New and improved.
Now with video!!!!
Contrary to public opinion, we here at the Epistle don't sit on laurels all the time. We constantly strive to be on the bleeding edge of the technological evolution. As fast as we can figure out how this cool stuff works, we implement it.
Chateaugiron
This medieval fortress was built in the 13th century and renovated between 1450 and 1470. It counted 6 towers (of which 4 remain) and a drawbridge. It is a listed monument open for public tours.
Project update
Project? What project? Projects are for people with money and our lives are all about saving for her infernal flying machine, remember? "Save, save, save", that's the mantra heard around here. However, just because we are spaghetti-o's broke doesn't mean we have to suffer from PDS. (Project deficit syndrome) So, to keep things moving along, we have been busy with a number of labor intensive but cheap-to-do finishing touches that we had hoarded the supplies for. We have done odd bits of painting here and there and made finishing touches in our Master Bedroom and dressing room in preparation for carpeting next year when we hope to have her you-know-what paid for.We have also made changes in the kitchen that we want to remodel next year after … well, you know. The changes are minor and have transformed a counter area from not-so-very-nice to barely passable. In our view, that's progress. You will note the lack of pictures here. Finally, one not very noticeable but hugely time consuming project that has needed attention since we first bought the house was pointing the stone walls we have indoors. Pointing, if you are not familiar, are the mortar joints between all the individual and irregular stones in a wall. It is a mind numbing task that is (I am told) about as exciting as applying hemorrhoid cream. Pointing takes forever to do but adds that all important 'finished' look.
Finally, it seems that no recent winter in Brittany is complete without an obligatory forging project. This year I forged a 'Juliet balcony'. It is the waist high protective barrier that I will install on the outside of our 2nd story bedroom door at the island. There is no outside balcony or staircase, but this allows us to open the door to the view and the air with this as a safety barrier. As I obviously could not carry it on the plane in one piece I made it so that it could be disassembled, and packed the pieces into a box which I will substitute for a suitcase. Once reassembled and installed in June, I will post a pic.
Speaking of pictures I have managed to get one that shows clearer detail of our front door entry light (the light is in the wine bottle). This is the rooster's head piece we had professionally forged two years ago. In spite of my best efforts I could never get a picture that showed enough detail to do it justice. Again, think France. This 5 foot tall piece would obviously look completely out of place in California.
Taking a stroll down memory lane
You missed a BIG deal around here about a week ago. Janice and I celebrated the big 25. Certified combat veterans, we are. It was touch and go for a while but I finally got her to re-up for 25 more when we will be only 83. That anniversary will be very special because it is 5 years after the actuarial tables say I should be circling the drain. Of course, we couldn't help reminiscing about events that led up to our wedding.
We met when I took my 4 year old daughter Kami for her first dental checkup and Janice was the dental hygienist. I asked her out, then failed to show up when my car broke down. (Honest!) It quickly became obvious that I might have a chance to marry up but I bamboozled her into asking me. The fun started when she did and I played coy and said I would need to think about it.
She didn't have to wait long for her answer. When she showed up at her office on Monday morning, she wondered why all her co-workers were giggling and hovering nearby as she walked into her operatory and opened the curtains. Her view was of the complexes' large parking lot enclosed by a chain link fence. On this fence was a 165 foot long (50 meter) banner made from blank newspaper rolls, with 6 foot high (2 meter) letters that said "YES JANICE, I WILL MARRY YOU!"Not nearly as pleased as I had hoped she would be, she raced out in horror and tore it down before most patients began to arrive. Unfortunately, she did it so quickly that no picture was taken to record the event. My theatrical bent was evident to her years before I formally took to the stage.
Wanting to ensure that she understood my unrelenting enthusiasm, I called and had her look at the 'want ads' section of our local paper, assuring her that I had seen a message addressed to her. As you know, there are thousands of little 3 line "for sale" or "help wanted" ditties and she looked and looked in vain.
A clear case of not being able to see the tree for the forest, as hard as she tried she could not find the segment that appears below until someone pointed it out to her.
This very public professing of one's love and affection is risky business. The effort can easily be received with less enthusiasm than with which it was created. A few years after we were married I gave it one more try for Valentine's day when I paid a fellow who had an ultra light airplane to fly over our church just as service was letting out.
He had a way to slip large poster sized letters in clear 'pockets' under the wings so they could be visible from the ground. Releasing red smoke for effect, he buzzed the area over us for several minutes. The " I (heart)
J a n i c e " made it hard to miss whom all the fuss was over.Yes, I got teased by the guys for doing such a corny thing, but that was mostly from the scowl they got from their wives when they realized it was not for them! But… the look on my brides face (and the stupefied look on 3 year old Mandy with big sis Kami) in the video that captured the event made it all worthwhile. You can see it by clicking the arrow in the video below.
Is living in Europe
really that different ?
The short answer is that in a lot of important ways, yes. Take bankruptcy for instance. At home corporate and personal bankruptcy is not uncommon. Here, corporate bankruptcy exists also but personal bankruptcy doesn't. Why? Because the courts won't grant it. In France, if you accrue personal debt (including business debt if it is in your name) the courts will require you pay it all back, no matter how long it takes. People are very reluctant to start unincorporated businesses or take on too much personal debt knowing that if they get in over their heads, there is no way out.
Inheritance and divorce law is another. By French law, children can collect their inheritance 'share' when a parent dies or divorces. Like most laws, there are exceptions and limitations but this is the default position. This can result in the remaining parent having to sell their house and / or obtaining their children's permission to sell their home to pay them the inheritance they are 'owed' under French law. [Note to our kids: don't even think about it! We bought under a treaty exempting us from this statute]
Real estate prices here are not negotiated nearly as much as we see at home. Here, people set a price and frequently have a 'take it or leave it' attitude. Properties can remain on the market for ages until someone is willing to pay the asking price. Some agencies even advertise run of the mill properties without listing the asking price requiring an interested party to make some effort to find out.
Private garage sales are rare here. Instead they have what they call 'brocantes' or 'vide greniers' [empty your attic] (what the Brits call 'boot sales') Janice likes to check them out for little French treasures but it is often surprising just how high the prices are. People seem to think their old junk is worth almost as much as new.
To us, another interesting thing we see are the TV adds. Only here can you see travel adds trying to entice you to visit such fascinating places as Croatia, Azerbaijan and Angola. Heck, as long as you are in the area you could stop off in friendly Darfur!
Incoming…
This month we were delighted to have friends and family visit from America and Canada. First we had dear Thousand Island buddies Wayne and Barbara (From Ottawa) fly over and spent a week with us. We drug them from Roman ruins to Chateaux, from 10th century Cathedrals to our favorite beaches. We plied them with French wine & cuisine, had a terrific visit and when they had quite enough of us, they were off.
We quickly changed the sheets and hit the reset button with the arrival of my favorite mother in law Lorraine and new husband Vern. In spite of having been to the same sights many, many times, we never tire of being able to share them with all who land on our doorstep. Vern is a WWII vet and was adamant about visiting the Normandy beaches. While at the American cemetary at Omaha beach he was honored by the staff by being asked to help fold the flag when it was lowered for taps. A group of students from Ohio surrounded him to form an honor guard.
As I write this we have just pulled the plug for another season and will not return to Brittany until next December. This will be a particularly lengthy transition as we have just started this year's European road trip. We are currently in Salon De Provence in the south of France for a week and will travel about for the next month. On May 11th we will be heading back to the west coast for several weeks finally arriving at the Island on June 1.
More blah-blah-blah next month.
