Come for a stroll with me and Maggie

Just some scenes along our path...

This garage door says "death to the Mayor".

Another bites the dust...

So, it official, my middle sister is engaged!!! Whoa! Guess I'm the only one living up to the Sengel name! Congrats, Dr. Mandy!!!!

Bonne Année 2008!!! (....and Happy Bday, Tina!!)

There is a bit of a tradition here to eat, "King's Cake" the first Sunday of the new year. (So I had it several more times and days than that!)

Each cake comes complete with a crown and little trinkets hidden inside. Tradition claims if your piece of cake has the trinket inside then your new year is sure to be filled with luck, plus you get to wear the fantastic crown!! Of course no one warns you to be careful cause I about broke my damn tooth on the blessed toy! If you look closely, that is baby Jesus in his manger! At first I though it was a snail (go figure), but it was Jesus...not sure which creeps me out more! (he had huge black eyes!)

Maggie's new friend!

I'd like to introduce you to Maggie's newest friend, Penelope! Sure she needs a good brushing and bath, but she suits Maggie just fine! (Penelope is Pierre Yves and Nathalie's dog, Romain's aunt & uncle)

Christmas Eve Dinner

Well, it's Christmas Eve & it's time
for dinner!!Whoo-wee! nothing like some goose liver to get the festivities rolling! Despite the
unfamiliar menu, the dinner was very nice. Good conversation, although most in French, so I smiled, and great company! Bernadette set up the table real nice, huh Clark.

Joyeux Noel (all photos here)

Christmas time is coming!! Even in France! Le Pere Noel is coming Monday night, and I am ready! Bernadette and I put up the tree
and candles and all the other decorations for Christmas. Monday night the Christmas Eve dinner will be at our house, and Christmas Day lunch at an aunt's home. I have already been warned about the amount of wine and champagne Frenchies drink on these days! Shit!

This is the beautiful wreath my dad and Nancy sent Bernadette! You think the wreath is pretty, you should read the card dad sent with it! I think La Poste, UPS, & DHL hate me and this address by now! :-) 'Tis the season to be merry! ..."Mary! That's my name!", "No shit!"...Name that movie!!!!

And here is my little Maggie, waiting by the window to catch a peek of Santa Claus...or a drunk French passing by!

OKlahoma Ice Storm 07! (click here for all photos)

My last week in the USA and ice decides to hit Oklahoma...BAD!! I was staying at Dad's house in Norman at this time, and we certainly got our fair share of ice. Sunday morning power went out and we stayed without power until Friday afternoon! I could see my breath in the house! Freeezzing! Dad, Nancy, and I went to stay at a hotel for the week. I say hotel,...but the only place with rooms available (everyone was out of power!) was the US Postal Training Center on Hwy 9!! Woo-wee!! The highest count I saw of people without power was 600,000 plus! Schools, Universities, Stoplights, Businesses, etc, etc, were closed for days. Sad thing is, our street, the one I grew up on, was known for its beautiful, big, old oak trees that formed a endless canopy along the street. But, after the ice storm, soo many trees were killed and ruined that it'll take decades for it all to regrow. At least we were able to stay warm, safe, and fed.