B.

My mother-in-law's cousin B. is here visiting from Australia and today, Sunday, we'll all be having a a long, long lunch with most of my belle-famille (in-laws). This will be a noisy Italian speaking, foody affair...leaving me sluggish all the rest of the afternoon. I'm mentally and physically preparing myself now by drinking large amounts of strong coffee and blogging.

My mother-in-law was born in Italy, but after the war when the economy there was bad, her parents moved to Marseille. Other relatives moved to Australia, while some stayed back in Italy. B. is in France this week, from Australia, after having toured Italy and all the relatives they still have there. She makes the trip about once every five years. With me, she can speak in English, but with the rest of my in-laws, the common language is Italian...as she doesn't speak French. But there will be some French-only speaking relatives at lunch today, too. This language detail is to give you an idea about the tri-lingual shouting discussions that will be going on around today's lunch table. I think that there will be at least 15 of us seated and trying to be over-heard above all others.

Anyway, 7O year old B. has been sick, but is in remission right now and determined to "Carpe Diem" seize the day, enjoy the moment.... Yesterday, she was over at our house, showing us her new earrings. She told us that for the past five years, she'd been dreaming about getting her ears pierced, but never dared...thinking she was too old. But sometime last week, somewhere in Italy, her courage got the best of her and she finally dared. B. is sporting some fine Italian jewelry in her ears now, a wonderful souvenir from this trip back to the old continent. And she is laughing just thinking about what her kids are going to say when she gets back to Australia next week.

I bet they will think it's great.

pomme

An apple floating on a wind catcher seen recently
while out walking in a beautiful garden with a friend.
Maybe we were in the garden of Eden.
I wonder what would have happen if we'd taken a bite?

aired center

Here we are half way through the first official week of summer vacation. My husband was supposed to be on vacation this week with the girls, but his first week of holidays started off with a a business trip to Paris. As I am working a summer job, we had to find something for the girls to do besides lying around in their pajamas watching cartoons the live long day.

I signed them up for the "Centre Aeré" literally translated that means "the aired center", a good description for summer day camp...air those kids out, can't let them get dusty or anything like that.

This week is horse (pony) camp and Emma and Nina are loving the daily riding. Emma tried once when she was about 5 and didn't like it, she was afraid of the big horses. She seems to have gotten over that. And Nina used to go to a pony club once a week, so I knew she'd like it.

Anyway...I don't have to work tomorrow, so I told the girls they didn't have to go to go to the "aired center" camp on that day. But I was informed that they want to go anyway. Apparently it's more fun riding ponies then it is watching mom do laundry, dishes and maybe a bit of grocery shopping.

And that, I understand. Maybe I could sneak in for a ride, too.

Duffy the incredible hula hooping dog

You can also see the holes she's dug in the yard.

And a broom she ate.

And a shoe she ate.

maybe I'll change the name of this blog...

Summer means blooming sunflowers. This field is just down the road from our house so I dragged the girls the girls posed nicely for a photo.

More summer photos here.