The new week, unfortunately, brings me one step closer to the end so I must make the most of my time.
Monday 23- I usually take the dog for a walk late morning and then don't feel like doing any more, so today I decided to change it up. I left about 9 with water, snack, and book in my backpack. Wasn't sure where I was going but in a new direction. Still trying to make some order of the things I know, so I headed out along a different route. I ended up coming to a sign near the beach that said Cagnes Sur Mer so followed along the lovely walkways that they have. I made it to that town and walked a while then decided to try the water. It appears to be a touristy area with the Mediterranean being the attraction. I waded, then sat down to read my book, enjoy the view and have my snack. The water was lovely but my feet have a hard time on the gravel. I stayed there about an hour, but knowing I still had to walk the 5.28 km return, I left about 11:15. I stopped at a tourist bureau and finally got maps of Saint Laurent du Var and also Nice. I got home about 12:25 and then took the dog. Wouldn't you know that today he would not want to do his business till we'd gone about 1.4 km along the path so that made my total for the day about 13.8
Tuesday 24- That worked well yesterday and I was 'no worse for the wear' so I decided to try again today. This time I headed across the bridge to Nice, planning to get to the Promenade des Anglais. This is a bike/walking path that goes on and on along the water in Nice. ((What is the Promenade des Anglais in France? The Promenade des Anglais ( French pronunciation: [pʁɔm.nad de.z‿ɑ̃ɡlɛ]; Niçard: Camin dei Anglés; literally: Walkway of the English) is a promenade along the Mediterranean at Nice, France. It extends from the airport on the west to the Quai des États-Unis ( United States Quay) on the east, a distance of approximately 7 km (4 miles).)) It was a 5 km walk just to get to the beginning of it so I decided the Promenade would have to be another time.
I was trying to get home by noon to accompany Karen to the big Carrefour, to see and to help. I was running late and was even tempted to rent one of the Velo bikes, but I couldn't figure out how to do it and didn't have time to spare. I took all the shortcuts I knew and was home at 12:02...and she was gone!!! I rushed down to the garage to maybe catch her, and then I realized I should have messaged when I was in the apartment, because I don't have phone or data in France. So, I headed back up and when I got in again, I was struck by all the evidence. The shopping list was still on the couch, the car keys were on the table, and the dog did not greet me when I arrived. She had actually finished her calls a few minutes early and had taken Ribsy out as we would be gone quite a while. In hindsight it was humorous. The route to this Carrefour was new territory for me so I enjoyed the ride. I pushed and she loaded the cart and then we checked out. They have a great system, I think, for people who have their loyalty credit card. You get a device that sits on your cart and you scan your own items, so when you get to checkout, they just look it over and occasionally random check, and charge your credit card, so you don't have to unload and bag them for checkout. One less time of having to handle your groceries would be a bonus. I didn't think about it till we got home but next we had to put bags from car in the garage to elevator and then elevator to apartment. Fortunately, Charlie was there at that end. It was a full day.
The major surprise I had in my morning was that the bikers are treated a lot better than the walkers. The endless miles of bike trails are fabulous, but not so much the sidewalks, particularly on my morning walk. The sidewalk turned into a broken, heaving, maybe 3 feet wide strip directly beside 3 to 4 lanes of traffic.
Wednesday 25- Guess those 2 days must have fulfilled my quota so I didn't do more than walk the dog today which is still 3.2, but the long walks have seriously cut into my reading time, so today I did that.
Thursday 26- Today is a holiday for Ascension Day. (Ascension day is always on a Thursday, exactly 40 days after Easter. Since Easter is a moveable feast (i.e. the exact date of Easter changes from year to year), so does the exact date of Ascension day.) I told the kids they could chose whether to go on the dog walk, get dropped at the playground, or do a Lego contest while I was gone. It would be judged on originality, maybe amount of Lego used, creativity and anything else I might decide. No theme, wide open category. Then I left for my walk. I'm usually gone about an hour and said they had to work at it the whole time. When I got back Tedy was just finishing up. I made soup for lunch and we ate and then they told me about their creations. I gave candies for each category I used. Tedy's was a whole story about 3 brothers getting a go-cart for Christmas and they had a tool case with tools in, and they were working on it and he took the roof off and the Christmas tree was still inside and all the details. He really took the challenge.
Joanna made a cell phone with key pad and screen and camera hole in the back and a stand to hold it up. I teased her that when she can't be using her mother's, now she will have her own.
Friday 27- As is often the case, since Thursday was a holiday they got Friday as well. Karen had arranged her calls so she was off by 10 and we caught the bus to Parc Phoenix. (Family outing -the Phoenix Park, an exceptional site at the entrance of Nice. The Phoenix Park is 7 hectares of gardens and a playground, with more than 2500 plant species, a unique tropical greenhouse of 7000 square meters by 25 meters high, a Pyramid, a zoological park of great diversity, and space ... lots of space... )
1We explored all that, ate our picnic, then went to the Musée des Arts Asiatiques. ( The museum's collection is based on a selection of iconic works representing the spirit of Asian cultures, combining court art, religious creations, everyday objects and popular expressions. The museum's collections reconcile genres traditionally split between museums of history, ethnography and decorative arts, while also caring about certain contemporary creations.)
We were going to go to the Promenade for ice cream, but the heat had done us in so we headed home on the tram and bus and stopped to get ice cream and supper at the grocery. The excitement of the day was not over yet, however, in the evening, just at bedtime a pigeon flew in the door of the living room where Karen and I were sitting. It tried to fly out the window but was on the wrong side. It flew/ran down the hall into the kids room, which set off the screaming. Charlie and I evacuated everyone, including Ribsy, and tried to capture it. It was huddled down in the corner behind their bed, so we pulled it out carefully from the wall, and then Charlie got a small blanket and covered it and was able to pick it up. We decided we'd better not throw it out the window in case it couldn't fly, so we took it to the deck. It huddled in a corner, so we left it for the night to see if it was just traumatized, or if it actually couldn't fly.
Saturday 28- The pigeon was gone. PTL! Karen and I got ready for our adventure today. Friends of hers were vacationing in Le Lavandou for the long weekend so we are joining them for a ladies' day at the beach. It's about a 2 hour drive so we got gas ⛽ and snacks and headed out. It was a nice drive,
passed many well known places, saw miles and miles of new grape plants, and many wineriesseeing new things, too bad the tolls add to the expense. We got there around 11 and connected. We went up to see their rental, then headed to the beach. A little sunning, a dip, and then a walk to get mojitos. Back for more sun, more swimming, reading, and snacks.
Late afternoon we packed it up and headed back to the apartment, enjoying ice cream on the way. Everyone was showered and ready for our reservation at 7:30. We dined at a restaurant where mussels are the specialty and that's what we all had---moules- frites. There are various sauces. Mine was cream and garlic. It was a feast; a whole pot full. I was definitely full.
We strolled back to the apt, said our good-byes and were on our way by 9:15. On the way home we were entertained by an interesting phenomenon - lightning within a cloud. There was one solitary cloud in an otherwise clear sky. I looked it up today. It's called Intracloud lightning. (Intracloud lightning occurs when an electrical discharge occurs between the positive and negative poles within a single cloud once the atmosphere can no longer act as an insulator between the two charges. )Impossible to get any shots.
We arrived home safe and sound except for a problem at a gas station that required 120€ security on your card in order for you to pay outside and it locked all Karen's funds so the card wouldn't work. We used mine and it charged the equivalent and hasn't corrected it yet. we only got 20€. At home, if you ask for 60. and only pump 40. That's all that shows up.
Sunday 29- Today is Mothers' Day in France. Joanna did breakfast for her mother and they both had made her something. It's been a laid back day but they did get their room cleaned . We had a little shower but I think it's ok to hang clothes out now. And so another week gets started.
borrowed from Facebook
Comments
Post a Comment