It’s been a busy month. We landed in New York City and had a great few days. Then we flew to Dallas to visit my son and while there, drank a few margaritas and ate Mexican food and barbeque. From there we went to Austin where Maurice and I visited our old haunts. We met there and lived there for a little while when we were first married. There’s a wonderful area called Town Lake where we went every day to jog and we revisited some favorite restaurants and had our fill of migas, a Tex Mex type of breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, tortillas, tomatoes, cheese topped with salsa. Soooo good.
Then on to Arizona to visit my parents. We stayed there for a week where I took my Dad to Doctor’s appointments and I did a lot of cooking to give my mother a break. We jogged just about every day while there in a park with a path that circles a duck and goose filled pond-water too, of course. As you can see, we are trying to get back into an exercise mode. I am not a natural runner. I’m very slow and I don’t enjoy it that much but I want to get my weight down and keep healthy. So does Maurice so we are trying to eat well and exercise. Can margaritas be counted on as a source of Vitamin C.
Next we flew to los Angeles. When we arrived at the airport in Phoenix to take our flight on Southwest Airlines we found an enormous line of probably 300 to 400 people, even those who had checked in online. For some reason, when Maurice got our tickets online we were given priority status although we hadn’t paid extra. To our surprise and delight we were able to go to the front of the line, then to the surprisingly short security line. We had so much spare time, we sat in a cafe and had coffee and breakfast. We are staying on the beach in Hermosa Beach, in the area of LA called the Beach Cities. It’s one of my favorite areas in the States. We can see the ocean breaking on the shore from our hotel room. Unfortunately, a cold front arrived with us along with wind but it’s so beautiful I think we can survive. We will be here a few days then drive up north a little way and explore there. Then back to Dallas for one night before heading back to Paris.
Below, another favorite photo taken years ago.

I love this bridge. There are so many interesting objects to photograph-not to mention the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Through the magic of the internet I have actually been away from Paris for a couple of weeks now visiting friends and family in the States. I spent Thanksgiving in Arizona with my parents and my oldest son and his family. We ate too much and watched football on TV and I took the grandkids to a movie, sort of a tradition in our family on Thanksgiving. Both of my parents have been having health issues and I was sort of expecting the worst but, luckily, they both seem to be doing pretty well. I’m glad I could be with them anyway. That’s the hard part about living across the ocean from family-you never know when they will need you.
I found an old photo that I liked in my archives, one of a park bench I took many years ago. I loved the light and shadow.

A bench in the park at Place des Vosges.

I hope all of you who read my blog had a great Thanksgiving.

Can you stand another post on Pere Lachaise?
While a friend and I were at a brocante right next to the Pere Lachaise cemetery we decided to go in quickly just to look around. It was packed with people most looking for Jim Morrisson’s grave I think. There’s always something there to sooth or surprise you.

I love how there are little streets between the tombs all lined with trees.

I think this person loved painting and flowers.

This one caught my eye-both the color and the fact that you could see his profile sticking out.

Closeup of an angel. Her hair and profile were what drew me over to take a photo.

Last June visited a church in Paris called Saint Francis Xavier.

The ceiling. On it was written each place Francis Xavier had traveled.

My friend, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, had attended a Sacred Heart school there and had a lot of information about it as she was taught the history by the nuns of the Sacred Heart Order. She especially wanted to visit this church because the body of Sainte Madeleine-Sophie Barat lies there. She was born during the French Revolution, educated by her priest brother and eventually founded a school for girls leading to the Sacred Heart Schools. Her order is often called the Lady Jesuits. Her body was in Belgium due to an anti-Clerical movement in France at the time but returned to Paris in 2009.

Here she is in “incorruptable” form, that is not decaying. I have my doubts but I could be proved wrong. The nuns at my friend’s school wore the same outfits. Because she went there, she speaks French, the lucky thing.

Her hands.

A statue of King Louis IX, who became a saint. I can’t remember ever seeing a statue of him before, especially one where he looks so kingly.

I’ve heard of Chartier for quite a while as it is known for it’s inexpensive menu, family style tables, crowds and sometimes grumpy waiters, but it wasn’t until a friend took us there that I got to try it.

If you don’t get there early, there’s a line.

The waiters write your orders on the paper table cloth.

One view of the interior. It was a hot day and it isn’t air conditioned although there are ceiling fans. We sat under a balcony and it was much cooler.

They add up your bill on the table too. It’s very reasonable. The steak is tasty and they have good french fries. We got to sit at a table by ourselves too.

Roses are such a romantic flower. I love to receive them-who doesn’t? One of my favorite flower shops in Paris is Au Nom de la Rose. There are many of them in Paris and each one is a show stopper. People come to a stop when they see the displays outside which are always so artistically done.

They use cute little tables and chairs for their exterior displays.

So sweet.

It so great when something not only looks fabulous but smells fantastic.

Ah, life. Ah, love.