I was trying to do a short short documentary on the "five elements' of earth, air water, fire and metal. It was a windy day in Old Lyon. I thought I would make a kite. The biggest open space is on the bridges that overlook the river Soane. So kite I did make. Monique began the film. I began my shpeal about the five elements. However two of the five elements had made differnt plans. Half way through my talk, the wind broke the kite string and gave the kite to the water. I screamed "Baby Come Back" Kent

We just returned from the south of France,the Ales area to be specific. We saw the place that we are to rent for the next 9 months, and met our landlord's parents. Very nice place. Very nice warm parents. Our plan is to live in the area and use this place as a base to search for a home and settle down. We left a day early so that we could visit Za who lives just outside of Uzes. As you may remember, Za has a swimming pool. I absolutely love the water. But I don't like to be in it. I'm a horrible swimmer. Water goes up my nose and my sinuses are plugged for a week. However this week, it was so hot in that part of the country that both Monique and I changed our minds. I jumped in first with my clothes on. Monique borrowed a suit from Za and soon we were all much relieved from the unbearable heat. Contrary to my habit of avoiding swimming, I stayed in the pool on and off about three hours. I even took a video of me trying to swim. Kent

Well we bought a new car! It came about this way. In the upper left hand corner is Joe, whom we met through our couch serving host and hostess, Marcel and Michelle. Joe who had invited us to drop in and visit his family further south, was at the time that I called him, in Lyon, visiting Marcel and Michelle. Joe invited us to a picnic next to the Rhone. We accepted and he drove us there. We told him that we were looking for a car and did he have any ideas? He said that the very car that we were riding in, he had bought at a car auction. To make a long story short one afternoon we found ourselves sitting on bleechers watching people bid on cars that were herded by them like cattle. We had had the opportunity to examine all the cars that we were interested in before the auction. When 'our' car rolled up Monique had to bid because of insurance matters. Bingo. She out bid everyone else. Next thing you know we had a car. And not only that it was exactly the same kind of car we had rented to drive Angie, Wes and Lilly around. Curious. Now we can drive south to find a place to eventually settle. Next step?
Kent

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKIP! JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE!!!!
Kent et Monique

It can't be seen but Wes has a big smile on his face. He is surrounded by huge barrels of wine.

Four generations of women. One has twisted herself up in the curtain.

Last week Wes, Angie and Lilly visited us from London. We rented another car and drove out to Beaujolais wine contry. Picked up Meme and drove to a birthday party for Gisele,Julien and Angie. Lilly amazed us with her ability to sing. We went to the zoo. Because my back went out,Wes got a chance to drive a couple of days through twisty country roads. They shopped at the outdoor market. Angie had a chance to spend time with her grandmother and visited Pepe's grave, and of course we explored a medieval village, Perouges, Old Lyon and climbed to Fourviere. Wes and Angie had an evening to themselves. We dropped paper helicopters down into the medieval courtyard of our apartment. Wes actually finished a book by Tom Robbins. We had breakfast together every morning. Then 'zip'it was time to go. Kent

I like this photo of Monique. She looks like the cat that got the mouse.
Kent

Dad, Mom, whom my sister would love, baby, friend and another whose photo I don't have, but who had the most beautiful name.
Kent

Sometimes I get the impression that the NEWS would have us believe that there are so many bad and unpredictable people in the world, that we should always make it a practice of looking over our shoulders and meet people with the armor of suspicion. Yet this doesn't seem to bear witness to our 'couch surfing' experiences. The latest family that we stayed with in Sete was gracious beyond measure. They filled us with seafood, wine, desserts, excellent conversations, that special 'drink' that all French families seem to save for special occassions and invitations to continued friendships. Our host and hostess' son though only fifteen was developing the self reflective insights of a man. We became friends and I look forward to seeing him again.

A couple of weeks ago we rented a car and drove to Sete, which is a city with three or so harbors. Sete sits on the edge of the Mediterranean and naturally is host to many seafood restaurants and a beach which I could not find on foot. Sete also has a mountain of sorts called Mont Saint Clair. This is where our host family lives. We arrived a little early so we decided to drive up the mountain. By Colorado standards it would be a hill, yet it was steep nevertheless. So steep in fact, that I couldn't get the car up the driveway. My first attempt produced tire screeches and black smoke. Monique who has a height phobia, was convinced that I was going to loose control and roll backwards down the mountain. I didn't think we would roll down the mountain, but I did think we might crash into the wall at the bottom of the driveway. After much screaming on both our parts, Monique ejected herself from the car, while I had the bright idea of trying to back up the driveway. It was worse. I couldn't see were I was going and I couldn't get the right pressure on the clutch, so the car continued to stall. I gave up and parked on the street.But I digress. As I mentioned before we were early so we discovered a platform type of observatory that gave us a wonderful birds eye view of Sete.

It is Monique's practice to enter a church and light a candle. We always tend to visit the churches in each village or town. This church is in that beautiful city of Uzes, the one with the one thousand year old Duche. Here Monique lights a candle in memory of her Dad and Paul
Kent