Arras, France Christmas Market

When a friend told me that her Dad works for a coach service and they may have extra tickets to a French Christmas Market and asked if I would like to go, I jumped at the chance.

As a passionate francophile growing up, France has always been the ultimate destination. Although this was just a day trip with a long time traveling in a bus, it was such a splendid experience.

I got to use my rudimentary French (that I should probably brush up on before going back) with pardonez and excusez-Moi as we jostled through the crowded market.

I ordered Moules a la creme et Frites (mussels in cream sauce and fries) after walking around the city trying to find a French restaurant that had empty seats. 

I don't think I'll ever get tired of the beautiful architecture in these European cities. I am enamored by the beauty of old buildings.

The smell of fresh-baked bread, mulled wine, and sweets wafted through the air as we wandered around the city. We passed so many beautiful patisseries and boulangeries that were just as much a feast for my eyes as my nose. 

The Christmas Market was packed with people. So much that it was difficult to view the goods that were being sold but we did see quite a bit and I even bought myself a beautiful set of Matryoshka dolls. My mother-in-law has a beautiful gold set that she bought when they lived in Europe that I've always admired and so when I found a set of natural wood with burned floruishes and gold paint for thirty-five euros, I knew I had to have one of my own. It was the only thing I bought that wasn't food and I was very happy with it. 

We finished the evening with a visit to a patisserie so that I could grab some pastries to bring back for Brandon and I as well as to enjoy one of the best hot chocolates I've ever had. I tried to order in my broken French until the owner quickly told me to speak in English. I'm sure I was annoying her with my slow speech trying to figure out exactly what I wanted. 

All in all, it was a lovely day out and I was charmed by this little piece of France that I was able to see even if the coach did make me sick and it was such a long day.

A Drowned Maiden's Hair

I said I was going to write more about my reading. So here we are.

I don't think I'll hit my reading goal of 52 books this year. It's okay. I can't be expected to meet it every single year but I am a bit disappointed in myself. 

I've just found it so much harder to get into books this year. There have been so many from my classroom library that I have picked up only to abandon a chapter in. And that's okay too. I would tell my students that it is okay to abandon books when they don't work for you because you want to move on to something that does.

And I did. 

I am officially a huge fan of Laura Amy Schlitz's writing. 

I read her book, Splendors and Glooms last year and was mesmerized by the gothic victorian setting and the mysterious yet magical plot. 

Then, I picked up A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama not expecting much.

I was so wrong. This book is excellent from the start. Maud is instantly a likable naughty orphan who is adopted by the three elderly Hawthorne sisters (reluctantly by two). 

They deem her their "secret child" and keep her out of view of others while lavishing her with dresses, books, and gifts. 

Why must Maud be a secret child?

A bit of a SPOILER ALERT.

The Hawthorne sisters are crooks who deceive rich grieving people into believing their loved ones are contacting them from the dead.

The sisters' stage seances with all kinds of tricks to fool their clients into believing they are true mediums able to speak to the dead. 

They have adopted Maud because they need a child actor to play the part of a girl who drowned after a row with her mother. They need her to carry out the "family business."

Maud, desperate for love and family and with tendencies towards mischief, falls into her role quickly and easily but after a disastrous event that showed her who truly loves her, the family business may be in jeopardy.

This story was so unique. I've never read a children's book quite like it. It had all the makings of so many other stories: an orphan, mistreated by adults, the reckoning moment, and the benevolent savior but the way Schlitz portrayed the characters, the need for the sisters to be con artists, and the seances themselves was so interesting and unique.

I will now read anything and everything Schlitz writes because both of her novels that I've read have been amazing. I would enthusiastically put this book into the hands of a child who loves a good drama.

Forest of Dean Thanksgiving

I knew I wanted to get away this Thanksgiving. Military life is hard around the holidays. I always miss the warmth and comfort of holidays spent with family and friends and no matter how many new friends you make, it will never feel the same. I knew that I wanted to get away from the holiday expectations. I wanted to spend some quality time with my little family and I wanted to connect with nature.

So off to the Forest of Dean we went. We rented a tiny little glamping pod at a campsite called Whitemead Forest Park. They had spots to park your caravans, bigger cabins, and a services center with a restaurant, gym, pool, and saunas. 

It was lovely. 

I think we missed the true and beautiful Autumn colors of the forest by a few weeks but they were still dazzling in their Winter beauty.

Waking up in the morning to make a cuppa tea and enjoy the sunrise with the melodious birds was exactly what my soul was looking for on this holiday meant for gratitude. 

It was strange to be stuck in this tiny cabin with no cell phone service or wifi. It made me realize how reliant we've become on our phones to entertain us constantly. It was a reminder of how often Brandon and I sit in front of screens instead of spending quality time together. 

But we found time to play cards, talk, hike, swim, and eat.

We didn't do much for our short stay but it was a restful unplugging type of break that I think we could benefit from more often.

Grateful...

Grateful for a relationship that has stood the test of time and distance. Grateful for a supportive spouse who adores me. Grateful for slow cups of tea and coffee. Grateful for a cozy home that I love. Grateful for the ability to explore, travel, and enjoy this life of ours. Grateful for the friends who have stuck by me. Grateful for a family who loves me despite my differences. Grateful for a connection to nature. Grateful for growth and change. Grateful for Luna. Grateful for books and writing. Grateful for Autumn. Grateful for my body that can move. Grateful for music and signing. Grateful for good food. Grateful for the ability to live in different places. 

Thankful for this life of mine. 

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

Harry Potter has been a defining part of my childhood and adulthood.

I remember the thrill of midnight runs to Walmart with my Dad to grab the latest release and the conversations we would have after we both finished the new book.

I remember watching Harry Potter movies every Christmas because there was always a new one in my stocking.

As much as I love Harry Potter, the books have a special place in my heart.

The movies? After the first two, I think it's a downward spiral but it was still a cool experience to see the sets and exhibits they have in place at Warner Bros. Studio.

The day didn't go the way I imagined and I had a much worse time than I had anticipated, but I got some great pictures.

I enjoyed the second half of the tour much more. It was more immersive and magical compared to the staged sets of the first half. The scene with the dragon from The Deathly Hallows was amazing and probably the best part.