Teri Parris Ford's Blog

The Last Day

Today was the last day of my 2 unit class but I've still got homework to turn in by tomorrow that I have yet to do and I'm thinking of procrastinating until tomorrow morning. I came home intellectually fried. The class was a great learning experience but it was a lot of new information in a very condensed time frame. Today I took Monika out to lunch during my hour off instead of walking or getting class work done, so after school I needed to take Balt for a good walk. Today will be the second day this week I don't get my 10,000 steps in. It's been a frustrating week for my weight as well-- I've gained weight, I think because I'm sitting around for so long.

I did get a few more rolls of film scanned this evening from 1997 and 8. This one here is from 16 and a 1/2 years ago (January 1998) of Monika and me. I had begun to do my student teaching and would come home exhausted. Some things have changed so much and other things seem a lot the same. It's really weird to look through the pictures remembering life from so long ago.

Tomorrow is August and I'm back to summer mode. There is still a ton of work to do, and I am trying to keep myself busy but it will be nice to have time to enjoy at the pool-- at least that is the plan.

Precious Moments

I was up early today with Balt, and made sure to get enough time to walk with him before my class. My class was long but fairly productive. I went for a 2 mile walk during lunch and then went swimming after class. I came home and found my negative scanner for Amazon was waiting for me on my door step. I got started scanning negatives from June of 1997. Monika was a bit more than a year old. I went to California with the girls and took them to Disneyland with their aunt. It looked like a pretty full month of family fun (see below).

While I was scanning images, Monika invited me to go with her down the UW Union for ice cream. I could not resist. My time with Monika is quickly coming to an end-- less than a month. I know it's not like I'll never see her again, but she will change. I've seen how my other two girls have matured and how our relationships have changed. It's not bad, but it's different and in some ways even better...  but change is in the air and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with her. I ended up leaving her there with friends as I made my way back home to get to bed early. It was a beautiful night in Madison and I bumped into lots of friendly faces. 

Taking Notes

I didn't get up early enough to get Balt out for a walk this morning. I had homework to finish and by the time I was showered and ready to go, I barely made it to class on time. At lunch I needed a nap but I took a 2 mile walk instead. It was a beautiful day but I was stuck inside learning about listening and dynamical systems. Monika picked me up and I was thrilled to be home. I took Balt out for a walk and then we had dinner-- I made nachos. I worked on the school's parent newsletter, watching Netflix. I'm going to do some homework and get to bed early tonight. I posted a transformation Tuesday on Instagram! It's amazing how time has changed things...

I have homework.

Erika woke me up before my alarm went off. She got up early to go study at Starbucks before her summer school class started. I too had to get up early for a summer school class I am taking this week at Edgewood College on Developing Collaborative Groups; the Adaptive Schools Model. It's valuable information, but it is difficult being back in the classroom from 8am to 3:30pm. I must say it is nice to have Keurig at 6am. 

Once Erika got out to her car she found it had been ran-sacked. I found that someone had gone through my car as well but all they found was dog bone treats in the glove compartment and they didn't seem interested. Luckily they missed my coin purse in side of the door. Poor Erika did not fair so well. The kids (I assume it was kids that went through our cars) took two iPods and her wallet. On the upside, they tossed all the contents out of her wallet and just took the wallet, which makes me think there must have been a girl in the bunch. Why would a boy want a coach wallet? So now we remember not to forget to lock our car doors and become a bit more vigilant about locking our home up. There are vandals out there.

Melissa picked me up from my class and the two of us enjoyed ice tea/coffee (made with the Keurig) and a late afternoon of catching up on lawn chairs in the sun. We went out for Mexican together and the hours seems to rush by as we discussed our lives, our futures, our families, our art and our ideas. She shared with me the poetry of Reina Maria Rilke and I talked about the book I am reading on Concious Living. It is wonderful to have a friend to share life with. Once Mel left for home, I did dishes and vacuumed. I worked on my homework and wanted to stay up reading but need to get bed in order to get up early for class tomorrow.

"For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation."--Rainer Maria Rilke

 

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Sunday Zumba

I started my Sunday with a cup of coffee and walk with Balt out to the dog park early. I could tell he wasn't feeling well and sure enough, he did not eat much of his dinner tonight which is very unlike him. I am pretty sure his ear infection is back since he started shaking his head this afternoon after loosing his lunch (I did not feed him lunch so I'm not sure what he puked up but I'm happy to report it did not stink). I putzed around doing a bit of this and that, started a new book and never made it to the pool. Monika asked about going to the gym this afternoon and I saw that there was a Zumba class, so I eagerly jumped on board. It was the first Zumba class I have ever been to and I loved it. Jessi loves Zumba and now I know why. It's a blast. I took about 1200 steps per 15 minutes, so my fitbit buzzed early on in the class. I got wet with sweat, which means I worked hard, especially since the room is air conditioned. I think Sunday Zumba may become a thing for me. On the way home, Monika encouraged me to make sure I made myself a schedule in the fall of classes I always go to, a concert once a month, a night out to the movies, etc. It's nice to have my daughter looking out for me. The two of us went home and I made a big salad. She's thinking of going out for pie with a friend, but I'm done for the night! Tomorrow I start a class at Edgewood, so I have to get up extra early. I'm not really looking forward to it.

Making a bad situation worse...

I installed a new garbage disposal today. My old one kept getting clogged and I would buy drano and soak it and nothing would change so I'd do it again. Eventually the drano began to corrode the disposal to point that it would not work. It took a lot of hammering to get the old one out, with a little blood and lots of sweat but I got it out and cleaned up the mess. When I peaked inside I saw a plastic cap (like for a whipped creme can) jammed inside near the drain exit. Suddenly all became clear and I realized that my putting drano into my sink was only making a bad situation worse. These days I feel like I am queen of making things worse simply because I don't understand the root cause. I am left wondering if the only way to fix things is simply to start all over again with something brand new.

It was a very frustrating day and I felt very alone for most of it. I was out way too late and woke up way too early, so I am pretty sure I am in need of a good nights sleep. Other than replacing the disposal, I got a nice swim in. I went out to eat and went for a couple of walks, but today could not end soon enough.

Yes Concert

A couple of months ago I purchased two tickets to see YES, a band I have seen several times in my life time. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them once again, for the first time in Madison and was very impressed with musicianship of the older members of the band. I missed Jon Anderson but the new guy sounds enough like him to make it sound good. I would say more than half of the audience was older then me but seeing that two of the members of the band are as old as my parents, it makes sense. It was kind of cool seeing young kids there. Although I did not discover them until the 80's, their music from the 70's is what distinguishes them more, I believe. They played everything from Fragile (1971) and Close to the Edge (1972), a couple of new hits and closed with a few of their bigger hits, ending the show with "Owner of a Lonely Heart", their biggest commercial hit. 

Shelving and more...

Balt keeps waking me up at 5am which makes for long mornings. I sipped some coffee and fell asleep watching the news this morning , so I got an extra hour of sleep luckily. I'm going out to dinner tonight and to a concert at the Overture Center with an old friend, so I will be out late. It isn't often I have something to get dressed up for, so I'm kind of excited.

Today I added a shelf in the new bathroom for make up and creams that get used often. It doesn't look pretty but it's practical. I want to add one more framed image on that wall above the shelf and then I will be done. I'm waiting until August to attack the upstairs bathroom. I also built a shelf for Erika's closet, to help her get a bit more organized. I'm not sure when she will out grow living off the floor. She seems to just dump both clean and dirty clothing there and likes it that way. 

Monika and I went to the pool at noon even though it was cool and cloudy with a chance of storms. Luckily the water is warm. Monika did laps while I joined in with my soccer mom girl friend, Janet for an aerobics class. I like mixing things up and I've read the body responds better when one does not do the same work out everyday. It was great workout. I was already sore from my dog walk this morning. I've been trying to add lunges and squats into the walk when I am waiting on Balt. This morning he seemed especially pokey, so I got a lot in. 

Throwback Thursday

Okay, today did not seem all that productive but I resealed my toilet this morning. I added a shim to make sure it stayed sealed this time. I hope. I packed some things in the basement up, vacuumed upstairs and did a load of laundry. I ran a few errands and had an appointment. I found a load (4 dozen) of old APS film cartridges and took them to Costco to see if they would transfer them onto DVDs but they would not! I did a bit of research and found that Walmart will but at 50 cents a picture (4 X 12 X 24 X .50 = a lot of money), so it will be cheaper for me to by a film scanner and do it myself. I researched on line and found one for $100 and ordered it. The film is all from the late 90's after Monika was born and I have many of the photos (like this one) in my scrapbook but they are cut up and there is only one copy. It will be nice for the girls to have digital copies of their childhood. I have transfered our VHS tapes to DVD this summer as well but I stopped taping after Erika was a couple of years old, so Monika and Jessi feel really ripped off. This cache of digital images will help ease my guilt.

Monika and I had salad for dinner. It was just the two of us this evening. Balt and I went on a second walk and enjoyed a cool summer evening just laying around. He woke me up at 5am hungry this morning, so I'm eager to get to sleep early tonight.

 

Mid Summer Happenings

This week is the mid way through summer; week 5 of 11. I have about 37 days left off and every one will be cherished. Everyday, while I feel like I have a hundred things I can do, I try to spend time just enjoying my free time. Balt and I start our day with a nice walk and sometimes get a second one in too. Today we got two walks in. I worked in the garage, making great progress there. I took Monika and her friend, Sylvan, out to lunch. It's restaurant week in Madison and that means checking out new places with special menus and good deals. We went to Bluephies and I had an amazing meal.

I dropped Monika and her friend off to give blood at school, but I couldn't stay as I had an appointment with my homiopoathic doctor. He encouraged me to continue with the diet changes I've made and encouraged me to try to illuminate more salt and he gave me another book to read. I came home and installed a new ceiling fan in our dining room. Our old one was broken and grossly dirty. I'd like to get a new dining room table for Christmas, so I got a fan to match the table I want (dark wood). I turned off the electricity to make sure I did not kill myself. I almost fell off the ladder but that would not have killed me. I'm pretty proud of getting it all done all by myself. 

Hot Oppression

The alarm went off at 5am and I got Jessi up for our ride to the Milwaukee airport. I brought Balt with us so he could send her off with a bit of love and I know he enjoys the ride. Last summer when I watched her walk away, we were in Annapolis and I told her she had to be strong. I did not let myself cry in order to be strong for the both of us. This year, she did not need me to tell her to be strong. We both knew she was. Having finished the hardest year of her life, she looks forward to freedom and a bit of ease this year and ironically, she has a bit of fear that it will be harder without the constant regulations. I hugged her goodbye and watched her go this year, with so much confidence and strength of will, I could not help but be amazingly proud. I let myself cry in the car. She will be missed.

 I stopped at the Pinecone on the way back for treats. I bought a carmel apple for my breakfast. I stopped at a dog park on the way home in order to get Balt's walk in. I came home and started cleaning. Jessi left a large box of things to send to Annapolis for her in August. I finished the dishes and did some laundry. Finally, Monika and I decided to go to the pool. The water was glorious and the heat was stifling-- 93 by the time we left after 5pm. I came home made a stir fry. As much as I wanted to go for an evening walk, the heat made me feel weak and lazy. All I have to do is close my eyes and I'll be asleep.

Her Last Day in Madison

Today was Jessi's last day of leave. She goes back to Annapolis tomorrow and then gears up for training before going back to school. She spent her day getting her passport renewed, spending some time with friends, swimming, packing and having one last family meal. She got to pick the place, of course, Dotty Dumplings Dowry in downtown Madison. I'd never been so it was quite the treat. We walked around State Street for a bit, chatting and enjoying one last night together. The next time we will gather will be for Thanksgiving in California.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night to loud crashes of laughter-- not just giggling but all out knee slapping hilarity. I could not help but giggle in my bed as I heard all three girls laughing so heartily together. I wasn't sure what they were watching but it didn't matter. I was just so happy to hear them together. I am so glad that they take care of each other, knowing that they are each so different. I know it's going to get a lot quieter once Jessi is gone and I'm not sure what I will do without Monika!

I had my annual physical early this morning. Although my blood pressure and sugar levels are still too high, my weight is down almost 20 lbs. I have to admit that going gluten-free has been a huge help. I'm not 100%, and since I'm not dealing with any allergies or sensitivities, I don't think it matters as long I cut out most of it. I totally splurged this evening for dinner but I left not feeling sick from being so full and my burger was just as good without a bun as it would have been with. I stole a few french fries and shared a few onion rings (yes, I know there's gluten on onion rings). Ketchup was my dessert. My doctor felt that considering the stress I have been under that I was doing well and encouraged me to keep up the diet and hopefully by next year, my numbers will go down. It's a lifestyle choice that I can live with. 

 

Summer Cleaning

Balt and I got up at 6am and walked to Starbucks for a latte. Once back home I worked on banking and watched the Sunday news. Sunday mornings are the only time I watch any news and I can't take much of it. I got back to my cleaning and rearrainging. I think I wiped off 10 years of dust off the girls baby shoes. I washed off my miniture Longaberger Basket collection which was supposed to make me a million dollars but may get me a couple of hundred if I ever get desparate for funds. I am trying to get rid of stuff that doesn't belong to me, stuff I don't use or need or have value. It's all slow going but why hurry? 

I took the girls shopping and out to lunch. Jessi leaves early Tuesday and has a long list of things she needs. She's packing a box for me to send. Monika is also making a list of things she needs for college but I have her for exactly one more month still. While the girls went kayaking, I went to the pool. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon for being outside in the sun. I noticed the girls dancing around with their college t-shirts on and I made a silly GIF of it (see below). I must say I am going to miss all the fun these girls make in my life. I still get them on vacations... for a while... maybe.

Saturday Fun (Begin Again)

After falling asleep last night by 8pm, sleeping in until 6am this morning was glorious. It has been a very long time since I can say I got more than 9 hours of sleep. I did wake up in the middle of night when Monika came home and Jessi was going to bed. At this point in my life, all the lights being turned on and the talking don't bother me a bit-- I know it won't be long until my nights are quiet and no one will be around. Balt and I spent a good part of the morning at the dog park. I spent a few hours on the phone, first with Melissa and then with my mom. I picked up my CSA vegetables and then cleaned out our pantry-- pulling out all the food, wiping the shelving and tossing old stuffs. I continued with my quest to rearrange the basement and garage. I took a nice load of things to St.Vincent and then went to the pool for a swim. I made a salad for dinner and a burger for Jessi. 

Monika spent most of the day out shopping with friends and jumped at the invite to see a movie.We went to the Sundance to catch Begin Again (2013), which I loved. Its movie about music and Keira Knightley makes for a wonderful singer/song writer. There were several songs I enjoyed and will eagerly buy the album on iTunes. While all the Adam Levine are the more popular songs from the movie, the song I included below was my favorite. I must say the ending was refreshing. The girl finds her own way in the end-- no need to return to ex-boyfriends, to fall for the producer or to utilize the record company. It's all thumbs up from me.

The Damage

Yes, I have jetlag. I tossed and turned from 3am to 4 and then gave up and got up and started cleaning and doing laundry. Of course, now that it's 7:30pm I am exhausted and ready for bed. I managed to get a lot done. I did at least 5 loads of laundry, including bedding. I vacuumed the basement and started doing some rearrainging. There's a bunch of stuff I want out of the basement and started taking up to the garage to get rid of and then I'd like to bring bins I have in the garage down to the basement. I took Balt for a long walk and passed by Starbucks to get a latte for breakfast. I gained a pound while on vacation, so I figured if I kepts things on the light side today, I'd break even tomorrow... maybe.

I paid bills this morning, including 3 parking tickets of Erika's from her last week of school-- $90! Ugh. The total on my Visa from the Europe trip was only $192; not bad! I did not eat lunch every day and I did not buy many souveniers. I went grocery shopping to replenish milk and fruit mostly, which seems to be what the girls go through fastest. I actually made it to the pool for a nice swim and some down time before getting back home to meet Jessi. She leaves on Tuesday to go back to the Naval Academy and has a long list of things she needs. I actually did some back to school shopping and it was slightly painful. 

I finished the long day with making a nice dinner for Jessi and taking Balt for another walk. I averaged 20,000 steps a day in Europe so I wanted to get to at least 15,000 today. With just a little more effort I can get to 20,000 everyday.

Home Sweet Home

We left Madrid at 8am and spent the morning at the airport getting the group through to the gate. Once on the plane, we flew for 9-10 hours. I heard both numbers, so I'm not sure, but I do know that it felt a lot faster coming home then going out even though it was a longer flight. Once in Chicago it took forever to get through customs and get to our bus. We rolled in at 6:30pm and my three girls came to get me!! We went out to dinner and I caught up on all the happenings. Erika hates her summer school class, Jessi loves the Zumba classes and Monika has been hanging out with her friends. I got each of the girls special gifts from Madrid with cards explaining why I got what I got. I spent a little time sharing with them how much I missed them and how glad I was to have them in my life. They did a great job taking care of each other, the animals and the condo while I was away. They forgot to get the mail out of the mailbox, which was actually kind of funny. I don't really have to worry about them much now that they are all three adults. I think our next European vacation is going to be the four of us and I know they are up for it 100%.

We are underway

We are in line for Iberian air, much to my chagrin. The last time I flew with Iberian we missed our connection to Rome and hung out in Madrid longer than we wanted to. They are taking our group at a snails pace and some are feeling anxious about getting thru security with time on the other side. Josh and I were the first to get thru. Geoff is taking the end and still in line.

Saying goodbye to Spain

Tonight was a special evening as it was our last night together as a group. After a super hot day of city touring, museums, shopping and wandering around, our group gathered for one last meal together and it was a whopper. We went to three different restaurants for "tapas" --the last place was dessert with churros and hot chocolate. The chocolate was so good and I did not eat my churro (okay, I took a nibble). We had a time at the end to say goodbye to our tour guide, Lucy, who was amazing, inspirational, and informative. There are lots of photos of her in my facebook album & of course, I've become Facebook friends with her and hope to connect with her again. It's always a good thing to have friends in foreign countries! !

I must say I'm eager to see my girls, sleep in my bed and swim. Europe is fun but it's not home. Life is not perfect back home and this little escape was a much needed getaway.  I've enjoyed hanging out with my friends, students and making new friends. There are stresses that await me but its life. I've learned a little more about myself and about what I want. The joys I've enjoyed in Paris and Spain, I can indulge in in Madison. 

100 hot today

We are in for a real hot day of sightseeing. I'm happy for heat but I'm not sure I'll enjoy quite this much. I am getting tired and really looking forward to the comforts of home and seeing my girls, and Balt. I've got tons to do once I get back and have began to think about the list but I need to focus on one last day of Spain!!

Flamenco

The Flamenco dance was amazing and a ton of fun.  Our late night out ended the 12:3 am with a nice walk back to the hotel in 82 degree heat. I heard from one of the kids it's supposed to be 100 degrees tomorrow.  I'll be thrilled to stay in museums for most of the day.

Madrid at last

We had to come down for breakfast early in order to get on a bus for a long ride to Madrid. About halfway through the bus ride (4 hours in) we stopped at the Monastery de Piedra, which was amazing. I posted a bunch of pictures on Facebook, you should check them out. We got to the hotel about 6:30 and we had an hour of freshen up time before going out to dinner. There was a lot of gluten in tonight's dinner, which was fine with me, because I feel like I've been eating way too much (I.e. I skipped the spaghetti). The desert in the picture looked absolutely wonderful but I was unable to eat much of it. There's cake under all that chocolate. We're in for a very late night tonight. We are going to a Flamenco show at 10:30pm. I'm squeezing in a blog post at the restaurant since I know it's going to be such a late night. There's a bunch of kids that want to go to the disco after. I'm not quite sure I'll be able to handle that, but i did volunteer to take them, but we may go tomorrow instead. 

Barcelona Day 2

It's hard to believe our trip is coming to an end. We leave Barcelona early tomorrow for Madrid but tomorrow will be a travel day mostly.  Today was pretty cool & kind of cool (as in colder) but ended up sunny at the beach-- so there was no complaining.

The morning a started with more sight seeing. A Barcelona must see is the remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can be seen throughout the city but the best sight is the Casa Mila.  Grace, who has joined us just in Barcelona, wanted a department picture with all 5 of us.  I had memories of Greece when all I wanted was a department photo but no one showed up & I ended up crying. We all made sure to get the photo this time.

I was a bit grouchy about an incident that happened this morning but as is usually the case, things seemed to work out. For the afternoon, chaperones were asked to lead up an adventure but I had no idea what to do so I just announced that I didn't know what I wanted to do.   So I had two kids join me who, like me, did not know what they wanted to do! The 3 of us quite indecisively ended up having a very nice lunch in Las Ramblas or La Rambla-- a very tourist-y place for artists to sell stuff.  Then we wandered thru town toward the beach and I got another great swim in. The Barcelona beach was listed as number one in a list of the top ten city beaches in the world according to the National Geographic for good reason.

I got back to the hotel with plenty of time to shower and rest before dinner.  The food has been delicious and i dare say, I'm eating too much but as a dear friend told Joe who shared w me-- you don't go on vacation to lose weight or to save money. Ain't that truth!!!

Barcelona is beautiful

Oh my, what a day! I loved today.  We got to do a lot but I especially loved going to the beach (watch video here) and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea! I'm so exhausted but have so much to share. Please check out pictures on Facebook! The pictures tell a lot about the day.  Barcelona is a lot like LA, in a lot of ways. It feels familiar and yet so unique.

For dinner we had paella that was amazing. I ate a vegetarian version as I'm not really into fish but Josh gobbled up 3 plate fulls and added mussels and shrimp from kids too grossed out to eat them. We had another custard for dessert and I made sure to only eat one tonight but I added a cappuccino instead which made the meal perfecto!

Note-- the photo is from the Sagrada Família the unfinished church of architect Antoni Gaudí. It has been under construction since 1882, and is financed by private donations-- mostly from entrance fees. Once thought the church would not be done until well after 2070 but as of 2007, completion is planned for 2026 because donations have been rising.

Breakfast in Barcelona

The hotels' breakfast spreads have been great. There have been plenty of non gluten options.

A room with a wonderful view!

We are in Barcelona and our hotel is fabulous. I'm on the 5th floor and loving my view--- its the first room with a view I've had this trip. We've been told not to drink the water so we are running out to a nearby grocery store to get a big  bottle. I should get some sleep but I am in  Spain! I can catch up on sleep when I'm back in Madison. 

The bathrooms in Europe are so nice!

While in Europe I've noticed the bathroom situation is very private and quite nice. Basically you enter a small closet and some even have sinks inside! As we wait at the Paris-Orly airport, I'm impressed with the modern set up, cleanliness and beautiful toilette spaces.

Our large group is sprawled all over the floors and with free wifi, we are all content. In 25 minutes we board a small plane for Spain. Newland is eating a wonderful dessert that looks like a Napoleon with wafers and pudding and seems to be in heaven. I just finished eating a Kind nut bar -gluten free. I think that's dinner.

Last day in Paris

Our day was wide open to do anything until 3 pm, when we will fly out to Barcelona.  Some kids went back to the Eiffel Tower to ride to the top, some went shopping and some to the Opera. Of course a few in our group slept.  Joe, Maddy and I, who are also known as the "team fitbit" since the 3 of us sport fitbit bands and keep track of our walking, went to the Rodin Museum. We got there early and enjoyed the gardens almost all to ourselves for the first hour. On the way back we went to lunch and I had quiche and cheese cake. Dinner tonight is not provided so I will do my best to abstain from dessert.  I have been a bit too indulgent in Paris, even with giving up baguettes & croissants! I am surprised at how much great non bread stuff there is to indulge in.

City Tour, Notre Dame & The Louvre

Day 2 in Paris, Day 5 of our trip means we are at the half way mark. I am loving all the fun we are having and the kids are a blast. I think everyone is having a great trip so far.  We started the morning going on a bus tour which can be very informative but after a couple of hours be hard to stay awake through.  We were dropped off at Notre Dame for lunch and I made sure to go inside since I fell asleep outside the last time I was here and missed the interior, which was pretty dramatic. I had ice cream for lunch and gave my waffle cone to Joe.

We walked to the Louvre and then broke up into groups.  My group stayed at the Louvre for the afternoon.  Joe & Josh went to the Musée d'Orsay, Martha went to the Rodin, Geof went to a different one (I can't recall which). By 5pm I was maxed and realized when I come to Paris again I'll only be able to do a few hours of museum time per day and I'll certainly need paper for drawing and writing.  I walked across the street and went to a very Parisian cafe and enjoyed a bit of sun people watching.

Dinner was amazing (beef bourguignon) and I left stuffed! Creme Brule for dessert was so delicious, I finished someone else's so I left so full I could hardly walk. Josh assured me with all the extra walking I would not gain weight but I'm not so sure? I'm averaging about 20,000 steps, that's about double what I do in Madison, and my feet can tell. Traveling is always hard on my system but not having bread is making things a bit easier to resist some temptations.

The City of Light

Upon our arrival to the hotel, we had a bit of time to freshen up. Josh, Joe & I gathered early in the dining room to chat, write and share media. We left for the Metro to see Sacre' Coeur De Montmartre, where I have never been. It was spectacular! There were artist shops and stands near by to check out and of course take lots of photos. Some kids had drawings made of themselves as well.

 We made our way back to the hotel to eat dinner near by. We had chicken and the most wonderful flan I've ever had. I finished mine and Joe's-- I don't think there's gluten in flan? After dinner we went to see the Eiffel Tower.  As you can see it was not the best weather but we were thrilled not to see any rain.  We went to a 10pm boat tour and get back to our hotel after midnight. Of course, it doesn't feel like it's nearly 1am!

This is my second trip to Paris. I knew I would be back and quite honestly, I know I will return again.  There is something magical about this city I need to explore on my own in the future & I will need at least a couple of weeks to do it. I'd love to bring my girls here-- maybe a family vacation of sorts?    I'm definitely coming again soon.

Note--there are more photos on Facebook

On our way to Paris

We left our hotel at 7:15 am after a quick breakfast. Our bus ride to the St. Pancreas train station was quick as was the transition to our platform. I am always nervous when I have to offer up my passport but I was not hassled -- thank you Great Britain!

I think I'm in for a different tour this time but another boat ride this evening. It'll be cooler today with rain quite possible. I bought a thick London sweatshirt that I'm sure one of my daughters will love. For now it will keep me cozy.