Yup, a place on the island.  When you think of vacationing on an island, you don't usually think of the chunks of land in the middle of the Seine in Paris.  This is something special.  The bridges of Paris are great, each one is a monument to an idea or a man's ego or a time in history that changed France. 

We decided on a nice place about a block from the cathedral, which can be seen from a window in the apartment.  We booked it and started to make plans.  This one had a bedroom and a sofa bed in the living room.  Last year, we stayed in an apartment on the Left Bank that was in the middle of the Latin Quarter.  It had a loft bedroom area and a futon sofa.  It did not take Marsha long to figure out that the numerous trips to the  electric reading room meant that  she was not going to climb the ladder to get back and forth.  We spent the week in the Living Room.  It was still so much more spacious than most hotel rooms that I had ever had in Paris. Knowing how adaptable we were for this type of sleeping, we decided to explore the "sleeps 4" possibilities of the apartment that we were getting for 2006.  Lets see which of the kids wanted to come to Paris for  the Holiday.  All were invited, if I remember right, we dropped hints BEFORE we selected an apartment, in case 5 or 6 showed up.

I am not sure how the timeline was drawn, but we heard that of the Newhart Siblings- the last "hold-outs" in the baby race had entered the human race.  Meg and Ron were expecting a baby.  And they were going to fly over and stay for a few...6 nights in Paris.  This was their last Christmas before diapers, and they were making plans to spend it with us.

Tons of emails.  Marsha knew what she wanted to show her daughter, I knew what I would enjoy doing with all three of them.  Meg wanted to be sure that we were not the "hang around the Mona Lisa for an hour types", as she was an advocate of FOCUSING on getting the most bang for your travels.  Amazingly, I explained, we could always go at our own pace, and catch up with each other.  One does not rush through lunch at the Orsay Museum.  The food is good, nothing noteworthy, but the salon is incredible.  Why would someone pay close to $20 per head for lunch?  Because it is in the Orsay, where it is like being served in the dining room at Versailles.

Marsha explained all the places that were "MUSTS" and I am sure that she had forgotten some.  Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore, the old orthodox church near le Sorbonne, drinks at Indiana... so many places that are not going to be on the map for any historic reason, except the fact that they have a great assortment of gin and spirits, while everywhere else is a beer or wine cafe.  And the real truth is that the real history has YET to be written about what is going to be the newest memory.

It is Novemeber 10th and I had written to the landlord to inform him that I was ready to finish up the final payment and exercise his website's suggestion of  "Sleeps 4".  Bless the kind man...he had replied

"Craig,
I will be sending your your final payment instructions shortly.  The problem is I don´t think you can have another couple stay in this apartment with you.  There is no place for them to sleep.  We have a sleeper sofa for children, but a couple would be very uncomfortable there.  Also the apartment only has one bathroom located off the bedroom, so I don´t see how this could work.  Had you told me that you were two couples in the beginning I would have definitely discouraged you from this apartment."

HELL, had we known there were going to be 2 couples from the beginning, we would have also known about Rumsfeld's ass getting fired and who was on the Grassy Knoll.  Lots of email later, he realizes that we are not sharing this with friends, we are sharing it with family.  Christmas at home is AT LEAST this crowded, and nowhere as scenic.  He guaranteed enough linen, and we continued with our plans to share a small Paris apartment in a PRIMO location with two people that we love.  Both have their strong points, and I love Ron' s taste in food, spirits, literature, and the speed with which the successful young man reaches for his wallet.  Dinners are so much more interesting with Ron.  Meg, on the other hand, has got data about a lot of things...one of the top 5 General Trivia people I know.  Unfortunately, she is on the path to Motherhood and HAS been for the decade I have known her.  She knows about cross-contamination, the half-life of bacteria, the nutritional value of most veggies.  I love them both so much.  They bring a passion for living to the table that is rare.

And they FINALLY proved me right with Marsha.  I told her that no matter what they said, they would be great parents some day...and that some day is next spring!

It dawns on me, we have shared a room at the Rio with Sara and Jason a couple of times, but Meg and Ron were never part of the kite crowd at the seashore town of Wildwood, New Jersey.  Those were tight conditions. 

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Tuesday afternoon - December 19, 2006

I am getting things together to take off tomorrow night.  I stopped to get the oil changed, and drove into Flint to visit the Sloan Museum because it is the last week of their kite exhibit.  Damn, was I disappointed, but I was almost prepared to be disappointed.   I was contacted by them about a year ago regarding this exhibit for 2007 and volunteered to help.    Nothing ever came of it.  And a few months back I read that it had opened.  I never found the time to visit till today. 

I have more in my spare bedroom, and the full range of all types covered. I wish the museum did, also.  I have not been flying much on the last 2 years.  I could have, at least, advised them WHICH END  WAS UP.  Between work and travels (this is the third trip to Europe in 2 years), kites have taken the neglect.  Don't turn your back on the clock.  It moves on without you.  And it does not help with housework or packing.

The cats KNOW!  Oh Yes, they know!  Py is walking around whining like there is no tomorrow,  and Bunnie is acting all needful and stuff.  They always know when we are shuffling off to Charles deGaulle.  And we are wondering what we need for two weeks and what can be ignored.  Marsha suggested that we make reservations for Christmas dinner at Chez Clement, where we ate last year.  We had no trouble last year, and I figured that she was looking for things to worry about.

As I look at the loose ends of the year, I am still a bit pissed at Punch Andrews.  Yes, he is Bob  Seger's manager, and the ass did not confirm OUR schedule when he booked Bob for the Palace.  Bob goes on at 7:30 and our plane lifts off at 9:25.  It took the guy ten years to get back on the road after 3 decades of never NOT TOURING.  The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted him a few years back, and I swore that I would go see him again after all these years.  Saginaw and Grand Rapids sold out too quick, and I figured the Palace would be the easiest.  Four shows, all while we are out of town.  Aint it funny how the night moves?

I check all the web sites for shows, any shows, in Paris.  I forget, we don't do PLANNING well!