My First Blog

I started this blog, initially, as a lead up to my 50th birthday. These early posts will be mostly about my upcoming trip to France.....an amazing celebration that is happening ONLY because of my great college friends - - David and Jacqueline. This is something I didn't think I'd be doing again, in this lifetime. Initial planning took place in early March, when I was at their house in Reno, NV for a weekend. It was weekend full of lots of fun and the crazy-ness of trying to find a hotel for just two nights in Paris. Once we sifted through all the different options and sent a bunch of e-mails out to clarify room configurations and such we found a great place on the left bank.....more about that after this initial post. (It was also a learning experience....as we discovered that: chambre double is a room for two, but it can mean two twin beds OR one double bed......In rare instances, it can mean a queen bed....).

As I'm approaching the half-century mark, in life, I see nothing but great things during this year and, hopefully, the years to come. Great experiences, more quality time with family and friends and who knows.....other stuff, too!!! If you'd asked me a year ago if I'd be celebrating this way....and BLOGGING.....I'd have said: "No way!!"

The trip will sort of begin in April - when we are all meeting up in San Francisco to jointly celebrate my birthday and David's (he's one month and one day OLDER than me!!!). Because of their incredible kindness and generous spirit we will celebrate the first leg of our birthdays at San Francisco's famed restaurant Boulevard (Nancy Oakes is a culinary genius) with the girls: Morgan, Margaux, and Madeline. Then, we'll catch their favorite baseball team (The Boston Red Sox) in action, across the Bay, at the end of that weekend. After that weekend, it's back home to pack and do some final planning and preparing - until 19 May 2009, when we meet up at SFO to fly to Paris and then on to Bordeaux. Pictures and tales to come.....