OBSERVATIONS and I should have just STAYED in the ROOM

It’s a cool crisp morning at Gare de Lyon on the 22nd of August and the sun is streaming in across the station and trains that have just arrived from Milan and Zürich.  We’re waiting for our  train to come in  from Marseille.   It won’t leave until 11:04 – it’s only 10:30 now. Fun wait.  Never can get tired of watching a million people pass you by,

It’s so colorful, the people, their clothes, their suitcases, their hair, – their DOGS.  Love it.

Some people walk with a sense of purpose, others with a tired and “I’d like to be on my train now” amble, others talking on their phones,  lots of little tiny children, lots of mommies, lots of skinny people, lots of suitcases, and the pigeons. I can’t wait to get on board the train so I can start knitting.  David went to find an ATM. I went to the pharmacy and drooled.  J’adore un pharmacie, I bought some wipes and checked out some of the lotions and facecreams and all of the brands. They’re lovely and they’re expensive, and they’re worth it.   I have two contacts in my eyes,  for a change, so I can see really well. But I can’t read a damn thing.

We had a really nice dinner last night in the apartment in Montmorency. I had stir fried chicken with tiny little diced sautéed vegetables of celery, shallots, carrots, garlic that I had cut up some weeks before and they were all frozen so it was really easy to just plop them in the pan – and then served some rice with it from Picard, it was quite tasty and it was served with fresh bread and some butter and mustard.  I like to dip my bread in the mustard they have here.  It’s very spicy and good – sometimes it’s Maille and other times it’s whatever I can find at Auchun.

There’s an older couple passing by me – all dressed in red, red sweater for him , and red and white fisherman’s shirt which is neat, and they look SO cute!!  Oh! here comes David, back from the ATM.

No ATM.

My poor knees are really creaking and cracking today – bone on bone – Oh I hope I don’t have to have a knee replacement soon. Ofcourse if I have it here, I might get a spa treatment out of it, and all kinds of therapy that’s included as you know,  so there’s an advantage to having it here, rather than the states, because it would be cheaper – whole lot cheaper and I would be given all these spa treatments that they order – can you believe it?   Well, once my walking starts in earnest again here in France, they will improve greatly.  All that driving in the States didn’t do me one bit of good.  I just feel SO OUT OF SHAPE NOW!!!!!

So, we’re on the TGV, it’s fast, that’s for sure and I’m getting some knitting done (when I ‘m not on THIS).

Before we know it………….

Welcome to PROVENCE, my friends!!!   (3 hours from Paris – not bad that fast train!)

MARSEILLE!!!  3:55PM

Well, we had a scare. David’s backpack was missing – he thought he left it down at the check -in desk, but NO, then we thought is it in the Taxi? As we were talking to the Taxi driver about taking us to Cassis tomorrow……..we called the Taxi driver – no answer – we called again and again, no answer.  Finally, he answered and he said he would look – and he opened the trunk, and there in the back was David’s backpack!!  All fine and good.  He’s far away now, so he’s going to bring it back to us in 2 hours.

God is good, God is good.

Well, should have just STAYED In the room.

Tried to get on hotel WIFI and it sucked.  Walked to McDonalds instead and in asking directions of the nice French lady, was immediately accosted by her big white dog –

who would NOT get out of my skirt!!

Then, none of the credit cards would work at McDonalds (they’re not hooked up to

American CC’s)** and finally paid cash.  The water spilled onto the tray because they didn’t have tops on them and the water was too full.  He replaced the tray and I took the new tray and immediately hit some plexi-glass holding biscuits when all the fries went flying in the air and tumbled to the floor.

Then we sat outside for ambience (yes, even at McDonalds) and realized that this particular McDonalds was next to a helicopter pad, so this must be a new way of getting service fast.   It was loud.

I’m thinking…..”What the HECK??”

I need to go back to my room.

**credit cards didn’t work cause we were back in the states.  When we arrived back in France – they saw a charge go through for train tkts.  It looked suspicious so they cut off our cards . It’s okay, we only went a day without food. HA