Invasion Equation

Helpful Math for the Tourist Season

Regular laundry

+Provence laundry

+Guest sheets and towels laundry

=A lot of laundry

Two adults in our family

+two children in our family

+two visiting adults

+two visiting children

+one toilet

=people in the hallway doing the pee-pee dance while waiting their turn

Our kids

+their good friends they haven't seen in a year

=less whining than usual, but less sleep than usual too

Lice

+Harsh lice-killing shampoos

+the thought of still having lice

=very itchy head

Gigi (age 8)

+Pippa (age 6)

+Anthony (adult male)

= 0 good nitpickers

many people to cook for

+not a lot of time to plan, shop, cook

= many meals of pre-roasted chicken or salad/cheese/pâté

lots of people visiting

+visiting lots of people

= total breakdown of regular writing schedule

Here are just some of the dear friends and family who have visited our home over the past six weeks. Well, our home plus our "front yard" -- the pedestrian bridge, the Seine, the Marais, and Notre Dame. 

At Notre Dame:

On the Seine, by day and by night. Messy pastries are involved:

Favorite performers on the pedestrian bridge -- Frédéric and his sometimes-dancers.

Fashion shows with Zoe and henna tattoos with Bella and Talia -- the true Paris fashion experience.

 

The love-locks bridge, where people "lock" on their love. Generally, they throw their key into the Seine, thereby killing a few more fish down there. We lock it on with some of our best friends, two families united forever. We do ours with ribbons, however, so no fish are harmed in the process.

 

 

Final equations:

Kodak child
+digital camera
+photogenic subjects
+Paris backdrop
= ridiculous number of photos

Us

+big (enough) apartment
+great central location
+many things to do and see
+good friends visiting

=Absolutely fabulous times, despite more laundry (see above), more dishes, and less bathroom time (see above). On the other hand, there is also more laughing, more reasons to indulge in cheese (see above), pastries, and champagne, and more chances to create unique memories with people special to us.

 

So...come in droves (but not all at once)!