Obamarama

Well now that I can finally sit down to write a decent post last Saturday has just been mulled over in my head too much and I can't figure out what I'd like to say!

The day was amazing, too much waiting but so worth it! The complication was that Sam came in the day of instead of the day before and as the train station in Caen got rid of their lockers after 9/11 and the shuttle wouldn't allow you to take anything more than a handbag we had to figure out what to do do with her bricks... er suitcase. Luckily Natalie was also planning to go to the ceremonies so we were able to leave it in her basement (not up the 5 flights of stairs to her apt...) that also meant that we had to take the shuttle back to Caen (unbelieveably disorganized after the ceremony, it was so well done on the way there but such a mess on the way home...) get her bag and then grab a train back to V-town. All the waiting wouldn't have bothered me so much except for the fact that I had to get to Caen only to go 3/4 of the way home again (we don't live far from the cemetery) and then do the whole thing in reverse!

But I must say that the ceremony was beautiful, as was the cemetery. It turned out to be a hot summer day, quite different from June 6th 65 years ago... the battleships off in the distance almost transported you back in time and the few veterans that made it this year were proudly wearing their medals. Sadly although we were only halfway back in the crowd of 9,000 we were behind the TV cameras and so we couldn't see any of the speeches. I thought all of them were very good but I have to say I prefered Obama's, just because he wasn't saying the same thing over an over despite the fact that he was last to go. And yes, Gordon Brown did rename one of the beaches, Obama Beach ;-)

One thing that struck me was the respect, respect for the place, the day and the veterans. I'm always shocked at how poorly elderly people seem to be treated in France, brushed aside by someone in a hurry, those big sighs and exhales as people wait impatiently in line behind someone taking a while to pay, no one offering to give up a seat in public transport... but on Saturday all that changed and it was really refreshing.

So anyway it's been busy around here since Saturday! Sam came over and although she arrived with sun and departed with sun it mostly rained all day Sunday/Monday... we did our best to try and play tourist and take a few pictures between showers but I guess that way she got a real taste of Normandy ;-)

I'm now getting ready for Mom and KC's visit! They're arriving Sunday and staying for a week! Mystery Guest and I are writing out a whole list of things we can do or show them while they're here! I'm so excited that I'm not working or caught up in something and that I can just enjoy my week :-) Let's just hope the weather cooperates!