Sofa delivery day

Our old sofa was over 20 years old. We ordered a new leather sofa in June hoping that it would arrive in time for our friends Phyllis and Cathy who occupied our apartment while we were in Denver. Alas, it did not arrive in time for their visit; it was finally delivered today. And since we live on the second floor with no elevator (and narrow doorways) we decided to take delivery via the window. This is common practice in Paris where almost everyone lives in apartments, often with lots of stairs or miniscule elevators. I wrote about this phenomen before.

And here's what the process looked like today:

 

 And the happy results...

Oh yeah, it reclines. :-)

Arches National Park

On our way home from California we tour a slight detour to visit Arches National Park in Utah. It was a great day for photos.

 

My Mom doesn't look 81, does she?

Summer vacation

We've returned to Paris after spending two months in the U.S. The trip to Colorado wasn't all fun and games; we spent a lot of time in doctor's offices. I had some more minor reconstructive surgery following my bout of breast cancer last December, and I am happy to report that all is well on the health front.

Patrice also had a close brush with the American medical establishment. He sprained a knee on the 4th of July and also spent many hours with doctors and medical tests. Fortunately, our travel insurance covered his medical expenses which otherwise would have cost many thousands of dollars.

 He is better now, but the knee pain limited his movement and spoiled some of his fun.

One of the highlights of our vacation was a road trip to California when we took my mother to visit her 89 yr-old sister in San Diego. We took the southern route from Colorado, passing through New Mexico, stopping along the historic Route 66 in Albuquerque.

Elaine and Mom in Route 66 diner in Albuquerque

Then, a stop in Tucson, Arizona  to visit the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base where thousands of military aircraft are stored. Planes, such as the B52 below, are sealed with latex coverings to keep out the heat and dust of the Arizona desert and are maintained in a flight-ready status.

Our stop in Tucson also included a visit to Saguaro National Park just before sunset.

 Complete with a sighting of a rare, well-camouflaged Gila monster.

Summer storms

Rain started to fall as we left a restaurant after dinner earlier this week; the sky was preparing a tremendous natural light show. We decided to see if we could catch some of the show on film . . .

The Fourth of July

Independence Day in the U.S. is known for its parades, picnics, and fireworks. We enjoyed a small community parade featuring marching bands, classic cars, and plenty of red, white, and blue!

 

 

 

 We joined friends for a picnic followed by fireworks.

 

Summertime in Colorado

We had a picnic lunch at Brainard Lake following a doctor's appointment in Boulder. 

I feel fine!

Flagstaff mountain

Today we took advantage of the beautiful summer weather to visit Flagstaff mountain near Boulder.

I'll have surgery early tomorrow morning. But I'm not worried.