This time tomorrow evening, I am hoping I will be soundly asleep in a bed on English soil at Wellington College. This week has just been one evening after the next of late nights for a myriad of reasons, and I feel certain that there will be more in the next week. Thankfully, Uncle Dave and Aunty Pam have acknowledged the fact that I am probably going to be collected in a heap next Sunday, and have said they suggest that I do take some time to just gather my scattered wits.
I am often reminded of a comment made by Rev Dan when he was at the bus one day when Mum was collecting me from some trip or another, and he smiled in his benevolent manner and stated quite matter of factly, "Wendy, you are blessed.". And, indeed he is and was right. I have been blessed with so many things in my life - and continue to be blessed in so many ways.
Today, I was able to cycle on what started as a relatively brisk morning in terms of the weather, but turned into the most charming day. I cycled through a French hamlet, took in a castle on the Loire River and enjoyed a baguette at the conclusion of the cycle ride at the entrance to the castle.
This was the magnificent view to which we were treated along a side path of the Loire River of the castle outside which we enjoyed our lunch of baguettes, etc.
I have also had the chance in one short week to enjoy such things as a one and a half day trip to Euro Disney, and despite this never being something that was on my "bucket list", it is wonderful to have been there and had a chance to experience the fun of the place in general terms.
When I am with Aunty Pam and Uncle Dave I will try and take a pic of the pic that Christine and I bought at the park that was taken of the two of us screaming our heads off on a silly, but scary enough ride on some "mountain" in the frontier park. Not the most flattering pic of either of us, but certainly the white knuckles gripping the carriage or bar that held us in, was indicative of the manic manner in which we hurtled around the ride.
Then, the next adventure as we had to herd nine kids, all our luggage and purchases, and ourselves across Paris in the RER train, cross to the Metro system, board the metro train, change trains and then negotiate our way down a none too savoury part of Paris before arriving at our "home" for almost the whole of the last week. (All but last night has been spent with this hotel as our base on the banks of one of the Parisian canals). It was quite weird to return this evening and know that this was where we were and we might have been in different rooms, but we were very familiar with what was here and what was not.
And then the whirlwind, and as someone said when we had coffee and hot chocolate this evening, this really is a city with so many (possibly the most) famous landmarks, many of which we would "take in" during the course of the week.
We started on Monday with Notre Dame. Photos do not do it justice, but in this you get a sense of the magnificence - with the boys gathered in front in one of my "gather round boys" shots of one of the land marks.
Then a lunch and off to the Palace of Versailles. Beautiful gardens that our visit just could not do justice to. The most incredible palace - built and furnished by men with egos so great, and in the main, statures so small. It was the start of the surreal experience of walking the paths of men and women I have read about in books, watched films telling their stories and generally become familiar with through my various sorties into historical information.
And so, with that, I think that I will call it a day. I hope I have a chance to continue this journey in a more or less logical fashion (as I am conscious that this is what Mum would appreciate! :-)), but I am not confident that this will indeed be the case.
Later this morning will be a traipsing across parts of Paris to what we have located as the nearest Metro in order to catch a train to the Eurostar station and then book in to go across to the UK. Another day, another adventure!
All for now as the eyes are getting droopy and dreams call!
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