The kids had the best time horse back riding through the countryside. Deva is such a natural with animals. They brushed their horses and cleaned their hooves before mounting. Then they went on quite a long ride. Deva was so excited and impressed, “I went on a really, really, really long ride, Mommy!!” and she proceeded to describe the route. It’s harvest time here, so the farmers in the family are very busy at the moment. Kai has not gone on several tractor rides and even a treat-ride on the combine harvester. He’s into the whole farmer scene now.





I find the colors of the French countryside are so similar to those of Sonoma County. The smells are similar to the smells of Petaluma while I was growing up. (save the river!) Although the colors and the plants are similar, France is lacking our golden hills. The golden is there, but not the hills that make Sonoma County home. And the weather is more consistent at home too. I guess once a California girl, always a California girl.

The fact that the colors are the same and that the warm summer breezes kiss your cheeks like at home, makes me all the more homesick. I miss my friends and my family and summertime at home.

The evenings are fantastic here but nothing is open. The towns die at 5 p.m. and it doesn’t get dark until10:30 or 11:00. I can’t find wi fi (wee-fee) anywhere and the keyboard is different on the computer making getting work done extremely hard.

FOREVER to get through. For lunch who needs more than a sandwich and salad which should take at the most 30 minutes, from preparation to clean up? They move slower. And remember I live in Thailand so that comment says quite a bit. And then we eat so late at night that our schedules are messed up. The kids are getting to bed late, we’re getting up late because our bodies are used to a certain amount of time between eating and waking up. Early morning is my creative time and I’m missing it. (this is strange but the birds start singing later here or maybe tropical birds are just louder) Honestly I just need a break from the family. I’m over the meals, I want a TV dinner!! Okay, not exactly a TV dinner but I want to be able to just grab a little something and get on with it. I want my pace back. It’s a problem that I can’t speak because I’m naturally a social person. I’d like to ask questions. OH and get this-they all can speak English. Yes, after ten years they made an effort to utter a word to me. Not much of course, as that seems to be standard in the family. I don’t know if it’s cultural or not but where I come from, it would mean a lack of interest and be considered rude. But whatever, I don’t really care whether they are interested in me or not, I’m just bored stiff and I want a taco. Cheers & Ciao for now—G