remembering

You know you're an expat in France when you see tons of American flags popping up the beginning of June throughout the Norman countryside and you think to yourself "well that's good timing, D-day also coincides with our national holiday..."

BEEP. Back that train up, yup the 4th of June is coming up tomorrow, need to wait one more month for the 4th of July... Opps. Oh well.

Anyway about the flag in the picture. Our neighbor gave it to me when she found out I was American. It was a flag given to her and the other extras in the 1962 monumental film: The Longest Day for them to wave. You can tell it's an old flag, the colors are faded and the white is a soft cream color and there are two missing stars. It is sitting atop Mystery Guest's piano for the time being, I think I'll take the little stick out and frame it flat to hang up somewhere - it is too pretty not to.

It is a funny feeling driving around these little villages only to be greeted with American flags flapping in the breeze. Yesterday my bike ride took me past Camp Patton where there were banners of French and American flags lining the street in anticipation for Saturday's ceremony. I went last year and it brought tears to my eyes seeing all of these elderly men and women with their children and grandchildren along side them proudly celebrating an event from so many years ago. I looked at those banners yesterday and thought, wow that really is me now isn't it?