Monday.  Not just any Monday . . . MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  Very few people like celebrating their birthdays more than I do so it was an exciting day.  I hopped out of bed raring to go.  

David had the coffee ready when the rest of us got up.  I was NOT expecting anything but I received some nice surprises!  Lisa gave me a card that I will not share but I will treasure forever.  She has a very special place in my heart.  Gail brought me a gift from two of our friends in Canton that we grew up with, Linda and Rhoda.  It is a gorgeous scarf and a beautiful note.  Of course I wore the scarf immediately.

Gail gave me a wonderful gift that will remind me of this trip forever.  When Kema was here she took a great picture of David and me laughing really hard at the wine bar, Aux Cepages.  Gail loved the picture so she had a copy made and framed for me.  David and I both love the picture too so we are very happy to have a framed copy.  This is the picture.

We headed out for the day -- took the train to Chenonceau -- and toured the house and gardens.  I've reported on Chenonceau before so I won't bore you, but I'll post a few pictures for my own pleasure!  I especially love the picture Lisa took of the chateau!

We actually toured the gardens first since it wasn't raining temporarily.  Then it was time for lunch!   We planned to have lunch at the self-serve cafeteria style restaurant there on the property, but when we left the gardens and started walking toward that building, we saw another dining option.  It's called L'Orangerie and it is pretty darn fancy.  But it was my birthday so what the heck!  The main part of the restaurant looked narrow and crowded so we were very happy to be seated in the conservatory.  

It was a damp day, raining off and on, and we all decided on the vegetable soup and salad. Lisa and I had roasted goat cheese on our salads and it was delicious!  Gail had a plain green salad and David had "salade avocat."  The food was beautiful and excellent.  Lisa declared it one of the best meals of her life.  

After our leisurely lunch, we spent a few hours in the chateau and then decided to go to the self-serve restaurant for a drink.  When we saw it we were very happy we had eaten lunch at L'Orangerie!  The food looked good but nothing like we had for lunch.

On the way back to the train station it was raining pretty hard but we kept seeing things we needed to tour!  There was a display set up like it was when there was a military hospital at Chenonceau during World War I.  Next door to that was a display of costumes that had been used in films from that time period.  Walking further we stumbled upon the absolutely gorgeous flowers used in the floral arrangements in the chateau and vegetables and fruit used in the food served there.  We were blown away by the beauty of those practical gardens!!!  

We had to make our way to the train station after we saw the gardens and it was raining pretty hard by then.  Gail and David had hoods on their jackets but Lisa and I just toughed it out and, surprisingly, we did not melt!  The train was on time and whisked us home quickly.  We took a taxi home from the train station.  

For my birthday dinner, Gail took all of us to the local Chinese restaurant, Delices d'Asie, where we have eaten twice before.  Most of the restaurants here are closed on Monday night but happily it is open.  We were the only ones in the restaurant for most of the evening and the service and food were excellent!!!  We ordered a variety of dishes and we all shared -- they have the freshest, most delicious food there.  David told the server/owner that he is a vegetarian and she went back to the kitchen and brought out some shitake mushrooms she had bought at the market for her own personal cooking and she said she would ask the Chef to make something with them and some kind of Chinese onion.  The dish was beautiful and David said it was really great tasting.  We ate until we were all stuffed!

BUT . . . not too stuffed for birthday cake!  David ordered the cake earlier in the week and picked it up on Sunday.  The square box was sitting in the fridge calling my name but I had to wait until my birthday evening to see it and eat it.  It was gorgeous and sooooooooooo good.  We all loved it!  The perfect ending to the perfect birthday!!!!! 

Sunday.  We woke up to a rainy, dreary day but it didn't dampen our spirits because Gail and Lisa were scheduled to arrive on the 2:44 p.m. train from Paris.

The house was clean and ready for guests so we just had a leisurely morning and afternoon.  At about 2:15 p.m. we headed out to walk to the train station to greet them.  There was a lucky break in the weather and we were able to walk there without getting wet. 

As usual the train was on time and it was very exciting to greet them!

It started raining and we decided not to walk home because it would not have been a fun walk.  We called our friendly taxi man who quickly picked us up and delivered us home.  We got Gail and Lisa settled in their rooms and they LOVED them!!!

We relaxed with some delicious wine and they told us about their time in Paris and we told them what we had planned for their visit with us.  Our plans were mostly based on the weather forecast.  We planned to eat dinner at home and I made the exact same dinner I made when Steve and Kema arrived!  They really enjoyed it so I thought Lisa and Gail would too.  Just like Kema and Steve, Gail and Lisa jumped right in and helped cook and clean up.  The best kind of houseguests to have!

We planned to go to bed early because we planned a trip to Chenonceau on Monday (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!) but we still stayed up too late talking!!!

Saturday.  We were expecting a quiet day but we ended up having so much fun!  As you know, it was market day so we were up and out early (for us).  We bought lettuce, tomato, avocado and mushrooms to make a salad for dinner on Sunday night.  My friend from high school, Gail, and her daughter, Lisa, will be arriving on Sunday to spend a few days with us.  We also bought some bananas.  It was a cool morning but the market was still very busy!

Then David walked me over to the salon, which is called Diva Salon, for my haircut and color.  It was not open yet so we waited a few minutes for the owner to arrive.  I was her first client of the day.  We went in and David walked next door to the bakery and bought a baguette.  He returned home and went back to the pastry vendor at the market and bought some breakfast treats.  Apple pastries that we love and something different -- miniature chocolate chip muffins that were very good.

Meanwhile, the stylist and I were talking away . . . her in French and me in English.  But with a few words of each other's language and hand gestures, we got along just fine.  She worked very quickly and within a few minutes she had applied the color to my gray roots (racine grise).  I knew I would have to sit awhile for the color to work so I took out my glasses to read a book on my Kindle.  I started to put my glasses on and she stopped me because she didn't want the dye to get on my glass frames.  She gave me these cool plastic sleeves to slide over the stems of my glasses.  I told her I hadn't seen them before so she gave me two of them to take home to show to my stylist, Erica.  Erica is pretty hip so I'm sure she's aware of them but I thought that was very nice of her.

While my hair was processing, we heard a marching band coming down the main street.  We went outside to watch it and it was great music and very festive.  We don't know why they were there but we enjoyed the band very much!

Soon she rinsed the color out of my hair and gave me a haircut.  She was a very fast hair cutter too!  The color looks good and the haircut is OK too.  It's a little short and not quite as edgy as Erica cuts it, but I think it looks nice!!!   

I walked home and I could hear the band playing in the market place.  David was just coming out the door to see the band so we stayed outside awhile listening to them.  We still don't know where the band was from or why they were playing but all of us at the market enjoyed it very much!

This is such a wonderful place to live -- you never know what you'll see from day to day and we love all of the surprises!  

When we were going back into the house we greeted Nathalie and her husband (whose first name we still haven't heard!).  Mr. Roger (using Nathalie's last name) asked us if we wanted to join them later for a drink.  Of course we said yes!  We were flattered that a French family invited us out to do something.  We were delighted!

Some time later after having breakfast and starting our day, Mr. Roger knocked on the door and we went out to have a drink with them.  They took us to Aux Cepages and the place was PACKED!  Nathalie told us that they go there most Saturdays for a glass of wine after she finishes working.  Of course they knew everyone there and there was much hand shaking and cheek kissing.  It was a party-like  atmosphere.  The outside tables were full so we got a table all by ourselves in the back room where the bottles of wine are for sale.  

We ordered our wine and then Nathalie ordered some . . . gasp . . . cans of sardines.  Now most of you know I'm a very picky eater and I don't eat seafood or fish of any kind.  And, of course, David is a vegetarian.  They had brought baguettes with them so they sliced the bread and encouraged us to dig in.  Couldn't do it.  But my sweet, sweet husband was a very good sport and he tried a bit of sardine (a big bite!) on a baguette.  He had eaten them when he was a kid so he said it wasn't too bad.  When I declined, they ordered some kind of pate on sliced baguette (pork, I think) so I ate that and it was delicious.  As an aside, I remember as a kid that my Dad ate sardines that were out of a can and packed in mustard.  I also hate mustard so it was a double icky thing.  My Dad used to chase me around holding the can pretending like he was going to make me eat one.  As if!!!!!

You would be amazed at the breadth of conversation the four of us were able to have with our limited French and their limited English.  We talked about their daughters and where we live in North Carolina and we talked a lot about politics.  We discovered Mr. Roger is a medical doctor although he is semi-retired and only works two days a week.  He explained that although he is a medical doctor, he prefers naturopathy and accupuncture and alternative types of medicine.  It was an interesting and enjoyable conversation.

Just when you think it can't get any more fun, up walks a very handsome man who greets Nathalie and Mr. Roger very warmly.  We were introduced to him as Nathalie's ex-husband and the father of her daughters.  He is Dutch and speaks four languages -- one of them English -- so that was fun.  We knew he used to grow flowers on a farm and I think he and Nathalie had a flower shop.  He is still farming because he gave Nathalie and Mr. Roger a chicken that he keeps at his farm and he gives that chicken's eggs to Nathalie.  Such a nice man and we all had a great visit.  There is nothing like an extended lunch (and a few glasses of wine) with new friends.

Nathalie had to go back to her shop and Mr. Roger was going home so we all walked back to our house together.  Here is a great picture of Nathalie and her husband right outside of her shop.

I'm sorry she put on a sweater because she had on the cutest purple dress with purple tights and boots! 

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly.  I'm sorry to say I'm finished watching "House of Cards" so I'm starting to watch Portlandia.  My niece, Lisa Shields Brock, told me I must watch it because it is filmed in Portland and it is great.  I watched two episodes of it and it is very Portland and I love it!  David took a little nap.  Then he walked over to the newsstand and bought the New York Times which he is really enjoying reading.

We had cocktail hour and we had pasta for dinner.  No dessert which is odd for us!!!  I think we stayed up until after 11:00!!!

Friday.  One of the things I wanted to do today was make an appointment to get my hair cut and colored.  I asked Rachael if she had ever had her hair done here and she had not.  But she is getting married here next year and she told me some of the women in town told her to go to a salon called Diva.  It is right next door to the patisserie so we decided to stop in there on our way to the bakery to make the appointment.  We knew the French words for hair color and haircut but I wasn't sure how to ask for exactly what I wanted.  I quickly texted our French teacher in NC, Geena, and asked her to please tell me how to ask for color to cover my gray roots and a haircut.  She nicely sent me a text telling me exactly what to ask for.  Thank you Geena!

We walked into the salon and there were three customers there and one hairdresser.  Of course conversation stopped and all four people turned to look at us.  I asked her if she spoke English and she said just a little bit.  I used the French questions Geena had written for me and it worked out great!  I made an appointment for Saturday morning at 9:00.  I was very pleased with myself!!!

Then we went to the bakery and I ordered a baguette and a new breakfast pastry that looked like small cinnamon rolls, in a bunch (wrapped together in a paper basket).  David and I had been eyeing those for awhile and he found out they were orange flavored (l'orange).  We decided to try them just for something different.

The orange rolls were excellent and we will order them again.  Won't it be boring when we return home and go back to eating cereal or yogurt and a banana for breakfast???  

Friends of ours from Canton, Ohio (where I grew up) arrived in Paris on Friday!  They will be joining us here in Saint Aignan on Sunday and will stay until Thursday morning.  Consequently, we had to make a few preparations for their arrival.  I had washed towels and sheets and put the clean linen on the bed.  But overall the house needed cleaning so we asked the homeowner's regular cleaning person, Christina, to come in and clean for us.  Christina is amazing!  Nathalie told us she is 73 years old but she looks very young and beautiful.  She has more energy than David and I put together!  Although she speaks no English, Nathalie told her what we would like her to do and with some of our French and some hand gestures she knew what we wanted her to do.  

It was a gorgeous day (how many times can I say that???) and David and I didn't want to be in Christina's way so we went to Cafe de la Poste to sit out at a table on their patio and enjoy a nice cold beer!  After that we walked home and Christina wasn't quite finished cleaning yet so we moved two chairs outside to continue enjoying the weather.  We know these beautiful days are numbered so we want to enjoy every minute of them.  We have been here four weeks and we've only had clouds and a tiny bit of rain on two days!!!  But cooler temperatures and rain are now in the forecast.  We will not complain, tho, because we're told this weather is out of the ordinary and we are very happy we got to enjoy it!

Christina did a wonderful job!  We spent the rest of the afternoon blogging and reading.  We walked over to Aux Cepages for a glass of wine before dinner.  For dinner I just heated up pre-made (delicious) quiche that we ate with, what else, baguette and butter!!!

Thursday.  After our big day yesterday, we knew we weren't going to be doing much today.  David went to our favorite bakery -- YAY!!!  IT REOPENED!!!  He bought the usual baguette but bought a different kind of pastry for breakfast.  We don't know what it's called but it was a custard-type pastry with sliced apples on top.  Delicious!  And guess what he did next???  Used what he calls his baby-level French to order a birthday cake for me; with this in mind, he hopes I get a gateau anniversaire (birthday cake) and not a tarte de viande (meat pie).  He won't tell me anything about it but said it will be ready for pick up on Sunday.  My birthday is actually on Monday but the patisserie is closed on Monday so I will have to see it and smell it for a whole day before I can eat it!!!  Thanks again, Geena, for your excellent French lessons!  Sure hope it's chocolate.  I'll post a picture in Monday's blog.

David did some grocery shopping . . . I read and watched House of Cards, did a load of laundry . . . and that was about it for our day.  When we have an action packed day like Wednesday, us old folks have to take a few days off to recover.

In the evening we went to Aux Cepages to welcome the new owners and have a glass of wine.  Everything looks about the same which made us happy.  We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice evening.  One thing we thought was very nice was that we recognized most of the other local business owners there -- I guess celebrating the "new grand opening" with them.  What a kind gesture, don't you think?

We came home and had sandwiches and chips for dinner and a fabulous ice cream bar for dessert.  They were Magnum bars and we both loved them.  You should all buy them and taste them!

 Then came some reading, some TV and off to bed.

Wednesday!  Very excited for another grand adventure!!!  David read about a town called Loches and it looked like a great place to visit.  We decided to visit on Wednesday because that is the market day there.  We had tickets on an early train to Loches so we got up at 6:00 a.m.  We had packed little sandwiches to eat on the train so we loaded up the backpack and headed out the door to walk to the train station.  On the way, we saw someone else's dinner on the sidewalk, Escargot-to-go.  Seriously?  People eat these???  David said he was really flying for a snail; he must have known he was crossing a bike path.

There were a lot of people taking the 8:16 to Tours.  We arrived in plenty of time to board the train.  On the way to Tours we ate our sandwiches and they were very good.  We had to change trains in Tours to get to Loches.  But as it turns out . . . we weren't changing "trains" at all, we had to go outside the train station and catch a bus!  Thank God for our French lessons!!!  We found the right bus, hopped on and away we went.

We saw some beautiful scenery on the way and I admit to sleeping part of the way.  I have become very unaccustomed to getting up at 6:00!  Some people got off the bus at the first sign of Loches so we followed them thinking they knew more than we did, however, we found out later that we could have ridden the bus just a little farther and gotten off right in the city center.  Oh well, lesson learned.  And we didn't have to walk very far -- only 2 or 3 blocks -- AND there was a public restroom on the way so it was definitely a good mistake, if we had to make one. 

The tourist office was right in the heart of the town so we stopped in for a map.  Right outside we saw the market spread out before us.  It was a wonderful market and it was huge.  Every street we looked down there were vendors set up. The first place we stopped had tons and tons of scarves!  I spent a long time looking at them and finally decided on a purple/black one and one that is gray, silver, gold and white.  They are both beautiful and cost 6 euro each -- about $7.61.  There were booths for clothes, boots, books, vegetables and fruit, flowers, meat, cheese, baked goods and handmade soap.  I also bought lavender and peach soap.  The market in Loches is probably 5 times as large as the one in Saint Aignan.  Of course Loches is a much larger town too.

After walking around and checking out all of  the products for sale, we turned our attention to the "Royal City of Loches."  

This is St. Antoine's Tower.  It is both a bell tower and a belfry built between 1529 and 1575.  This is the only belfry in the Tours area.

This is Picois Gate, the second defensive gate in the lower town to have survived to the present day.  You can walk through a tunnel underneath it to get to the other parts of the medieval town.

This is the Palais de Justice which interests us because of our careers in the federal court system.

The other side of Picois Gate and the Town Hall.

Street scenes we loved while walking to the Keep and the dungeon.

Santa climbing down from the third floor!
 

13th century Royal Gate.  It is the only entrance to the fortress.It was altered in the 15th century to include defense systems like a drawbridge, arrow slits and a gun platform.

These are pictures of the Keep.  It was built between 1010 and 1035!!!  It is one of Europe's oldest surviving keeps.  It was used for defense between the 11th and 15th centuries.  It was then used as a state prison and later as a county jail until 1926.  We found that amazing!

We toured the inside too, and David made a friend.

We read there were stories of some prisoners being tortured by locking them into this contraption by their ankles . . . and who knows what happened next!