Back to reality.
Our dear friends left yesterday, after a week of good conversation, good eating, and lots of fun. The house now seems so quiet, with only 3 people and a dog in our home. We really miss them, and miss having such wonderful
amis in our neighborhood,
like we used to. We picked up where we left off, and shared many a laugh, baby tip, recipe, and a beer or two. They brought us a huge bag of
les goodies françaises, including things to make our own
pain français,
cornichons,
rillettes, clothing for Rowan from
Du Pareil au Même,
bonbons, and lots of other wonderful things that we miss. They can't put France in a bag, but they sure tried, and we had a wonderful time speaking a little, eating
foie gras, and drinking champagne as we celebrated
La Bonne Année. Too bad there isn't room in a bag for two adults, a baby and a 60-pound dog to sneak back into
la belle France.
But, in a way, they gave us something they didn't even know they brought. They showed us our home, through their eyes. We got to play tourists, driving through the mountains, eating out at our favorite restaurants, and sharing the good things about Happy Valley. Finally, Dr. B said, he feels like this is his home. After seeing it through J's and A's and M's eyes, he can now appreciate the place we are raising our daughter. What a special gift. We can't wait for our next visit with them, whether it be here, same time next year, or there. (Donations accepted.)
Bonne Année à tous!
Photo credit: pdphoto.org.
