Last month, our ten year old daughter, who is in love with Louis IV and all of his trappings begged us to have a Royal dinner party in which everyone came dressed as royalty, gave themselves royal names, and ate in a royal fashion. Putting her off for longer than we would like to admit, we sat down one day and talked about what this dinner party would be like.
"Royal costumes! Everyone has to come dressed like some royalty. They can be a King, a Prince, a Duke, or a Countess. I am of course, Comtess Zoe-Pascale de Saxe Roux of Languedoc, Rousillion."
Now, being a tween she was also aware of the fact that some of her friends might think she was "uncool" and therefore wanted to invite family friends. At first we tried to dissuade her, but realized she had actually come up with a solution to the problem she felt (operative word, felt) she had which was not to be "uncool."
In her eloquent Franglais, she crafted the Royal invitation and sent it out to a few family friends asking them to RSVP with their titles and come appropriately dressed. To our surprise, all the invitees answered with hysterical messages that asked, "Where should we park the carriage and horses?" "Will there be water for the horses?"
Birthday celebrations I believe are very important at all ages and meant to be celebrated, but why?
The history of birthday celebrations dates back (or so they believe) to the period when humans began to tell time and could count that a year had passed. The story goes that men, women, and children surrounded themselves with friends, food, and noisemakers to ward off evil spirits around the time of their birthday. Having a party and being noisy protected them from anything bad that would come into our lives. Today we may not believe we are warding off evil spirits, but indeed we are bringing the opposite- joy- into our day. 
That brings me back to the point that why do we reserve one day a year to treat ourselves special, why not have the intention of celebrating our life everyday. In turn, we can do the same for others with a simple wish of a great day, a song, a lighting of the candles, and especially treating ourselves and others with kindness.
Today is my daughter’s 10th birthday. She woke up early, climbed into bed and had a huge grin on her face in the dark shadows of the early morning light. “I’m so happy?” She said. “It’s my special day.”
Last Sunday we were invited to the Till Family's Grand Mas for a won
derful lunch and house warming. After five years searching for the perfect house they found it. Just on the edge of St. Quentin surrounded by one hectare of garden, fruit trees, grassy knolls and play areas sits a thousand year old farmhouse built with thick stone walls. Once an old farmhouse converted into a gite they are turning it back into a grand old family home adding a swimming pool and large living room with an old stone fireplace. By next year the house should be in Maison de Provence. In driving into their traditional French stone driveway you knew you were in for a treat. Luncheon tables were set up among the fruit trees or under a canopy set out on the lawn. A trampoline, a badminton court and soccer nets were placed around the garden for the kids as well as lots of jumping in the old stone pool.
Zoe-Pascale's good friend Sofia-Elena from the Lycee in Marin and her Mom were coming to Nice for spring vacation. What better reason to take a quick train ride (just the girls) and spend a few days with them. To my great luck I was able to use a carte enfant I had bought for the train the year before (and expires within a week of this trip) providing Zoe and I with tickets at 50% discount. Round trip for 105 Euro from Avignon to Nice was what I like!
Leaving on Tuesday morning from TGV station in Avignon, Jean and Pantoufle sent us off with great fanfare. The next two days were full of conversation, good food, laughter, beach, walks, carouels, parks and a bit of shopping for the ladies!,