road trip

left out a twin, mollie mcinnis, the future of the mcinnises from high point, now a senior at wofford, on the train to versailles yesterday

i want a dog

this trip has created in me a thirst for knowledge...art, culture, history

after geriatrics' arrival saturday, straight to giverny for monet's home and gardens, great to see both after and before seeing so many of his works here in paris...wished that marie martin could have been with us to enjoy the gardens

then onto bayeux...welton and daddy slept most of way...momma too excited to sleep, aunt judith appeared on brink of collapse...louise in charge of 'garmin' gps in english...thanks again beth fleishman for a great recommendation...provided great directions...i do HATE roundabouts...hope to avoid hillsborough street at all costs upon return to raleigh

bayeux tapestry...incredible...tells story of william the conquerer...best audio guide in europe...walks you through, panel, by panel, 50+ of them

to cathedral, one of my favs....entrance at street level...huge doors, flung wide open as though welcoming arms...isnt that the way churches are suppossed to be? clear stained glass, allowing light to come in so that you can see and appreciate the sanctuary and its architecture

dinner, la coline d'enzo, recommended by hotel...best presentation of the 50 days here

hotel d'argous...built in 1700s, beautiful...drive int o courtyard with drive lined with boxwoods in large green planters on either side...as you approach the entrance...lots of grape/salad tomatoes...loaded...had niece emily domenech been with us....there would be none left...she eats tomatoes like a rabbit...loves em...thought of emily often on this trip...realized that i have never had a day with just emily...had many with hannah when she was little...and with hamp and wil...must get to albemarle and do something fun with emily...she reminds me so much of sarah when she was her age...in build...eyes-though hers are brown, sarah's are green...both sisters have sweet, great kids...its fun to be with them...especially when they are all together and their moms are back home...i have much better time with them than they do with me, i am sure

the stinky guy just left the internet cafe...perhaps for a shower....now how will i stay awake?

flowers everywhere at the hotel...beautiful gardens...and pumpkins at the front door...first of the fall...is it fall already?

always think of anne harris when i see a pumpkin...she took all of us...about 60 think, to pilot to the pumpkin farm when we were in god squad...i had 8 dollars...thought i must spend it all...and did, on the biggest pumpkin ever grown...they should have taken it to raleigh for the state fair...had no money for supper at mcdonalds in louisburg...betty oneal bought me a burger...anne told me that day that if she heard mrs harris out of my mouth one more time she was going to slap me silly, to call her anne...have been ever since...still haven't shut up

also think about the hartys when i see pumpkins. halloween was big at 221. stephie was the leader of the punkin carving...one year, i got real nervous...430...about 40 pumpkins lining the sidewalk out front...both sides, as directed by stephie...scooped out, candles in them...but not carved...she screeched to a halt about 435....trick or treaters come in warrrenton about 5 pm...so i was real nervous...anna britt molly and i sat on the steps and watched...she was like a hurricane...got them all carved, brilliantly and we had them lit and ready by 5 or shortly thereafter...jeff and i always lamented about the expense of halloween...first year, i had over 300 kids...did learn to buy candy canes...kids loved em, first of the season, parents thought i was nuts, but they were 18 for a buck at the dollar store...cost effective trick or treating!

loved halloween in warrenton, took day off, made sweet potato pies, veg soup, lunch and dinner for friend and neighbors

the wemyss kids, anna macon, morgan leigh, levi and jacob were in charge at my house...think that is because todd told me after first year that anna macon would like to come to my place...not many trick or treaters across from WGC or in creek...knew what that was like, having grown up in afton...big deal for me to have wemyss kids at my place...all like family...always feel grounded after time at todd and claudias...first year, jacob and levi dressed as bums sprawled across my front steps...scared the bejesus out of many folks...following year...i had a manequin...as in a corpse, on a table draped in sheets, they got underneath and grabbed the ankles of people who dared to check out the 'body'

when i lived at haities, loved halloween, no trick or treaters back there...cocktail party for me...first drink at sandra and travis's, then to mary catherine and jimmy's onto anne and jacks...around the corner to the boyds---velvet and lawrence...continuing around to jennifer and davids and ending up at anna britt and molly's....crawl back through the bushes....did i take off the day after halloween back then???probably needed to

back to europe....leaving normandy, went to mt st michel....biggest crowds there of anywhere...got there at low tide....tide changes there by 40 ft...lots of climbing

picnic at roadside with great view afterwards

onto chartres...recommendation of david rupp...david and his brother had a similar adventure to mine 20+ years ago...57 days...said cathedral was best part...so i had to go...definitely a highlight...cathedral built to house relic...veil of mary...we climbed...except louise...more on that in next blog...to the top of the tower...great views...can see for 60+kilometers on clear day....spiral all the way...near top, 2 jerks had used the bathroom...how common...should have waited to return to bottom, cant imagine relieving myself in a church...but had it been a dire emergency, i would have done it via the gargoyles to see if they worked, haha

lambrith--know this spelling is incorrect...in nave...thought of mary catherine harris, only person i know with her own....lots of chairs in nave, so couldnt walk it...obvious that when you finish, you're facing the Cross

spent almost 3 hours here...incredible cathedral...being restored now...part of it looks like new, like ted echols' cast stone...must go back when complete

entry to cathedral great...lots of beggers in europe at entrance to cathedral...here...older man had flowers in hand...singing a hallellujah song i didnt' recognize, when he found out we were from the states, belted out he's got the whole world in his hands, then with our crazy singing uncle, when the saints go marching in...ladies all go flowers, he got 3 euro, everyone happy