L'aventure américaine

The days are not packed here, but just full enough to keep us happy and rested. The heat is intense, especially in the afternoon, so we have aimed to do most of our site-seeing in the morning, leaving the afternoon for naps and pool time and leisurely dinners.  Yesterday, we drove to Orange to see the Theatre Roman. Is is a beautifully preserved Roman theater that is still in use for outdoor concerts. It has the best preserved acoustic wall on the stage and you can image the Roman spectacles, from bawdy to religious. There was a wonderful audio tour and it was interesting trying to describe to Marian what 2000+ years old really means. We had a delicious lunch in the shade and then went to the small museum across from the arena afterward. The Popes and Mom headed back to the house for naps, while the Jochims stayed in Orange for a bit. Dinner was delicious - out on the patio and we watched Spain beat Portugal. Today we went to the market in La Vaison-La-Romaine, which is one of the ...

 Yesterday, after a run in the orchards with my brother, we took the bus into Trento. Trento was Charles's original destination - in 2002 - and I reminisced about my first visit that year. At my first Italian coffee shop in 2002, I ordered a latte. The bartender told me that it was only milk, but not wanting to seem like a stupid American, I insisted, "I know!" and proceeded to drink a steaming cup of milk like I enjoyed it (which I didn't). In present day, as I watched my daughter sit atop Charles's shoulders and our families walk around the piazzas together, I marveled at how I could have never imagined this 20 years ago.  Of course, I never really imagined being 40, but that's a different thing.  We were on a mission for a little round stuffed animal (after Marian left hers on the airplane), but Marian said that any size would do in a pinch. So, we poked in shops and churches, and stopped to eat multiple times. First a pre-lunch snack. (I had to say no to t...

We didn’t go go Iowa as anticipated due to multiple fevers in our house. (Marian had approximately 200; I had two; Milo and randal are powerhouses.) But, we have had a good, albeit low key week and a wonderful thanksgiving. And Marian is fever free and has the energy to prove it for the first time since Monday.  Also- in case you were wondering about the snowman. It finally melted today, never having fallen over. A winter miracle. 

I have about an hour before a paper is due and I am fading. It has been a long day.  But, one perk of packing too much into a day and having a table full of Star Wars projects is that you have a family picnic in the living room.  We can’t do it every night. But, it sure was great tonight. 

 If you are the main cook in your house, you probably haven't had someone cook for you as much in the past year of COVID.  I am the main cook in my house and I am tired of it.  I am tired of my cooking, tired of my meals, tired of making the effort, tired of groceries. So, today, I am grateful for the home cooked meal that I am served every Friday evening when we go out to Mom and Dad's before our early start at the vaccine clinic on Saturday.  Tonight we had meatloaf, vegetables, corn, rolls, and the good wine.  It was great.  I am grateful that I didn't have to buy those groceries, plan that meal, nor cook it.  Thanks Mom. These kids are pretty great too.

My garden has brought out the highs and lows of my emotions this year.   When I ate my first lettuce, I was ecstatic.  Watching tomatoes redden, zucchini lengthen, and green beans pop out, I am thrilled.  When a chipmunk ate most of my beets and a fungus started to spread, I was devastated.  Seriously, the fungus practically ruined my day.  (Although my dear friend suggested I throw some Vagisil in the soil and call it a day.  It might be worth a try.) When I stepped on some corn accidentally, I quickly said, "I'm sorry, baby!"  Which is the same thing that I say to Marian when I accidentally run her into a door frame. I'm in pretty deep.  Stay with me, garden; the world is dark enough without a fungus destroying you. Milo refused to eat this carrot.  I loved it. The small, but delicious, beet harvest, post-chipmunk ravaging.

Randal doesn’t read the blog regularly, but he caught up on it recently and said, “I would be jealous of our life.” And I asked if he thought it was honest and he said that it was, but I was leaving some of the reality out of it.  So, here’s a behind the scenes sneak peek of our quarantine.  Milo is very pesty right now and has to do everyone that Marian does. It wasn’t too long before he tried to edge her off the windowsill.  Felling this tree took a long time. It also fell pretty far away from where it was intended. Fortunately, the gate was still smashed since the last time Dad cut down a tree and it fell in the wrong place, so nothing new was harmed.  Milo whined about going canoeing for an hour before we finally lugged everything out. I had to make lunch, so we got a solid 20 minutes. We then left the oars outside and Dad gave me a hard time.  It was really cold. Milo only ate French fries.  This walk took forrrrrever because Marian refused to ride in ...

We started using that word a year ago, but mainly because I thought it was funny when dad said, “it’s FRI-YAY!!!” Now, of course, it has stuck.  Rainy day, but it’s nice to be quiet and drink wine tonight. It means I might stay up until 10pm too. These are crrrrrazy days.  The kids have fun while randal and I are away.  125 birds in there. They are cute for two weeks and then are kind of gross thereafter.  But, oh, they are soooo cute.  It’s green and beautiful like Ireland. Milo named the bridge today too. Henceforth, it will be known as “Creek Bridge.” Clever, eh?

In Easters of yore, Easter morning is jam-packed.  The Easter bunny comes and we hunt for eggs and then we scramble around trying to get ready for 40-50 people who are coming for a pitch-in and a big Easter Egg Hunt.  There have been years where there have only been about 20 people, but this year, there were just six. And we didn't scramble around as much.  There was no furniture shifting.  We didn't have to mop up muddy footprints.  And, for better or for worse, the house was a whole lot quieter. The Easter Bunny did come, bringing baskets for everyone!  Milo was thrilled with his new lego airplane and Marian has been sporting her Easter boots since she got them. We still had a pitch-in.  Everyone had to bring a dish or two to share and because of that, we had a delicious Easter meal.  We knew what everyone else was sharing as well, which was new.  (There was no lemonade.  There were no tahini noodles.  It was not t...