Simple Pleasures

We were planning to see Versailles today, but we decided we deserved another R&R day at “home” instead. We have both seen Versailles thoroughly and were just not up for crowds or getting up and out early, so Mozart will just have to see it on another trip back this way during our travels. It takes a lot of effort to take metros here and there and my blistered toes and all our bodies could use a rest from all the walking and standing. We have been doing some heavy touring and as exciting as that is, one needs the balance of down time and it is quite peaceful here in this campground since everyone is off seeing Paris.

Also it rained hard last night (while we were checking email in Macdonalds,but was over as we headed home) and we left both air vents open just a little to allow air into the camper as they tend to hold moisture, so some things got wet. Yuck,one was my bed area! It was a nice day when we left, so not a fun surprise to come home to when all you want to do is hit the sack. We switched the mattresses with the ones for the bed that is made up from the kitchen table area and made do. We were tired so managed to sleep well despite the challenges.

So we just  hung out, let Mozart play with a little French boy who appears to live here in a huge 5th wheeler between and after her home school, enjoyed one of DaVinci’s famous breakfast brunches of eggs and potatoes, took longer time with her music  and let things air out. I even got a ton of laundry done (and hanging up all over the place as I did LOTS of hand laundry beside my two loads in the laundry machine that costs 5.5 euros per small load).

It was a perfect day for that with lots of sun and wind and perhaps one of our prettiest days yet here in Paris. We had new neighbors next door that I guess made a racket last night when they came in very late around midnight. I did not hear a thing,but they woke DaVinci up. They are from the southern part of the Netherlands and its a huge crowd of 5 twenty somethings and 2 parents, so a camper and 2 tents. They are quite a loud and lively crew.

This morning the mens shower was not working and locked up which we did not know at first. So it was quite a surprise to have all these guys in the ladies shower room with all of us girls. They were all from our Dutch neighbors I think as our area is fairly empty and everyone else is in town except the little French boy. We were getting around to our showers quite late after our delicious brunch.

I love my showers with Mozart as she is quite the vivacious one and we sing and dance our way thru it under the hot water. Well, these Dutch folks are rather noisy shower takers too and before you know it we were all singing together, several different songs ending with a lovely round of “Are you sleeping brother John “ in several different languages and many male and female voices of different ages. All from our individual shower stalls. A magical and phantasmagorical moment that started the day well.

Then watching Ms Mozart play with her little French friend was also a delight. Some times it reminded
me of one of my favorite movies, The Red Balloon. They were just too cute together and I loved watching how they signaled to each other and just did not need words. They have played a little since we have been here, but we have been gone so much, so today they got to play and play and play. I think they both needed that.

I enjoyed watching them from my perch up outside the wash rooms. I had four tubs going at once with hand laundry, color coded no less. DaVinci rigged up another line and we even used the bushes to dry things on as we had seen others do. It feels so great to have everything clean and our “house” cleaned up, fully aired out (we took everything out of the bedroom) and back in better order. We were all outside most of the day enjoying the sun. Nothing spectacular about the day,but some how it was special and healing. It was a beauteous day of simple pleasures.