I had a stateroom on the night boat to France. At 8:00 the next morning we off-loaded in Le Havre, Normandy, and I was met by my friend, Lisa Hartley Anquetil. It has been 25ish years since I laughed with Lisa. We did what we could to make up for lost time.

Imagine docking in a foreign land, making your way through immigration with just a duffle, into a concrete, industrial building--and seeing your chic, warm, brillliant artist of an old friend smiling at you as though she'd dropped you off there yesterday!

Lisa scooped me up, whirled me to her (gorgeous-more later) home, off to a party, off to Rouen. Yes, that Rouen. Joan at-the-stake Rouen. Impossibly beautiful cathedral Rouen. A church was Already On This Site in the 4th (fourth) Century. Richard the Lionheart's heart is buried here. Yes. Just his heart; don't interrupt.

The whole 24 hours were made of old magic.