Mom is here for a visit

Mom is here from Monroe for a few days. She flew in after spending a few days in Knoxville with Nina. We spent the day shopping at the mall and then a quick trip to Ikea. We had fiskeboller for dinner and now we are getting ready to watch Valkyrie (this will be the third time for me). Tomorrow we are going to Sam's and what ever passes our fancy. All in all a pretty nice day.

Besides our outing, Woody called me this morning to tell me about a kitten that had found it's way to the office at Valero in San Antonio. It's gray like my Sammy but with a white ear. Woody called Delta Dash and it will call a small fortune to bring it to Atlanta along with a vet certificate. He said that someone had already given it food so we are hoping that it will be adopted at some point. I miss my Sammy.

Kitty Up-date

I got a call from Dr. Whiteway and she said that the kitty wasn't doing well today and suggested that it be put to sleep. She thought it was going to be okay yesterday as it appeared better in the evening and even ate but by this morning it had taken a turn for the worst. So, I guess it was better to have passed peacefully at the vet then violently under a car tire. I'm not having much luck with kitties lately.

Coming soon........

This morning I met Cecilia for breakfast at the IHOP and afterwards we decided to go for a ride and just sight see a little and try to come up with something to do. Well we didn't make it very far because just as we were about to go through the intersection of LaVista and NorthLake Parkway we spy a kitten trying to cross the road with what is obviously a broken back leg. Not far away was another one already dead. The next thing you know Cecilia puts the car in park and we go jumping into the road along with about half a dozen other people in search of this kitten. After crawling around on the street it was found beside the back wheel of a Escalade still alive. We grabbed it and quickly drove off to the vet where this feral kitten is now parked until Monday. Please check back for further updates and pictures........

Friends Reunited

Some times its amazing that after 30 years time feels like it just stands still and yesterday wasn't really so long ago. I drove to Laurinburg NC for a short visit to see a friend that I had lost touch with some 30 odd years ago from NJ. She was my Rocky Horror buddy, heck for a while there we went every where together. This was before we embarked on our transitional period, before I was on may way to Louisiana and God knew what and she was on her way to Florida and marriage to a high school sweetheart. But recently a funny thing called the internet came along and facebook made it possible for old friends to finally find each other. The internet can sure be a wonderful thing.

me and Sue

I really liked Laurinburg NC. We went for a walk in Sue's neighborhood and it was really, really nice. It reminded me of Monroe Louisiana and the Garden District. Her house looks small from the front but it was much bigger on the inside and really, really cute! This was just the nicest place to raise a family.

Sue's mom was visiting from Florida and it was really nice to see her again. You talk about bringing back memories! We had a lovely evening with a wonderful meal, great conversation, good wine and just a great time.

Hiking at Red Top Mountain

This morning I got up and took the dogs for a hike at Red Top Mountain by lake Alatoona Ga. There are several trails to choose from but since we were new to the area we choose the 3.5 mile trail that was rated "moderate".


As usual the dogs whined in the car but settled downed after a while. We've settled into a hiking routine so they do better when get started and are not so over excited. We found some water to wade in and cool off which was a welcome find as poor Bubba gets over heated.


On the way home we drove through Lake Alatoona and stopped at one of the boat ramps. I took the dogs down to the waters edge and we all got in to our knees. The water was surprisingly warm. I pulled Bubba in up to his neck and Cindy was dunked too.

In the end I took home three happy dogs!

Tree Cutting Day

With a forest comes forest maintenance and today was finally the day that we cleaned up the yard of tree branches and cut down the dead trees in the front and back yard. We had managed to accumulate a large pile of sticks that had gotten out of control. It will be nice to come home and not have to look at all the debris at the entrance of our yard!

Paris 2009: Our Last Day

Our trip was a hugh success with much enjoyment by all. Woody and I were fortunate enough to have had friends with us on this adventure and still be able to spend time by ourselves and do the things we wanted to do. How fortunate I am to have a wonderful husband and great friends to share these great experiences with. It will be fun to look back on my days in Paris and at the French Open.....next year Wimbledon!

Eating Our Way Around Paris

France is world renown for the food and we certainly had every intention of eating our way across Paris. I had to stop early as my stomach wasn't cooperating but Woody and Russ sure gave it their best effort!
This is the restaurant that Woody and I found on our first evening in Paris and we ate there again on our last with Susan. We found it to be very good and very reasonable. We met a very nice American lady who had lived in Paris for 42 years and taught political science at the Sorbonne. She asked how we had managed to pick this spot and we said just by chance. She told us that we had picked well and that proved to be true! I wish I had gotten a picture of dinner but by that time the red wine was, well how should I say Ooh la la!

French Onion Soup

Quiche

Blue Cheese Salad French Style

Here is a pit stop at a coffee and pastry shop. I think we had breached some kind of etiquette because this sale woman was not very pleasant to deal with. I went and sat down and let Woody pay and take care of business. The only reason I stopped was to use the restroom.

Here I am eating breakfast at the hotel. They had wonderful cheeses, soft boiled eggs and terrific bread every morning.

Here we are at a cafe on the grounds of Versailles. Woody and I shared a raspberry tart pictured below while Russ had a quiche and Debbie had a chocolate crepe that she didn't share as Russ thought she should. C'est la vie!

Shopping in Paris

Shopping in Paris is almost as fun as shopping in New York. I guess the difference is that you know what things really cost. With the dollar in the dumper it was easy to forget that something that was 7 euros was really $9.80. So there goes your bargain! But I never saw a souvenir shop I didn't like and stopped at them all.

I am happy to report that I did manage to control myself as I had my spending monitor with me at all times. It's a handy device that can't be bought on the open market called a Woody.

Here we are at the Le Bon Marche Department Store. The store itself was very expensive and really out of my price range but the grocery section was to die for and we had lunch and wandered through all the food aisles.

Why is it that Woody was the pastry king and I'm the one that has the picture taken buying a sweet treat? This women was the only nasty Parisian we met during our stay. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Notice the haughty attitude.

The Sights of Paris

A view from inside the clock at the Musee d'Orsay

Woody and I went sight seeing everyday. With only 6 days it was hard to hit every spot but we did spend time in the ones we wanted to see most. I made it to the Louis Vuitton store on the

Champs-Elysees and resisted the urge to buy another LV handbag. Here are some of our favorite spots in Paris!
We didn't climb up the Eiffel Tower but we did stroll by several times. Russ and Debbie's apartment was not far away and we got a marvelous view at night of the Tower twinkling.

We found a magnificent view of the city from the top of the Basilique Du Sacre Coeur. The basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

Here is a picture of the view from that day. It was a little hazy out and very warm.

The Basilique Du Sacre Coeur


One of the few locations Woody really wanted to visit was Napolean's Tomb. The picture does not begin to show the size and scale of the monument. Located inside a rotunda in St Jerome's Chapel at the Les Invalides Hospital and museum.

The former emperor's body was returned to France from St Helena in 1840 and, after a state funeral, was laid to rest in St Jerome's Chapel while his tomb was completed in 1861.

There was no expense spared for the tomb and Napoleon Bonaparte's body lies within six separate coffins. They are made of iron, mahogany, two of lead, ebony, and the outer one is red porphyry.

The tomb sits on a green-granite pedestal surrounded by 12 pillars of victory.

Scattered throughout Paris are Merry-go-rounds. Here is one located in the Parc du Champ de Mars.


Woody and I never made it into the Louvre Museum but we did make into the Metro station located in the basement by the shopping gallery. I needed to use the restroom and was impressed to find the restroom there was in fact a bathroom store selling all kinds of fancy toilet paper and supplies. Cost of a pee, 1 euro!


Here is the front entrance of the Palace at Versailles.

One evening Russ, Debbie, Woody and I took a cab ride around the city. Rick Steve's tour book suggested a route, but since our driver didn't speak or read English he took his own tour which was just as good. I asked about Princess Dianna and he drove us through the tunnel de l'Alma. It was sad.
Here is the Arc de Triomphe at night.
The line to get into Notre Dame was so long that we took a pass and just wandered through the square on our way to our next destination.

No trip would be complete without a visit to Marie Antoinette's toilet!

Welcome to Paris

After months of living on the road Woody had accumulated enough miles to stay in a very nice hotel one block from the Place Vendome. The Marriott Vendome was really nice and everyone was helpful and set us off in the right direction. We became very good at using the appropriate French words for hello, please and thank you. I of course used, "I would like" often as I have many needs!

Here is Woody waiting in the hotel lobby on me to get ready for a jaunt around the city

Mr. and Mrs. Metler rented a wonderful apartment around the corner from the Metro Javel. The view was terrific of the Seine and right down the road was the Eiffel Tower.


The apartment was two rooms with a small kitchen and bathroom but spacious for a European apartment. Debbie said the gentleman that owned the place had left for the south of France. Another highlight was that it was located only a short subway ride away from Roland Garros.

Madame Metler looking very French!

Woody became the expert at finding our way around the Metro and Debbie was equally as good for team Metler. Russ and I gleefully followed along.

Woody and I had dinner there one evening. Debbie and I were planning on going shopping at the grocery around the corner but it was closed for the religious holiday. (Those French are so pious you know they have the day off for the Ascension of Christ). Since Woody and Russ were back at the apartment, tired from walking all day we were ready to settle for McDonald's when we ended up meeting a Frenchmen on the street with a daughter in Texas. He was really nice and took us to a French restaurant and arrange for take out! The owners were so nice, but the patron's gave us a dirty look. Only Americans come to France for To-Go meals!

French Open Tennis 2009

We finally made it. After all those years of watching the French Open on TV, Woody is officially on the grounds of Roland Garros. It was smaller than expected and just as crowded as we imagined it would be with all of the worlds best tennis players in one place.

Here is Mademoiselle Susan enjoying a moment of tennis at the French Open!

Can you spell C-R-O-W-D-E-D!

Leander Paes and his partner are in the men's doubles final this year. We saw them win one of the early round matches.

Gael Monfils, a French favorite is fun to watch on the court. He he is on the practice courts warming up for his match. Woody and I saw him play Roger Federer in Miami at the Sony Ericcson Tournament last year. This year Gael lost again to Federed in the quarter finals.