Happy in Lectoure!

We arrived in Lectoure yesterday evening at 7.  We were at our neighbors, Alice and Gerard’s house for dinner at 7:05.  We had a simple dinner in their kitchen, delicious as always, with cake and fresh strawberries to top it off!  We unpacked our bags when we got home, then fell into bed.  We slept 8 hours straight - unusual for me!  

We woke up to clear skies and a view of the Pyrenees.  We had black coffee for breakfast - no food in the fridge or cabinets!  Our plumber came at 9, to explain our new heating system for the house and water.  We went to the grocery as soon as he left.  After lunch I went for a walk around the village then worked in our garden a couple of hours.  We’ve seen various friends and neighbors as we’ve been out today.  We’re happy to be home in Lectoure.  

Preparing for Summer

Over the past two weeks, we have been preparing for our trip to France for summer.  We’ve packed our bags, de-insured our cars, blown off the driveway and patios, moved outdoor plants to shade, sprayed for bugs, cleaned the pantry and fridge, had our hair trimmed, and spent time with friends.  I have continued my daily walks with Ornella, with various javelina sightings.  We enjoyed a barbecue and Mexican dinner out with Ornella and Donato, a morning with Rachel and Bill, lunch at Jennie’s, happy hour with Carlou and Scott, and various conversations with friends on the phone.  We’ve been going for walks in the neighborhood every evening.  The last rays of sun on the Catalina Mountains are always beautiful!

Murals and Mariachis

We went to downtown Tucson yesterday morning, to meet our friend Astrid, to go to Fiesta Mariachi.  From her hotel to the Fiesta site, we passed several large and beautiful murals!  We watched several mariachi bands over about two hours.  All the mariachi groups we watched were children, ages 6-17, most affiliated with their schools.  Mariachi music is upbeat and happy, and the musicians were excellent!  We had a good time!

Bear Canyon

On Friday morning, our French friends Astrid and Florence arrived at our house mid morning for a tour.  They were interested in seeing our house and how we live.  At noon, we went to lunch at Firebirds, and then we went to Sabino Canyon and took the Bear Canyon tram to the end.  We hiked part way back and caught the tram for the last mile.  The saguaros are starting to bloom.  It was a beautiful day!

Blooming Saguaros and Red Prickly Pear

Saguaros are blooming a few weeks earlier than usual in Tucson.  I took these photos this morning, in a neighbor’s yard.  The flowers are beautiful!

And this red blooming prickly pear is in our back yard.  It is blooming about a month earlier than usual too!  Last year, it bloomed in May, after we left for France, and our house sitter sent photos to us.

Picnic in the Park

We had a picnic with our Boys and Girls Club kids this afternoon.  We picked up sandwiches and cookies at Beyond Bread, and enjoyed eating and talking over two hours.  I made photo books for everyone and we had a “book signing.”  We had a really nice time!  We love our BGCT kids!

French Friend in Tucson

Our friend, Astrid arrived in Tucson yesterday, with her friend, Florance, for a one month visit to southern Arizona.  We met them at their hotel this morning at 10, then walked to the old Pima County Courthouse.  We visited the Tucson Visitor’s Center, then the Gem and Mineral Museum, recently moved from UA.  We had lunch at Street Tacos downtown, seeing several beautiful murals along the way, then drove under the “rattlesnake” bridge and to the UA campus.  We walked around Old Main and stopped at the Center for Creative Photography.  Afterward, we went to the Arizona Inn, where we had several glasses of lemonade.  We had a busy day!

Hot Pink

We have hot pink flowers blooming in various places in our garden.  They bloom just two days, but there are dozens of blooms.  Beautiful!