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We had a lovely little Thanksgiving in France, despite my mushy stuffing. I met another American a couple weeks ago and he joined Bill and I for dinner. It took some effort to pull the meal together since its not a holiday that France celebrates. I had to roast the pumpkin in order to make the puree for the pumpkin pie (no canned pumpkin here) and we had to drive to Montauban to find a turkey breast. But it was worth the extra effort, as we have so much to be thankful for this year. And, it was especially nice to spend it with new friends. My sister came to visit in December, so we took the train to Bordeaux to check out their Christmas market, and then again to the Marche de Noel in Toulouse. Bordeaux is a very elegant city, with it's neoclassic architecture, wide boulevards and expansive views of the Garonne river. And its very easy to navigate, as you can grab a tram right outside the train station that takes you everywhere you need to go for less than 2 euro. Unfortunately...
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Bordeaux and Toulouse

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I have a friend that's visiting us from the states, so we took time out this week to explore some cities and villages in the Southwest area of France, in and around where we live in Moissac. We toured side by side midevil castles in Bruniquel--voted one of France's most beautiful villages. The first castle was built in the 13th century, but due to a family dispute the son was cut from the will and a cousin inherited the propérty instead. He had a second castle built in the 15th century--directly beside the fueding family's castle--and erected a stone wall between them so they needn't ever see each other. Such epic drama, considering it takes hundreds of workers atleast a decade to build a castle. One of these castles, Château Vieux, continued to be occupied until the death of the last Viscountess in 1980! Lauzert was next on our list (and also on the list of most beautiful villages). Very little is open on Mondays in this area of France--which we knew...
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Porto, Portugal

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Mother Nature announced autumn's arrival with a week of rain, which thankfully abolished the water restrictions in France. Unfortunately, the rain overstayed its welcome and left our yard looking like a giant mosh pit. I have a friend visiting from the states, and while she's here we decided to take a quick trip to Porto, Portugal--so off we went in search of sunshine. Porto is located on the northwest coastline of Portugal, and is known for its impressive bridges and for the port wine it produces. Our airbnb was in the medieval Ribeira (river) district, and the views of the river from our balcony were amazing. The cobbled stone streets that once wound past merchants' houses, are now lined with restaurants featuring salted fish and boiled potatoes. Porto's old town district is rich with stunning architecture that sits on a giant roller coaster of land. To stand at the bottom of any street and look up the incredibly steep road that lies in front of you is intimidating ...
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Phase 1 is done!

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We finished wallpapering the last 2 rooms, and have been busy cleaning up and putting away all of our painting supplies, etc. FINALLY! We are scheduled to have an elevator installed in November for easier access from the ground floor living spaces to the first floor bedrooms, and there are repairs needed to the swimming pool, and work to be done in the kitchen and the yard--but those Phase 2 projects will keep until next year. Master Bedroom BEFORE and AFTER: Green Guest Room BEFORE and AFTER There's definitely a chill in the air and it's been dreary and raining all week. After living in the Arizona desert for 5 years, I grew accustomed to the endless sunshine. So, I'm definitely hoping for dryer days and fewer clouds next week. In the meantime, I'm learning how to make crepes and have tested recipes for both, sweet and savory. I thought they were delicious, even though their appearance might suggest otherwise. Luckily, I'm happy to continue practi...
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Moissac Vide Granier

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Garages are not as common in France as in the states. The country houses have barns which are often converted into covered parking spaces and garages, and the village homes often just don't have them. So when the townspeople want to purge their cramped closets they hold a community-wide Vide Granier. Last Sunday was Moissac's community sale, so Bill and I walked past the weekly farmer's market in the square, and down to the park along the river where the sales are held. The morning temps have definitely chilled and the trees that create a canopy over our street are changing color and dropping their leaves. It made for a perfect autumn scene and I'm loving this season's whole vibe.     On the renovation front, we completed one of the guest rooms (The Rose Room). Technically, it's the only room besides the library that is 100% finished. It's been a long time since I had a room in our house that was ...
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