We're back in paradise! After 5 wonderful days of family (we have 2 children & 5 grandchildren) & friends in Chicago, Les & I flew to Paris on May 30. We always check in there before we take off for our 90 days here. It sets the reboot button on our lives. This year, especially, we needed to do that. We have both been way too busy! Good busy, but TOO busy! The French have a wonderful saying: "Il faut cultiver notre jardin", litterally meaning that ...

It's our final, & 12th week here in Villevieille. Each year when we arrive, we look ahead to our 12 weeks, & think we have so much time. But by the time July 14, Bastille Day arrives, we are half-way through. And then time, like the sun, starts its downward arc, & we always arrive at this point thinking, where did it all go? What a summer, full of family, friends, & activities. Both of us had sister visits, & our little "tribe" (kids & ...

We have just passed our half-way mark for summer 2016. The last 2 weeks were full of the joy of sharing our little paradise here, in Villevielle, & elsewhere in France. In spite of the horrible attack on Nice, we will remember this time period as a very special one, due to visits from family (my sister) & friends (a California couple). South: My sister arrived on July 7, on a TGV straight from Charles de Gaulle airport. We managed to keep her awake (with...

Steps....where do they lead? Once you climb them, where will you go? You never know what's going to happen, do you? Well, this week was one of those weeks: good things, mostly, but a few negatives. Generally, Les & I have a pretty routine week. It's one of our favorite things, really. Les runs a few days a week, & I do a yoga tape. Les goes to get a paper (yes, a REAL paper), & we have breakfast on the terrace. Our weekly morning routine include...

France's 5th biggest city may be our favorite of ALL France's cities! There's something so inviting about this lovely, almost Italian, French city. At the end of June, we met our Swiss friends Hans & Ruth for a weekend there, & we all revelled in Nice's attractions: the weather, the Mediterranean so beautifully presented along the Promenade des Anglais, the cafes, the market, the old port, the super food. The only bad memory we have of Nice is from many ...