The good thing about jet lag, is that it puts you in a difference space in yourself. We just got back from two wonderful weeks in France. I’ll tell you about that later.
First Good Things
The first day home I went for a long walk. The sun was shining and it just felt good. I’ve heard that to re-set one’s circadian rhythm after changing time zones, nothing beats letting the sun shine on you.
When I went for my first jog, I was still a bit in that spaced-out mode. Rather than falling into my usual counting mantra, I listened to the birds waking up. I swear I heard a momma bird telling her fledglings, “Time to get up! Time to get up!” as orange-gold rays peeked through branches and tipped the tops of evergreens.
Squirrels played on the ground as I ran past, parting and running for different trees, discovering more playmates to chase. The good thing about squirrels, is that they are fun to watch, even if they do keep finding new ways to empty your birdfeeder.
The development I live in has large lots, so having live-stock is not a stretch. I usually don’t stop moving until I’ve completed my circuit. But because I was in this other space, I stopped by the pasture to see if the horse would come over to the fence. He was watching me, interested, but no dice. On I went.
What Was Good About France
What was good about France, was— Everything! Jack and I took our granddaughter as a college graduation gift. We spent a week in Paris and a week in Provence. Art was our main focus, but I had a few hit-list destinations, like the Petite Palais of Marie Antoinette, which is part of Versailles, but not as touristy.
In fact, the Palace itself was less interesting than the park-like grounds that surround it and the little village Marie had built to help educate her children. About half a dozen beautifully crafted houses in a cluster. There’s a mini (but working) millhouse, a bakery, and vegetable gardens. She wanted her children to know how bread was made and where food came from.
From Paris we went to Avignon, the perfect home from which to take daytrips in Provence. The most unusual of which was to the Grotto of Mary Magdelen outside the town of Sainte-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. It was Sunday and we were in time for Mass at their Gothic Basilica, dedicated to Mary Magdalen and housing her relic.
After a five-star lunch in town, we climbed the mountain to the Grotto, which houses another relic. The day ended listening to two monks chant Latins as we sat in the plain wooden pew behind them.
A Very Good Thing
But the highlight of the trip, both in Paris and Avignon, was the time we had together. Meisha was the perfect counterpoint to our Gigi and Poppo duet. She quickly was the one guiding us to destinations with her phone, laughing at our interactions, loving Europe, and sharing cheeses, chocolates, and wine with us on our hotel balcony. What a good thing!
