Family Travels #5 Bon jour Paris!

How cute do they look? Here are my mom and my sister (cropped because I never asked them if they cared about my showing their faces) in my brother's living room. Want to know how excited they are? My sister asked me to take their photo and my mother smiled in the photo! I know! I wish I could have shared that rare smiling image but you'll have to believe me.



At first I was surprised at these happy faces since my sister was rolling her eyes pretty hard when I arrived an hour earlier.  I wonder.



So here is the first funny part - see the blue tote bag? The initials ZF.  Dig this, my mother - as a form of caution and identity theft I think - used one of our dogs initials!  Yes our dog! Who passed away 30 years ago.  His name was Zorro.



Part of me thinks that she's brilliant, the other part of me thinks she is a little bit crazy - a 1950s, unspoken/suppressed, Cold War style of crazy.  That perspective should make for some interesting comments overheard in Normandy and probably Paris too, if my sister takes notes.



What made me happy more than anything here are the guidebooks in my sister's hands. They are the ones I bought her to keep as mementos - and she brought them with her!



Now the other funny thing here, my sister-in-law claims my mom refused to pack her suitcase "properly".  This means according to my sister-in-law that my mom is only able to take half the amount of clothes as my sister-in-law, because my mom bunched her stuff up and is taking sneakers that are too big.  Hmm. I didn't get a chance to see the inside of her suitcase, so I can't really comment on that judgement.  Also again, my mom has an unusual thought process and comfort level.  She may come out of this with only very happy memories about her wardrobe.  I will find out the gory details at the end of the trip when I see my mom's suitcase then and hear her recap.



My sister-in-law also criticized my mom's beige suit in the photo, and how dirty it will become.  Again I can't comment because in reality, it could go either way - I can't call that one definitively. No point given to either side.



Today is Tuesday, June 15 and they are in Paris due to leave first thing tomorrow Wednesday to Normandy. Since they are a party of six my brother decided to hire a car to take them from Paris and to ferry them all around the sights of Normandy, France.  They leave Friday night on a train from Lille to London.



I can't wait to get my first email or e-card.  My brother made my mom leave her cell phone here with me - I guess I shouldn't expect any late night calls from her starting with "Guess where I am?"