It was 18 years ago today that Walt, our dog Collette, and I arrived in France as immigrants. We had sold our house in San Francisco and bought a house just outside Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. Here we still are — confirmed expatriates. Neither one of us has ever before lived in the same town, much less in the same house, for such a long period of time.
Yesterday was an anniversary too. In Washington DC in 1983, 38 years ago, we decided to get an apartment and live together, after having become friends in Paris the year before. We lived in DC for four years before moving to California. For our 10th anniversary in 1993, we rented a house for a two-week stay in Provence. And for our 20th we packed up and moved to France for good, in 2003. In the meantime, we had 10 good years living and working in the San Francisco Bay area in California.
These are just some photos I've taken recently in the vineyard out behind our house where we walk our current dog, Natasha, every day. We've been taking daily walks out there for 18 years now. 'Tasha is our third dog. We still miss Collette (d. 2006) and Callie (d. 2017).
The temperature outside this morning is 18ºC (that's close to 65ºF).
The high today is predicted to be in the mid-70s in ºF, which sounds very nice.
The high today is predicted to be in the mid-70s in ºF, which sounds very nice.
In two years, if I'm still alive, it will be forty years that we know each other. Time sure flies!
ReplyDeleteIs there a standard distance between the vines?
Didn't we celebrate thirty years of friendship in 2013 at the Relais d'Artémis?
DeleteYes. Here is the blog post about that meal at the Relais d'Artémis.
DeleteThank you for the link. And thirty years of you and Walt being together!
DeleteCongratulations on your long and happy life together! May you have many more years and adventures to come!
ReplyDelete: ^ )
DeleteCongratulations! You have so much to celebrate and be happy about in your lives. Wishing you many more years of happiness in France.
ReplyDeleteThanks, BettyAnn. Looking forward to seeing you the next time you come to France.
DeleteMy apologies if out of order, but really, your became good friends??? It is 2021.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's how many strong relationships start... friends.
DeleteRight, Judy.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! There's something wonderful happening out your back door- old roots producing new wine for 2021. These photos are full of hope for our future.
ReplyDeleteThank you, E. I hadn't thought about it that way, but it's true.
DeleteOooh, I had fun looking at that 2013 post with the menu from Relais d'Artémis. I picked the same entrée and plat principal as you then ended up saying that you planned to choose -- ha!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary of your life as a couple! Happy anniversary of your friendship with chm! And, I know that we recently passed the anniversary of your marriage, too, so good wishes all around :) Glad to have been there in the year when you and Walt met and (we all) became friends, and super contente to have run across you both, thanks to your blogs, all those years later!
Judy
I don't know if the Relais d'Artémis is still in business or with the same owners. Maybe we can have lunch or dinner there when you come back to the Loire Valley.
DeleteHappy memories, a good day, and good friends.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversaries.
The years keep flying by. Makes my head spin.
DeleteHappy anniversaries! I love the gnarled wood of those old vines.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mitch.
DeleteCongratulations on excellent anniversaries. And your vine photos make me think of a strong past growing into a strong future.
ReplyDeleteSome of those vines might be nearly a century old at this point.
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