Summer Highlights

Here are my summer highlights in chronological order....

1)  Living in this amazing house in the hamlet of Martignac for the entire month of July.

2)  Eating French breads.  (The bread is something that I am really going to miss.)

3)  Eating French food.  Everything is made with the freshest ingredients, with love, with simplicity.  (The food in rural France beats food in Paris any day.)

4)  Taking our meals at this table while gazing out onto the Lot Valley.

5)  DRINKING WINE WITH BREAKFAST!!!!!

6)  The gorgeous French countryside.

7)  Our Martignac neighbours, David and Gill.

8)  The beautiful village of Puy L'Eveque.

9)  The flowers of France.

10)  Shopping in the markets.

11)  Meeting Madame Murat and eating at her restaurant 3 times.

12)  Meeting the Geddes family (friends from Squamish) for lunch in Bergerac.

13)  Having my sister Chrissy and brother-in-law Kevin stay with us in Martignac for 12 fun-filled days.

14)  Visiting the lovely lavender farm in L'Herm.

15)  Having Adrian and Julia stay with us for four days in Martignac.

16)  Going to all of the community suppers in vineyards, churchyards and village squares.

17)  Celebrating my 53rd birthday.

18)  Spending the evening with my French BFF Marie-Anne and her friends at the 'Fete en Pomarede'.

19)  Meeting Linda and Steve, our hosts at 'Les Portails Bleues' in Aze, France.

20)  Touring the Hospice de Beaune.

21)  Spending 9 glorious days in Paris.

22)  Spending 9 glorious days in this apartment in Paris.

23)  Spending 9 glorious days looking at this view from our apartment in Paris.

24)  Meeting my former kindergarten student Pam (I taught her in 1986!) for lunch in Paris.

25)  Randomly running into fellow Squamoleans Kyle, Riley and Sam on the Pont de Saint Michel in Paris.

 26)  Spending our final weekend in France with our German friends Alex, Christine, Julia and Florian.

Thank you France for giving us yet another amazing summer holiday.  Thank you for your food, wine, countryside, history, art, culture, and people.  Especially your people.  You have welcomed us with open arms and for that we are forever grateful.