"Madame" did not speak english and my french was lousy this morning, but we finally understood each other and she lead me through the ceramics gallery to the "Academy" behind. the "Academy", at first glance, is a gravel parking area, complete with large sleeping dog and a variety of straight backed chairs. Max; young, tousled…

Ruby is passed out, sprawled out, limbs splayed….chocolate hang-over, she's done and crashed from the caffeine high at last.

well, it is official! Mom has bought her sailboat! 7m, sleeps 3 (4 if you are really familiar), roller reefing, spinnaker, etc. it will take a few weeks to get her in sailing shape, and there is work to be done on the interior over the summer, but it will be a fun project and…

had dinner the other night at Maria's….well, all the girls are watching their figures for "season", so an otherwise fabulous meal, but no dessert. riding home, we were thinking lovingly of the box of high-end gourmet chocolates we had sitting next to the bottle of evening port back home. turn the key, open the door…

my brother, Thomas, bought a motorcycle. i hate to think of his brains as pavement-spaghetti, but i do have fond memories of riding on the back of one of my old boyfriend's bikes in the midwestern summertime. i'd never work up the courage (or the !), but i lust after a vintage Vespa myself.

i am still pleasantly surprised to take Miss Ruby out on our morning walk, down the block, turn the corner, and , there it is…Port Vauban…thousands of white boats; sailboats, schooners, fishing trollers, stink pots, shiek yachts and all the rest…just sitting right there on the blue water, swaying a bit some days. and there…

we went to Ventimille, just across the border into Italy (a little over an hour by train) this afternoon for a little shopping at the big outdoor market….leather goods, bags, belts, shoes, bedding, jewelry, you name it…and of course, parmesean cheese. very nice. somehow, i ended up with two backpacks..neither of which is big enough…

La Gaffe….two-for-one well drinks on wednesday nights, live cover band (mediocre) and heavy beer-goggle firting after midnight…funny, it could have been any bar in any town with a decent post-college 20/30-something population…drink deals, long bathroom lines, slutty jeans and too-loud boy band music is international. (Genna's, Pinky's, Mercury, and now La Gaffe) don't get me…

i went to one of the local baby shops this afternoon to pick up an item for mom, the babysitter (she watches our friend Maria's 6 month old Grace a few mornings each week)…one of those rolling walkers, you know the type? a flying saucer with a sling seat, plastic tray and wheels for scooting…

Bert, Mom and i went to check out the sailboat today….she's a pretty little boat. in need of some love and elbow grease, but i think this is the one for Mom. up to 6 can sail, it can comfortably sleep 3-4, and she has something called "roller reefing" which as i understand it is…