There Goes the Sun

Angela & Guillaume returned home on Friday night at 9:30, after 8 days and 7 nights in paradise! Well, paradise with a lot of people...

They arrived in Aruba last Friday, and checked into their hotel, the Westin, on Aruba's Palm Beach. For the first night, they were in a room that was a little dark and smelled musty, like it was damp all the time. Fortunately, they received a room upgrade for the rest of the week, and their room looked over the pool, and the Carribbean sea.

After they got into their room on Friday at 5:00 in the afternoon, they put on their bathing suits and ran down to the beach. They jumped into the warm water and swam around like little fishes. The little bar next to the pool was not crowded, so Angela got a Pina Colada, and Guillaume had a Caipirenha. Then they each got one more...

They went to a little reception at the Westin one night and they watched the sun set from the terrace

For their first dinner in Aruba, they went to a restaurant in the hotel, Blossoms. It is a Japanese style restaurant, and they sat at the sushi bar. Angela doesn't really like sushi, so she got some chicken and beef skewers, and Guillaume got a sushi pizza! He also had tuna sashimi, and Angela tried it... and LIKED it! Wow! They drank some cold beer, and watched the sushi chef create amazing things.

They went to the casino in the hotel for the first and only time that night. First, they tried their hand at Roulette. They really didn't know what they were doing. Then they played Video Poker, and won $2.80. Big money.

Guillaume woke up early and went for a run on Saturday morning. When he came back to the room, they drank coffee on their little terrace, and went downstairs to the beach. They rented a "palapa" for the week. It is a little hut on the beach to give them some shade from the burning hot Aruba sun. The hotel brings bottles of water and fruit to the palapas every afternoon.

Unfortunately a very large group of people came to the hotel on Saturday, and were staying for the whole week. And it wasn't just any large group. It was a bunch of beer-drinking, chain-smoking, overweight, multiple-tattooed, extremely loud, really big people. They brought six-packs of beer into the water with them. I was so amazed that I had to take a picture. They were everywhere. Next to the little palapa. In the water. At the pool bar. So, Angela & Guillaume did everything they could to stay away from them. But Angela wanted to take a picture of them with their six-packs in the water.

They rented jet skis - twice! And they rented an ATV for half a day. It was fun and a little bit scary. They drove over half the island, and Guillaume saved the day when they tried to re-start the ATV in the middle of nowhere, and it wouldn't start. So he pulled the hand-starter, and it worked!

The food was very good, and not as expensive as Guillaume thought it would be. They ate dinner at all the restaurants in their hotel, plus dinner at the Hyatt, Le Dome (a great French restaurant on the last night in Aruba), Aqua Grill, and the Radisson Hotel (bad, bad food).

This was at the Aqua Grill, on the terrace.

On the last day, they didn't rent the palapa because they wanted to sit in the sun.

When we were leaving, Guillaume stopped to feed the birds that are on the property. They talk! "What's up?"

Well, what's up is that a snowstorm is coming in today, and lasting through tomorrow. Maybe the biggest this season.

Gros bisous, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY CYRIELLE!

On the road again

More like, in the air again.

Angela and Guillaume are so sorry they have not updated this blog since their wonderful trip to France.

This morning, they are leaving for a week in Aruba. They PROMISE to update the blog when they return.

A+

We Have Overcome.

On arrive!

Nous partons aujourd'hui à 5h30 et arrive à Paris demain à 6h10.

Nous sommes très heureux!

A bientot!

Joyeux Noël (et plus...)

Angela & Guillaume have had a very busy month, and have had no time to blog!


They went to a fundraiser on December 1 with their friend Kenny. There were a lot of New England Patriots football players there. Kenny bought an autographed football (the name was a little smudged), and Angela thought it was Number 1.






Angela's mother's birthday was December 6, so the kids took her to dinner at Flora Restaurant in Arlington. First, they went to her house to see her "winning painting." She entered a painting into a contest at the State House. Her painting won! It is now a holiday card that people can buy.

She gave Guillaume a New England Patriots winter hat. He liked it. It's very blue.

They had a lovely birthday dinner!

A few nights later, they went to a basketball game at the Garden to see the World Champion Boston Celtics.

Of course they stopped for food and beer first.

Doesn't Guillaume look very handsome?


The seats were very good. They were so close that Angela was looking for famous people, and she found some! Richard Seymour (he plays football for the New England Patriots), tennis player James Blake, and his brother, were all at the game. Okay, they're famous here in Boston anyways...

Finally they put up their Christmas tree. It was a lot of work this year. The tree stump was too big for the stand, so Guillaume had to go out and purchase a big expensive stand, and a saw (!) to cut off some of the stump so it would stand up straight. Guillaume wanted to buy the saddest tree on the lot because he felt bad for the tree.

But it looks very pretty now.

Just before Christmas, Angela and her best friend, Kelley, went to dinner to celebrate their birthdays. They have been friends since they were 5 years old! Angela's birthday is in June, and Kelley's is in November. They tried to go to dinner in between their birthdays, but they ran out of time.

They went to L'Espalier. Guillaume's friend, Greg, was their waiter, and he could not have been nicer. Angela had never met him before, so she was very happy to finally meet him. It was a wonderful evening. Since it was just the day after the big snowstorm, it was very cold and snowy outside, and it was so warm and cozy inside.

Guillaume had to work on Christmas Eve, so Angela went to her mother's house for a very nice dinner. She went to her house right after work, and watched as her mom finished making things for the dinner. At 6:00, some of her mother's friends arrived, and then Andrew came at 6:30. He had been at a friend's house for a party. His friend's father just happens to be one of Guillaume's regular customers at the M Bar!

On Christmas morning, Guillaume woke Angela up by singing a Christmas song. They had coffee and breakfast, and opened their prizes.

Santa Claus brought them Guitar Hero (because Rock Band just wasn't enough).

And lots of videos! And an iPhone case for Angela.

The biggest and best Christmas prize is yet to come. Angela & Guillaume are flying to France in just a few short weeks. They will be there for Papy Pierre's big birthday celebration! They are so happy they will soon see all family and close friends.

In the afternoon, they went to Cape Cod, to Aunt Andrea and Uncle Karl's house. They had a nice drive down to the Cape, listening to Christmas songs and calling friends and family. Feliz Navidad may have been over-played in the car.

Two of Angela's cousins and their families were there. The girls were painting nails and and playing with their new toys. Harry showed us how to use his yo-yo! Andrew came a little later, and their stepmother, Nancy came with her dog, Minette.

They got home at 8:30, and then hopped on La Voile to go to a little party at Greg's house in Brookline. They had a fantastic gumbo, some delicious wine, they rocked out to Rock Band, and finally went home at 2:00 in the morning.

Now Guillaume is in the office, Angela is on the couch, and she may not move until tomorrow.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

What is Gobble Gobble?

The traditional "first Thanksgiving" is said to have occurred at the Plymouth Plantation. Several of our Frenchies have visited the Plymouth Plantation!

In 1621, Pilgrims set a day to celebrate at Plymouth after their first harvest. Back then, it wasn't seen as a Thanksgiving observance, but a "harvest festival." Years of these sporadic feasts later turned into an annual observance. In 1863, in the middle of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be held on the final Thursday every November.

On the final Thursday of November, 2008, Guillaume received a text message from one of his friends, which read: "Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!" The pilgrims and Abraham Lincoln surely did not forsee iPhones and text messages at Thanksgiving.

Angela said that she received the same message from one of her friends. Guillaume asked what Gobble Gobble is. It is, of course, the sound a turkey makes. A live turkey, that is. Dead turkeys don't talk.

To start Thanksgiving Day, Angela watched some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. From the comfort of her couch, of course.



When they arrived at Vas and Sal's house, they were shocked to find Andrew already there. Andrew might be known for arriving a little late...

The house was filled with the delicious aroma of a Thanksgiving feast. The chef was hard at work in the kitchen.

While the handsome Guillaume, with his new haircut (finally!), relaxed on the couch.

The beautiful Helen arrived last - Angela thought she would be there first. There was a lot of traffic. Thanksgiving is one of the most highly traveled days in America.

There is a new picture added to the family table (see bottom right).

Of course, there is a full table of desserts.

Guillaume's first or second dessert plate.

And then his little piece of regret.

When Angela and Guillaume got home, they quickly changed into pants with waistbands that stretch. Then Angela made a plate full of leftover dinner, and ate some more. Guillaume thought she was joking. She wasn't. It was good.

Guillaume is now hard at work. Tonight, Angela & Guillaume will go to a Celtics game. The Holiday Season has begun, and it is very full!

A+

Like Christmas, Only Better!

Angela woke up early this morning in anticipation of her favorite holiday. She is so happy that this year Guillaume will eat Thanksgiving dinner at dinnertime, instead of eating at midnight when he gets home from work. Hooray!

She is on the couch, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on TV, waiting for Guillaume to wake up.

The only thing possible that could make the day better would be if the Clan from France were here to celebrate. But everyone will be together soon. Peut-etre pour un événement spécial, en Janvier???

Soon they will all meet at Vas and Sal's house for a delicious dinner. Angela & Guillaume will bring foie gras (bien sur), baguettes (not as good), and wine (eh beh oui!).

A bientôt!