...where the naked ladies dance...did not go there with mom, dad, the aunts and uncle
trying desperately to gt the last week onto the blog before departure in the am...wondering how to stay awake...guy just sat at next terminal who hasnt had a bath since easter...the lord does work in mysterious ways...cant even breathe...much less go to sleep
first day in paris, while strolling from the champs elysesse to the eiffel tower
car stopped, asking for directions...sucker that i was, i tried to help...poor guy, clothing rep he said, had been in paris from milan...had the night before been out drinkin, gamblin, and associatin with loose women...spent all his dough...no money for petrol to return to his bride in milan...wanted 100 euro for 2 leather coats...each...got them for 75 euro, both, hope they dont burn a hole in my luggage
purple rain on the loud speakers here at internet cafe...first real kiss was to purple rain at sherry whites birthday party on mortgage hill...no i am not namin names
so glad uncle welton and aunt judith could come...growing up, they were always away...colorado, west virginia...so we didnt get to spend much time with them or get to know them...both so fine...welton is a baptist minister...breaks forth in song whenever things get heavy to lighten them up...yesterday it was johnny cash...today, bringing in the sheaves...often breaks into song just to sing...doesnt have to be heavy
got to spend a long vets day weekend with them in dc several years ago...where the idea for this trip...the normandy/paris piece...was born...emily and hannah, along with sarah, alexander and i got to really spend quality time with them then...so glad for other opportunities for that to continue
equal time for aunts not here...in order by age...eleanor is the only one, i think, who makes homemade chicken pastry like grandma did...one of the very few things i remember about grandma nunnery...it is on my bucket list to spend time with her to learn this craft...best family meal ever was at her house...probably 30 years or go or more when aunt ernie, the baby of the family...but in many ways the matriarch as she keeps all the traditions alive...taught me how to eat the best part of the turkey...the skin...ernie and i traditionally skin the turkey...we have been sharing with wendy for some time...but we tell everyone else it is bad
i hope that eleanor started a new tradition last christmas when she made a coconut cake that was soaked in coconut milk and eagle brand...i had to lay down on the floor afterwards...yum good...she just completed a college degree...no small feat in your fifties...all very proud of her accomplishment
christmas is most often at aunt ernie and uncle dales...all the little kids love uncle dale...the bigger kids, darren, sarah, wendy and me....head straight to the basement...they have a ms pacman machine...i think we missed the blessing one year...best part is that the machine has been modified...no quarters needed, can play all night
the christmas aunt ernie and uncle dale got engaged, she spent christmas eve at our house...got to have santa with her...a very special yule
aunt judith and momma have outlived grandma...who died at 62...all five are now grandmothers...she really didnt have an opportunity to be a grandmother...save for troy, robert and darren...and the paynters a little bit...i think she would be most proud of the women, mothers and grandmas she raised
lots of twins spotted
rob cunningham...unc grad bud...who ironically had twin girls since i've been gone with wife candy...congrats to rob, candy and big brother anderson...a cool kid...many of you will remember anderson...he was the little fellow i held for most of my graduation pig pickin last year
friend and respected banker hope connell...although aunt louise thought her twin more closely resembled hope's mom, ella ann holding
former colleague nathan batts
cousin howard moss-paynter side
pinnell side cousin-patricia morris
genie earnhardt-hostess extraordinnaire in raleigh
alan mustian...complete with too cool for school sunglasses...driving a delivery van...passed me on the corner and i waved before i realized it wasnt alan
and today, nancy harris echols...only person i know who can handle her home burning with the grace she did...whole neighborhood in shock in the harty's yard and she was as cool as a cucumber
couple from san diego staying at hotel bonaparte...he talks just like karl hehl....great to visit with ron the other morning
earlier in the week, coffee with friend and neighbor beth fleishman...beth gave me so much good advice for this journey...the hotel bonaparte, where to eat...chez allard...frog legs...and more...so great to see her...if you do not buy your antiques from beth at the knick knack patty wack...time to start christmas shopping
linda fleming---momma saw your twin today...wish you could have seen the flower delivery truck filled with...polk berries...need to tell laurie that i will harvest a truck load of'em...perhaps we can start a new trend...would be interesting to know how much they charge for an arrangement of polk berries...best part...kids can paint their faces with the juice for cowboys and indians as sarah, jeff and beth howard and i used to do
wonderful new friend margaret pierce and her husband george from washington state...have shared lots of advice for travel in france...she just completed degree in psycotherapy...perhaps she will take me on as a test case
know hamp, wil, emily and hannah will want to know if big daddy is wearing his hearing aids...no...but did in normandy...big daddy has learned how to charge the battery in his camera and to zoom for close up shots....fun to watch him...he took thousands of photos in vietnam...and when we were little...but really havent seen him take a photo in 25 years or more...he has had fun with it
viv has had fun too...has had her photo taken in front of everything we've seen...they are too funny...aunt louise said...macey can keep up with u rann, step for step...i think he's scared i might leave him somewhere
louise, macey and viv had horrific cab experience...really thought they were going to be robbed...but turned out ok...macey viv and i had bad cabbie from train station to hotel after normandy/chartres trip...macey said he wasnt getting back in a cab...good thing, we all think they are cursed...so we dont want to ride with them...haha
today is day 50 of 51
0 photos uploaded, 2100+taken
1 time wished for navy blazer...but that passed
0 calls home
0 cokes
1 hamburger
countless memories made
important to save for a rainy day...cause sometimes you have to make your own rainy day...great to have that cushion
family and friends truly are everything
uncle welton had horrific leg cramp after dinner the other night...i returned to restaurant, our waiter jerry at first thought i needed white vinegar...evidently the magic cure for this...for cleaning...they had balsamic vinegar...but no white...so he had someone go down the street for the vinegar...great service...it did cure it...good to know, i get these occassionally...typically in the middle of the night
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