Biere in Mornac-sur-Seudre, a charming little town, where we spent our afternoon.

Ile de Re

Here was my lunch today. Actually, it was only the 1st course, this was followed by a gigundo pot of mussels and frites. and of course we had Rose from Poitou-Charente.

This is our effing house... Yes, the one with the pointy turet.

I am on the 3rd floor and that really is my bedroom with the window/French doors opening onto my balcony, which looks onto the beach. (Or should I say bi-atch?)

Not quite sure about posting on the new iPad... I have finally figured out how to get pictures to the blog but can't seem to edit on the same pages with the pix...?? The pix do a pretty good job of saying something without my €2 thrown in.

Jane & Hilary on beach

That is the Atlantic beyond these 2.

Beach walk in a.m.

Hilary and I walked the length of the beach the first morning. These cragg-y cliff-y walls were at the far end. I thought the sinue-y Hilar-y looked a study in opposition to them. If we keep eating the breakfasts that we ate après this walk, we will blend better.

Breakfast after beach walk, 1st day

As Soon as We Got There!

Photos by georgia's pictures on Flickr

Photos by georgia's pictures on FlickrFriends Hilary and Jane and I flew from JFK to Paris, took 2 trains to Royan, were picked up at the gare by Francois and taken to his hotel for our first night in France. We immediately set out after dropping our suitcases to discover our new town. We started with a walk on the expansive beach of soft white sand and found the house we would be moving to the next day. We roamed through the streets and had our first dinner outdoors at a restaurant near the harbor. We were exhausted and went to to bed early, leaving the large French doors to the balcony of our room wide open.

This is what I have done since my last post, in a very small nutshell.

• I finished my Center for Furniture Craftsmanship class and all my pieces.
• Came home in early February and found an apprenticeship with Chris Lehrecke twice a week for a couple months. Helped with chairs for a large table.
• Started working with Rbt Hastings once a week, which continues (except for a summer break). Helped build a toy chest, a tack box and a tool cabinet.
• Went to a CFC reunion in NYC and met Zal Sakari, a former student who lives near me and has a workshop he was willing to share. YEAH! Moved tools in and started to make a small table that was suppose to be something like Chris' designs, but haven't succeeded. Zal and I end up baking bread and cooking meals and eating cheese. I lovelovelove Zal (and his darling wife, Caro, adorable child Taige, [yes, named after you-know-who] and even Huges, the dog)
• Summer came and I traveled often to Quebec to help brother Harry on his cabin-building project. Built stair/ladder in atelier.
• Took a week long Women's Carpentry class at Heartwood School in Mass. Helped build a chicken coop.
• Helped daughter move from Chicago to NYC. Built a lofted bed so she could put her dresser beneath it and fit it in tiny bedroom.
• Worked like mad to get all book design work finished so I can go away for a month with girlfriends, Hilary and Jane, to Royan, Fr. tomorrow.

For the month I am away, I hope to write often of our adventures. Stay tuned.