August 2...Time for the July Report

July 2026 in Pau

We start off the month with the "Tour de France"

This year, Pau hosted the end of Stage 5 (July 8) and the beginning of Stage 6 (July 9)

Lots excitement and lots of "Tour" Tourists for two days.  We like the Tour when it starts here in Pau because it starts at the Train station below us...

and up the hill, then "parades" right by our building.  Since we are on the 1st floor, we have front row seats for the parade of bicycles and the support cars.

Waiting for the tour to pass us

David and Christie on the watch

I think these trucks are clearing
the road

They are turning the corner at our building.
Can you see John, Susie, David and Christie above the lamppost?
Photo from La Rèpublique des Pyrènèes newspaper

When it all passed, we enjoyed lunch and watched the rest of the race on the TV.

A lovely day to spend with friends.

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Another event on July 9 was the World Cup.

When France plays, the bar/pub below us draws a big crowd with their big screen TV.

July 9 France won, thus the lights of the French Flag

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The weather was pretty hot during the month.

So we visited Peter and Nicola at their new house in Idron

that has AIR CONDITIONING!

We were going to go from their home in Idron to attend a wine and music festival in the evening.

We decided to stay in the AC'd house and drink their  wine, eat their food and have Peter  provide some music for us.

Preparing food

Wine is on the table

Peter's guitar was used during the evening

Was a lovely afternoon and evening of catching up, laughing, talking and enjoying.

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The rest of the month has been surviving the humid heat and getting over summer colds which meant staying inside the dark apartment. Luckily we've got double paned windows and shades that help insulate the apartment and keeps it from getting sweltering hot like other apartments around.

We also got a sofa couch and two fans for the front rooms (all of which that I assembled myself)

Dark apartment with shades down

Enjoying the new fan

New sofa-bed in the sitting/guest room

That's about it for this month...

Except for one incident on August 1st...

John and I went to Le Halles for the Farmer's Market. On our way home, we ran into Anna and Miguel.  Our neighbors from Paris in 2015 (or 2016)  They were on their way home from a trip to Spain with Anna's brother's family and stopped in Pau for a break in the drive.  

Wish we had gotten a photo of them at Place Clemenceau.

Here's a photo of Anna and John when she came to visit us in Pouzolles (2018)

That's all for now, see you next month...

Coming up in August...

Melinda visits.

Melinda and I go to Santorini for art workshop.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July!

 The Summer has crept up on me.
The last post was May 6.  
What happened to May and June?

Let's see, I will start with May...

• Found a friend with a sewing machine so I could make this wall hanging to cover up the stain in the entryway

• Started the Jigsaw puzzle I've been eyeing.  It's going to take a while to finish this.

• The Flags on the boulevard went up for the Summer Season.

• John continues to enjoy the view from "his window view chair"

• The Ancient Mariners had the first Zoom gathering in about 4 months.

Susie, Christine, Melinda, Paula
Candace left early, Mary Sue and Jan didn't make it

• We managed to take a long walk along the River Gave past the Castle Park.

• By the end of the month, the sky views seemed to want to impress us.

***

We then prepared to travel back to Sierra Madre for the month of June for celebrations and reunions of friends and family with doctors' appointments in between.

• June 1, Susie's 81st birthday with immediate family.

At Plate 38
Anthony and Daniel brought the cake.

• Mini Ancient Mariner Reunion. We celebrated at Adam's Pack Station in Chantry Flats

Christine, Melinda, Susie, Mary Sue and Laurie

Stephen and Ginger came, too

• Then the Sierra Madre Public Library Reopening.
  
  
• Adrienne and Cynthia came to celebrate the opening of the Mary Tumily Community Room.

Adienne & Cynthia

Mary Tumily's Family
Chris, Peter, Adrienne, Cynthia, Cassie, Micheal and Alice

The Ancient Mariners and Friends
Melinda, Christine, Cynthia, Diane, Adrienne, Susie and MarySue

• Welcome to the post party at 367 W. Highland Ave. for Family and Friends of Mary Tumily.

Adrienne, Cynthia, Christine, Laurie, Diane and David

Melinda, Christine, Susie, Ginger, Cynthia and MarySue

Yayoi, Susie, Dave, Stephen and Ann

• After the Celebration/Reunion of the Library, John and I went to Yucca Valley where Yayoi and Dave were staying.

Yayoi and Dave relaxing after a day's shoot.

John relaxing by the Cowboy Pool

Susie and Yayoi enjoying Joshua Tree National Park

The Berteaux Family

• I got to visit with some of my "girl" cousins.

Susie, Ann, Nicki and Kathy
at O'seayo

• A final dinner at Bess in Sierra Madre with extended Family

Daniel, Anthony, Naomi, Taylor
Chelsea, Susie and John

***

June 29, we flew back to Pau for rest and our lives in our home away from home.

At Maison Constanti
Café au Lait and Croisants

It's good to be in France!

It's already May of 2026!

May 6, 2026

What's been happening with Susie and John?

S & J's Big Adventures
in Pau at Residence le France

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It's been 7 weeks since we've moved into the new/old apartment...

We are loving the views from our balconies

and

Coffee in the mornings before starting the day

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I have started a Jig-saw Puzzle station

Am cleaning the old things like this wonderful painted screen

Screen - cleaned and folded up in the corner

Have been taking a zoom watercolor class with Kim Russo

Working on making/repairing things in the new/old apartment.

After sealing the curling wallpaper seams
the room looks much neater

I made a wall hanging for the entryway

with the help of new friends Katie and Shauni

and their sewing machine

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Easter Sunday, we welcomed the new day!

Celebrated with a feast with David and Christie ("Kate" as the locals call her)

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Out and about with Peter and Nicola

at Risto dit Vin

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Fuad comes to Pau for a visit with us!

Eating at Henri IV

Entering the Chateau Gardens

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We've been "nesting" and seem to be settling into this place to make it our own.

We are enjoying things with friends and hosting guests, 

so I guess we'll be making this place our home for a while.

***

Enjoying the views from "John's Chair" and the balconies

We are feeling like this is home.