Celebrating a Birthday | Part 2

 

Dad’s Surprise Party Continued…

 

Yes, I made Pumpkin Poop. Blame Pinterest…

…and Rachael made happy S’mores.
(Remember this face.)

I failed to remember to take a picture of the actual food,
I guess I was too busy scarfing down chili and cornbread. Mhhmm.

I also failed to capture a picture of Mom. The little hostess with the Mostess wouldn’t
stand still long enough for a shot. I’m pretty sure I get my ways from her.

Lots more family and friends:

My brother would never survive with the gangs.

This is his attempt at gangsta, and why I love him so much:

On second thought, none of them would survive in gangs. Look at those peace signs.

Don’t try so hard to look happy, Chel:

The apple juggling began sometime after the battle of the cucumbers slices.
(ie, throwing cucumber slices across the fire at each other.)

Anti-Juggling:
When you can’t juggle three apples, just throw one apple between three people.

Remember the happy, smiling S’more person?

I hope Karma isn’t real.

 

Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the world!!!!

Celebrating a Birthday | Part 1

 

Today is my Dad’s birthday!

It’s the big 5-0!!!!

We celebrated last weekend by throwing a surprise party…

The Firemaster and his Sidekick:

I love Chel’s sign:

More Chellie handiwork with Chester the Rooster:

 

Check back for Part 2…

It’s fall.

 

 

 

The past few days have been AMAZING in NE Tennessee. Summer’s humidity has finally fled in the face of autumn’s crisp and sudden arrival.

I LOVE fall. I always wanted to be born and married in September. Didn’t happen. I’m a June baby and a January wife.

We were dying to enjoy the weather on Monday so we headed up to our very own mountain for a walk. I’m pretty sure I live in one of the only mid-sized cities in the world that has an entire mountain (capped with a lake) smack in the center of everything.

They care for injured and disabled raptors at the park, and I decided that I’m going to kidnap their American Kestrel. He’s adorable!

Is this even a deer? It doesn’t look recognizable to the beefsteaks they grow where I’m from in the Midwest.

 

Lest you should think that being photogenic comes naturally:

 

I just checked the humidity. It’s 68%. Does that give you any idea of how humid it’s been?

Three Embarrassing Conversations

I embarrass myself regularly.

***

Me: That hourglass lasts longer than a minute.
Andraé: It’s about 27 minutes.
Me: Oh, so it’s not a minute hourglass?
Andraé: No, I think it’s supposed to be a 30 minute.
Me: ….Were original hourglasses supposed to be an hour long?
Andraé: Yes.
Me: ………OMG…..
Andraé: What?
Me: So it’s called an ‘hourglass’ because it measures an hour??????
Andraé: Yes.
Me: I thought it was called an hourglass because its shaped like an hourglass.
Andraé: [Gives me a hug.]

***

Me: I’ll go grab the pestle.

Tim (my lab partner): Ok.

Me: Wait, which part is the pestle and which part is the mortar?

Tim: Umm…

Me: OMG, I’m going to be a pharmacist and I don’t even know the difference?

Tim: ………….

Me: This is like my heritage. I’m such a failure.

Me: Which one do you think is which?

Tim: I think this [handheld piece] is the mortar.

Me: Great. I was going to say pestle.

Tim: [shrugs]

 

Note: The handheld piece is in fact the pestle, while the bowl is the mortar.

 

***

 

Me: I can’t believe the consignment shop wouldn’t take my dress, I mean, it has real fur! Mom: Didn’t you say that proceeds from the shop support the animal shelter? Me: Yes. Mom: ……………….. Me: Ooohhh.

Paris’ Little Flea Market: Le marché aux Puces de Vanves

 

I think every Francophile’s dream is a visit to a Parisian flea market, and I am no exception.

My single wish during our time in Paris was to visit a real flea market where real Parisians shop for real antiques.
A little research led me to Puces de Vanves, in the 14th arrondissement.

Located near the peripherique, the market isn’t as well known as its famous cousin Les Puces de Saint-Ouen at Porte de Clignancourt which receives as many as 150,000 visitors per weekend. We visited Puces de Vanves early on a Sunday morning, and there may have been a couple hundred shoppers total. I felt much more immersed in real Parisian life, and actually met the first French people who didn’t speak English. I enjoyed the chance to actually practice a little French with a healthy dose of hand signals. (Mostly hand signals.)

One older gentleman was convinced that I understood everything he was saying as he told me the history
of some ancient glass object. I got so cracked up at his enthusiasm, he had no idea that I was clueless.

Just grin and merci, grin and merci.

When we left that morning, I had no idea where the market was located, except that it was somewhere in the 14th and sounded like it should be around Porte de Vanves metro stop. Thankfully we happened to walk in the right direction from the station and ran into the market within a couple minutes.

The market is small and intimate, with only a few dozen exhibitors, but has plenty to keep you occupied for a couple hours.

 

We didn’t have much time, so I decided to enjoy looking around instead of taking pictures. For a great post with beautiful photographs, check out Cenk at Café Fernando. (WARNING: TOO MUCH TIME SPENT ON CENK’S BLOG WILL RESULT IN MAJOR FOOD CRAVINGS!)

Paris Flea Markets – Puces de Vanves by Cenk

 

I did manage to find a little bling to bring home:

It isn’t worth a dime, but it reminds me of a sunny morning in Paris every time I see it.

A random FYI about the market is that one of the oldest known photographic portraits was discovered there in the 1980’s.
The daguerreotype featuring a rather disheveled figure was dated 1837 and signed by none other than Louis Daguerre, one of the
first inventors of photography. There is still discussion about whether it may in fact be the oldest portrait ever taken.

For more information about the market and exhibitors, visit the market’s website.