a day in the life of an adventuresome couple; not your average AARP Seniors

May 11

Mercure Hotel – Non-rev Style – Fontainebleau

DISCOUNT here….and a good Discount – at that, all my Airline chick-a-dees.

Normally this Mercure is 100- 115 (euros) a night – they gave it to us with the airline (retired) discount for 59 euros. We had an outstanding dinner in the hotel and breakfast buffet for an incredible total price of 83 euros. That included the room!! You can’t get a good meal in Paris for under 80 euros !!! So we were very happy with this.
Mercure & Novotel used to be the F/A – crew place to stay back in the late 90’s. Not sure what it is now – but it would be worth it to find out if you’re planning to come to Paris. It’s usually the much better deal.
This hotel also takes their rewards card but won’t be able to if you use your airline discount. Better deal anyway is the airline discount, unless you were a business traveler.

And look how large the rooms are! It’s a SUITE! Nothing is large in France – (in the way of rooms especially) so these rooms were a bonus!

Large rooms (like a suite) which is a bonus in France – Nothing is large in France, especially ROOMS!

May 8

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French Countryside Vacance – Chartres – Fontainebleau

Still Day Two – Can you believe it?

Covering a lot of Territory in Two Days, but that’s because we have a CAR!!! As you know, I’m in a bit of heaven driving in the countryside after no car/driving for 7 months! Whooooooo hooooooo!

If you want to visit Napoleon’s LIFE, the life he would have you believe was the most important, Then visit FONTAINEBLEAU. (If you want to visit the “in love with Josephine life” than visit Malmaison, their country estate) Fontainebleau is where Napoleon lived after he crowned himself emperor. The Musee Napoleon houses a massive exhibition on the Bonaparte family. What I didn’t realize is that there were more books written on Napoleon (with the exception of Jesus Christ). Hmmmmmm. Fascinating.

Fontainebleau is a favourite weekend getaway for Parisians, as well as for the historical château de Fontainebleau, which once belonged to the kings of France. It is also renowned for the large and scenic forest of Fontainebleau.

I won’t go into the “made for many movie specials” history, instead, click on the blue links.

An Historical trivial moment – in the photo below (slideshow) David and I are standing by the staircase. This is where Napolean bid farewell to his troops before being forced into exile on the Island of Elba and also is the exact spot where his remains were returned before they were sent to Invalides for final burial. If you haven’t visitied Napoleon’s Tomb at Invalides – it is a magnificant memorial.

Another piece of trivia: It is a fact that Napoleon introduced many innovations, notably the DECIMAL SYSTEM. I bet you always wanted to know who invented that, right? 🙂

Everything else in this elegant town defers to the spectacular palace in its parkland of woodlands, lakes and landscaped gardens. A discreet plaque acknowledges John D Rockefeller Jr’s generous funding of the palace restoration in the 1920’s.

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May 5

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Day 2 (still) and then there was the YARN shop in Rambouillet

Yes! It just came upon me like a deer darting out from no where – and I thought – “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT” – they are so hard to find, but there it was! 🙂 (I’d like to say …it’s the car – you can’t find everything by walking and trains – but my friend, Melanie, would disagree) So, yes, because we had a car, in the middle of nowhere – Well, actually SOMEwhere – the most historical area of France……my car – just happened to take me to a big desire of my heart. Sorry Mel. I still love driving. 🙂

Lovely little shop with yarns from everywhere,- Romania, Germany, England, France, – wool, and blends and tricot and cotton,…..Love the Cotton! So I had fun looking, and did buy a few baby blends for some baby, somewhere…..hmmmmm . It was all on SALE. How fun was that?! But basically, I had taken my knitting with me and needles and half way into the trip one of the needles disappeared. How could this happen? Dunno, but it did, and the shop keeper found me another needle which matched and made me very happy.

Now I have yarns from a friend in Saint Louis, have begun with these , a new needle to replace the one lost, and

new baby micro fibers to try when I can actually knit with that tiny of a needle!! Life is good!

May 5

4 Comments

The original video game?

DAY 2 – The Historic Centre of France

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This is Day 2 of the Original “A Vacance of Knitting, Writing, Driving through Fields of Gold………..”

It is the Historic Centre of France and it is most lovely. Much of French life and its history are combined in this car tour of ours – branching out from the Cathedral City of Chartres. The Palace of Fontainebleau and the Castle at Rambouillet conjure images of the once sumptuous ease of the Aristocracy of years gone by. The Parks, woodlands, forests which circles Fontainebleau are beautiful to stroll. So, if you have the opportunity, take that stroll in an afternoon.

First was Milly-la-Foret, a 15th-Century attractive, peaceful village of timeless appearance. The artist, dramatist and poet, Jean Cocteau – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cocteau – lived here and you can see his house that had invited guests such as Erik Satie, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Edith Piaf. To refresh your memory, Cocteau wrote the original Beauty and the Beast – and a lot of other stuff – plus he was an artist in many aspects – not just writing, poetry.

Alas, I had photos of Jean Cocteau’s home, the plaque and all its interesting trivia, but the photos didn’t register on my iPhone – probably because it had an extremely low battery . Errrrggggggg!!! (Make sure you take you car charger when renting a car and using your camera/phone all day!!)

Update update!! – Photos found – Taken on David’s iPod!!! Hooray ! _ Here they are:

May 3

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Metro – Boulot – Dodo

Yes that is the saying here in France….
Which means that life is not all METRO – WORK – SLEEP…..
As that is what a lot of people do here
And since we’re here without a fancy retirement package & actually have to WORK in Paris to be able to afford it here

And

because we take a LOT of public transport to & from our jobs….
The Metro, Boulot & Dodo has become our mantra……..sort of

Thus, when my husband invited me out for a date tonight after work, I was excited!!!
So we’re having a lovely time at a local café outside, because EVERYONE needs a little TIME OUT , & with a “pression avec peche” – it’s even cheerier!!!!
Yeah date night in middle of week!!!

Along Canal Saint Martin

May 2

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Chartres – The Prayer Circle

One of the most impressive things to me in the Cathedral at Chartres, is not so much the bell towers reaching up to the heavens above the expanse of the Beauce plain or the three main doors, or the carvings, or the stained glass though all those things are not to be missed…..

But the PRAYER CIRCLE within – was very moving and I could join those in their stocking feet, or I could just sit on the side and just watch and do my own praying from that distance.

A very good friend’s daughter had just died that morning not far from Saint Louis,

and I sat and thank God that she was out of pain and prayed hard for the family…………..

May 2

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A Vacance of Knitting, Writing, Driving through Fields of Golds………

I should emphasize the DRIVING part because that is what was a huge huge deal to me. So, after 7 months of no driving because we live in France and we take public transportation EVERYWHERE

and everywhere we don’t take it, we use our 2 legs to the very max, it goes without saying that missing driving can occur. Driving to me is a necessity back in Saint Louis, because I ‘m too suburban. Therefore, my driving is done with a fair amount of boredom. But here – everywhere you look – when you drive – it’s pretty outstanding.

If you happen to drive in the city, it’s outstanding because you are ever vigilant not to get side-swiped, or crashed into because it’s a nutplace out there!!! I’ve watched from a pedestrian point of view and am totally amazed that no one bumps, runs into, crashes into, runs over a cyclist because of the fast way they drive in the city and the closeness to the next vehicle they constantly remain.

Thus, we took to the FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE and did not look back (for about 2 days!) It was rather glorious train trip to Chartres and then renting our CAR – and driving only B roads and going through small villages, of which Rambouillet was one of my favorites, from Chartres and on the way to Fontainebleau……………

May 1

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The Learning Curve in France is very high – – Time for a VACANCE!!!

Coming soon is a Vacance somewhere in the country of France – to get away from the city. A much-needed holiday due in part

because we LIVE here. The learning curve in France is high – & everyday there are new and complex challenges, that keeps our heads spinning constantly. We’ve learned to be very humble and to take on a new innocence – our logic is DEFINITELY not THEIR logic!!!

That being said, stayed tuned for upcoming displays of a “French Holiday in the Country”!!!

Apr 23

8 Comments

PEANUT BUTTER

Just wanna say ONE thing! (TWO things) PEANUT BUTTER !!!!

Yes. My husband came back to me as much as he missed his old life in the United States. ??

And yes, he brought me PEANUT BUTTER – the CRUNCHY kind. And I have to say – I’ve eaten

about 1/4 of it. I feel a little sick.

But ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh – it was sooooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peanut Butter CAN be obtained in Paris, but it’s like 10.00 USD! Ridiculous!!!

That’s my story –

and I’m stickin’ to it!!!!