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| Does the river ever get into the basements? Or erode the foundations? |
It's getting to be a Pacific Northwest kind of neighborhood here at 34 Rue du Pont Vieux. Or at least a western United States kind of neighborhood. I met my upstairs neighbors today--Richard and Sandy.....from the San Juan Islands in Washington state. So--there are 6 apartments in this building-- Washingtonians on the 3rd floor, an Oregonian and a Brit on the second floor, a Nevadan and a Manhattanite who owns property in Colorado on the first floor. As far as I know the maisonette is empty, so right now, everyone in the building is an English speaker. In one respect, it's nice to discover new friends and hear familiar accents on the stairwell. In quite another, it makes it more difficult to be totally immersed in French. For me, the temptation to initiate a conversation when I hear English being spoken is too great to resist.
Richard and Sandy were here in this building for three months last October, November and December and are here for a month this visit. Jason is getting quite the repeat business, and that's testament to his care and attention to his clients.
And hats off to Richard--he climbs these spiral straight up stairs after a knee replacement. Good for him! I am also happy to report that the steps to my place no longer give me a moment's pause. I climb them at least twice a day and sometimes more often. I am making progress!
Sandy told me that during this visit, one of the greatest pleasures they have experienced is being recognized by the shopkeepers here. We all have a need to belong, to be taken in by our tribe.
And on an unrelated note--I cringe a little when I hear someone refer to what I am doing as a "vacation." I don't think vacations encompass laundry, washing, scrubbing the toilet and bathroom sink and shower, vacuuming, polishing the furniture, cleaning the refrigerator and sorting the recycling. That was my morning! Some adventure, hmmmm?
More photos from Quillan January 14, 2014
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| I loved the yellow shutters |
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| Closed for the season |
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| A grand old building |
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I would welcome any insight.