Cap La Hague

The western side of the Cap is to me even more beautiful, with the cliffs and beaches and green (even in the dead of winter) countryside. The gates shown here are famous in the way they are constructed, apparently only found in Normandy. Along the road overlooking the water of La Manche, I stopped to take some pictures (Nez de Jobourg is the outcropping shown here) and happened upon a man exercising his horse on the beach. The island you can see in the background of this picture is probably Alderney.

Cindy's roadtrip

During my visit in December, I took off in the car one day while Daniel was at work to check out the area that we will soon call home. On the furthest edge, at the tip of the peninsula named La Hague, there is a nice little village and lighthouse of Goury. Aparently these waters hold some of the most dangerous currents in the world. There is now a rescue station there. There are beautiful little old stone villages (we moved into one) all over this area, each with their own name and history. Even on a cold, windy, cloudy day it was easy to appreciate the beauty of the area.

Maison de Vauville

We were originally scheduled to see this house first thing in the morning of our first day of house hunting. We talked about it, and without looking at it, we decided we didn't want to live outside the city. For no apparent reason (other than, just for fun?) we later rescheduled to see it after all, and quickly became enamored with the town and the house itself. When we first saw it, it was right at sundown. We stood on the third level terrace and saw a panoramic view of the remnants of the sunset over the English Channel, as off to the side the lights of the coastal village were just beginning to flicker on.. We thought to ourselves, when would we ever get the chance to live in a place like this, again? A little stone house in an old Norman village? Why not?

Apartment in Cherbourg

We ended up at this apartment in the middle of a long day of apartment hunting. It is a beautiful, ancient building that has been renovated for apartment living, in the middle of the city. The entire third floor is a spacious apartment with nice views, lots of light, tall ceilings, a lot of what we wanted in a place to live. We would have signed on it that day, but it was not to be available until at least March. So we kept looking. We are happy with what we did end up finding, which was a far cry from any apartment we could find in any city. But, we still can look back and wonder what it would have been like to live in a museum!

Maison d'hotes : Les Fontaines

Daniel describes the kitchen/common eating area in two words: "Pottery Barn." I especially enjoyed the English tea with delicious local cream of Normandy. Actually, I really especially enjoyed eating breakfast with my sweetie again, after being apart for three long weeks. :)

Maison d'hotes : Les Fontaines

Here you see the "company housing" where Daniel has been staying since the end of November. It is a beautiful old Norman farmhouse that has been refurbished. They added on rooms and so it is a very nice place to stay temporarily! I think his favorite thing about this place is the wonderful food that they serve. The five course meals at night are especially delicious. I think his second favorite thing about this place is that it is less than ten minutes from work!

Georgetown - to the French Embassy

Talk about last minute... As I write this blog update, I am flying from D.C. to Columbia, SC. In two days, I leave for France, and I am wrapping up a last-minute trip to the French Embassy to get my work visa. Even though there was a huge mix-up, I finally have what I need to begin my new job in France. It was a beautiful day as I took a long walk through Georgetown to the embassy. Though I started my journey in Augusta at 3AM this morning, I easily made it to my appointment at 10AM sharp. As I walked, I saw some of the sights of Georgetown. If you ever go to D.C. for vacation, you should stay in Georgetown. It is a very nice place, and many historical landmarks, especially the houses, are well preserved.

Thanksgiving Day at the Harpers'

Ben and Jenn hosted for Thanksgiving Day this year. Avery, Grant, and Leeroy (their dog) welcomed us for a delicious meal and a wonderful time. Our day began with a visit to their church to prepare Thanksgiving meals-on-wheels for people in need. We then returned to the house to prepare the Harper Thanksgiving meal. Ben led a short devotion before the meal, and the family grouped around Cindy and me to ask a blessing on us as we start our adventure in France. We feel so loved by ALL our family, and we love them ALL.
Later, Uncle Tommy and James presented some wonderful letters written by all of us years ago to our now late Mama Harper. My grandparents were tremendous examples that we could never forget. It was a great joy to spend time as a family, remembering and honoring her and Papa.