We would like to welcome Mr. Samuel Levi Lindor to the world and our family. Weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces, this gentleman is the proud son of daughter Amy and husband Vance. He takes his place as # 11 in our grandchildren hit parade, and # 8 of their children. No, that was not a typo.
Computer blues
Last month, I wrote that I was writing the Epistle on a silly tablet. Criminy, we had been without our computer for 18 days after the hard drive crashed. This is France, you know, and few people are available to work on a US computer and put it back together so that things will be in English. US English. Not French or British English.
Given a choice, and I was not, I would have preferrred to be without power or water. After 18 days, I was going through DT's. Finally we found someone who was able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again and here we are. For the record, we have had an off site backup system called Carbonite (there are others) that we knew that 'someday' we would need to save our butts when it would all go to hell in a hand basket and we would need to return every document, picture and video we have accumulated since All Gore invented the internet.
France: the adventure
When we are in North America, we often miss news of happenings in Europe and elsewhere. Like the demonstrations that have been going on here, for instance. France, according to government statistics, has about 10,000 demonstrations a year. Few are prohibited by the government but all require pre-approval from the authorities. The government believes that they act as a sort of safety valve, allowing people to vent their frustrations over all manner of issues, blow off steam and then return to whatever they were doing in the first place. No harm, no foul.
The largest current series of demonstrations involve the "yellow vests". This began as a protest over higher gasoline taxes slated to support environmental global warming programs of sorts. Protesters wear the yellow safety vests required by all vehicle occupants in the event of a breakdown or accident, as a visual tie into the issue.
As in all demonstrations, trouble makers and anarchists of all stripes join in, set cars on fire and smash business storefront windows in support of other causes. The government dispatched thousands of military and police to quell the troublemakers, people got hurt and some were killed. Meanwhile, the government assumed things would settle down and would go back to normal once the folks got it out of their system.
Problem is that this has been the 18th week-end in a row that the demonstrations have raised cane all over the country. Meanwhile, a huge number of vehicles on the road sport the yellow vests on their dashboards in a not so subtle support to the cause.
US? Well, we are aware that we are tourists with a house here, guests in the country (as we are in Canada) with no right to vote so we keep our opinions to ourselves. Still...
If that was not enough, right across the pond is the debacle that is occurring in the UK (England), with the Brexit meltdown. (They are leaving the European Union) It makes the worse of our dysfunctional US politics look like a walk in the park. High drama and interesting times.
If that was not enough, right across the pond is the debacle that is occurring in the UK (England), with the Brexit meltdown. (They are leaving the European Union) It makes the worse of our dysfunctional US politics look like a walk in the park. High drama and interesting times.
Meanwhile, we went to a concert to think happy thoughts
See us on Netflix!
I have strutted our stuff many times in these pages with puff pieces written or filmed at the island, in California or here in Europe. Well, we inadvertedly came across a new one. We were watching a program called "Charly Luxton's homes by the Mediterranean" on Netflix when on season 1, episode two (there is only one season) where they were describing how magnificent the French Riviere is (it is a TV program after all) and claimed that fully 1/3 of all international tourism comes to this area.
Then, 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the program, they feature a villa in our town called 'Les Issambres" across the bay from St Tropez. The kicker is that we can see the villa they featured from our terrace and the announcer gloated over the view that includes our home in the shot. If you are subscribed to Netflix, you can see it here: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81023647
Maybe I should have gotten that Ferrari after all....
Maybe I should have gotten that Ferrari after all....
Venice Carnival
A year ago, our great friends, Ian and Lyne, decided to join us in Venice Italy this year for the internationally acclaimed Carnival. Think Mardi Gras on steroids. We have been to both, and Mardi Gras is more of a hard drinking party atmosphere whereas the Venice Carnival is more of a theatrical extravaganza. Some people rent elegant elaborate costumes (reportedly at up to a $1000. a day) to join the festivities.
Janice and I drove from our place and broke the 8 hour trip with an overnight in Verona, Italy. There we visited the Duomo (Cathedral) built in 1189. It was right down the street from a 1st century Roman theatre. Then, since it was a short walk, we visited both Casa di Giulietta and, minutes away, Casa di Romeo. These, of course, are the 14th century homes of Romeo and Juliet of Shakespeare fame.
Juliet's balcony. While there, I resisted the old platitude of "Romeo, Romeo, where art thou?" "Down here in the bushes, stupid, the ladder broke"
Our return trip was given a breather by spending the day in Cremona Italy, home of the violin museum. Cremona, a World Heritage site, (The 135th one we have visited over the years) has a long history of being the capital in the world of master violin builders who still ply their craft making every component by hand. There were hundreds of rare instruments, but only 6 made by Stradivarious. The highest price paid for one was 45 million dollars at an auction in 2014. Yes, there was an armed guard standing next to the glass encased display I was ogling.
Costumes for rent. You too can be Cleopatra.
Lyne and Janice with the 4 compadres
The view out of our bedroom window
We booked a place to stay in the center of the action a year ahead, knowing that there would be very limited availability as the time drew near. They flew in from Canada and made their way back to their home here in France when it was all over.
Practicing for my first sermon. Now if I only had a congregation to listen.
Janice and I drove from our place and broke the 8 hour trip with an overnight in Verona, Italy. There we visited the Duomo (Cathedral) built in 1189. It was right down the street from a 1st century Roman theatre. Then, since it was a short walk, we visited both Casa di Giulietta and, minutes away, Casa di Romeo. These, of course, are the 14th century homes of Romeo and Juliet of Shakespeare fame.
Proclaiming my love to my photographer at what was the entrance (to my right) of Romeo's house
Oh ye of little faith....
