'Twas New Year's Eve Day and....

It all began when............ Joe went to the boulangerie (bakery) for his morning pain au chocolat. It took him forever! However, when he returned his hands were filled with mimosa and red tulips from the stand set up in the street for New Year's. The trees should be covered soon in these vibrant yellow blossoms (some are pure white). They are perfect for our apertif table.

Being Wednesday, we had to go to the market in Uzès, about 10 minutes away. Walking

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past our favorite pâtisserie, we found the line out the door. One gentleman walked out with seven vibrant pink boxes of party treats. Entering, we found every available space filled with plates of pastries. Have you picked the one you want to taste? Or maybe all of them?????

Oysters are also a New Year's treat. Here in a small passageway one was able to buy oysters for later---or take right now to a café for a treat.

The last two days have been very gray and the market was very small. I think all were staying home to rest for the parties this evening. Rain did not stop us from having coffee in one of the outdoor cafés and wishing all Bonne Fête!

We do hope you have a wonderful New Year. We will be going with our neighbors to the next village for dinner after having champagne here. Amy said we should be home about 3----AM that is!

'Tis the Season to....

It's almost here and I can't wait! No presents are wrapped as Homeland Security would have all the fun of unwrapping them. After spending Christmas with my mother, we shall jump on the plane Christmas day and arrive in France just in time to create a second holiday with Molly and Billy, Amy and Matt (oh, and, three dogs, three cats, and, of course, Amy's nieces, Ari and Emmie, who will be watching the sky for Santa).

Isn't Santa wonderful spanning a passageway in the neighboring village of Uzes? Many of the stores in the village will have on their holiday finery. Lights line the streets and everyone is ready for the big night.

Late on Christmas Eve, Joe and I along with our friends, Kathy and Pete, will don our elf's hats and go to NORAD (the Air Force facility here in Colorado Springs) to answer calls from little ones from around the world. Children are eager to know exactly where Santa is and we will be giving them up to the minute information of his precise location from a large screen in front of the room which follows his journey. Almost 100,000 calls will come in during the 24 hours that Santa travels the Earth. We will spend two hours constantly answering some of those calls. If you have some curious ones in your house, go online and see where Santa is. www.noradsanta.org It does get pretty exciting!
Have a wonderful holiday. We shall write next from France with all the excitement of a French holiday.

Joyeux Noël,
Cindy