets today had all sorts of "trash or treasure" type things. Old shoes. Old clothes. Old magazines. Old coffee grinders. Old china. Old toys. Old sewing things. Old furniture. Old books. Old anything. It was a true flea market - you could have found anything there.
We walked to the main square, where Sara danced. Then we wandered around. Things were not on tables. Things were laid out on blankets. If you wanted to see some shoes, you just walked over to the lady selling shoes - and looked down at her display on her blanket.
As we wandered I looked at stuff. When I spotted something I liked. It was a kid pool, still new in the wrapper. Our afternoons are so sunny - there have been times I wished the kids could have a swim on the veranda. But how do I bargain for this pool? I don't speak French! Nothing had price tags. Not one thing. Anywhere. Bargaining was the way to buy things.
I held up the pool. "How much?" I asked. "blah blah blah" she answered in French. I held up some fingers, then she held up 4 fingers. She only wanted 4 Euros for the pool! Done. I handed her the money and the kids now have a pool.
Sara, Julia and I enjoyed the market - on all the side streets - till we returned - to find Dan still sleeping! When he got up he had the last dribble of coffee that was left in the pot and we headed out to Montpellier. An hours drive away.
It is a city, with wide open spaces, gardens, monuments, cafe's, statues, some flea markets on some of the streets, grand vistas, ice cream shops, and plenty of sunshine. We saw it all. I quick stop at the tourist information booth gave us a walking route and some tips on where to eat. Our first walk lead us along a pretty boulevard that was car-free. It was lined with grass and flowers. We then went to the bathroom in the Opera house.
Then we walked to the Arc de Triomphe (a copy of the one in Paris) which lead us to an area with more trees, a vista, and some tears from a tired Julia. (That is out of character for her, normally she is so happy.) I carried her in my arms for a while as we walked around the city. Thankfully, the whole part we were exploring was car free - I just love pedestrian friendly cities! She put her head on my shoulder and held on to me with both arms. I sang to her. I stopped looking around at the sites and focused on our sweet baby - trying to do anything to help her be happy. Soon she was happy. Very happy. Dan stopped for ice cream and she livened up in a snap. Sara had a strawberry cone and Dan had a melon and pear flavor. Sara immediately shared with Julia (with out being asked) and soon Julia was smiling. Sitting there sharing those ice cream cones was my favorite part of the day. The city swirled around us - people walking to and fro, but we were stationed right by a cafe, just enjoying our sweet treat.
After that we went to the "oldest botanical garden in France" which was an enjoyable walk through the city. It was mostly down hill. It is notable when we walk down hill since the stroller slips and slides on the cobblestones. (There isn't much pavement around here - it is all cobble stones.) We came across a gorgeous church on the way. With a huge bell tower. The botanical garden had some tall bamboo, several towering trees, a pond with HUGE lilly pads and flowers, sprawling lanes, pathways that lead around corners into flowered nooks, and some sun flowers in peak bloom. Sara liked picking which path for us to walk on. She was our leader and loved it. The sun was warm and hot. I put her hair up into a bun and she enjoyed flitting around the flowers in her sun dress.
Soon I change Julia's clothes (she always gets a lot of France on her!) and she was happy and sweet. Then we got a late lunch (we had picniced earlier) at a sidewalk cafe, though we ate inside by the first and only air conditioner I've seen on this whole trip! What a novelty! We had a ham/cheese baguette and an apple pastry along with an espresso and an orange soda. (The girls had water, the other things were for us!).
After a bit more exploring - and walking back up hill, we drove back here to the apartment. Dan made dinner (one person makes dinner while the other person watches Sara/Julia and I'll let you guess as to which activity is more relaxing) and we sat outside to eat it. It is such a pleasure to dine outside - by our very own Fig tree and on our sunny verandah!
Bellies full, Sara and Julia played in the new pool while Dan and I relaxed a moment.
Then I put Julia to bed (it took 1 minute) and played with SAra a bit. When Sara went to bed she wanted to look at the stars. So she stood in the door way, looking up into the heavens, seeing the twinkling stars. I picked her up. I had her cheek to cheek. She said, "I want to make a wish. I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish upon the first star I see tonight." Then she was quiet. I said, "I hope your wish comes true" as I set her down and took her to her room.
Dan and I are planning what we'll do tomorrow. It is labor day so he has the day off - then on Tuesday he'll telecommute.
Quote of the day:
Dan: "do you want some bread Sara?"
Sara: "no thank you, I won't be hungry for 30 hours."
Dan: "okay"
Sara: "but in 10 minutes I'll be starved."
End of Post.
My day started at 7:09 AM. Julia's day started at 7:05 AM. Sara's day started at 7:50 AM. Dan's day started at 9:55 AM!
That is to say, I got up with the girls this morning. Normally Dan does it. But today Julia was standing and calling to be gotten up for several minutes -- and Dan didn't budge. He was sleeping. Snoring in fact. So I got Julia up. Then I closed the door and let Dan sleep in.
Thankfully, I noticed a chest in the corner of one of the bedrooms. It had a bugs bunny on it. I opened it up. Toys! A whole lot of toys. Julia walked over. Her excitement was palpable. She dove in and I actually left the room to make coffee since she was so enthralled with the toys she didn't notice I left.
As the coffee perked, I got ready for the day. I checked on Julia - though I didn't need to. She was glued to those toys. Nothing beats "new" toys, even if they looked like several generations had already played with them.
Soon Sara was up too. I invited her in to play with the toys, but she stayed in her cozy bed for a while to wake up. Then she joined us. Soon Julia's quiet play time was loud sister play time, since Sara discovered some of the toys were musical instruments - and songs erupted from the play room.
Meanwhile I drank 3 cups of coffee. Every other morning I wondered why there was so little coffee left when I got up. Know I know! The kids go from 0 to 60 in the morning, while we adults go from 0 to 10 in the morning -- after one cup of coffee. It takes more coffee to make it all the way to 60, and even then, an adult 60 is slower than a kid's 60.
When Julia walked over to the refrigerator and leaned on it I knew it was time for breakfast. I made oatmeal, which Sara said it was the "best oatmeal I've ever tasted."
I peeked in on Dan. He was out. Snoring. I didn't have the heart to wake him with our morning noises, so I took the kids out. Uzes has a Sunday flea market. On the streets wear just yesterday there were linens, wood things, pottery, etc, the streets today had all sorts of "trash or treasure" type things. Old shoes. Old clothes. Old magazines. Old coffee grinders. Old china. Old toys. Old sewing things. Old furniture. Old books. Old anything. It was a true flea market - you could have found anything there.
We walked to the main square, where Sara danced. Then we wandered around. Things were not on tables. Things were laid out on blankets. If you wanted to see some shoes, you just walked over to the lady selling shoes - and looked down at her display on her blanket.
As we wandered I looked at stuff. When I spotted something I liked. It was a kid pool, still new in the wrapper. Our afternoons are so sunny - there have been times I wished the kids could have a swim on the veranda. But how do I bargain for this pool? I don't speak French! Nothing had price tags. Not one thing. Anywhere. Bargaining was the way to buy things.
I held up the pool. "How much?" I asked. "blah blah blah" she answered in French. I held up some fingers, then she held up 4 fingers. She only wanted 4 Euros for the pool! Done. I handed her the money and the kids now have a pool.
Sara, Julia and I enjoyed the market - on all the side streets - till we returned - to find Dan still sleeping! When he got up he had the last dribble of coffee that was left in the pot and we headed out to Montpellier. An hours drive away.
It is a city, with wide open spaces, gardens, monuments, cafe's, statues, some flea markets on some of the streets, grand vistas, ice cream shops, and plenty of sunshine. We saw it all. I quick stop at the tourist information booth gave us a walking route and some tips on where to eat. Our first walk lead us along a pretty boulevard that was car-free. It was lined with grass and flowers. We then went to the bathroom in the Opera house.
Then we walked to the Arc de Triomphe (a copy of the one in Paris) which lead us to an area with more trees, a vista, and some tears from a tired Julia. (That is out of character for her, normally she is so happy.) I carried her in my arms for a while as we walked around the city. Thankfully, the whole part we were exploring was car free - I just love pedestrian friendly cities! She put her head on my shoulder and held on to me with both arms. I sang to her. I stopped looking around at the sites and focused on our sweet baby - trying to do anything to help her be happy. Soon she was happy. Very happy. Dan stopped for ice cream and she livened up in a snap. Sara had a strawberry cone and Dan had a melon and pear flavor. Sara immediately shared with Julia (with out being asked) and soon Julia was smiling. Sitting there sharing those ice cream cones was my favorite part of the day. The city swirled around us - people walking to and fro, but we were stationed right by a cafe, just enjoying our sweet treat.
After that we went to the "oldest botanical garden in France" which was an enjoyable walk through the city. It was mostly down hill. It is notable when we walk down hill since the stroller slips and slides on the cobblestones. (There isn't much pavement around here - it is all cobble stones.) We came across a gorgeous church on the way. With a huge bell tower. The botanical garden had some tall bamboo, several towering trees, a pond with HUGE lilly pads and flowers, sprawling lanes, pathways that lead around corners into flowered nooks, and some sun flowers in peak bloom. Sara liked picking which path for us to walk on. She was our leader and loved it. The sun was warm and hot. I put her hair up into a bun and she enjoyed flitting around the flowers in her sun dress.
Soon I change Julia's clothes (she always gets a lot of France on her!) and she was happy and sweet. Then we got a late lunch (we had picniced earlier) at a sidewalk cafe, though we ate inside by the first and only air conditioner I've seen on this whole trip! What a novelty! We had a ham/cheese baguette and an apple pastry along with an espresso and an orange soda. (The girls had water, the other things were for us!).
After a bit more exploring - and walking back up hill, we drove back here to the apartment. Dan made dinner (one person makes dinner while the other person watches Sara/Julia and I'll let you guess as to which activity is more relaxing) and we sat outside to eat it. It is such a pleasure to dine outside - by our very own Fig tree and on our sunny verandah!
Bellies full, Sara and Julia played in the new pool while Dan and I relaxed a moment.
Then I put Julia to bed (it took 1 minute) and played with SAra a bit. When Sara went to bed she wanted to look at the stars. So she stood in the door way, looking up into the heavens, seeing the twinkling stars. I picked her up. I had her cheek to cheek. She said, "I want to make a wish. I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish upon the first star I see tonight." Then she was quiet. I said, "I hope your wish comes true" as I set her down and took her to her room.
Dan and I are planning what we'll do tomorrow. It is labor day so he has the day off - then on Tuesday he'll telecommute.
Quote of the day:
Dan: "do you want some bread Sara?"
Sara: "no thank you, I won't be hungry for 30 hours."
Dan: "okay"
Sara: "but in 10 minutes I'll be starved."
End of Post.
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