May 2025

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Showing all posts made in the month of May 2025.

Mother’s Day Again- in France

C’est la fête des mères en France aujourd’hui… without much more than a whim for a plan I seem to have planned it just right to have two Mother’s Days in one month– France celebrates the mother two weeks later than America. But I’m alone, no children in sight, so how to celebrate? Because I do love the celebratory life of all six children having safely reached adulthood… why not celebrate again in France? It’s Sunday so all the church bells are ringing in Angers where I came to attend the literary conference aptly named Possible Futures (the whim)… But that was yesterday. Today I searched for a church nearby. If you want to get to know people in a community, consider church, if you can. If you are trying to learn French, you will get to hear it sung, and sing along, if you like. I found a small…

Embrace the Adventure…

with a purple backpack, and clapping! I got off the train today in Angers (France) in a hurry– the train was late leaving and then somehow the time went by too quickly and caught me in the bathroom when the stop came… I rushed to grab my gear, then find my way to the hotel. I was a bit weighed down with a full size Thule backpack, the kind you might pack to hike the Grand Randonnée. I also carried a rather heavy REI messenger bag with my computer, books and purse inside. I’m headed to a conference put on by the English Library here. Of course, I went the wrong way. I could’ve taken a taxi but I thought I should be able to make it less than a mile to the hotel, choosing the shady sides of streets. About halfway there, each step a bit beleaguered by the…

Coming of Age

Happy Mother’s Day 2025 On May 1 our youngest daughter turned 18 making this the first Mother’s day in 43 years that all six of our children are adults. It feels like a huge achievement–on the Richter scale of motherhood, like at 6.0- enough shake to stir things up, but not do damage. In the spirit of celebration, I’ve taken up cold water plunging, or swimming, because after you get in and regain your breath, you might as well stay for a while. Arielle suggested we take a plunge and swim in the Columbia River for her 18th birthday. The river is about 52 degrees right now. In preparation I read the book Chill: the Cold Water Swim Cure. It was frightening, exhilarating, and breathtaking (époustouflant in French)– all at once. It was the perfect celebration for the occasion. I’m hooked. After about three minutes I don’t want to get…

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