Escaping the Empty Nest

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Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

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In Case You Missed It:

Life Part 2: Back to School

I always wondered if I’d missed my calling. From childhood, I excelled at writing, literature, poetry, reading, languages, public speaking, books. I also played piano, but not too seriously. Then, the week we had to declare a major the summer before starting college, I was flying high after doing a solo senior piano recital and I signed up to be a music major...(read more)

Traveling with Menopause

I went to Spain to visit my friend who is guest-teaching at a university there. Only speaking the Spanish I have learned from menus, songs, and signs posted around Texas and California is a little challenging. I can say Donde esta los ban֘os (Where is the bathroom) and Besame (Kiss me) and No hablo espan֘ol (I don’t speak Spanish). Then I...(read more)

How to Use the Paris Metro

Using the Paris Metro is easy, fast, and cheap, but it’s also in Paris and that means things don’t always work like you think they should. Let me help you out. Tickets: You can find all the basic, helpful info that you need on the RATP website. There are options for every length of stay...(read more)

Sensible Shoes that Don't Look Sensible

We ladies of a certain age have some tricky decisions to make. We don’t want to look like Gramma, but we just don’t want some of the trendier styles these days. More than one millenial sales clerk has tried to get me into a jumpsuit, but I remember how hard it was to go to the bathroom in those in 1984. Nope. A chic French saleslady offered me...(read more)

How to Eat in a Paris Restaurant

France has some subtle but substantial differences from the US in their service, so I’m here to make sure your dining experience in France goes smoothly. Let’s begin. First, please remember that French servers are there because they have chosen this vocation, have been fully trained at it, and are paid a living wage. They are as friendly as your average...(read more)

Paris Cemeteries: Not Just for Dead People

Now that warm weather is here in Paris, it’s time to get out and enjoy the sunshine! We all know that Paris’ parks are lovely, but they can get a bit crowded during the summer months. To find a quieter place, with shady paths, greenery, and even a bit of art and history, try visiting...(read more)

Montpellier Photography Exhibit: Views of the Ghettos and Images of a Dictator

Montpellier’s Pavillon Populaire, located in the city’s Jardin du Champs de Mars, is currently hosting a two-part photography exhibit which deals with the use of photography as propaganda. It is a moving exhibit, and sheds light on some of key elements incorporated by the Nazis...(read more)

Solo Trip to Edinburgh: Learning to Relax

I’ve been thinking about relaxing lately. I’m no good at it. On vacation, I like to get up earlier than my family and drink coffee and march around town. I go in churches and bookstores and museums and cemeteries and drink more coffee and eat breakfast. I rack up tens of thousa...(read more)

Making Expat Friends is Like Polygamous Dating

I’m an introvert, and meeting people and making friends is not easy. When we moved to Paris, I knew I’d have to leave my comfort zone or my only friend would be Netflix. But I did it, and so can you. If you’re moving to a different country where you don’t know anyone, you’re...(read more)

Angles Unawares

I went to the Paris Préfecture de Police this week with Kid 3 and Mr. Taquet, the Frenchman we hired to help us with tricky French visa bureaucracy. It was the third time we had been to that office trying to get one little stamp in my son’s passport, and I was going to write a funny blog post about it. The absurdity of the French legal system is...(read more)

How Harry Potter Helped Me Get My Reading Groove Back

It was a hard year, and I lost my reading groove. Usually, reading is a constant in my life. I read on the subway, in my green armchair, in the kitchen waiting for pasta to get to al dente, in bed, in waiting rooms. I devour novels and nonfiction books on social issues...(read more)

If You’re Going to Greece, Go to Crete

Crete is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to during my travels. The people are nice, the climate is sunny, the food is delicious, and there’s lots to see and do. Let’s get started. How to get to Crete? Fly. You can also take a ferry from several places, but we decided to fly because...(read more)

I'm Yvonne, and this is my blog.
The kids are leaving, I’m retired, and I’ve got miles to go before I sleep. If you are as perplexed and excited as I am about the second half of your life, come eat, travel, and figure it out with me.