We invited Aprille and Bill Glover, Americans living in nearby Lavardin that we met in 2005, to join us for dinner one evening at the Chateau. We were honored when they invited us to their home in return. While we’ve eaten in a restaurant cave several times, this was our first time dining in a cave used as a home. As you can see, it’s small, but very cozy. The couch opens into their bed and behind the curtain is the toilet and shower. From their window, they have a view of the ruins of a 15th century chateau. They’ve lived there since 1999; Bill even wrote a book about their lives entitled Cave Life in France. Nearby, Aprille has a larger cave which houses her artist studio where she sculpts and makes multimedia projects. In addition, they have another cave for storage and share a 4th with friends as a wine cellar. It was fascinating to get a glimpse at this unusual lifestyle.
While it never snowed while we were at the Chateau, it was cold and the reflecting pond finally did freeze. Of course, we just had to walk on it and get some photos. However, leave it to Jimmy to decide to design a full photo shoot complete with oriental rug, antique table, candelabra and wine. We’re sure there’s never been photos like this taken there before!
My first time was with my mom’s boyfriend as is fitting for growing up in liberal California. Jimmy’s was with his sister as is normal in the South. My sister’s was with my mom and involved a tree, which was definitely a memorable first time. Most of us don’t forget our first time--our first time behind the wheel, that is.
Jimmy decided this vacation was a good opportunity to get 11-year-old Veronica behind the wheel for the first time. She’s unlikely to ever forget it. The car might be a clunker and totally forgettable, but the setting is definitely memorable. She didn’t have to learn how to use the choke, but did learn how to shift into 2nd and even 3rd (although I don’t want to know how she got the speed up for that here.) Although she looks so short she can barely see over the steering wheel, at 5’3” she had no problem reaching the pedals.
After just one night in Paris, it was time to venture down to the Loire Valley to hunker down at the Chateau for almost two weeks. Just like two years ago, we stayed by ourselves in the Petite Chateau (built in 1791) trying to stay warm with two space heaters and a giant fireplace. This year, instead of cookies for Santa, the girls left out creme caramel. Luckily Santa didn’t hold that against them and still brought them some pieces for their fairy set. A bag of Ocean Spray cranberries cost $5, but that didn’t stop us from having cranberry sauce with sweet potatoes and chicken for Christmas dinner.
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I’m happy that Inauguration Day is finally here. I think these Capitol Hell postcards I found in a Dutch restaurant and the descriptions on their backs sum up these last 8 years pretty well. First, there’s Dickula: Arguably the creepiest villain in film history, Dickula prepares to administer a fatal Colinoscopy.
For the first time that we can remember, having the girls along actually benefited us. We were easily faced with over an hour in line to get into the Musee d’Orsay, the last on my list to visit of the major Parisian museums featuring a large collection of Monets. Immediately after getting in line, we were approached by a guard who escorted us to the front of the line. We were quite happy to spend our time enjoying the museum instead of waiting in line. The setting was quite interesting--an old train station built in 1900 and converted into a museum in 1986. We skipped most of the sculptures and concentrated on the Monets, Van Goghs and Degas. The girls especially liked this colorful painting of a knight with nymphs.
