That One Time... in France

I love when the Olympics are held in a country I've actually visited before. While I haven't been to Paris, Carter and I spent a day in nearby Strasbourg, France, when he was studying abroad in Germany for a semester in college. I was only visiting for a long weekend and said, "Let's hop a train and go to France for the day!"

So much easier than it sounds. Like maybe 90 minutes on trains between Heidelberg, Germany, and Strasbourg. 

It was pretty cool, but we also learned that the French are a bit uppity and don't really want to lower themselves to speak English.

Glad they're sporting a different attitude for the Olympics!

I took Friday off and drove up to Luck to do my sibling home healthcare shift with Rachel. After getting Friday fish fries for the famous Hack's Pub (owned by a childhood neighbor boy), we sat down and watched the opening ceremonies. Some of it was kind of strange, but overall we wondered how Los Angeles could possibly replicate something so unique in 4 years.

Bon travail! (That means "good job" in French, according to Google translate!)

We got up this morning and watched a bit of bicycling in the slipper rain, water polo, soccer, and extreme ping-pong (what the heck?!). Got home tonight just in time to see some gymnastics and hopefully swimming. My life is in NBC's hands!

As much as I love the Olympics, I will update you that more importantly, Rachel is doing great. Miss Super Independent! She's still in a wheelchair and can't put weight on her left leg for a few weeks. But managing so well. I was just there as a hands-off guardian angel – trying to keep cool air circulating in these nearly 90-degree temps!

Uff da!

That reminds me, of course I'm cheering for Team USA but I'll root for my home countries of Sweden and Norway when our red, white, and blue aren't in the mix!

Go TEAM!! We got this! 

P is for Plenty

 

We're more than halfway there! Alphabetical gratitude month continues today with the letter P which means I have Plenty of blessings to be thanks for.

A = Autumn, Austins, Assumption
B = Ballots, Books, Book Club, Bible
C = Casey, Clay, Carter, Church, Creativity, Camera
D = Dad, Daughters, Deck Chair, Dar, Design
E = Eggs, Election, Energy, Empty Nest
F = Family, Friends, Faith, Flu Shot, FastForward
G = Games, Golf, Guilty pleasures
H = Hugs, Hurricanes, Humor
I = Ice cream, Impromptu Invitations
J = Jim, Jokes, Job, Java
K = Kindness, King Cone, Knock on Wood, Karma
L = Laughters, Love
M = Mom, Masters, Musicals
N = Nieces, Nephews, Neighbors, Norse Force

Pigging Out: I never said that every blessing that brings me joy is good for me. By sheer coincidence, I have been Pigging Out this week on pizza (Monday night dinner) and popcorn (today's lunch AND dinner) not to mention Pumpkin Spice coffee. And, next week, here comes Pumpkin Pie! Perfect! 

Passport: I will never take for granted my ability to travel "wherever I want" thanks to my passport. Because, what good is a passport 2020? No place to go abroad and nobody wants us. That's why I'm so grateful I got two trips to Europe stamped on my passport – Norway, Sweden, Denmark two summers ago, and Germany and France 18 months ago. So amazing to expand our horizons! It has opened my window to the world. Cannot wait until this global pandemic is replaced by global travel! 

Phone: I do panic a bit when I leave the house and realize I forgot my phone. It's not like there's that many people besides telemarketers that actually call. But I get plenty of texts. And yeah, I what if a photo op comes up and I don't have my phone (aka small camera)? Guess I just picture it in my mind, right? (Unless I'm traveling somewhere a passport's required. I need share that image somehow!) I am grateful that smart phones especially have made it much easier to stay in pretty constant contact with my siblings and, uhm, parentally persistent contact with the boys.

Hey, it all pleases me today. 

#gratitudemonth #gratitudealphabet

Das iz a Sneak Peek

When hubby texted me at work and asked if he could open my mail, I knew my scrapbook arrived! Turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself. Who wants to see it?

No big surprises in there since I blogged about most things. Still, for people who don't read my blog or even have a computer (both our parents), it'll be good to have all the 56 pages of memories in one place. A few of my favorites...

Carter's place!

How we got around...

How others got around.

Viva la France! Pages one and two of many!

Strasbourg street scenes. Lots of art and graffiti and a combination of both!

The cathedral! So many window. So very beautiful.

Sun didn't shine a ton when I was there but we don't always need sun for great pictures. But when we do...

Spoiler alert! Last page and my favorite!

I'll just be toting the big 12" x 12" book around if you wanna take a peek. You just let me know. Danke!

Amour Pour la France

Sending my love to France tonight. Earlier today, a massive blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris devastated large parts of the 850-year-old church. While the fire is now under control, the cathedral's iconic spire fell during the hours it took to battle the blaze.

It was just devastating to see. Especially heartfelt since I was just in France last weekend and was able to see the nearby sister cathedral – Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg. Knowing how awestruck Carter and I were outside and inside that church, we can only imagine what the millions of people who have seen the Paris structure are feeling. What a tragedy.

If you haven't seen either one, I give you the Strasbourg Cathedral. With its soaring spire, it was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874. Pretty amazing building in its own right...

The cathedral was built over a period of four centuries, from 1015 to 1439. It is considered an excellent example of late Gothic architecture.

The cathedral is also known for its lovely stained glass windows, many of which date from the 13th and 14th centuries.

 

 

The cathedral is also home to a historic Astronomical Clock. The original clock was built in the 16th century, and was renovated a couple of times, most recently in the 19th century. Its mechanism is said to be unique, and it includes various dials and displays, such as a perpetual calendar and a display showing the position of the sun and the moon.

 

 

 

I know pictures don't do it justice, but you understand why we were in awe. You also understand how lucky we feel that we got to see one of the historic cathedrals in France. Who knows what lies ahead for the one in Paris.

Treasure memories. Treasure history.