Marriage habits...

We often listen to the radio online and one station we tune in to regularly is doing a feature on marriages. Each day they ask listeners to call in and talk about such-and-such habit (good ones) in their marriage. Yesterday's question was whether you and your spouse go to bed at the same time. Which led to this little conversation...

J: Oh, that's easy. We always do that.

K: We do?

J: Uh, ye-eah. We always go to bed at the same time.

K: I know. I always go to bed when you do.

J: Oh yeah... I guess you're right.


Today's marriage question: do you always hold hands when walking around? This one I think we can both say 'yes' to safely!


I hate heights. But I love cherries. Jonathan knows both of these facts and enjoyed baiting me to climb up the scaffolding.


My partner in crime

My parents' visit went too fast. Ten days is just not enough, but I'm thankful for it nonetheless. Between Snappy McPhoto (Mom) and myself (I am a lot like her...) I think we have about 2,000 photos. That's 200 photos per day, or about 197 more than anyone else might be interested in seeing. So here's just a sampling!


Probably waiting on us to finish snapping photos of something.


Lunch at our favorite restaurant


This is the most coffee I've ever seen my mom drink. So proud.


The 'rents


This was after several hours of walking...and before a couple more!


My mom kind of likes chocolate éclairs :)


Jonathan making attaya

A little family history...

On one of our loooooong walks with my parents, we found ourselves at the top of Fourvière Hill - at the cemetery to be precise. The names on these graves are THE names in Lyon. I saw many that I recognized from street names in the city. Very cool.

But there's more.



Jonathan found a database for the cemetery and did a quick search. Apparently there are over 200 Massons buried here. Who knew? Not us - that's for sure. The cemetery was closing soon after we got there, so we'll make a trip back (taking the bus, not walking all the way up the Hill again) to do a little more research. Until then, here are some photos and at the end of this post is more information of interest to those of you reading who share the Masson name. 'Twould appear y'all are popular around these parts!
























Masson is one of the top 50 last names in the red areas of this map.

Since 1890, 48,076 Massons have been born in 49 departments across France. Masson is the 50th most common last name in France. To put that into persepective, that's about as common as Edwards (49th) or Collins (50th) in the US.


These are the top departments (think counties) where the Masson last name is found. In the Cantal department, it's the third most common last name!


This map shows the 'One Masson per X people born' between 1966 and 1990.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hopping off the bus and heading into a full day...

One of the hard parts of living far from family members is that we're not able to celebrate holidays and birthdays together often. Sometimes you have to get creative and make the most of the time you do have together. So, today was Mother's Day - for my mom, at least.

We planned a day of Mom-would-like-this activities and in true Cile Style, we walked the whole day. (She loves to walk.) We started off at the arts and crafts markets at about 10am, then went to our favorite food market to buy items for a picnic lunch. Passers-by wished us 'Bon appétit!' as we ate on the curb by the river.


The best market in Lyon...

After our leisurely lunch, we walked across the peninsula to the banks of the Rhône River, then up to the Parc de la Tête d'Or for a stroll around the rose gardens. Unfortunately, due to the cold, the roses were nehind blooming schedule. Fortunately, that means we have an excuse to go back later this week!


...Sunday mornings along the Saône River.


And on the opposite bank: the arts and crafts market. Very, very cool.


Our picnic: two rôtisserie chickens, a loaf of baguette, fresh goat cheese, rillette au porc (like pâté), green olives marinated in basil and garlic, amazing strawberries, mango, some cherries...


Digging in


Happy Mother's Day!


The Rhône River


The 'rents


Hôtel Dieu on the Rhône River


Taking a break to sit along the bank of the Rhône River


Swans in the Rhône River


Walking to the rose gardens in the Parc de la Tête d'Or


Beautiful peonies in the park gardens


Walking, walking, walking... We've walked over 17 miles since my parents arrived 72 hours ago.


PS. These last two photos continue this post.

The window...

"Freedom is the open window
through which pours the sunlight
of the human spirit and human dignity."

-- Herbert Hoover

I see me.