7- Merry Christmas Everyone

Whoops! I slipped. Relax it's not literal,  but I should have posted another blog by now. Lots to share so I better get started

December 7 is Sam's birthday so we did a group sing online when the time was right for him. Lots of changes for him, being back in Canada. I think this may be the first birthday not to be with his folks.

It had been a month since I activated my bus pass, so I had to renew it. I realized I had wasted that time and money last month so decided I would start exploring and using it. So, next day I took a long ride north of Domene, to places I'd never been. I was going to get off and explore at various places but I decided for this trip I would just ride to the end and back and see what there was. It was a much nicer bus than the city ones. It ended at a train station (gare) in a place called Brigoud. It took about an hour.

On the way back, because it was Wed. (half day) there was a huge crowd of kids waiting at that stop. The bus was packed, no room for even one more, and then we had to stop at every stop which took longer. 

 It was a big Lycee so there were also lots of buses waiting in front for other areas not covered by city bus. 

I continued on all the way into Grenoble, where that line ends so now I have one route covered from end to end. It's a good way to see lots and get a perspective on where things are. When I got off that one I walked around a little, but decided to take the bus home as it was too late for more exploring and my phone, which is my navigation tool, was dying. I also have a bus map but am not ready to rely on just that. It was an interesting excursion.

A couple of days later, with a renewed bravado, I headed into town to find my way to the Christmas market. It wasn't so busy so it was nice to wander around and look at all the booths, which are actually like little log cabins. These are not my pictures but from online. I wasn't there at night and no crowds or snow.

After that I wandered around the Old city and stirred up memories of other trips I've had. We did "the Bubbles" up to the Bastille on other years, so I didn't do that (It costs and I'm low budget)

During my wandering I encountered this restaurant.(note the maple syrup on table. Maybe it wasnt real because it could get swiped, being outside) I suggested later to David that I should have gone in and said I was Canadian and maybe got a freebe, but he said it wouldnt work. Guess he's tried it.😀😟😀

When I got back to Verdun square, where a lot of buses and trams pass through, I decided to take one of the tram lines all the way. I chose A and as I was riding to the end at La Poya, I realized this was the direction David and I used to go when we were doing physio a year or so ago. When we got to the end we have to get off and cross over to go in the other direction to L'Etoile. It is a long line and took me most of the afternoon because I also got off one place and walked a bit. Side joke- when I  got back on I managed to find one seat but it was packed. And, they weren't announcing the stops, for some strange reason,  so I missed getting off and when the crowd cleared I realized I had gone too far, so I had to get off again and change directions. The kids joke that I now know this line really well having done most of it twice.

On Sunday 14th I travelled with the B team to a game in Chambery. I had been to their field before, last year, but this time I got to do a little exploring. 

the trip there

You can tell we're in the mountains.

We have some foggy days, this is 9:30 a.m.-

I continue to work on my puzzling-with increasing degrees of difficulty. The Simpson's puzzle had big area of the picture blotted out, which was a great hindrance, as puzzlers would know. 

I couldn't get this one to rotate, problem with syncing devices.

Tedy worked what they call a 'stage' the last week before vacation. It's when students find a placement out in the work force and experience that. He worked at an optician business and learned lots of interesting things. It's not at all what he wants to do, but he was having trouble finding something, so one of the football players took him on at his shop.

And so it goes. I continue to get slaughtered at Hand, Knee and Foot by Karen; work puzzles; knit; read; explore; and walk the dog. He accompanied me on the completion of my year long journey on Tuesday when I completed my 1025 km challenge.

Well, the tree is up (got to visit a fabric store for tree skirt material), the presents are wrapped, the food is bought, nothing left but the waiting.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas, wherever you are and with whomever you can be. May the King who came as a baby to save the world, fill your heart and mind during this season.

💞