So Marty and I are off to Europe! What? Again?? WHY?? Didn’t you just do this, like, last year?
Let us explain. We really weren’t going to go on a big (i.e. EXPENSIVE) trip this year. Ya gotta kinda stagger those bank-busting retirement adventures or your money will expire before you do. BUT Bunny has been interested in going to an immersion program in France for, well, decades. She found a relatively low key one in a little town outside Paris but it was booked solid this year and well into 2016. Then, about a month ago, Bunny got an email from the immersion program teacher, saying there was a cancellation. Did she want a week in early October? Bunny thought it was a sign :). Marty thought it was a sign, too – that we were going to go WAY over our vacation budget this year. (Honestly, Marty was all in, right from the start…).
So we leave Tuesday (that’s tomorrow!). We’ll have a few days in Germany before the immersion week and then another three weeks meandering around France. We hope to share our adventures – with any of you who find yourselves with time on your hands, mindlessly sitting in front of your computers – in this blog.
(BTW, the photo above is of a lovely Oregon eatery, not an authentic French boulangerie . We included it because the bakeries in France rank among the top 10 reasons we like to go there. We promise much better photos if you check back in a few days!)

What a great idea and you choose a lovely time to do so. Have a blast and we will follow your blog every step. Love your blog! Makes is feel like traveling with you.
By the way. The croissants in Fleur de Lis are more expensive than the one in Paris. See you are saving money by going to Paris… Hope this will help to justify your trip. ?
Thank you, Lili! It’s true that the croissants and pains aux chocolats are cheaper and better here. I feel so much better now about the $$ we’re spending. Why, we must be saving money by being here, dontchathink??
You are going to have a gas!! Best wishes as you take off from Portland, heading to the land of je ne sais quoi!! Have a pain au chocolat pour moi, et du vin, et beaucoup de fromage, et, et, et. Damn it. I think it would be easier if I just went with you!
It would be lovely to sit at a bistro avec toi. Nous pourrions boire du vin et parler jusqu’a les vaches reviennent. (???)
I’m sitting mindlessly in front of my computer and you haven’t even left Portland yet!
Bon voyage!!
All mindless or mindful or whatever comments appreciated!