ose savoir!

Les plus grands, ce sont ceux qui ont su donner aux hommes l'espoir.

12.18.2007

Thanksgiving chez Sophie!

Virginie, Sophie, Françoise, Vèro and families threw me my very own Thanksgiving. They tried to make me a turkey, but you can't buy them in November in France. Turkey is the traditional food for Christmas here, and the stores were not yet carrying them. Virginie made pumpkin muffins and cookies for desert. All in all it was wonderful, if not traditional. Good company and good intentions, the essential Thanksgiving necessities.

From my left around the table: Jean Paul, Caroline, Véro, Sophie, David, Françoise, Virginie, Olivier, et moi! Gilles would be sitting next to me on my right, but he's taking the picture.


The girls had a slumber party while we fêted Thanksgiving.

David's cave made the wine, and Jean-Paul's imprimerie made the labels on the bottles! Everything in this neck of the woods revolves around wine.

12.15.2007

Susan comes to France!

Just what the doctor ordered: Paris with a wonderful-English-speaking friend--and of course, the fact that it was Susan was just an added bonus. But wow, what a go, go, go weekend. I took the train all night from Carcassonne to arrive in Paris at the lovely hour of 7:30 a.m.

I had a lunch meeting with Michael at noon. Talk about intimidation. We had a four course meal in a private dining room that belonged to his company. Eeek. Fanciest meal of my life, I'm just a simple country gal. But it was productive. Michael was very helpful and I look forward to setting up a weekend of exploratory interviews with some of his contacts for after the holidays.

To live and work in France, that's certainly something to think about--something that I had never even considered before Michael planted the idea in my head. And it just might be possible, after all--should I decide that is what I want to do. Oh, how I despise decisions...

I didn't take too many pictures while we were in Paris because we had terrible weather. It's ok though, because I'm going to be doing all of the exact same things again with my parents in a week. Exciting.

Susan at the Eiffel Tower, evidement.

My pretty, red, very French, scarf that Susan brought me as a present from India. How considerate she is. Oh, and my new pea coat that I bought myself as an early Christmas present on the Camps Elysees.


I thought this was a really cool picture looking down at everyone waiting in line to buy tickets to climb thousands and thousands of steps. YIPEE.






Sacre Coeur as seen from the top of the Eiffel Tower.


Lever du soleil et le tour d'eiffel.


Sweet! The shadow of the Eiffel Tower--aren't I artistic?


Susan in our hostel room getting ready to go out Saturday night.

Yeah, we're slobs.

Washing dishes after dinner.





Looking out from behind a clock inside the musee d'orsay


They set up a sledding hill and ice skating rink in front of the Palais de Justice for Christmas.






This picture is for Susan. There is a pigeon inside a heart-shaped hole. It made her day.