We're Home!

Yes, I'm alive... and yes, I had a nice time in Paris. I got to meet Bruce's pal from high school, James (yes, big kahuna James from my last post), his wife Chantana, an awesome lady whom I grew to like very much in the short span of time I spent with her (even my sister-in-law who'd only met her over lunch grew a quick liking to her... there's just something and everything about her that ignites warmth and friendliness), their children, beautiful 7 yr old Anita-Louise and adorable three year old Benjamin. We even got to meet Chantana's parents; attended her dad's 60th surprise birthday bash and met a bunch of their friends and extended family in Breux-Jouy, a suburb about 45km outside Paris - for those not so bright Americans, that's about 30 miles :D ... so that was a nice change from the few not so nice people I encountered in the city. But that's another few stories we can reserve for when some of us see each other again (maybe) :)

I don't know if you'd find me hurrying back to Paris too soon... or Europe for that matter - though I can't believe it but the husband just asked if I'd like to go to Rome and Naples for a short trip. I don't know... the vibe's just all different. Plus I've done it all before... Europe to me is like a novel; read it once, put it away and put a check next to it. I don't need to go to the Louvre a gazillion times. Seeing the Mona Lisa once was the same as when I saw it the third time this trip. Yup, there it is... same smile... same look... just like in my text book! Things like that just doesn't excite me that much! The food, the people, the culture... I'm just not that into them! :D

Call me narrow minded (maybe I've been in Memphis far too long lol - hey you know if I'm going to blame anyone, it's my time here I'm going to pick on lol)... but the last time I went to Paris, I didn't want to leave! I wanted to stay, learn the language and live there for at least a few years! No, no man involved in this story lol. This was merely 8(?) years ago! So why was this trip so different? Yes, I'm older... more set in my obstinate ways. More anal then ever before... and maybe the Parisians were just nicer to me then since I was traveling on my own and I looked like a lost child lol... I don't know... but this trip made me aware of how I judge people in my warped sense of normalcy... how much more I cannot deal with idiots - and really, they are just as many there as there are here (LOL)... and how I enjoy my ginormous space, big new modern clean buildings as oppose to tight old dirty looking ones... even with great stories behind them. I just don't care! It's even more painful on top of all that, the dollar is so weak (no thanks to your 'competent' leader) against the Euro and how getting only one bag and wallet just rubs me the wrong way. If I can't go to France and buy all my Chanel and LV stuff I want, then why go right?! :D Yes, I will survive... that or I'd better strike the mega million in a hurry if the king is ready to hit Europe again.

We also met up with my brother and his wife. I had a really really nice time with them! They love food and shopping as much as we do (no, they can out shop me any day!), so it's always fun to hang out with them. It's always so nice to be with family and I do miss that privilege. Sometimes I do dream of living closer to all of them but I know when I make that move, I'm going to regret it lol - especially since I know I'm going to hate the weather that makes me grumpy constantly. Yes, I will be even less tolerable to deal with there - hard to imagine eh lol. Yes, absense makes the heart grow fonder... I have been away from home most of my adult life... why mess with it?! :) I'll just continue being a great aunt to my two nieces back home, a good daughter by calling mom every day and talk to dad whenever he has time to chat with me. I can't complain.

If you're interested, click here for more pics from this trip.