Okay, a bit late.  It occurs to me that I have been remiss in my updates of our exploits.  I will not try to squeeze several months into a single post.  I will say that things are fine and that the new year is starting out well.

So well, in fact, that we are currently in Paris for a few days.  Not because we have so much spare cash and vacation time that Paris in January was a logical option.  But I had a (hastily arranged) business trip to the OECD and for the first time in 25 years, I brought Frank with me.  I’ve never been a fan of folks having a “conference spouse” – they tend not to get the full experience of why they are at a meeting if they have others waiting for them or out having fun without them.  But this seemed to be an opportunity that made sense – the meetings were only 1.5 days and my boss was bringing his wife so he would have someone to hang out with.

So new year, new opportunity and off we went.  Flying through DC (to avoid O’Hare in the winter) we hit Paris at 8am on Friday with little sleep but the ability to check in, shower and change.  And the 24 hours of stupidity began so we walked.  And walked.  From our hotel near the Trocadero to the Arc de Triomph (where we walked up and down the 284 steps), down the Champs-Élysées (stopping in the Peugot and Mercedes “stores”) to the Louvre, then on to Saint Chappelle (breathtaking stained glass) and Notre Dame (amazing as always).  After 30 hours awake and 10 miles of walking, it was time to put our first day to bed.

Stay tuned.  The Saturday report is still to come.