Happy Mother’s Day (France); lots of mileage; Collonges-la-Rouge

Our Church Week—quite a bit of miles under belt this week: Argelès-Gazost, Toulouse, Perpignan and back again. The next 2 weeks we also have meetings in Toulouse so the miles keep comingJ.

Richard—On Monday, we drove to Argelès-Gazost for the last time with our Missionaries to help move Richard. It’s was a sad day that our “3 for the price of 1 person” as we affectionately call him, would be heading to Paris

Richard is friendly, nice, insightful and your all around best of the best. He’s also incredibly organized. He went to pick up the rental truck and borrowed the Missionaries from Pau to help load. Everything was wrapped, in piles and ready to go and with notes with the fragile items. All the furniture going to other locations, like his daughter still in our Branch, was gone. Paris apartments run about $2000 Euros per meter squared in outer-lying arrondissements (districts). On April 1, 2019 the average cost per meter squared in Paris just his $10,000 euros. So he downsized his already simple lifestyle and will go smaller still in his Paris apartment. But Richard is an architect and already has the ability to make smaller spaces very usable.

He anticipated 4 hours to pack with the 7 of us loading, but we got it done in just over 2 hours. It was quite the relay. Meg orchestrated from above and shuttled lighter-weight items to the elevator and one Missionary would go down with the European-sized elevator. The remaining Missionaries took the bigger items down the steps (5^th floorJ). Marc and Richard loaded the truck and engineered the placing of items. A few modern pieces were challenging to get in since they are oddly shaped. But it all fit perfectly and with not much room to spare.

Richard then drove the 8 hours to Paris after dropping the Pau Elders in Pau. He met his son to off-load the rental van that night (from 11pm to midnight) to return the van the same day. Did we mention he never seems to run out of energy? (and goodness). He spent the night, then took the TGV (fast, bullet train) back to Pau to pick up his car, then to Argelès to clean the apartment, sign off his apartment. He’ll stay at his friend’s chateau for this week then be on the move for 2-3 months. He’ll use his car until he actually gets his apartment then give it to his daughter and granddaughter until he finishes setting up the store with his son. He promised his son 2 years to get the store built and his clientele going. Then he’ll share himself with another family member or, as he says, come back to Argelès and buy the chateau. We told him we’ll help manage itJ

Just as we loaded the last pieces we felt drops of the anticipated rain. After we said a group prayer sending Richard on his 8hr solo-drive to Paris, we took our Tarbes Elders home…..the long way….through the mountains. We found out Elder Loh likes to hike (and it was already P-day/Preparation Day) so we stopped for a nice lunch and took the even longer route, hiking up to the Spanish border. The weather was turning for the better, we were already in casual wear, so why not?

We hiked up to 5700 ft to a glacier lake called Gaube Lake, which we have hiked before. It was downright bone chilling up high and we pulled out the jackets and gloves. They are about 4-6 weeks behind us in spring. The cattle that are brought up to high pasture were not up yet: still too cold. We saw some animals called “Isards”. We trying to find the exact translation—kind of an ibex/small elk/deer family-ish. They weather incredible extreme temperatures as they stay up high all year long.

Today, Sunday, we had a farewell for Richard along with our Mother’s Day repas. But we can say to Richard, “see you soon” as he will be back to visit Tarbes in June and we think (and hope) we’ll see him in Paris in August when we go to the temple there. Fotos to come.

Zone Conference—Back to Toulouse (2hrs) on Wednesday. We took the Tarbes Elders up with us and after the Zone Conference we took the Perpignan Elders home to their apartment to inspect it and the Sisters apartment in Perpignan (2 more hrs) the next morning. That’s 4 hours of driving and a 3-hour conference: a rather full day for a couple in “retirement”J.

We had some object lessons this conference and they were very effective—teaching techniques to help us hone our skills.

The weather in Perpignan is like San Diego—a bit more balmy with crosswinds and more greenery—but a Mediterranean climate with San Diego-blue skies. We both got a small sunburn as we weren’t expecting the higher temperatures. Tarbes had a few warm days last week but followed by a temperature plummet to half the temperature….these mountains really do make for a changeable climate!! No wonder we always seem sickL. Next week is back to warm….hopefully to stay??? Had almost all the winter coats, gloves and scarves away only to pull out a wool sweater and jacket out of storage.

C’est la vie. (that’s life)

Town of the week—Collonges-la-Rouge. Rouge is red in French. This town is prestigiously awarded a “beautiful village” of France. You’ll soon see why and how the town got its name. It is unique in that the buildings are red, built out of local red sandstone. Collonges-la-Rouge has 420 historical monuments in the town itself. Very unique.

Enjoy!

A la prochaine.

Our new Zone Leaders, Elder Neumann and Elder Leblow. We got to know Elder Neumann in Bayonne at the hospital with his companion (not pictured) who had his appendix out. He wanted a grater to make hash browns. We taught him how to roast a chicken and he was quite pleased with himself. Quite the cook now.

Sisters at our table

Apartment inspection with the Elders in Perpignan

Apartment inspection with the Sisters in Perpignan

Jean-Pierre, a member returning to church after a long absence

Part of Meg's decorations for the next monthly dinner at church (repas de branche)

It is cherry time in France. Here is a tree in the middle of town...many ''low-hanging fruit'' the first day....not the 2nd day

A few were in reach

Success. We later found out that we have a cherry tree in our apartment complex that no one but an older resident knows about. He delivered a bag to us today as a gesture for the favor Marc did him fixing his phone