Lucie started crawling a couple weeks ago. She can get around pretty well now. Here's a video from when she first started.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
This posting is brought to you by the letter A
Lucie's grandmother (Michele's mom) came for a one week visit. Judy barely got out of the house, and certainly didn't make it out of the neighborhood, so taken was she with our little bundle of joy. She came bearing gifts a-plenty, and they had a great time together.
Lucie likes to take apart her play mat, and eat the various letters. The rubber is chewy and we think it soothes her gums. D is particularly yummy, it seems.
Lucie now 'crawls', or, I should say, rolls on the floor and sometimes propels herself forward by dragging herself by sticking her sweaty palms on the floor and pulling up. Seems impractical to me, and she appears to agree, because as soon as you walk by, she begs to be picked up.
As many of you know, we had to change both nanny and sharing family last month, and here is a picture of Lucie and Julie.
Judy got a great cuddle from her granddaughter. It's not hard to tell who's the happiest camper here...
While Judy was in town, Greg's friend Paul came by for one night. He was on his way from Uganda (home), to the Dominican Republic via Dubai and Paris (don't ask). At first he and Lucie had a good look at each other.
And they decided that they liked each other ok.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Away in Fez
Michele and I decided to abandon our daughter to her grandparents (my parents), and head off to Morocco for a longish weekend. We had a blast, though we missed Lucie a great deal. Here are some pictures of our epic 48 hours in Fez (or Fes).
Fez is famous for its medina (old town), which was founded in 808 and is celebrating its 1200th anniversary this year. It houses the world's oldest university, and thousands of craftsmen (and a few craftswomen) who produce all sorts of lovely stuff, such as ceramics, leather goods, metal goods, etc...
Fez also used to have a significant Jewish community (as did most of Morocco), until many of them left in 1968, lured by Israeli citizenship. Today, the King's private secretary and chief adviser and one of the ministers are Jewish (not bad for a Muslim country...). Today there are about 22000 Jews in Morocco.
Because we didn't have so much time, we hired a private guide to take us around the Medina (9000+ streets). He was really great and we had a good time with him. Please note that none of the pictures are posed, except if it's obvious (as in this one).
Kamal took us to see many artisans, and we were able to see how they work. In some cases, were were able to see several steps in the same product's life, which was particularly interesting.
Fez is famous for its tanneries, where lamb pelts are died by hand. It's harrowing work, and not particularly good for your health. This guy is dipping skins into a lie solution to take off the remaining wool and fat.
The skins are then dipped in natural color solutions to be dyed.
Yellow skins are treated seperatly because saffron is so expensive.
Once the skins have been treated, they are carried on donkey back (or human back) to the auction.
The auction (yellow and natural skins)
Michele standing next to giant bags of recovered wool.
Another Fassie specialty is cactus silk, which is hand dyed, as below.
And then carried by donkey to be spun
Once they are spun, they get sold in bobbins in shops like this (that's the whole shop) to be woven into clothing somewhere down the street.
This is how they make those ceramic table tops...
Women weave carpets. These two sisters were making one to order in a coop that we visited. We ended up buying one (it's a bit of a cliche, but it looks nice), which you'll see in pictures of our living room...
Fez also has some beautiful monuments and sights, as you can admire below. The stucco work on this wall is really something.
A nice perspective through the center of a medersa, a Coranic school's dormitory.
The royal palace, just outside the medina.
Somewhere in the medina
A two-paneled door in the medina.
A fountain in the medina, which along with the communal bread oven, the mosque, the medresa, and the hammam, is a key element that defines one of the 300 neighborhoods in the medina.
A green-tiled minaret
Donkeys working hard. There is significant renovation work going on, and since trucks and cars can't make it through the small streets, donkeys carry lots of stuff.
The Blue Gate, which, as you'll notice, is green from this side (but blue on the other, which you see as you enter).
In the synagogue, the minder insisted on taking this picture of us.
The Jewish cemetery, a haven of quiet in this crazy city.
Fez also has a significant modern town, with some beautiful avenues.
Fez is famous for its medina (old town), which was founded in 808 and is celebrating its 1200th anniversary this year. It houses the world's oldest university, and thousands of craftsmen (and a few craftswomen) who produce all sorts of lovely stuff, such as ceramics, leather goods, metal goods, etc...
Fez also used to have a significant Jewish community (as did most of Morocco), until many of them left in 1968, lured by Israeli citizenship. Today, the King's private secretary and chief adviser and one of the ministers are Jewish (not bad for a Muslim country...). Today there are about 22000 Jews in Morocco.
Because we didn't have so much time, we hired a private guide to take us around the Medina (9000+ streets). He was really great and we had a good time with him. Please note that none of the pictures are posed, except if it's obvious (as in this one).
Kamal took us to see many artisans, and we were able to see how they work. In some cases, were were able to see several steps in the same product's life, which was particularly interesting.Fez is famous for its tanneries, where lamb pelts are died by hand. It's harrowing work, and not particularly good for your health. This guy is dipping skins into a lie solution to take off the remaining wool and fat.
The skins are then dipped in natural color solutions to be dyed.
Yellow skins are treated seperatly because saffron is so expensive.
Once the skins have been treated, they are carried on donkey back (or human back) to the auction.
The auction (yellow and natural skins)
Michele standing next to giant bags of recovered wool.
Another Fassie specialty is cactus silk, which is hand dyed, as below.
And then carried by donkey to be spun
Once they are spun, they get sold in bobbins in shops like this (that's the whole shop) to be woven into clothing somewhere down the street.
This is how they make those ceramic table tops...
Women weave carpets. These two sisters were making one to order in a coop that we visited. We ended up buying one (it's a bit of a cliche, but it looks nice), which you'll see in pictures of our living room...
Fez also has some beautiful monuments and sights, as you can admire below. The stucco work on this wall is really something.
A nice perspective through the center of a medersa, a Coranic school's dormitory.
The royal palace, just outside the medina.
Somewhere in the medina
A two-paneled door in the medina.
A fountain in the medina, which along with the communal bread oven, the mosque, the medresa, and the hammam, is a key element that defines one of the 300 neighborhoods in the medina.
A green-tiled minaret
Donkeys working hard. There is significant renovation work going on, and since trucks and cars can't make it through the small streets, donkeys carry lots of stuff.
The Blue Gate, which, as you'll notice, is green from this side (but blue on the other, which you see as you enter).
In the synagogue, the minder insisted on taking this picture of us.
The Jewish cemetery, a haven of quiet in this crazy city.
Fez also has a significant modern town, with some beautiful avenues.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
More pictures from London
Morgane sent some pictures from our weekend in London.
We didn't have a bed for Lucie, and so we considered putting her to sleep in a suitcase. Clearly, this wasn't going to work... so Lucie ended up taking up most of our bed.
Lucie and Michele enjoying a moment in Kew Gardens.
Lucie enjoying herself at the Mexican restaurant.
We didn't have a bed for Lucie, and so we considered putting her to sleep in a suitcase. Clearly, this wasn't going to work... so Lucie ended up taking up most of our bed.
Lucie and Michele enjoying a moment in Kew Gardens.
Lucie enjoying herself at the Mexican restaurant.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Standing up for her rights
Lucie has figured out that she can stand if she hangs on to the railing of her bed. She then looks at herself in the mirror, and has a good laugh. We agree that the onesie is pretty funny (thanks Joyce).
Thankfully, she can't actually get to this position on her own yet, but she's not wobbly, and even cracks a smile.
Upclose for the near-sighted. In French: Je viens de passer 9 mois a l'ombre.
Thankfully, she can't actually get to this position on her own yet, but she's not wobbly, and even cracks a smile.
Upclose for the near-sighted. In French: Je viens de passer 9 mois a l'ombre.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Lucie Calling
In May, the French don't really work, at least not for the first 10 days of the month, what with Labor day on May 1st and VE day on 8th May, it's a regular bonanza of days off.
So we were off to London to visit Morgane, Greg's sister, and Lucie's favorite (and only) aunt. Lucie took the tube, of course.
She lunched by the Tate.
She learned how to use chopsticks.
We all went to Hamsted Heath (which Lucie clearly loved).
Spinach is delicious!
Getting a haircut? not really, just getting ready to eat...
Clearly, it's a full-body exercise for aunt Morgane as well...
Your drink or mine?
Who cares!?
I love sitting with Papa and Mom.
On Saturday, we all went to Kew Gardens for a picnic and a walk.
Disclaimer: Lucie was not part of the food for the picnic.
On Saturday night, Lucie's very responsible parents took her out to party, and she really enjoyed herself.
She learned how to drink margaritas in the street.
On the last day, everyone had lunch al fresco in Notting Hill.
Look kids, Big Ben! (in the middle of the Eye, for the blind ones).
So we were off to London to visit Morgane, Greg's sister, and Lucie's favorite (and only) aunt. Lucie took the tube, of course.
She lunched by the Tate.
She learned how to use chopsticks.
We all went to Hamsted Heath (which Lucie clearly loved).
Spinach is delicious!
Getting a haircut? not really, just getting ready to eat...
Clearly, it's a full-body exercise for aunt Morgane as well...
Your drink or mine?
Who cares!?
I love sitting with Papa and Mom.
On Saturday, we all went to Kew Gardens for a picnic and a walk.
Disclaimer: Lucie was not part of the food for the picnic.
On Saturday night, Lucie's very responsible parents took her out to party, and she really enjoyed herself.
She learned how to drink margaritas in the street.
On the last day, everyone had lunch al fresco in Notting Hill.
Look kids, Big Ben! (in the middle of the Eye, for the blind ones).
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