Dear Mindy,*
Eventually the party came to an end.
Are you wondering how much play, relaxing, eating and easy conversation can a person take?
Let me just say, if it were an Olympic sport the French would totally whip our ass.
Ice cream!!
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| with Christine (on far right) and everybody’s eyes open |
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| with me on right and eyes closed on Edith, Thierry, Diogo, Cristina, + Isabelle, helas |
Kate said that afternoon was one of her most favorites of the week. Easy, loose, spontaneous and fun.
You know, such a difference from all that heavy lifting we’d been doing . . . 🙂
If you remember, during this time I was doing the #31sunrises project. On our very last morning in Provence, Kate wanted to get up with me and climb to the top of the castle to see the sun rise.
And so we did. Rolling out of bed in the dark. Getting in the car and driving — half asleep to be sure — back to Grignan for one last visit.
For me, this was one of the most magical moments of the whole week. I don’t have to tell you how much I love mornings and to share it with my beloved niece — to have my blood pumping and warming me from a quick hike up the rampart — to feel the air on my skin and watch the birds play on the breeze soaring and swooping — and then, for the sun to slowly fill the sky.
Well, it filled my heart forever and a day.
And then, of course. It was truly time to go.
We got back to the B&B — said good bye to the chickens (Kate loved those chickens) and the most amazing breakfast ever– and headed to the train station.
As it turns out, we were on the same train as my darlingest aunt — my dad’s sister and mama matriarch to this wild tribe (5 children, 14 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren) — who is such a role model of aging. She looked styling the whole time, took the train by herself, caught a cab home by herself — returning to her apartment on the fifth floor of her Paris apartment.
She’s 88. Seriously, she sets the bar high.
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| my amazing Tante Ady catching her own damn cab, thank you very much |
I so admire your devotion, and loved watching the sun rise through your eyes! what a gorgeous last memory of your wedding adventures, and so beautifully woven in to your practice. The pinks skies are my favorite (my original blog way back when was called, Under A Pink Sky)! These posts remind me so much of why I fell in love with blogging and reading blogs all those years ago. xoxoxox
I love your tante too, she is absolutely beautiful! I hope when I am 88 I will be as independent and determined. Your sunrise is breathtaking. I also love a sunrise, it is like witnessing birth. A blank slate in which to live again. Can't wait for part two!