Goodbye USA

The last days in Vermont were full of.......SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Visiting my Dad's sister Becky in her historic former stage-coach inn home in Colchester, Vermont

She has a turkey decoy in her garden
And a fox man in front of the inn's former well
The greatest wrap around porch known to man
The day before leaving Vermont, a visit from Leann, "Uncle" Craig's sister
Peter & Jeanne

Running around in the sun

Picking up cherries
Cole and Wes bringing in the sap buckets as the season is over and the sap is 'turning'
Cleaning the buckets before storing them for another year

Last evening in Vermont - dinner on the porch with Cole
Saying goodbye to our favorite cousins before hitting the road
In New Hampshire, visiting my college friend Mary at her parents' and meeting her kids! Here is Noah and Estelle in the 80 degree weather!
Estelle and Miranda get rockin'. (sorry couldn't resist the pun)
Last night, Aunt Laura arrives at Aunt Lisa's house and Estelle gets a fun bath time

Today in the incredible sun and warmth, Estelle explores around Lisa and Dan's house
Walking outside with Grammie
Flanked by aunties
An American mailbox! The lower box is for a newspaper (this is for Papa in France, to understand)
Estelle in Lisa's childhood wooden rocker which dates to 1955 or so

A visit from the REAL Estelle
Yours truly basking in Lisa's "retirement rocker" in juxtaposition to her little wooden rocker
Joan arrives from Vermont for one last hurrah and they dive into some books
The last patch of snow quickly disappearing
Mom and Estelle

The 4 sisters hit the road on a bike ride. Lisa was far ahead in the shot.... Incidentally, our other 2 sisters, the twins Mary and Martha, were in Vermont sitting watch over Mary's son Jesse, 25 years old, who had been rushed to the emergency room in the night with his APPENDIX! He went under the knife this morning and all is well. When he woke up, he said to Mary "Where is my Madeline doll?"
On the foundation of a burned out house, climbing about the chimney ruins. Laura pretends to be a-cookin'
Estelle gleefully dashes away from Uncle Dan
Is there any other way to end a trip, but with a real American dessert? Strawberry shortcake for Lisa's 50-something birthday. Delicacy prepared by cousin Emily who is also here visiting from NYC.

Vermont, Mud Season

And still lots of snow.
Estelle gets a hug from my aunt Yolande and uncle Dale

Heather and Estelle play on the bleachers at the Glover school with Aunt Darlene

Enjoying breakfast of Cheerios

Holding hands with cousin Cole in the the halls of the Glover school

A visit from my first cousins Judy and Kathy

Bob the Builder hat borrowed from her cousins is a must in the tub now.

Paul cleared out his attic and brought many toys that belonged to his girls for Heather. Estelle gets to benefit for the rest of our trip! The biggest hit is the play kitchen. Paul spent an hour and a half playing with fake food.

Lisa and Elijah

Edwin and Cole

Lisa, Paul and Me after Peanut Butter Cake!

Now mornings begin in the play kitchen

Sunday night saw a crowd of 15 at the house for pulled pork sandwiches. Before the real meal, everyone got into the spirit in the fake kitchen. Visiting were Peter and Katie and Lizzy along with Wayne, Cole and Heather.

Vermont

Connected to the internet for 5 minutes, so a few photos for the family back in France!
Estelle and Grammie read "Madeline" and tell each other 'shush'!

Estelle tries on my Vermont hat

Cousin Cole's 4th birthday party - getting into the presents!

Estelle meets her cousin Jesse for the first time ever! Jesse is my oldest nephew, born in 1983!

Estelle gets to see my college roommate Bec:

Aunt Mary babysat Estelle so I could go see nephew Addison starring as Pippin in the musical "Pippin" at my old high school! Niece Alex was also in the show. They were AMAZING! Eliza was there too and joined in the photo.

Estelle visits Aunt Mary's goats, named Peter & Paul! Also in the photo are Aunt Martha

Aunt Mary babysat Uncle Edwin's baby Elijah, who I finally got to hold since I'm not sick anymore!

Uncle Cedric reads a book to Estelle

Estelle plays around with her cousin Lillian

In Vermont

Snow, Easter, family, syrup. And sickness! A ferocious 10-day illness for me and cold/fever for her highness adds up to a big dent in our fun, but we are still living it up.




We are in Vermont with no quick access to fast internet and lots of snow.
Faithful readers, stand by.

Holy Hotel, Batman

Yesterday morning I got thrown into teaching part of a week-long intensive English week at a 5-star hotel near Monaco that is, well, fancy.
I couldn't teach the whole week since we leave for America Thursday. Try as I might to get out of this due to the 792 other tasks I am juggling in a span of about 96 hours, my boss at the Chamber wouldn't take no for an answer. Off I went, dressed in my best St. Patrick's Day nonsense, the ringer American who has experience working in a big hotel in America, dressed to impress...or something. There were 6 professional who work at the hotel in the course. We had a blast for 3 hours. I remember how much I enjoy entertaining in person, not just via a blog!
You think you have seen money, and the way rich people spend it, when you have worked for certain individuals that I have had the pleasure of working for and being friends with in my life. The you step into a place like this, not even visible from the road, really - easy to not even know it is there.
This hotel, which I daren't even name here for fear of somehow getting in trouble, has been closed for 7 months for renovations. It reopens next month. It has 50 suites, which go for upwards of 4000 euros per night - that means 6000 American dollars. Yes, you read that right. I just kept waiting to Cary Grant to step out of an alcove and head down to the water to continue shooting "To Catch a Theif".

Built in 1908 on several acres on the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean, the views in yesterday's brilliant sunshine took me out of my little bubble of Nice and scooter noise and babyfood.

This, folks, is how the other half lives. Here are a few photos that I dared (barely) to take when I was leaving at 12:15 and no one was around or looking at me because they were all eating lunch. The pool club literally hangs off the cliff at the end of this drive - nothing between your chaise lounge and the azure sea, except air.

Maxence and Estelle Ride Again, The Sequel

The Ides of March - yesterday marked not only the anniversary of Ceasar's assasination, but also a visit from Paris by Estelle's favorite little friend, Maxence.
To prepare, she read a book:

Then off we went to Parc Phoenix, a big tropical animal zoo-type place with playgrounds and picnic areas. You pay only 2€ and in you go. So I organized a get-together of all our old pals from Lamaze class. A few photos of Estelle exploring:


The gang - Estelle, Pauline, Alessandro (who's mother is expecting), Lucille (born on the same day as Estelle), Elliot, Thomas and Maxence.

Back at the roost, these gals enjoyed each others company.

They were having some fun together last night. Check it out!

Standing Man, Lying Down

This video is horizontal, but it was the only way to get the full effect of our new piece of furniture delivered today, an "Homme Debout" (a standing man).
So, lie down to watch it, or just "regarder" with your head turned!