Returning to France Day 11

Song - No Particular Place To Go by Chuck Berry

We picked up our Renault "Captur" car on the outskirts of Paris but it took us some time to actually get out of the city.

As Mr. B and I were heading to Chinon in the Loire Valley we drove past fields and fields of yellow mustard that went as far as the eye can see.

The town lies along the river Vienne with an impressive castle on top of the plateau. The castle was built in the 12th century on top of an earlier Gallo-roman fort. It was an important site for many reasons but my favorite was that Joan of Arc had a meeting with Charles VII in 1429 and it is considered the turning point in the fortunes of France and subsequent removal of the English from France. She was 17 years old.

We checked into our hotel in the late afternoon.  Mr. B took a rest in our room while I went downstairs to take some photos of the flowers in the courtyard.

 After a long spell of rain, the hotel had just put out their umbrellas and since it was such a beautiful afternoon I decided to sit outside, sip a glass of wine & sketch.

 Hotel Diderot has a small gravel courtyard where you may park your car.  Surrounding it is an old stone wall and a small, sweet, well tended garden.

There are large iron gates that are closed at night, not for safety reasons but to keep the courtyard quiet for their guests.

There is a small lane behind the hotel (Rue Diderot) where you can stroll into town passing by various houses, churches and shopfronts.

Mr. B and I headed down Rue Diderot to explore and find a place for dinner.

Some of the buildings looked like they had been added onto during different centuries.

 There are wine caves built into ancient Troglodyte dwellings up on the tufa plateau.

 It was fun to wonder what happened to the people who lived in these structures. Did the family that owned the house above not agree on the same architect?  Or did half of the house get demolished?

 Or did half of it just slowly fall over like this building has been doing for many years?

There is lot's of interesting things to see from a much earlier time.

And on the way home from dinner we walked along our lane wearing rose colored glasses. (wink)

"If Joan of Arc could turn the tide of an entire war 

before her eighteenth birthday, you can get out of bed."  

-- E. Jean Carroll

twentyeight

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON

Johnny Be Goode - Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen

Just when did my little Jonny get to be 28 years old and a man?

This is how I will always picture him in my heart.  He has always been a hard working, happy guy!

Making Stone Soup with Andy.  Andy gave the directions and did the stirring while Jon collected all of the stones and grass or whatever his brother told him to do.

He was very independent and would balance out joy & reward with punishment when he was told not to do something.

One day I found him starting to cross the street without adult supervision.

"Jon, if you cross the street without asking, you will have a time out"
After considerable consideration and weighing the two very carefully....
"OK mom, I'll cross the street and take my time out!"
And then he went skipping out the front door!

But kids do grow up and Jon has grown into a caring, loyal, interesting man. (but he will always be my baby!)

 Can you just see the sweetness pouring out of this little boy

Jon and his cousin's Sean & Paul and brother Andy getting ready for a Super Bowl game

 

 

Jon in Santa Cruz

Jon in Disneyland pouring so much cheese onto his spaghetti that he clogged the cheese dispenser.  I'm not sure if I know who that guy next to him is with the HUGE glasses on???Mmmmm......

 This was his neighborhood bud through grade school - Marco.

Jon has always loved animals and still does....ask me to tell you about Joe Montana sometime!

Jon with his cousin Sean & brother Andy on Halloween

For awhile in high school Jon played drums in a band called "Losing Autumn".  Guess who's house they practiced at????  The orange hair thing was only for a weekend while they competed in Battle of the Bands.

Jon helping Jim build the pergola in the backyard.

Jon graduating from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo

 

Jon fly fishing in Hope Valley near Lake Tahoe

Jon after Andy dressed him up early one morning to meet Brent Jones at preschool.

Brent was sweet enough to autograph Jon's football card.

Jon with his friend Megan at Christmas.

Thank you Jon for being a big part of our lives and reminding us to play more and laugh often!!

"A son holds his mothers hand for a little while......her heart forever." - Author Unknown