Scary monsters

If the Europeans had been listening in on the Americans in the same way the Americans have been listening in on them they might have learned a thing or two about one of the greatest days in the life of any red-blooded Yankee-doodle-dandy kid: Halloween!

This being my first, mama and papa wanted to make sure that this day of darkness was firmly programed into my DNA. I mean, imagine you didn't know much, or anything, about Halloween, and someone tells you at age 5 or 6 that in the USA, once a year, you can knock on any door and get candy...FOR FREE!!! It just doesn't seem real when you haven't grown up with it. It's like someone telling yo that Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (which Inès just received as a present from Patrick and Rory's mama and papa) actually happened.

So what do you do? Listen in on the President's private cell phone conversations? No need to bore yourself to death, just get mama to throw a party.

And that's what happened. There were good friends, costumes, a treasure hunt, Jack-o-lanterns, bats, witches' hats, a scary magic potion, and yes, some candy, about as much as Willy Wonka's factory could produce in a millennium. This is France after all, where bon bons are part of every kids daily diet.




Okay, we've imported Halloween. Now it's time to start working on Thanksgiving!

Feeling brave? Check out some more spine tingling photos here: I didn't create a monster, I created three!

The dangerous summer

Summer's been over for a while now, but I notice that most of the family is reluctant to let go. Having never lived through a fall season, or a winter for that matter (I was born on the first day of Spring!), I'm kinda excited about what lies ahead. So far, I like what I see: the leaves changing pretty colors, papa making a big fire in the fireplace at Ata's house, and lots of time with mama when Inès and Gabriel are off at school.

But they still refuse to let go.

Papa even dragged out the barbecue last weekend, cooking in the rain. I mean, come on, wake up papa! It's over, let it go!

But I understand that it can be hard to let go of summer. So much seems to happen in summer. I have to say that going to Corsica was one of the highlights. I was carried by at least a million people. Sun, good friends, powerful cheese, mythical honey, village parties, crazy views, beaches, and high explosives. What more could summer bring?

But there was more!

My baptism for instance. Lots (and I mean LOTS) of family. Friends visiting the Chetif Moulin. And papa contemplating joining the French Foreign Legion. But I talked him out of that.

Fall has been here for well over a month, but that fragrance of summer is only now starting to fade.

Why not check out a few summer scenes at Ata's here: the calm before the storm

Or our road trip to Nice here: Who needs luggage anyway?

And Corsica here: Corse, of course!

My awesome baptism here: Can I get shampoo with that?

Or Sandra & Co.'s end of summer visit here: his name is what???

And finally, the Indian summer here: Stop that rain dance you native American!