Everyone has been so very generous, even people that came all the way to MSP for the wedding were generous, to whit, Jenny our glamerous, beautiful, intelligent and above all Texan friend who lived iin Grenoble until just before the wedding who has gifted us the beautiful Alvar Alto vase which has top shelf status (a good tihng?) in our bookshelf thing.
The desing is based on sketches of an eskimo woomans leather purse, and true the cirves do have the supply yet strong forms of that most natural material. This is the last wedding gift, and we are massivley grateful to all of you who came, who gave those who came and gave. Check back this week for the arrival of the offical wedding photos!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Roast with the most.
Bobbing between Buffys brothers is the elder of my best men, Paul, a man of wisdom and age, a mature man, who is both married and with child, maybe it was the influence of his younger, altough equally mature brother but they managed to work into their speech about 6 blown up photos of me urinating in public.
I suppose it speaks to the relaxed, intimate nature of our relationship, and the confidence they had that this would not casue my new family to reject me. Lucky them.
I suppose it speaks to the relaxed, intimate nature of our relationship, and the confidence they had that this would not casue my new family to reject me. Lucky them.
Cafe Lurcat, the reception Venue
Wonderful meal, great venue, couldnot have been more pleased with the Cafe Lurcat, and cute to boot! We started with Champagne, and then a fuzzy salad of light greens and something I didn;t quite get a change to sample... then a side of sea bass basted in Miso, r a hanger steak, with vedgetables, and each table had a bucket of the most delicious fries ever, they are famous in minneapolis, as are the miniature hamburgers, which Jess pulled some strings and had a couple brought over to our table, for Buffy and I to share, not sure if she ever got to taste them though.... Then we did speeches, and thanks to My Dad and Buffys Mom, and then to Buffys brothers who pulled the nicet words out of thin air! And then on to the Best men, who we will deal with later....
My new Family
An auspicious bunch of people, strong personalities abound, but the love flows freely and it will be a joy to add to the feast.
My new Family
I joked the wedding was a takover not a merger, but I was very gald to see everyone get on and hopefully make freinds. it was a unique experiance in my life and I will always remember the people who made it so special for us.
Exchanging vows, rings and hints.
So this was it, and the only thought on my mind... "are brown shoes OK with a blue suit,?" No seriously it was a lovley time, and very serious, very adult. and then joyouse.
The ceremony.
Its amazing how nerves manifest themselves, I became Mr Bossy and got into issuing commands and shuffeling people around. Buffy needed to change clothes. But it all came together well and everyone was where they needed to be, and looking down the aisle it was a vision of loving friends and family surrounding a proud mother and her glowing daughter, I wish I had a camera, it was a sight to behold.
Special friends
Buffys dear friends Jess and Jill are failing hopelessly in their mission to 'Bring Buffy home' which is why it was so good they all got to spend some quality time together, it was also super to see their respective kids growing up so fast and so well, pat your bum and eat that cereal bar !
The hat boxes
The british ladies pretty much all brought hats, and there were some wonderful concoctions on display, Buffy having never seen a hat box, let alone a john lewis hatbox was obviously in shock...
We were very pleased to almost meet everyone at the airport that came from europe (sorry Catherine and David!) it makes that first introduction to a foreign country and the difficult grid system (even with GPS) that bit easier.
We were very pleased to almost meet everyone at the airport that came from europe (sorry Catherine and David!) it makes that first introduction to a foreign country and the difficult grid system (even with GPS) that bit easier.
The best men, and me.
I was ably assisted by the honorable Brothers Dempsey, on the left, Paul, the older brother, concerned for others, giving and generous, he made sure all went smoothly. On the Right Craig, the younger brother, cool calm and certificated clam in a crisis, he walked me through the landmine strewn area of vows learning, and held a steady head throughout.
I am deeply indebted to them both, and they did a fine speech, for which they will both be punished in hell.
I am deeply indebted to them both, and they did a fine speech, for which they will both be punished in hell.
Pre Wedding.
Before the wedding we spent 10 days getting prepared, shopping, and meeting friends and Family, the beautiful lady pictured, (not Buffy!) is Mrs Nolan, she threw us a wonderful dinner, which she spent days preparing, and was the prefect start to our wedding.
She is a special lady, a real firecracker and will kick your ass if you deserve it, so watch out!
This image was taken at a shower thrown by the estiemed ladies of Knox Avenue, and select specila guests, including I am pleased to say some of my aunts and my mother. A great time was had by all, or so I hear.
She is a special lady, a real firecracker and will kick your ass if you deserve it, so watch out!
This image was taken at a shower thrown by the estiemed ladies of Knox Avenue, and select specila guests, including I am pleased to say some of my aunts and my mother. A great time was had by all, or so I hear.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Us leaving the wedding ceremony
The church is on the campus of my wifes old University, and its a stunning building, huge, and old and well designed and obviously built with love.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Buffy took a digger
Buffy got her bike wheel caught in the tram tracks, and blam! scrapes and bruises all over. Including a nasty dent in the ego, and a bruised pride, it was very public. She is well and safe and I didn't laugh till I knew she was OK.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The enviable state of French politics
Not sure if you are aware but theres some French general elections on at the moment. Not amazing in itself, and certainly not amazing to most jeded english peole, but its of GREAT interest to French people, and an astonishing amount and cross section of French people, I even heard some typical ;yoofs' dicussin who was better, Segolen Royale, or Nichols Sarckozy, and seriously, they were discussing issues, as well as who would win in a fight.
At the office, the two youngest employees spent over 15 miniutes dicussing the various metis of the different candidates, its refreshing.
At the office, the two youngest employees spent over 15 miniutes dicussing the various metis of the different candidates, its refreshing.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Bens family
A brief introduction to the members of my family. Might help with some of the introductions, maybe we could do the whole wedding by email and blog... and fed-ex cake and mimosas to everyone, then we could all dive in a skype chat and video webcam everyone in!
Or we could press the flesh, communicate non verbally and get our flabby white asses of the couch and go be somewhere else for a while! yay face to face!
Or we could press the flesh, communicate non verbally and get our flabby white asses of the couch and go be somewhere else for a while! yay face to face!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
And now there are 3
Me, Mark and Julia and Lukas, taken by Buffy. nice. Mark and Julia have just recently moved to France, to a little pretty town called Meymac, near the auvergne mountains, smack in the middle of France, they have bought a small gallery, with a flat above it, they are going to sell art and photos of the town, please stop by if you are in the area!
Cookies for christmas
Mmm perfectly browned, new recipie macaroons in pyramid shapes ready to be dipped in chotholate! these are for taking to the peoples houses we got invited to, we have some very generous friends.
Christmas gouté
Our Firneds Eoin and Linda came over for a snack after a strenious bout of christmas shopping they brought their kids, Oscar and Fergus and we had a pizza making party, always fun.
Our christmas tree
We are spending Christmas in France this year, we figure a three year rotation will keep as many people happy as possible, incuding us. This gives us a chance to try a few christmas traditions of our own, in case we ever have any of you people over. up for consideration are:
- Lobster instead of turkey
- 20$ gift limit (in year of wedding especially helpful.
- doing nothing on Christmas eve (difficult)
It happed very quickly, November, it just flew by, not leaving much room for December, this combined with our recent addiction to Gray's Anatomy , Arrested Development and stuff that greases the wheels - work. So it turns out we have been less than pro active about our necessary commitments to show our interests in the Christmas spirit. To make up for it the next few posts have a christmas theme. And we WILL be doing a card, but it will be a new years card.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Just to be sure....
I was at Satnstaed airport waitng for my flight back form my first trip to england... whcih I have yet to blog about actually... and I was reading the draconian anit terrorism restrictions thwey were placing on hand baggage, and still at that point wanting to take my luggagae on as hand baggae I wanted to document that I had actually bought the requested product for Buffy, and was not just bluffing it ("I also got you some perfume, make up, and some babys food, but they took it all away form me!!!"). Then After throwing my shaving foam and new ttothpaste away I realized I could just check the bag and save myself the pain of worrying about it being discovered. Idiot. So anyway we walked past this very well made up and nice smelling airport employyee who was collecting all manner fo things fomr passengers ini a big clear plastic bag....
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Best Picnic evah
We went to Lyon on a day we both had off, and swore to try and have a picnic on the way back, we went off the beaten trail and drove for miles, Buffy totally lost faith that we would find anywhere suitable, and just as we reached the end of our tether, voila! this place appeared, lake, shelter with BBQ, frog chorus that lasted about 15 mins. fishes and stuff, all good in the end.
Cool French School Architecture
The French enjoy putting effort and money into public buildings, which means all these great well designed public buildings that are obviously still loved and used, it restores faith in the modern movement, yay le corbusier!
Grape Picking
This is the only, but yet worst, picture from our grape picking charity weekend. It was on the West side of the Cote de Brouilly, in the Beaujolais region, about 50km north of Lyon, we were on the fields of the chateau Thinvin, owned and run by the Geoffrey family. The head of the Grenoble South rotary club was walking through here and got chatting about a possible charity weekend, and I was one of the volunteers that he managed to round up, (Buffy works for him). We showed up at 9am on Saturday and were in the fields within 40 mins, after a breakfast of bread, ham, sausage cheese and coffee. All served in the basement room of the chateau, a building started in 1387, and added onto constantly until the 'new' wine making shed from 1975. We walked across the small valley you can see here and started on a patch on grapes, part of an entire hillside, and big once you stand over a small bush that comes up to your waist, and realize that once this one is done there are more for as far as you can see.... but the whole grape harvets only takes about 2 weeks.
We worked till 12.00 and retired for a very hearty lunch overseen by the very glamorous Mrs. Geoffrey, and a staff of three of four, the bread came in 4 foot high paper sacks and was dispatched with very quickly, the cooking was hearty and very good, super slow cooked beef in a rich fragrant sauce, wine made from the grapes picked in the very same spot last year, fermented in the barrels in the next room, and bottled in the shed next to where we gathered after every session of picking to clean the crud of out hands at the long, old sinks. We cut the grapes with small, hand held scythes, basically thick steel wire wire flattened out into a razor sharp 'C'shape at one end, and with a loop for your little or ring finger on the other end. These were called Serpets, there was also the option of Seceteurs, but everyone that used the seceteures seemed to cut themselves, you basically cup the bunch of grapes in one hand, letting go if you feel any dry or rotten grapes and if all is good and firm you wiggle it, and cut the stalk where you feel the apex of the wobble, no need to actually see the stalk. Mr. Geoffrey and his winsome daughter were in the field with us all the time, they naturally picked about twice as much as us and seemed to de-grape an entire bush by the time we had bent down and cleared away the leaves to find the first 'grape' the French word for a bunch, what we would call grapes are called 'raisin'. At the end of the first day we all went and found beds in the Gite, next to the chateau, very comfortable and accommodating, we were 8 to a room, and silent exchange students aside everyone was great company, I unfortunately didn;t sleep well, with my head next to the door because we were the last to arrive and got the worst cots, and my fear of being spoken to and not knowing what to say conspired to make me not sleep at all. damn brain.
That same evening we had a tour of the rooms that are used for cleaning and squashing the grapes, they use gravity to cruch the grapes, and for fermenting the juice. They have a classic long barrel vaulted cave with huge wooden vats for fermenting the wine, we were shown around by the deputy picker, one of the nice, but harsh guys you know you don't want to piss off. We had another huge meal, and a lot more of last years wine, very nice, but quite young, brash almost, not hugely fruity, but quite spicy and big in the mouth, high tannins and a short but clean finish. The meal finished with a short but moving speech by our leader about the charity we were raising money for, a blood disease research foundation, there were a couple of the researchers there, and they told us about some of the people we would be helping, One of the wives of one of the Rotarians there was also an organizer of the huge rotary student exchange program, and they told us all about that. it really bonded us all for what would be a hard day on Sunday.
We were in the fields by 7.30, after another hearty breakfast, we were doing a different type of grape that morning, it was trained up chest high wires, and was smaller and less red than the grapes from the previous day, and also much easier to pick, the plant was essentially flat, so the grapes grew on one side or the other, more on the side that got the sun, perhaps not surprisingly. We broke about 9.15am for a second breakfast of Wine, chocolate and sausage, with more excellent bread. The wine was an unlabelled rose from the last year and sat surprisingly well, and was a new PB for 'earliest drink ever' of which a part of me is quite proud of.
The morning lasted a long time, with a few steep parts of the hillside being done, and more of the scrubby low growing bushes that seemed to have not got quite enough herbicide to stop weeds getting all over the place. We were told we had picked over 4 tons grapes the previous day, which has ok, said a shrugging Mr. Geoffrey. Maybe this was supposed to motivate us, but we picked a lot less on Sunday. We all had quiet large open buckets to put our grapes bunches in, when these were about half full a 'porteur' would come round, and take your grapes off you, these have guys have the shitty end of the job, they have huge tapered buckets on their backs and have to run up and down the rows collecting everyone's grapes and dashing up to the truck at the top or bottom of the hill and back to do the same, the bucket getting more and more heavy, and responding to the calls of 'Porteur!' or 'Soue' (bucket) indicating there were full buckets that needed emptying, you get paid 2 Euros extra per hour for doing that.
We broke for another excellent lunch around 12.00 and continued until 4.15 and then it was more wine and a quick dousing with water to get most of the grape crap off our hands and into the car, I had another allergy attack at the end of the day and ended up having to wipe my nose on my shirt, rough. A quick Mac Donalds espresso on the way home and we were all good. We earned about 120 euros each for the weekend, there were about 30 of us, nice work.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
hole in the kitchen
This is a hole that is currently in our kitchen, and it means my French is getting better.
WE had a visit from our neighbor downstairs, M. Jean Marc Babouchkine, who is currently renovating the apartment directly below us, he explained, using slow and simple words once he ascertained that I did not speak perfect French, that there was a leak in the corner of his kitchen just below our kitchen, and he wanted permission for a plumber to come in a take a look at the problem. He showed me the leak in his kitchen and some damage on the landing that was also caused by the same leak.
Then the plumber called, or rather the plumber controlling lady, first she called at 7.45 in the morning, waking me up (I had over slept because my phone is not working so well since I got a load of water in it..) and once she found out I did not speak excellent French, and after asking if there was anyone there who did speak French, was say things louder, and quicker, in a high pitched whine. leaving me to repeat what I thought were the important screeches, and her to correct me as if I were an idiot, "No! not Tomorrow, Thursday!!!!" She has had to call back three or four times to arrange for this hole to be made and for other people to visit, I dread her calls.
Our neighbor however is welcome anytime, especially as he has the most amazing moustache.
WE had a visit from our neighbor downstairs, M. Jean Marc Babouchkine, who is currently renovating the apartment directly below us, he explained, using slow and simple words once he ascertained that I did not speak perfect French, that there was a leak in the corner of his kitchen just below our kitchen, and he wanted permission for a plumber to come in a take a look at the problem. He showed me the leak in his kitchen and some damage on the landing that was also caused by the same leak.
Then the plumber called, or rather the plumber controlling lady, first she called at 7.45 in the morning, waking me up (I had over slept because my phone is not working so well since I got a load of water in it..) and once she found out I did not speak excellent French, and after asking if there was anyone there who did speak French, was say things louder, and quicker, in a high pitched whine. leaving me to repeat what I thought were the important screeches, and her to correct me as if I were an idiot, "No! not Tomorrow, Thursday!!!!" She has had to call back three or four times to arrange for this hole to be made and for other people to visit, I dread her calls.
Our neighbor however is welcome anytime, especially as he has the most amazing moustache.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
the smugness of life change Bloggers
I did a search on Blogspot for other people who had moved to France and were blogging about it, the tone of the feeds almost universally was 'look at us we made the move from blighty and now we are better than you' they seemed to present an image of everyone’s life being idyllic in France, that all problems were banished by having the courage to move to a new country, and start living in some other way. I only hope I haven't communicated this in any of my posts, but I fear I may have. Yes life is better, I have my own place, a job I enjoy, some nice new friends, and above all am living with the girl I love. But if these things had happened in the UK I would be brimming with smugness. And yes life is different to life in the UK, but life in the UK is great too. I emphasize the good things, quality of life, great scenery round here, the relaxed attitude etc, as this blog bears witness, but as with all things there is a balance, and after a year of good living I feel I have a little perspective to offer.
I think in an earlier post, way at the beginning that learning French was the hardest thing I have ever done, and that stands tall as the one thing that separates me from truly living here, and the one thing I am determinate to work hard at and kick its ass, I WILL be able to drop comments to random strangers that talk to me on the bus, I WILL be able to join in the Monday morning conversations about crap we did at the weekend. Its not like I'm not making progress, I can be understood when I say quite complicated things, I ordered Buffy’s ring in French, and felt like a god when it came out looking like I wanted! and I understand more and more, but the ease of communication is gone, the picking up of casual comments is not happening, overhearing snippets of women gossiping on the tram doesn’t happen, making a witty comment to the supermarket girl to try and ease her day, just is not possible yet.
one of the things I consider myself quite good at is taking in English, I enjoy it, I like language, and words, and having that taken away from me is a bit like having your tongue cut out, and having to will each cell to grow back by remembering words and unlearning a lifetime of wit and humor, and phrase and unconscious grammar. But I will succeed. Its not all wine and cheese. But my life is better.
I think in an earlier post, way at the beginning that learning French was the hardest thing I have ever done, and that stands tall as the one thing that separates me from truly living here, and the one thing I am determinate to work hard at and kick its ass, I WILL be able to drop comments to random strangers that talk to me on the bus, I WILL be able to join in the Monday morning conversations about crap we did at the weekend. Its not like I'm not making progress, I can be understood when I say quite complicated things, I ordered Buffy’s ring in French, and felt like a god when it came out looking like I wanted! and I understand more and more, but the ease of communication is gone, the picking up of casual comments is not happening, overhearing snippets of women gossiping on the tram doesn’t happen, making a witty comment to the supermarket girl to try and ease her day, just is not possible yet.
one of the things I consider myself quite good at is taking in English, I enjoy it, I like language, and words, and having that taken away from me is a bit like having your tongue cut out, and having to will each cell to grow back by remembering words and unlearning a lifetime of wit and humor, and phrase and unconscious grammar. But I will succeed. Its not all wine and cheese. But my life is better.
microwave in new home = Ben the electrician.
Moving the microwave to the rack, its new home meant putting a new plug in behind the rack, and tapping the wires for another socket further round the kitchen, behind the washer. After much consulting with my esteemed and very wise Father I decided to do it the quick and dirty way, as they have in other places in the apartment, I should have run another spur from the 'consumer unit' in the hall, with its own fuse and therefore isolator. but after a bit of digging around I found another occasion where they had just tapped an existing power socket spur for two plugs, and just bi-wired each socket, which is what I did, there was enough slack in the conduit, to make the live and neutral stretch up to the plug and the earth was extended with another section of cable, perhaps not the best way, but its only the earth, no current. Nice.
New washer = end of trips to laverie
And the washing machine in its new home, plumbed in, working, on a flat surface, and looking great, again, not much to show for nearly a days work...
I had tpo raise the work surface by a paltry 2.5 cm. instead of drilling new holes in the wall, I just added spacers all round, including the foot next to the bin, andgave it a sencond coat of varnish while I was at it. CONCLUSION: the best part of DIY is tidying up after a job well done.
I had tpo raise the work surface by a paltry 2.5 cm. instead of drilling new holes in the wall, I just added spacers all round, including the foot next to the bin, andgave it a sencond coat of varnish while I was at it. CONCLUSION: the best part of DIY is tidying up after a job well done.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
The (not steep) way to the top of the dente de crolles
We went for a walk up a local hil(mountain) a couple of weekends ago, the Dente de Crolles, (tooth of Crolles) its a 30 min drive from home up to about 1200 meters, and then a realy steep walk for another 40 mins up to the base of the toothy bit, then you have to decide, steep or even steeper, being not so fit, and very hot and half way through being eaten by some nasty flies, we decided to go the not so steep way, this is another 30 mins inot the not so steep way, to the Left is a sheer drop to the valley floor a few hundered meters below, and to the right is the back of the mountain which has come away form the main rock in places and its these splitss that make up the bit before you get to the top. the not steep bit had lots of wirers anchored to the side of the mountain to help you get up, and splits you had to crawl through. also we walked past the mouth of a cave, out of which a steady current of 5 degree air was wafting, such nice relief. I was later told that the steep way was not as ardious, and owuld explain the large amount of young children playing on the gentle grassy slope at the top.
Friday, July 28, 2006
My day at the Tour de France,
I was luck enough to be a VIP guest at the Alp d'Huez stage of the tour de france on the 18th July, click on the pic to be taken to the Flickr Set. Ben
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Buffy and Ben are engaged!
A couple of weekends ago I proposed to Buffy, she said yes! I gave her the traditional token of betrothement, an old shiny rock embedded in a metal loop. How strange we are. but it all kind of feels right.
Vespa white with Side car
This is outside the Vespa dealership next door, they do other less cool mopeds to keep the Italian youth population mobile and expressivley patriotic with their feeble horns during sporting victories. But its the Vespas that draw Buffy like a moth to a flickering LED replica flame. THis is a particularly cool version, but becasue they do service and parts there are always different versions parked outside.
its the old ones that I like, like this one. but I can just imagine a collision between this and any carelsessley driven SUV, and the prospect casts a shadow over my entire being, a pall of grey and dark, and a well of emptyness creeps into my stomach. This I feel is only a small indication of how a world without Buffy would be, and one reason why I will discourage buffy to get one, no matter how cute she would look. And also leads me onto the next post....
its the old ones that I like, like this one. but I can just imagine a collision between this and any carelsessley driven SUV, and the prospect casts a shadow over my entire being, a pall of grey and dark, and a well of emptyness creeps into my stomach. This I feel is only a small indication of how a world without Buffy would be, and one reason why I will discourage buffy to get one, no matter how cute she would look. And also leads me onto the next post....
Friday, June 23, 2006
Shopping arcade in Torino
Turin to some, Torino to others, great shopping for everyone! must calm down, sorry. not much to say, but we drove to Turin. We went the long way, over the alps, (it snowed in May) and came back the short way, (big long tunnel, under a mountain) nice trip, lots of driving. lots of hills, lots of fun, went with Ted And Kristen, over to stay for a while, nice to have their company on my week off, did lots of things I would not have done otherwise. nice.
The Church with the Turin shroud in it.
Fake it may be, but cool it is also, or at least the shrine with the big lead box it is housed in, it just serves as a reminder to us all of soemthing. Cant remember what, but it was good, nice renaiscence church facade as well, simple, well proportionedm triangle, semi cirlce, Triangle above the door., those scroll things either side of the main roof bit, straight down the line.
The Aquaduct at St Nazare en Royans
On top of the duct. the floor i mesh, you can see the crystal clear water running under your feet. Something about man moving rivers, and living under these huge structures, and there is that wicked Cotman painting, that probably streted me off on these things. Damn his eyes.
The Aquaduct at St Nazare en Royans
The bridge at St Nazare en Royans, nice old aquaduct, the opposite of a viaduct! I have a thing for ducts , just those curves and the shadows and the form... makes me all excited.
Pont au Royans
The 'maison suspendu' at the bacl of Pon au Royans, nice place, small, but pretty. The bridge on the right is where the road is, and the fron of the houses look jut like a normal village, but out the back they are these 7 storey monstrosities. There is a Museum of water just to the left...water of every kind and sort, water from all over the world!
Fete de music - park Hoche
The fete de la music happens all over France, on the 21st June, summer solstice, read about it here. Very cool free concerts put on all over town, in some nice venues. This was the most interesting music zone in grenoble, so obviously the place we spent the least amount of time. Also in a park I did not know existed, always nice to discover a hidded gem. Electronic zone, it was very quiet and thoughtful, like most French people enjoying music.
Fete de music - Park Paul Mistral
The Palais des sports is the stadium in grenoble, where Elton John played, recently, and where Johnny Halliday does his thing (they have good first aid facilities incase his hip goes again). This was the dance zone, which reminded me how hit and miss dance music is, this looked just like a couple of guys in a lorry making thuds with lights, compared with its transcendent best this was pale indeed.
Monday, May 08, 2006
The 'mont'
Buffy went to stay near Mont Saint Michel last week, there will be pics coming soon. She was missed.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
My house, just after it was built
found on a very boring postcard at a flea market last weekend, who decides on this for a subject? Perhaps it was the most interesting thing in Grenoble at the time. Before the Boules and the 5 excellent museums, and the river, and the hills. Maybe not the hills. Or the river. and how did they get no traffic or people on the bridge, but its nearly midday? maybe there was a strike, or a football match on the big screens in the sports bars.
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Beginning
This was about an hour into our adventure down the Route de Napoleon. Poor Napoleon, that must have been a long march from Cannes to Grenoble. He was one determined little fella!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
nothing going on.
Nothing is going on. we are going to Nice next weekend, should be..... fun, more stuff then.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Trust Me!
Jenny had this bright idea to go down the hill linked at the elbows. It actually worked well, until I put my feet down due to the increasing speed, resulting in a face full of snow spray. Brr.
Luging! Sledding! Sledging!
No matter what language, it is fun. Beautiful day in the alps. Grab the luges and head out. We had a visitor from Paris, Cecily. She is Irish and very enjoyable!
White out!
I was baby sitting one weekend for a family visiting Chamrousse, the local ski resort. When I arrived about 9 am, there was sun and no snow, when I left at 5 pm, this was the view while I was waiting for the bus to get back. Sometimes it is a good thing I no longer have a car.
Sporty Spice
A cold and windy bike ride in January. I brought my bike back with me. I keep it at Ben's, it is flatter there. We have been on a few really good rides. We have big plans for some serious biking this summer. I am trying to convince him to ditch his mud gards.
Olympic Bowling
I would like to think Katya (left) and Jenny (right) are cheering for me, but it probably was for Ben.
What form! What form?
Out and about, bowling for my birthday. We went with my / our friends Jenny and Katya. Good time. Low scores!
Bowling is Dangerous
Poor Ben, while bowling for my 29th birthday, he split his thumb. We are still unsure how it happened. Ever the McGyver wanna-be, I fashioned a bandage with a piece of kleenex and a hair binder. However during one of his turns, the faux bandage went sailing to our neighbor's lane. Oops!
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