Intermission

There is a gratifying series on Netflix called Detectorists about 2 friends from Essex who dream of unearthing Saxon treasure on local country farms only to be rewarded by soda pull tabs, rusty buttons, cheap jewelry. It's a rewarding journey to follow their simple and sometimes sticky lives on their quest to find buried loot in England.

Brother Bruce was a metal detectorist in his past life to discover treasures that others had left behind, accidentally and purposefully.

Zayn told me that he and a friend from high school had buried a capsule on our Irvine property, to be discovered in the future. A dollar bill, date of burial note, Doritos chip bag (previously buried in the yard while preparing the burial site): all to be discovered by future explorers.

What would you put in a capsule for future detectorists to discover?

I like the thought of discovering something from another space, time, dimension. Knowing that our new home is very close to numerous Roman ruins, Zayn wondered how many treasures could be found on our property. Indeed Roman artifacts, old farm tools, jewelry, canning lids, trash and treasure.

Once a treasure is discovered, any sense of owning it or living near it becomes difficult as "treasure authorities" sweep in for their own assessments making me doubt that I will report my swift and certain finds. Local Gers advice is to limit contacts with French government bureaucracy including reporting any findings of treasure, artifacts, Roman temples...

Bagnères du Luchon

In the autumn we found ourselves in the charming town of Bagnères de Luchon, known as "Queen of the Pyrenees" 5 miles north of the Spanish border. Its history starts with Roman Baths, once forgotten, then renewed by Baron d'Etigny in the1760's bringing a train, spa, casino and development to allow wealthy visitors to access the healing thermal springs and be entertained. Today it has cure centers for Rheumatology and Respiratory disorders often covered by the French national health insurance, gracious old buildings, history, and elegance.

Edmond Rostand, the author of Cyrano de Bergerac, spent his vacations here.

Surrounded by forests and rivers, it's a perfect place to pitch a tent for a month to avoid the horrible heat wave everyone experienced this summer.

The flower festival with parades and Occitanie dance performances are a highlight of the remaining days of summer vacation at the end of August.

All ages grace Luchon with their presence from those seeking medical treatments, families to the active minded sporting hiker, biker, rafter and glider athletes. 1/2 the population's visitors are Spanish speaking since Spain is just 5 miles away.

We took advantage. of the gorgeous surroundings and splurged on activities: biking, hiking Gavarnie, marble art of Sain-Beat-Lez, golf, and the clear night skies on the Superbagnere mountain top.

We took classes in cheese making at an animal sanctuary where Youssef worked on his circus act and learned learned how to milk a goat, Roman treasure forging, and all about bees-from ruche to bee transport for the transhumance.

Transhumance is the practice of transporting the bee hives to the best mountain plateaus for foraging in the wild flora pastures in spring and bringing them down again at the end of summer. This transhumance takes place at night, the only time when the bees are resting.

Quick trip to Irvine

Knowing that our storage unit contract was about to run out it was time to reclaim our possessions after 7 years on the run. I returned to Irvine in December for a face to face with all the boxed contents of our lives and get movers to put them on a train to Houston then on a ship to France. Lots of eliminating and repacking, once again, brought our official occupation in Irvine to an end.

Zayn flew down to assist me in my moving endeavor and take back a few of his childhood memories, the ones we could locate. That was indeed the best part to spend time with Zayn, reminiscing and being in the moment. His hard work was appreciated giving my body a reprieve from the further repacking that has stretched, packed, pulled and filled more boxes than most will in a lifetime.

Paris

After my trip to US we were off to Sweden for Christmas. On our way we stopped off in beautiful Paris. When you live in Europe such adventures are possible, especially fun on the steel rails of a train.

We enjoyed the Rothko exhibit and the feeling of Christmas in a beautiful city. Store fronts aren't wallflowers to be ignored but explosions of creativity to entertain the shopping masses. Whatever your feeling of consumerism, you can't help but smile in Paris at the wonder.

Mark Rothko was an American artist (1903-1970) emigrating in 1913 at a young age with his family from Russia (currently Latvia) to Portland, Oregon. His father feared his sons would be drafted in the Russian Imperial Army so he left Russia.

His abstract expressionist paintings command high prices since his suicide in 1970. The exhibit, divided chronologically into his eras of work, is the first time all his pieces have been brought together in one space including his only self portrait.

Besides viewing the transition of Rothko's creative talents and eras of art, the exhibit footnotes talked about the CIA involvement in promoting abstract art forms.

Accordingly it describes the CIA secretly funded programs under an organization called the CCF. It encouraged artists to embrace geometrical modern art and music. Abstract art was considered impartial, neither subversive nor shocking representing a well ordered united country. The State Department wanted to censure any propaganda containing images critical of the US Government. CIA funding propelled abstract art forms to the forefront of the art scene, Rothko being one of its most famous representatives.

This doesn't make his art any less interesting but showcased the reason for the rapid acceptance of abstract art in the art world, a sharp turn from figurative works.

Sweden

Christmas in Sweden with family! That's all that needs to be said. Time spent embracing Christmas traditions, Kenz, Diane, their 2 cats and a guest cat, board games, puzzles, Christmas smorgasbords, Lund, always a visit to Ikea, building ginger bread villages, cozy lunches in wintry garden cottages, saffron and cardamon buns, reading and reuniting Kenz with childhood friend-Ellie.

Contrary to Queen Elizabeth II Annus horribilis in1992 when 3 of her children's marriages ended and a devastating fire at Windsor Castle (one of the QEII’s favorite homes), 2023 was an Annus mirabilis: the marvelous year for us.

Youssef’s first year of retirement - yippee, our last 3 months in beautiful Bath UK and 2 weeks in Ireland Northern/Southern and Scotland with Kenz and Zayn, 3 month train trip throughout Europe, 4 month's searching and finding a new home in the Gers in France which aligned with the community feeling we had been seeking.

February 9th we sign the final paperwork for the purchase of our property giving us the keys. Second thoughts? Certainly but mostly the excitement of the upcoming adventure.

Happy 2024!