William, Olivia, Ivy, and I with Beth’s hydrangeas in the background
Father’s day is a difficult day for me. Sometimes I just do not feel like much of a father or rather that I do not provide good example for William or Olivia. Somedays I think I do a good job as a father and then there are the days when I am utter failure as a dad. Or, that it is that easier to be critical rather than coach. Perhaps it is because dad’s passing last year makes it more difficult to think about the role of being a dad. But, ultimately, I think it is because I want to do a better job as a dad and I just do not know how to do it. Continue reading Day 23: Father’s Day→
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below. From “in Flanders Field” by John McCrea
Today was the day. We drove dad’s cremains to the place where he wanted to spend eternity. The logistics of getting all of us to France at the same time made it difficult and explain how almost eleven months after he passed away, dad finally came home. Julie, Warren, David, Trish, and I came together and came across the Atlantic to bring dad home. Julie had contacted as many of dad’s friends who she had remained in contact since he had retired 1998. Almost immediately a very close friend of dad and Julie’s who lived in Paris, Ritva, said she wanted to join us. There was no discussion; it was a great idea. Ritva would join us. As the trip came closer to happening, Ritva offered to arrange transportation to the area. Two other friends of dad’s also wanted to come; it was wonderful that old friends wanted to be part of dad’s final trip. Continue reading Day 19: Father’s Day comes early→
The labor protest assembles outside our hotel, the view from my room to the Place de Republique
What I planned for the day did not happen, but the day was well spent. It is difficult to make each day ‘a million and six times better’ than the day before, but I try.
We got a late start Tuesday, but we were all tired from Monday’s late night. We all slept late and therefore we started late. Warren had a lunch date with a client and took off early. David and Trish decided to visit Sacre Coeur in Montmartre and Julie and I took the metro to Opera to cash Travelers Checks at the American Express office. There was quite a commotion along Rue de San Martin and into Place de Republique. Before Warren left, he told me about a labor rally that was organizing in front of the hotel French labor unions are upset over a proposal to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65 and they held a march to share their concerns today. The tail end of the protest organized in front of the hotel and we watched it organize and go from a few people to many. It clogged the streets and brought traffic to a standstill in the area. Warren reported the traffic getting back into the city was difficult as he returned from his lunch meeting. Continue reading Day 18: Musee D’Orsay and the Tuilleries→
The ringing was my phone alarm and it woke me up. The windows were open, it was light outside, and I could hear the sounds of Paris coming alive. The trip across the Atlantic and the day before had taken a toll on me and, I was sertain, the others in our group. I had slept well during the night and I was ready for the new day. I cleaned up and got dressed.
Monday, June 14th would be our first full day in Paris. I wanted to make it count, really remember it. I remembered the song that got all of this started and re-read and listened….
This could possibility be the best day ever!
(This could possibility be the best day ever,)
And the forecast says that tomorrow will likely be a million and six times better.
So make every minute count, jump up, jump in, and seize the day,
And let’s make sure that in every single possible way,
Today is gonna be a great day!
How can a day in Paris not be a great day?
We met for breakfast and discussed what we wanted to do. We agreed on the Eiffel Tower and decided to meet in the lobby at 10:30 to get going. We got a late start because of me – I held the group back – because I was late finishing what I was working on – the day 15 and 16 post. Continue reading Day 17: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and the Seine→
Wednesday, June 9th: originally, this post was to be a daily post – but the events of the day were over shadowed with worry about Ivy, our Brittany.
Ivy's the one! We had four puppies from Ivy's litter to choose from and Olivia and William look them over in the back of the car.
We had gotten Ivy when she was almost eight-weeks old on somewhat of a lark. In early April, on our return trip home from the cottage in Michigan, we had made a detour to shop and in the parking lot, there were local dog breeders selling puppies. Does this sound suspicious or odd? It did not at the time but when I retell it I feel, well, rather silly. I bought a dog on the side of the road from someone I did not know and drove home with a puppy the day before Easter. There was no planning, nor did we have an idea what we had in store for our family. Yet, this misadventure has turned into a something wonderful for our family.
