Happy Holidays!2022 has been a busy year for us. We spent six months in Tucson and six months in Lectoure, France. We started 2022 with Audrey and Brian's family with us in Tucson. We hiked, played games, and made leather goods in Papa’s workshop. Audrey's family stayed with us until January – warmer than Omaha, Nebraska! Claire, Emerson and Colby flew in from Phoenix for a weekend visit with cousins. We took Emerson on his "Lulu and Papa trip" to New York in February. We went to see the Lion King, took the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, walked through Central Park to the MET, Museum of Natural History, and Emerson played in the snow on our last morning in New York. We had a great time!
In March, Lulu hosted a bridal shower for her friend Ornella's future daughter-in-law. Whitney's family came from their home in North Dakota for a few days of hiking and playing with us. We visited Claire's family in Phoenix and went to Colby's flag football game.
After the Lectoure house closed in January, the painting started at the end of February/beginning of March, and we communicated almost daily with the painters. We flew to France on April 2 and spent the next five weeks at the Hotel College des Doctrinaires while working daily on the house. We shopped for furniture and everything we needed to live on - linens, pots and pans, dishes... In mid-May, David and Alan, young friends we met 10 years ago at the Boys and Girls Club, came to visit us. They stayed 5 nights and were great first guests! Audrey's family arrived a few days later and spent 10 days with us. Lauren and Taylor loved going to the bakery with Papa. Our friend Joy arrived at the end of June and stayed for a week. Whitney, Toby and Greta came in early July for a few days.
Along the way, we made friends with neighbors on our street and in nearby villages. We took French lessons. We went to Lectoure’s market every Friday morning. We attended concerts, up to 4-5 per week in July and August. Lulu went to the thermal baths every week. We went to parties and dinners at the farm. We went to the Pyrenees for a weekend and enjoyed the cable car ride and the view from the Pic du Midi. We went to see granaries, equestrian events, antique sales, castle tours and explored cathedrals and cloisters. We watched the Tour de France pass us in a flash. We welcomed new friends for aperitifs and dinners, and tours of the ramparts by torchlight. We went to Lundi Nuits in Lectoure on Rue Nationale every Monday in July and August, with everyone in the village and surrounding villages, for big Monday night street parties with live music and food . Lulu walked the walls of the ramparts daily. She was a volunteer in the village gardens and a guide for the European Heritage Days.
Our friend, Jennie came from Tucson to visit us in early September. We showed her many of our favorite places and visited several favorite restaurants. We prepared the Lectoure house for our departure after she left and met up with friends for aperitifs, dinners and coffees, once more before departure. We took the high-speed train back to Paris and spent an evening strolling along the Seine. We had a wonderful summer!
Since returning to Tucson on September 29, we have spent several weekends with Claire's family in Phoenix. They have moved into a new house and have many projects to complete. We hosted neighbors for a party on October 30th. We spent 10 days visiting family and friends in Kentucky and Texas, with one night at Brian's new home in Dallas. We had lunch with longtime friend Linda in Dallas and met our young friend Tatiana for coffee. We went to San Antonio for Lynne's 100th birthday party, with granddaughters Emily and Sarah also in attendance. We spent the night with Claire on our return and visited Papa's sister, Mary.
We spent Thanksgiving Day with friends from our Tucson neighborhood. Lulu walks daily with her friend Ornella. Papa enjoys working on projects in his studio and riding his bike. We are happy to have had many new experiences in 2022 and to have so many new friends. We are grateful every moment for this life we live.
We wish you a happy holiday season and a healthy New Year!
With love,
Lulu and Papa
