The Coombsville Cats

We are cat people.  I personally have had cats almost all of my life, except for the first year of college when we couldn't have pets our "approved" apartments.  But since Rod and I have been together, it seems we just accumulate cats.  We have nine now, along with one reluctant cat and two "porch cats".  Here are their stories.

When we moved here to Coombsville Road, we had two cats -- Tobey (the wonder cat and the best all around cat EVER) and Sophie (who I got from my friend Barbara shortly after I moved to Napa).  Then we got Dixie, a tabby point Himalayan, and Christmas of '96, when Rod wanted a Harley for Christmas,  he got a black and white tuxedo kitten named Harley.   All of those first cats are gone now, beginning with Dixie, and ending with Harley only 3 years ago.  Rodney still misses Harley (I do too) and I still miss Tobey who had cancer of the mouth and died in 2002.  When I had my Jaguar,  our license plate read "R5CATS" in honor of the 4 cats + the Jag.
                                                               HARLEY BEAR

When Tobey passed, that's when I think our cat fancy turned to cat obsession, starting with two cats to replace one lost -- Mamie, a tuxedo and Ike, a burmese-looking semi feral that we had to trap.  Gradually, more cats were added either on purpose, or because they just showed up here -- our "porch cats" that we have fed, loved, and taken to the vet when needed.  So here are the current Cats of Coombsville Road:

MAMIE:  Currently the oldest Coombsville cat, at about 10 years old, she is now Rod's office cat (one of two).  Mamie is a little fatty short hair tuxedo who likes to sit on Rod's lap when he is working at the computer.  She is a talker, and a lazy one! Here she is on the wicker settee on the porch of Rod's shop.

IKE:  We trapped Ike when he was a tiny kitten in the yard of a friend of Rod's mom and dad.  He was a feral kitty who lived under our sofa until he got too big to do so, then moved to BEHIND the sofa.  When he was old enough to be fixed,  (and all of our cats are, by the way), Rod called me at work to tell me that he had gotten Ike to the vet and was now going to the Emergency Room.  When I got home, I found the sofa upended, and the bed in Amy's room completely torn apart.  And Rod covered with bloody scratches from fingers to elbows.  That was the first and only time IKE has been to the vet.  He slipped out of the house one day while we were preparing for a weekend trip, and we thought he was gone for good.  But then about 3 weeks later we spotted him peeking out from under the deck.  He has stayed around all this time and he has a bed on the front deck.   He has always been our most shy, most timid cat, and will only allow petting if we are feeding him and he is really hungry.  Ike's been around as long as Mamie -- 10 years or so.                          
                                                                     
                                                                    MR. IKE

Next in succession is SAM.  We got Sam and his brother TJ after Tobey passed away (2002), but unfortunately TJ got his tail caught in something and damaged the nerves at the base of his spine, which meant he couldn't pee or poop on his own.  We had to put him down at only 3 years of age.  But his brother Sam has stayed around, and became a porch cat instead of an indoor cat when new kitten Daisy came along.  Sam is a big fat Teddy Bear who will bully the other cats if they get in his way.  But He LOVES to be petted and have his tummy rubbed. Anyone on the porch will get a visit from Sam.   When I am reading the paper at the table, he will plop down right in the middle of the comics for a tickle under the chin or a satisfying tummy rub.  The way he sometimes splays out with his back feet straight out in front of him has earned him the nickname "Porno Cat".

                                                            SAM - 'SAMARAMA'

I got DAISY when I went to the Benicia Peddler's Fair looking for antiques, but instead came home with this cross eyed little tabby point Himalayan that was a twin for our cat Dixie who had dies a couple of years before.  The shelter had named her "Sybil" because they said she had a split personality.  Loving and purring one minute and turning into a slasher the next.  Well, I couldn't believe that this tiny fluffball could be so evil, so she came home with me.  But, alas, the predictions turned out to be true.   You can pet her and she will love it until she doesn't any more.   Daisy has long fluffy fur but does not like to be brushed, so keeping her groomed is a constant struggle.  Recently, she had a hematoma on her ear that was fixed by the Vet, so now she has a "cauliflower ear".  Goofy as she is, we love our Daisy. 

Next in succession is CHLOE.  Rod's Dad and Mom live up on Atlas Peak Road, and a feral cat showed up and had kittens under their gazebo.  Mom was a small calico, and the kittens were a mix of colors, but one kitten was an adorable seal point Himalayan.  As we were trapping the cats to get them fixed for TNR (trap, neuter, release), we got Chloe on her own.  When I brought her back from the vet, I put her in the back bedroom with her own food, water, and kitty box, and opened the carrier door.  I petted her and talked to her -- she was still groggy from the anesthesia.  When Rod got home later that day, we went in to say hi and let her out of the carrier.   Fully recovered from the anesthesia, she exploded out of that carrier and clawed Rod so bad she lost a claw!!!! We were terrified that she had ripped out her stitches, but it seemed not so.  Although she came out at night to eat and use the litter box, for the next three months or so, she hid under the bed and would not come out when we went in there.  Every day, Rod went in and laid on his stomach at the edge of the bed and talked to her and offered treats. We finally opened the bedroom door and she came out, only to streak up to the attic, which has been her home ever since.   Although she has gotten bolder over the past four years in her forays around the house, and loves the other cats (wanting to play with them), the only human who can capture her heart is Rod.  And she is completely shameless with him -- rubbing all over him, Looking at him with adoring eyes, climbing up his leg.  But even Rod can't brush her -- even with the "Love Glove" he bought especially for Chloe.  So the cat hair in the house is prodigious since Chloe never goes outdoors.  Rod is truly "the Cat Whisperer" (with a T shirt to proclaim it) beause he can make any cat, even the wild and feral Chloe, butter in his hands. 

CHLOE 

Then comes Bailey.  Still looking for a cat with Tobey's charm and sweet disposition, we found Bailey on Craigslist and drove all the way to Alameda to BUY him (yes, the only cat we have actually bought -- not counting adoption fees from a rescue organization).  He was just a tiny kitten when we brought him home five years ago.  

                                                                    BABY BAILEY

Bailey is quite the character.  He loves to sleep on top of the kitchen cabinets where it is nice and warm 

And when he comes to greet you, he throws himself down on the ground and rolls all around. He is a good hunter, and last year he brought me a mole for my birthday that was as big around as my hand, with teeth as long as my little fingernail.  He will sit by a haystack all day waiting for the mice to come out.  That's usually where he is when Rod goes out to round up the cats for the night.  When he was about a year old, he scared the hell out of us when he fell off of  "his " chair and couldn't stand up.  His eyes were jerking back and forth and he began to howl.  Since it was after 9 pm, we rushed him off the the vet clinic in Cordelia (a 20 minute drive) and they ran all kinds of tests. They couldn't find anything.  The next day he spent another day with our vet for more tests -- nothing.  He finally came out of it and BOY was he glad to see us!  We never did figure out just what had happened to cause that seizure of such long duration.  For some time after, Bailey was a little clumsy and would sometimes miss when he jumped up onto something.  The seizures have never happened again. 

Another favorite spot of Bailey's is on Rod's knee in the evening when we watch TV.  Check the expression. 

Before we got Morgan, Bailey would love to come upstairs and sleep with us, and snuggle in bed with me, "making biscuits" in my armpit at 6 am.  But since we have had Morgan, he has only been upstairs a few times.  I miss my snuggles with Bay. maybe once he gets used to Morgan, and Morgan is not such a kitten, he will come back!

Then there is our former foster cat, Chessie.  Mourning the death from lymphoma of our adopted 14 year old Himalayan cat, Kiko, Rodney swore to me -- "NO MORE CATS!!!"   So who called me in to his office to look at something he found on Craigslist while looking at -- you guessed it -- CATS but Rod?   Here was this adorable Maine Coon who needed a temporary home while his owner went to Haiti to help build an run a school. Her brother, who had first told her he would keep the cat, decided at the alst minute that he couldn't do it.  We would only have him for a year, maybe two, and then could give him back.  Rod thought this might be the perfect solution (ha ha ha).   Better yet, he was in Concord, where I worked.  So I told Rod I would go check him out and if he was a nice cat, I would bring him home.  When I got to Jaimie's townhouse, almost everything was packed except for a futon in the middle of the room.  There on top was Chessie, looking like a little lion.  He had a sweet disposition, so I bundled him into his carrier, loaded up his food, dishes, and litterbox, and came on back to Napa.  Chessie was at home immediately.

He was two years old -- the same age as Bailey and came when we called him.  He was desperate to explore the grewat outdoors and climbed the big old silk tree by the deck with aplomb.  Although he was happy to eat dry kibble, he loves tuna, but ONLY if it is FRESH out of the can (no day old tuna for Chessie).  A year went by and Jaimie came for a visit.  We raised $300 to help her pay for the extra baggage she took back to Haiti with medicines, toys, books and clothes for the children.  Chessie found his favorite spot on top of the oak secretary in the dining room.  And we loved the weay he did the "Chessie Stretch" with his back legs straight our behind and his front legs pulling forward, not to mention the head bumps that we got when we would reach down to pet him -- head and body rising up on hind legs to meet the palm of any friendly hand around.

                                                        CHESSIE IN THE SILK TREE

                                               CHESSIE IN HIS FAVORITE SPOT

When we heard Jaimie was back in the area for her second visit a year later, Rod said "she's NOT getting Chessie back!".  But before we could tell her, she said to us -- "You obviously love him very much, and I don't know when I will be back, so I think it is best if you keep him".  We were OVERJOYED.   So Chessie foster cat became Chessie our very own forever cat.

MONSTER showed up one day out in the back yard, slinking around the old cars. A black and white medium hair guy with a pink nose, he was a  young cat -- maybe a year old if that, and although he was friendly to people, he caused havoc with the other cats, chasing Bailey, Chessie, and Daisy and the fights resulted in huge tufts of cat hair all over the yard.  I told Rod that we would not be able to keep this monster of a cat unless he could get along with everybody.   Rod took him off to the vet to be neutered and for shots, and within two weeks, Monster had turned into a different cat.  None of the other cats can play like this one --  he chases a ball with unbridled enthusiasm and just wants to RUN from happiness. But the other cats still don't trust him, and there are occasional mix ups (even though Monster really only wants a little rough house play).   Monster and Mamie love each other and sleep together in Rod's lap or in a bed in the office.  He comes into the house from time to time as well.

                                             MONSTER STILL A LITTLE BEAT UP

                                                LOS DOS AMIGOS IN THE OFFICE

Finally, there is Morgan, our latest addition.  When Stefi and Windy were here in November, Stefi wanted to get presents for the cats, and a new collar for Monster (he has lost four collars with name tags since we have had him), so we went to Petco -- big mistake.  They have stacks of cages there with the cats from Whiskers. Tails, and Ferals, which does adoptions on Saturdays.  We looked at all the cats and they were all wonderful but this one little Tonkinese who looked so much like Bailey caught my attention.  So I called Rod and asked -- "please, please???"   Of course the answer was, "what's one more cat?".  But I could not get ahold of anyone from Whiskers, Tails and Ferals, so I went home empty handed.  

The next day, Rod, Windy, and Stefi went to a Swap Meet in Turlock.  I hate (car) swap meets, so I stayed home.  But later that morning, I went back down to Petco, and the little Tonkinese kitten was still there. A couple of hours later and $125 poorer, I left with Morgan, who did not make a peep all the way back to the house. 

                                                              BABY MORGAN

Morgan was a scared little guy, and he hid inside the cubby of our new Ikea headboard.  Three or four times a day Rod or I would haul him out (risking a swipe of the claws) to cuddle him and sing to him.  After the first couple of days, he did climb into bed with us at night and allow himself to be petted while he burrowed into my neck. Then he would pounce on our feet and bite our toes.  He felt safe as long as it was dark.  He was maybe 3 months old.  We left for Paris in mid December, leaving all of the cats in the care of Kristen, Dennis Forbyn's daughter.  When we got back, I could not believe how much Morgan had grown in only 2 weeks!  Plus, one of Kristen's friends had managed to lure him out of hiding with treats and gotten him to play with a string toy.  

Morgan is now 8 months old, and has yet to go outside.  He is still skittery and does not like loud noises or surprises, and does NOT like to be picked up.  But he runs into the room when he hears us coming and talks like crazy.  He no longer hides, and has made friends with Chloe, and the will chase each other all over the attic for hours. He also will fling himself down on the ground, roll over, and stretch himself out as long as he can for a good pet and a belly rub.  At night, he still comes to sleep with us, usually right between us for the best warm spot.  He is our organic alarm clock, waking us up every morning by biting our toes. 

                                                   CHLOE AND MORGAN PLAYING 

                                                       MORGAN IN THE WINDOW

We do "have" three more cats - Rocky (named for his racoon-like ringed tail) and Casper (named after the friendly ghost because of his pale coloring), our "porch cats" who show up to eat and then may not be seen for days, and Ringo, the cat I got from my friend Vicki for Tony's kids about four years ago because hey always loved to play with ours when they came over.  I went all the way to Oakville to get that cat, and paid for his first shots and to have him neutered.  About three months later, Tony asked if we could keep Ringo because "our landlord does not allow cats".  Of course, this made me furious, because nobody had bothered to check about this before I got the cat and spent all that money.  So Tony feeds Ringo, and Ringo stays out by the shop and is kind of wild.
                                                      CASPER THE PORCH CAT

This story does not include all of the past cats -- Kiko, Neko, Annie (although I did blog about this old cat), Sophie, and two other porch cats -- Smokey and Marble.   Along with Tobey, Dixie, TJ and Harley, they  are buried at the edge of the yard, with headstones  and lots of fond memories.

Although we spend a fortune on cat food and sometimes vet bills, these guys make us happy, they make us laugh, and we love  them all.

Bees move to new home

You will be able to see this if you have flipshare.  I hope you can

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Attack of the Not-so-killer Bees 

On Saturday morning, (Earth Day) the day dawned really warm.  First one all year with no fog in the morning and bright sun.  We were up early (for us) and went downstairs to start our regular morning routine (feed the cats, make coffee and breakfast, let the chickens out).   Rod called me out to the garage and told me to stay way from my car -- their were bees beginning to swarm around there in pretty good numbers.  

Ok by me because I had a lot to do that day around the house including picking the first lilacs of the season -- my favorites.  

But by that afternoon, Rod called me again from where I was scrubbing the tiles on our upstairs balcony plant landing and told me to "drop everything -- you've got to see this!!!".  I hurried down the spiral staircase 

and came around the corner and WOW!!!!! 

Those bees had definitely taken up residence .  From the morning when the swarm was small 

it had morphed into a huge hive!!!!!  We stood there watching it for awhile then Rod went on line and we learned a lot about our bees. 

Turns out our hive is probably the result of  scout bees not finding anywhere else suitable for the new colony, so they settled here with their queen to start a new colony.  Very, very cool but the location -- not so cool.  Our bees were no longer a swarm -- but a colony. 

So it was on the phone and onto Craigslist to find a beekeeper to remove them.  We found one on Craigslist who would come and get the bees  --- for free!!!! Such a deal.    Now we only had to wait until he could come and take away our sweeties 

http://www.youtube.com/user/rodneyracer?feature=mhee

The above is a link to Rod's YouTube page that shows a walk around of the bees at their peak. 

Sunday evening, Rokas from Lithuania showed up with his smoker, bee boxes, straps, blankets, and a fine-haired brush (but a big brush).  Rokas learned about keeping bees in his home country and now sells honey at the Oxbow Market and had just returned from the Home & Garden show in Vacaville.  

We rigged up a stand from ladders, and Rokas carefully placed the bee box on top of the ladder as close to the hive as he could.   Then he lit a rag in the smoker and pumped up the smoke, carefully spraying the bees with the smoke.   He laid out a blanket on the ground, and some long rubber tie downs. Climbing another ladder, Rokas gently brushed the bees from the door sill into the bee box.  

Immediately, there was a loud and grumpy buzzing, but the bees did not fly out and did not sting .  The box was placed carefully on the blanket, and the frames gently inserted.   Then the cover was placed on the box, and Rokas wrapped the whole box in the blanket, securing everything with the rubber ties downs.  

Then goodbye bees.  To assure that no other swarm would find this tempting location for their new home, we scrubbed and scraped the door sill and then wiped it  down with cinnamon mixed with oil.  Rokas said that bees do not like cinnamon.  Just to be sure, I am also going to follow up with eucalyptus oil this afternoon.  

This morning there are still a few bees buzzing mournfully around wondering what happened to all of their pals.  I hope they find a new group to hook up with.

I think I'll go down to the Oxbow Market and buy some of Rokas' honey!!!!!  

Our House

                                             Our house is a very, very,very fine house 
                                             With (more than two) cats in the yard 
                                             Life used to be so hard
                                            Now everything is easy 'cause of you 


I have been thinking alot lately about how we ended up in this house, and about the house itself.  This year will mark twenty years we have lived here -- 10 months before we got married, and the longest I have ever lived in one place anywhere.

I still remember the first time we looked at the house -- I had found out about it from the graphic artist at the printer where we got our bus schedules printed.  They were moving to Oregon and we looked at it  and  rejected as "needs too much work". With our list of  "must haves" we had been looking throughout all of Napa's subdivisions.  We had just seen a four bedroom in north Napa that met every condition on the list when I turned to Rod and said "You know what?  I don't want to live in a tract house".  And he said "Neither do I" and that changed everything.   We went back to the  older house on Coombsville Road  and gave it another look.   Rod crawled around under the foundation with Larry Ellis, and they looked in the attic (luckily the house was vacant). Larry (a contractor) pronounced the house structurally sound with no visible termite or dry rot damage.  And then we found out that our neighbors (in front) would be someone we both knew who also worked for the City of Napa, and that the house had begun it's life in Benicia as a WWII duplex built for shipyard workers.   It had been barged up the Napa River, then hauled up the hill on a flatbed truck to be plunked down on the (almost 2 acre) lot where it was remodeled into a single family home.

The deck was covered with the dropped dried puffy flowers from the Chinese silk tree overlooking the deck, and there was a pool.  Once there had been a garden, too, and there was a brick patio and walkways. I was also intrigued by the unfinished rooms over the garage.  Maybe this house had potential.

We talked about how we could afford its $325,000 price tag.  Rod had cash from his divorce settlement, and I had a house on South Montgomery Street.   Would they take $50,00 down now and another $50,00 when my house sold by carrying back a second mortgage?  We made the offer and I completely freaked out.  I fretted that we would not be able to afford it, that they would never accept the offer, that there was just way too much work, that we had made a big mistake.

Then they accepted our offer. Oh. My. God.   When we found out that the daughter of the owners was still living in Napa with friends to finish high school, we borrowed a house key and sneaked inside to measure rooms for carpeting and windows for curtains.   Even before closing, we were over there every day after work clearing brush, planting things, and one eventful day taking a skinny dip in the pool when our Realtor showed up with papers for us to sign!

Of course we thought we could get all of the work done that needed to be done in three weeks before we moved in -- painting, wallpapering, painting kitchen cabinets, tearing out an old woodstove and patching the ceiling, laying new carpet, making curtains, buying blinds, and packing up everything we needed to move as well as having a yard sale for all the things we didn't want to move!     By coming to the house every day after work and staying until midnight, working all weekend long, and utilizing child labor (Rod's kids) we did everything we wanted to do.  We even got practically new oatmeal colored wool carpeting to replace the existing brown plush from Larry, which had come form a remodel he was doing.   This was wonderful, because when we pulled up the carpeting in the living room, expecting to find the hardwood that was in the dining room and largest downstairs bedroom, what we had found instead was all of the evidence of walls that had been removed when the house was converted from a duplex  to a single family home.  There was enough of that carpeting to complete the two remaining downstairs bedrooms as well.    We took the blue indoor/outdoor carpeting from the upstairs (unfinished) space and put it in the downstairs mudroom.

And only four months later , my house on South Montgomery Street sold (I had staged it before staging was the "in" thing to do), and we paid off the second mortgage.

Since then we have done so many upgrades, starting with finishing the upstairs  -- turning the long narrow space originally planned as a bathroom into a walk in closet, closing off the hall entry into one of the small bedrooms and turning it into a bathroom  (it is no fun having no upstairs bathroom when you have to get up in the middle of the night to pee) with a donated tub, ceramic tile from the tile outlet in SF, and kitchen cabinets instead of typical bathroom cabinets with deep pot drawers in the middle to take the place of a linen closet, and last but not least, putting in a separate (also donated) heating and air conditioning system after I threatened Rod that if we went one more summer without AC in our bedroom, I would be sleeping downstairs on the couch).

Then came rebuilding the deck with Trex, lots of landscaping, including a new sidewalk to the front door, a picket fence (picked up from a scrap heap at the Corp Yard after a flood) separating the front yard from the side yard,  building a water tower (Rod's project) and extending the back yard, adding a second covered patio with an outdoor kitchen behind the pool, and a sidewalk to the back porch.  Also a wonderful balcony off the master suite with donated mission style French doors (thanks Gene and Ethel)

Here is a view from the covered patio in the back yard toward the back porch with the outdoor kitchen (actually only a sink, countertop, bar and storage) in the foreground.  You can see the door into the garage and railings of the balcony on the left, our olive tree and garden window (both a freebie) to the right. 

The biggest projects were Rod's shop, which enabled him to start his new business, and the kitchen/second story remodel which enlarged the kitchen by 8 feet, added a second story to the old part of the house with dormers and a gigantic attic, added a pantry and covered back porch, and enabled us to move the hot water heater and furnace to the attic, those letting me turn the closet in the laundry/mudroom where they had been located into a large storage closet.  This remodel also included hardyboard siding on the whole house, which means no more exterior painting (except the trim).

This is the kitchen facing south and looking into the dining room.  The 1949 Wedgewood stove on the left came with the house and we still use it every day.  I wouldn't trade it for the newest cooktop around.

Our dining room in the summer, with roses from the garden on the table.  We bought this beautiful mission table and chairs at a yard sale in Carneros for only $500!  I have had the Victorian oak secretary since 1972.

Living room with hardwood floors, my needlework on the wall, and (of course) cat toys! 

The final upgrade was to add hardwood floors throughout the house.  That is if you don't count the new  paint, carpeting, drapes,  and furniture we got for our master bedroom (after only 20 years) last November.  

Now the picket fence is peeling and has been pushed side by a tree that has grown up too close to it, the back yard garden needs to be overhauled (new cement block planting beds are in the works), and I am as close to having my ideal home as I ever will be. 

Every morning, I can sit on my balcony and watch the Canadian geese fly over head, honking on their way to somewhere.  I can sit on the front deck and see the hummingbirds flock to the silk tree (which is dying by degrees -- alas) in the summer time, and to the feeders all the time.  I can go out to the chicken yard and watch the girls come flying at me with their waddling run (so funny) to find out if I have some stale bread or browning lettuce for them.  I can sit with a cat on my lap and hear the sounds of the children at recess from the school across the field, and I can feel grateful -- so grateful! 

Christmas in Paris - 2011

We FINALLY took advantage of the offer of Rod's customer, Jeff Loomis, to use his corporate apartment in Paris over Christmas and the New Year holidays and wow, the BEST Christmas ever!!!!

Because I hate Heathrow Airport in London and did not want to spend hours for connections between flights, we probably paid a little more for air fare than we might have, but it was well worth it.  On December 19 we boarded the Evans bus to SFO, after leaving a four page volume of instructions for the cat sitter/chicken sitter, Dennis Forbyn's daughter Kristen.   The flight took us from SFO to Washington Dulles, and from there straight on to Paris.  Easy peasy lemon squeezie!

Once in Paris, we called for our shuttle and waited ...... and waited....... Finally another call and the (unmarked) van showed up for our ride to 101 Rue Du Temple.  We had no idea where (which Arondissment) the apartment was located, so there were many turns, tiny streets, and much to see before we finally got there.  Denise Koh, the concierge to the apartment, met us there and showed us all of the ins and outs -- code for front door (a big heavy door that led into the foyer), how to work the key to the apartment (two flights up deliciously worn wooden stairs), and where everything was located.  Once we unloaded our bags, we went in search of a bistro for quiche and salad (and hot chocolate for Rod) and on the way back, we bought a tiny Christmas tree for the apartment.

And oh, the apartment!!!!  Jeff calls it "Le Shack" and it is anything but.

The living room had a beautiful gas fireplace, high windows looking out to the street, and modern furniture.  Plus awesome electronics, including the big screen TV behind the white doors at the top right of the photo. Although the space was compact, the ceilings were so high, that lofts were added for one bedroom to sleep up to three, and a computer office over the master bedroom.  There is our little Christmas tree in the center, decorated with the snowflake ornaments and  battery operated star lights I brought from home.  We hung up stockings, too!!!

The kitchen was large by European standards, and complete with a washer/dryer, cooktop and oven, refrigerator,dishwasher, and wine cooler!!!!!!!  But best of all was the built in espresso machine right over the oven.  WOW!!!!

Up a set of narrow stairs was a loft bedroom, where our friend Linda and Virgil would sleep.  From the loft, there was a great view of the living room area.

The bathroom had a towel warming rack, deep tub with both overhead and hand held rainshower heads, and also came complete with a hairdryer!!!

And there was a downstairs master bedroom with a wonderful duvet, big feather pillows, and lots of closet space.  The stairs to the computer loft are in the right side of the photo.  We would be thrilled to call Le Shack home for the next two weeks!

While we waited for Linda and Virgil to arrive, we set up the Christmas tree, hung the stockings (on removable hooks, of course) and went to the ATM and grocery for some very basic provisions.   Linda and Virgil arrived at at 8:30 pm Paris time in a drizzly rain, and since we were all exhausted, turned in to begin our adventures the following morning.  

We all sleep LATE but when we finally drag ourselves out of bed, Linda and Virgil have already been to the boulangerie for croissants and tangerines for notre petite dejunere (breakfast). We set out walking toward Notre Dame (only about a 10 minute walk from the apartment), passing le Hotel de Ville (city Hall) with its ice skating rink and carousel.  Also the nearest metro station for the main line (Line 1 - Yellow) from which you can transfer to almost anywhere you want to go. 

Notre Dame is as beautiful as ever, but the crowds are not nearly as large as during the summer.  We take many pictures.  There is an enormous Christmas tree in front on the plaza.

Inside, there is a creche and of course the stunning rose windows and paintings.  We do NOT climb to the bell tower! 

We find our way to St. Chappelle, where we have tickets for a Christmas Eve concert, and marvel at the elaborate gates in the Palais du Justice. 

Then across the Seine on the Pont Neuf toward St. Michele and the Latin Quarter on the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) 

After some shopping and a pizza lunch in the Latin Quarter, we see posters for a Classical music presentation  at Eglise St. Julien Le Pauvre (the Church of St Julien the Poor) and decide we definitely want to go to this one -- arias and Ave Maria. 

                                                           Shop Window Rive Gauche 

As it is getting dark,  it's onto the Metro to head for the Christmas Fair at the Champs D'Elysees. 

Little wooden booths all along the street sell hot wine, foie gras, Christmas ornaments, stuffed animals, scarves, hats, gloves, cheese, sausages, crepes, jewelry, ceramics, and lots of other wonderful stuff. The lights and decorations are very modern, very Parisian! 

The highlight of the Christmas Market is when Pere Noel (father Christmas) rides across the sky in his lighted sleigh and reminds all of the children to be good !

As we walk down the Champs D'Elysees we see the Virgin Megastore and pop in to buy our concert tickets, then head on down toward the Arc de Triomphe.

We ALMOST make it to the Place de la Concorde before our feet give out.  Bu the arch looks beautiful at night 

Before we get onto the Metro and head home, we stop for sausages in rolls with good French mustard ! 

The next morning under a cold and drizzly sky we head out for Monmarte.  Boulevard Clichy reminds me of Broadway in SF with loads of sex shops and neon lights.  After a short stop at Tati (the French version of Big Lots, you could say) we head up to the funicular that goes to the top of the hill to Sacre Couer. 

There is a small Christmas market up there and the hot wine tastes especially good on such a cold and drizzly day.  The view from this area is also incredible, even in the rain.

Then back to the Metro to head back home for a shower and change of clothes, plus a bistro late lunch

I wish I could say we took pictures at the Moulin Rouge, but that was strictly forbidden.  Our tickets that night included two bottles of champagne, which we eagerly downed while watching the glitz and glamour of old vaudeville, complete with a ventriloquist, juggler, shadow puppet guy and OF course topless dancers in glittery costumes.  Yes, they danced the  can can, and yes the ride home on the Metro was hysterically funny (or maybe it was just the champagne). To see what we could not photograph, go to this link:  

http://www.moulinrouge.fr/ .  Click on the lower left hand corner for English (Anglais) .  Just had to do this just once!!!

The following day we went to L'Orangerie museum to see the huge Monet waterlily murals and the wonderful collection that includes Picasso, Cezanne, Gaugin, Manet, Berthe Morisot, and more.  I also went to the Diane Arbus exhibit in the small gallery next door while Linda and Virgil set off for the Louvre.  

L'Orangerie is set in Tuilleres Parc and was the giant greenhouse/solarium where tropical fruits could be grown in the winter (hence the name) during the reign of Louis XIV. 

We then had lunch at Minim's (the bistro connected with Maxim's) at the Place de la Concord on Rue Royale. 

This shot is looking down le Rue Royale.  Maxim's and Minim's is on the left, and Loomis corporate offices are on the third floor above Maxim's!    We stopped in to get the instructions for the washer and dryer in English from Denise, and to say hi and let her know the computer printer needed ink.

Back to Le Shack early and grocery shopping at our neighborhood grocery and greengrocer.  We had a delicious dinner of scrambled eggs with asparagus, mushrooms, and cheese, along with a salad of fresh greens with chives, chevre, and almonds along with the scrumptious baguettes miel from our neighborhood patisserie and the white wine we ended up drinking nearly every night because it was really good and really cheap (we called the the French equivalent of 2 Buck Chuck but oh so much tastier!!!).   Then we played a game of Mexican Train and to bed.

By this time, we were becoming familiar with our neighborhood -- Le Marais, the 3rd Arondissment, or district,  We got to know the local boucherie (butcher), patisserie (bakery), fruits and legumes marche (fruit and vegetable market) and grocery (monoprix), since we bought our food daily like the French do.  Everything was within walking distance and every bit of food we bought was simply wonderful -- so fresh and flavorful.  The champignons (mushrooms) were huge and earthy on the stems as though they had just been pulled from the ground.  The chickens, turkeys, and ducks hung by their feet with their heads on at the butcher, and every tiny grocery store had an impressive array of wine and champagne at reasonable prices.
Our neighborhood included the Pompideau Center of Modern Art, Hotel de Ville, the big BHV Department store, boutiques, the Jewish history and culture museum, and a short walk to the Centre Bastille, Republique, Place des Voges (early home of the kings of France), and Carandalet museum -- the History of Paris.  During our stay we saw all of these places

This is the Hotel Paix on Place Republique in our neighborhood, just down from the place de la Bastille.

                                 This is a typical grocery store in le Marais, our neighborhood. 

This is the view looking down the street toward the Pompideau Center from Hotel de Ville in our neighborhood

Pompideau Center -- across the street is one of the grocery stores where we bought provisions

This monument commemorates the taking of the Bastille (a huge medieval prison) that began the French Revolution.  The Bastille was torn down and the bricks used to build the plaza for this monument.  It is also in our neighborhood, le Marais.   

On Friday the 23rd, we had a lazy day.   Rod's back was really bothering him, and a tumble that I took on the sidewalk had bruised my ribs, so we stayed close to home, laundering towels and watching CNN.  We made tagliatelle carbonara, salad,and baguettes for dinner with some more of that good cheap wine. 

On Christmas Eve the sun came out!  We hurried to buy the fixings for our Christmas dinner and then Rod and Virgil retired to the apartment.  Linda and I ventured out to do some Christmas shopping and discovered the National Archives nearby.  We went to the BHV Department store and bought a salad bowl for Le Shack, and to one of the many souvenir shops on the way to Notre Dame. 

I managed to bargain in French with a shop keeper to reduce the price of this nifty angora beret from 15 Euro down to ten!   Linda and I had more vin chaud (hot wine) and lunch at a bistro across from Notre Dame. 

Then to St. Chappelle for the Christmas Concert -- we were treated to Bach and Vivaldi in this most charming and historic venue, where Marie Antoinette spent her final days in prayer before her beheading! 

After we sneakily filled all of the stockings, we went to bed to wait for Christmas Day. 

On Christmas morning, there was no hurry to get up.  We lazed around drinking cafe au lait (yes we had mastered the built in espresso machine that turned out the BEST coffee, and mastered the cooktop to heat our milk) and then opened our stockings to find scarves, hats, aprons, cookies, T-shirts, chocolate for Rodney, a glass Eiffel tower for Linda, and a music box that plays "La Vie en Rose" for Virgil. Linda got me some very cool fingerless mitts that were trimmed in rabbit fur.  Joyeaux Noel!!!!!! 

Rod, Linda and Cindy model their new Christmas gear 

Rod models his new hat, scarf, t-shirt, and book on "the Best Places to Kiss in Paris". 

We get dressed and go out.  A bright day to walk to Notre Dame for the 12:45 Christmas Mass.  Us and about 5,000 Parisiens.  We get close enough to the front to see communion being given and see the recessional leave to the strains of "Angels We Have Heard on High"  (in Latin, of course).  

Many of the souvenir shops are open, and I get two T-shirts and a dishtowel for Le Shack.  Our neighborhood grocer is open so we get milk and sandwich fixings.  Back at Le Shack we make ham,cheese, tomato and avocado sandwiches with the remainder of the large loaf of bread I bought yesterday and drink some more of that good wine.  We laze around watching TV until it's time to make dinner.  

And WHAT a dinner!!!! Roasted tiny new potatoes with garlic and herbes de Provence, haricots verts avec lard et pignoles (green beans with bacon and pine nuts), dinon (turkey) breast fillets sauteed with garlic and champignons (mushrooms), salad with caramelized chevre and tomatoes, champagne, and for desert, chocolate tarts for Virgil and Rodney, raspberry tarts for Linda and me.  We all agree that this is the best Christmas dinner ever.  Oh, and I almost forgot --  baguettes and foie gras!!!!

After dinner, we watched "An American in Paris" (le Shack has many good DVDs) and go to sleep happy, a little drunk, and filled with Paris. 

The next day we decided to use our "L'Open Tour" bus tickets around the city in the double decker open top buses.  It was a glorious sunny day so we took the loop to Bercy-Bstille down Rivoli and out to the "new" Paris in the southeast corner of the city.  Then, because we were freezing, we stopped for a vin chaud and quiche at a cafe across from St. Chappelle.  Althought we had hoped to get in for a day time tour (the light through the stained glass windows is something to see), the  lines were formidable.  So we got back on the bus for the "Paris Grand Tour". 

We passed Napoleon's Tomb on the bus, and L'Hospital des Inalides, once a veteran's hospital, now a military museum.

Then to the Champs D'Elysees with a daytime view of the Christmas Market and the Grand Palais, where the French presidents reside.  This building was constructed for the World's fair during the belle Epoch at the turn of the 19th Century

And finally to le Arc de Triomphe during the daytime at the far end of the Champs D'elysees.

The bus also traveled by the  "new" Opera House, with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. 

With such a spectacular vista on a sunny day, no wonder Paris is called "the City of Lights" (night time, too.)
We had hoped to catch the next route out to Monmarte, but discovered the only line running after 6:30 pm was the main one (which we had just ridden), so we had a disappointing dinner at a greek restaurant on the Left Bank (the only truly disappointing meal we had in two weeks!) and headed home.

The next day, Rod and I walked down to the Jewish museum in our neighborhood and after this, rounded up provision for sandwiches (everything tastes better on a baguette!). Late that afternoon, we headed out to St. Michel and walked around until our concert started at 6:00 at L'Eglise St. Julienne de Pauvre.  I bought a pair of red shoes -- very cute and look like little elf shoes.  We listened to opera arias and two different versions of Ave Maria, plus the aria from La Boehm, right in the front row in the heated small church.  Afterward, we stopped for crepes and hot chocolate before heading home.

On December 28, Rod and I walked to Musee Carnavalet, a FREE museum of Parisian history just a ten minute stroll from le Shack.  Most interesting to me were the rooms dedicated to the French Revolution, which included artifacts from the cells of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI-- even a locket with locks of their hair!   At the museum, I bought books about both the Museum and our neighborhood, le Marais.
              
Cooked a dinner that night of pasta with mushrooms, garlic, butter, cheese and chopped parsley accompanied by a salad and those ubiquitous and delicious baguettes. We always keep cheese, bread, tangerines, pistachios, and foie gras around for munching (and boy do we munch -- everything tastes better in Paris).

The next day was beautiful and sunny, so we decided to take advantage of our tickets for a cruise on the Seine on the Bateaux Parisiens.

Right toward the end of the trip, it began to get colder and the sky clouded up.  perfect timing to board the Metro and head for the Musee Marmottan Monet on the Rue Louis Boilly -- a peaceful green area surrounding a beautiful park in the northwest corner of Paris.  Great exhibits of not only Monet, but also Impressionists Sisely and Cross and a bit of the Fauves.  Very nice museum and busy but not mobbed. Here is the link to the museum:   http://www.marmottan.com/ Then we had a late lunch/early dinner at a brasserie in the neighborhood.  back on the Metro, we got off at an unfamiliar stop (Rod said "Trust me") and at night a little disorienting.  But Rod got us home coming in from the direction Republique instead of our usual direction Hotel de Ville.    Once home, a little wine, a little cheese and pate, a little TV. and to bed.

On December 30, we went to visit the Opera House, amazing with its ornate decoration, costume displays, and the ceiling of the theater painted by Chagalle depicting many operas, including The Magic Flute .

 Then on to the Museum of Modern Art -- kind of a disappointment after all we had seen, but a handful of Matisse and Picasso works made the trip worthwhile.

 

We had a quiet New Year's Eve, only going out to buy the fixings for tonight's dinner.  It takes a while to stand in line at the butcher, patisserie, grocery and greengrocer, but SO worth it for the astonishing food.  We made sauteed veal with mushrooms in mustard cream sauce, steamed asparagus, roasted tiny red potatoes, and salad.  Tiramasu for dessert with chocolate ice cream (unlike any I have ever eaten here -- this was some intense chocolate), and of course -- champagne.

As midnight approached, we watched a party going on in the apartment across the street -- lots of dancing and carrying on by people much younger than we are!!!!! Toasts and kisses at midnight and saying goodbye to 2011 in Paris!

We have been staying up late watching a "Mad Men" marathon on the Sundance channel (not many in English except this one and CNN Europe ).  It is season on and none of us have Showtime at home,so we never have watched this.  Of course, we are hooked now.

After nearly two weeks, we have  become Parisiens --  buying our food every day, learning how to use all of the mysterious electronics in Le Shack, joking with the greengrocer, and bargaining en Francais.  We have our cafe au lait every morning and baguettes galore (oh how I will miss them!!).  We take a tote bag shopping and can find our way around with ease.  The Metro is no mystery and we love our neighborhood.  if only we had our cats, life would be complete.

On New Year's day we wake up late and have a fritatta made from eggs with last night's leftover potatoes, asparagus, ham and cheese.  We toast baguettes to go with the fritatta.

Then we walk down to Place des Vosges , built in 1612 and the royal palace for Louis XIII and Anne of Austria prior to the Louvre being turned into the Royal Palace.  Again, this is in our neighborhood, Le Marais.

On our last full day in Paris, we walked around our neighborhood, exploring the area toward Place de Republique that we had not spent much time in (during the day at least).  We found a real supermarket that we had not known about, plus a clothing store that had reasonable priced jackets and coats -- if only I had known about this the first days!!! We brought clothing hat was WAY too warm for how the weather turned out to be.   Also visited a church -- Our Lady of Sorrow and Saint Elizabeth that contained exquisite wood carved panels inside lining the walls with scenes from the bible.   Linda and I spent a little time sketching until it got too cold, then home to strip the beds, pack, and get ready for a 3 am (yikes) departure for the airport.

                                                                We love Paris.