A Visit With My Little Sisters, Part 1

The Arrival, and Opening Weekend

Two of my sisters, Laura & Meghan, came to visit us during the February Break.  Reading Week from Meghan's university coincided with the first week of the children's two week school break here in France, and we were delighted to host my girls for a week!  My girls, and really, they are young women now, are 13.5 and 17 years younger than I am.  So, I have a fun perspective of seeing them daily as babies, then watching them from afar as they have grown up.  Lloyd and I were married when they were 9 & 5 years old.  Meghan was just 2 when Lloyd and I started dating, and his introduction to my family was somewhat, ummm, unorthodox.  Remember the story, Meghan?  If not, I'll tell you, and Lloyd'll be sure to share it with you at your wedding some day.  Picture a young man coming to the door, to be greeted by a baby streaking out that same door, followed by a six year old girl yelling at the 2 year old streaker, followed by a 13 year old boy chasing those two girls, followed by a 16 year old  girl, with me at the top of the stairs, laughing like a loon.  Luckily for me, Lloyd was already used to big, crazy families, even if he hadn't met our brand of crazy yet! ;)  We moved from Yellowknife to Saskatchewan, Lloyd and I, almost twelve years ago, and so have not been in daily contact as they grew up.  Where was I going with this???  Oh, yes, Lloyd has been in the family for almost as long as Meghan has been around, and it was wonderful to spend this time with just the two girls, as adults, and watching them with MY children. 

Laura and Meghan were scheduled to arrive on February 12th, at 15:05.  On Margo's birthday!!  Margo was so excited for so long:  "The Aunties are coming for my birthday party!!" was the constant and familiar refrain.  Sadly, their flight was delayed from Canada by 12 hours, and they managed to get into Toulouse at midnight, minus Laura's suitcase. :(  After making the necessary claim for her lost bag, Lloyd drove them to Loupiac, and we had a lovely little visit at 2:00 Saturday morning!  Can you say tired, tired girls?  But, they were game to get up the next morning, to head to the marché in a nearby town.  We wandered through the market, and then had a lovely lunch at a restaurant near-by.  Meghan bought a lovely jacket at the marché, I found a fabulous scarf, and Laura bought a bottle of a locally produced wine, that should be divine with chocolate!  (Let me know, Laura, how it is, OK, and I'll maybe buy some more here before we leave!)  Riley found a new wallet with a zipper for all the loose change that he earns with his chores.  We got a nice deal on it from the seller, too, when he realised it was for Riley. :)  I also bought some interesting salt from my favourite herb vendor at that particular marché.  I am in olfactory heaven whenever I walk by that stall.  (I will try to remember to take pictures of that stall before we leave, so that I can remember the smell  of the spices and herbs when I look at the picture.)

We returned back home, and the girls rested, and we all hung out.  We had Margo's second birthday dinner, this time complete with cake and "The Aunties!" - it was enjoyed by all.

(Laura is in the soft pink sweater, with glasses, and Meghan has the curly hair, and the darker pink sweater.)

Sunday morning, Lloyd and I exchanged rental vehicles at the airport in Toulouse, and picked up Laura's lost-now-found! suitcase.  We then enjoyed a lovely lunch alone before returning to Loupiac.  That afternoon, we all went to the Circus in a neighbouring village!

The Circus was cute, with two Lions, Pigeons, Cats, a Camel, a full size Horse and a Miniature Horse, two Llamas from Peru, an amazing balancing dude (Carson's phrase), and two hysterical Clowns playing trumpets and other musical instruments.  One act raised our Canadian eyebrows, a bit, when they announced their Cowboys and Indians act.  When they brought out the Native American artifacts to set up, we were a little wary, but they remained background props only.  The rope tricks by the performer were very impressive, and it was fun to listen to Cotton Eye Joe, and to tease and joke with my sisters about doing the line-dance in the circus tent.  (There has not been a whole lot of country music in France, lol!  But, there has been some!!)  We returned home, fed the neighbour's chickens, and then, Sunday evening, we had a lovely Valentine's Day dinner at home, and got ready for our trip to Barcelona the next morning!!

TOP: My 3 feeding the chickens with Meghan.
BOTTOM:  Laura observing the chicken-feeding.

Stay tuned for the next installment - Barcelona, Baby!!