Christmas Day
Today began with us all waking around noon. We were up late the night before, telling stories and joking around. Downstairs, the family already had breakfast on the table and everyone was talking. There was still a little clean up from the night before going on. The Cochet house is very warm and friendly. We had a nice coffee and croissant with fruit for breakfast.
Jean-Claude, Anne's father, wanted to take us to his new house under construction and show us his barn/warehouse. How could we not accept? The tour started out by bringing bread to a neighbor's horse, dog, and donkey. The ground was severely muddy, and luckily, Jean-Claude provided boots. We entertained the wildlife with bread and met the animals' owner. From there we drove to the partially finished house. What a sight! Their house is being built in the middle of an apple orchard in the French Countryside. It is a beautiful location and we were given a truly special tour. Nothing is overlooked in this house. Jean-Claude's attention to detail is great, and when finished, the house will be a spectacular sight.
Next, we went to the barn/warehouse. This is a building used as a refrigerator for the apples and workshop for the orchard's tractors. It was cluttered, but efficient in the same way. It wasn't the site that was that impressive, but the tour given by Jean-Claude. He spoke to us freely, with Thomas translating, in great detail and humor. The family history here stems deep, and Jean-Claude is a proud man that was happy to explain his history. I have to say, I was really interested in the tractors. My farming friend Jeremy, in Missouri, would have known everything about these machines. Some, Jean-Claud is willing to rebuild, and others are just relics. But, no matter what, all were impressive.
After the tour of the new house and the orchard grounds, we headed back to the Cochet house, ate a fabulous lunch and packed up our gear. We were invited for dinner, but declined. We had to get back to Paris. We said our good byes and moved out. It was a traffic nightmare for the return to the city, but we did not let that upset us. We stopped by the Notre Dame cathedral and parked the car. The cathedral looked spectacular at night and we decided to get dinner in the area. It turned out to be a great idea. The weather was cool and crisp and the crowds were minimal. Upon entering the cathedral, we heard the organ playing. The piece of music was dissonant beyond belief! It was the oddest organ a music I have ever heard. Being Christmas day, I found the spooky music an odd choice to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Nobody else seemed to notice the cacophony, as they snapped photos on their iphones. For a church, it was weird to see so many people taking pictures and nobody really praying, especially on one of this church's holy days.
We ate another great French meal near the cathedral, and the night closed with a drive back to the apartment stopping by some seriously cool sights. As always, it was great to see the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the night sky. We went home, packed up, and went to bed by midnight. Anne's parents' place was something else, and we will see it again for New Year's Eve in a few days.
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