Short Absence...

Hi Everyone...

I'll be away for a week and don't know if I'll be using the computer at all during this time. I'll be in London and then in Oxfordshire visiting with dear friend, Anne and her hubby, Arnie....

Off to London..

Ciao!

La Levraudière Bed and Breakfast, Cheverny

is where we always stay when we had down to the Loire Valley. It's owned by Sonia and Thierry Maurice, very good friends of Alex for over 20 years now. Click HERE for the website.

Cherry trees

Grafted cherry trees seem to be the "thing" now... I keep noticing more and more each year, especially this year!

Spring around town.... It's beautiful in springtime!

Tulips are everywhere!!

NEW BLOG -- CASTLES IN THE LOIRE VALLEY

Hi Everyone,

I realized that I have sooo many pictures of all of the chateaux to post... it would only be fair to create another blog to house them all... It's all about the space factor on Google, after all!

Here's the link... please stay tuned as I have over 400 pictures to go through and add...

CASTLES IN THE LOIRE VALLEY

I haven't enabled comments yet... will work on the administrative things tomorrow..

Thanks and please visit!!!

Leesa

SOS Help- for English speakers in France

I was just contacted by Vicki, a volunteer from SOS Help, a non-profit English speaking crisis hotline in France that has been in operation since 1974. I would like to "spread the word" about this organization and their services here because I think it's a very useful service.

I think back to my first few months in France, and the "coup de blues" I experienced from the move away from my home country to being here... I was also mourning the recent death of my mom, which was clearly THE most difficult thing I've ever gone through in my life, as well as suffering from chronic pain from my herniated disk injury... All of these things combined caused some severe depression... and I really wish I had known about SOS Help to talk to people here about how I was feeling, as I hadn't really made any friends here at that time. I think that people can feel very alone and it can really help to talk to someone about it.. esp. in your native tongue!

Here's something from SOS to anyone out their who feels like calling them... They also have a newsletter that you can sign up for on their website... Other bloggers in France that would like to post about this on your on blog, please DO!! We can get the word out to others...

"Feel like talking? SOS Help, an English speaking crisis line in France, is open from 3 pm to 11 pm daily. Call us up to talk about anything on your mind – from loneliness to stress to concerns about integrating into a new culture. We are here to listen! Call us at 01 46 21 46 46 or visit us online at www.soshelpline.org for more information."

Thanks so much for contacting me, Vicki!! I think what you are doing is great! Keep up the good work. I'm sure it's very rewarding!

Me in front of Mont Saint Michel.... SUNNY!!

Bed and Breakfast near Mont Saint Michel

Important contact info:

French gîte / Bed and Breakfast

Route du Mont-Saint-Michel - 50170 Moidrey

Manche (Basse-Normandie, France)

(0033) 02 33 58 77 16

Website: http://monsite.wanadoo.fr/labastidedumoulin/

This charming and quaint B&B was just minutes from Mont Saint Michel and I HIGHLY recommend it to ALL travelers to the area and those who are visiting areas near St. Malo, as well.

*Note - this price is "off season" price... Prices range from 32 - 34 euros per room/2 people.

Delphine and her husband are the owners of this lovely place, and her English is impeccable. The rooms are adorable, squeaky clean and the price is definitely right (the price was 34 euros per night plus 5 euros for breakfast).

*A gem of a find!

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy

I'm adding more pics, so please click HERE to view our Mt. Saint Michel leg of the trip...

St. Malo in the fog....

Starting to add pictures from our trip now... Please come visit HERE to see more pics... I'll be adding in the next few days... Stay tuned!

Sending love and prayers...

My thoughts and prayers go out to my dear friend, her husband and the family who just lost their beloved one last night. I know that losing a parent is one of the hardest things we go through in life, and I wanted to share this poem that we got from Hospice at the time of my mom's passing. It's a very beautiful poem and though it's sad, it gives a peaceful way to think of our beloved's passing on to another realm..... My deepest sympathies.

I am standing upon the seashore.

A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says:

"There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout:

"Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

Author unknown

Volcanic Ash from Iceland

"Virtually all of Europe's major airports remain closed as a huge plume of volcanic ash drifts south and east across the continent from Iceland.

Millions of air travellers are stranded as thousands of flights are being cancelled for a third day.

The disruption from the spread of ash would continue into Sunday, European aviation agency Eurocontrol said.

Long way home

Europe's busiest airports, including Heathrow in London, Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle in Paris, have been affected by the closures.

"There has never been anything like this," he said, adding that there were no Lufthansa planes in the air anywhere in the world.

Unable to catch flights, commuters across northern Europe have sought other means of transport, packing out trains, buses and ferries.

The Eurostar cross-channel rail service said it had never seen so many passengers on one day and the trains were fully booked until Monday."

**Image and text from BBC news... For more info, click HERE.

Parc de Sceaux

Three years ago today!

It was my first year in France and Alex and I picnicked under the cherry trees at the Parc de Sceaux for our First Anniversary!!! It was a beautiful day!

Happy Anniversary to us!!

Today is our 4th year wedding anniversary! I can't believe how fast time has gone by! Alex and I are both blessed to have found each other!!

I LOVE YOU ALEX!!!!