Paris Day Two

Woke up ready to get out of dodge – Our hotel was the pits – we all decided that we would start a show ‘Where Not to Stay’!!  We have seen it all on this trip.  We got our bags packed an checked out rolling our bags to the Metro station.  We had already found a great (so we thought – not bad) hotel right across from the Louvre – Le Jardin Du Saint James - when you are trying to do Europe on a budget for one month – you just cannot expect too much.  The lobby of our hotel looked promising as did the patio bar/restaurant AND they had a SPA downstairs – OH how I would love a MASSAGE!!! We checked in and left our bags with them (our rooms were not ready).  An overcast – cool day we left around 11 am to go get some breakfast at Starbucks – a favorite for everyone!  After a small snack and a decaf Mocha – we set out to do some shopping while our Concierge got our museum tickets together (a pass for two days)…around 1 pm – we headed back to get our tickets and set out for our educational tour – first stop – Musee De Armie as promised! OK – we have one OOPS moment – We are in the lobby – Clark is getting the tickets (it is a pass for all the museums) and he says  “I don’t have any money – do you?”  I do – so I hand the guy my money and go about my business – Clark and Ford go to the potty before we leave – return and we are on our way to the Musee De Armies -  Half way there I ask – “Do you have the tickets?”  HMMMMMM – No he does not – He thought I had them – Long story short he had to trek all the way back to get them – we trekked all the way to the museum to wait for him (18 mins – we all took bets and Catherine won) and we were on our way into the Musee de Armies – Clark and Ford were psyched – the girls and I wish we were shopping!!!  BUT we did tell the boys that they could have about 2 hours in there without us complaining – UNTIL I saw Ford CONTINIOUSLY SCRATCHING his head – YES they are back!!!  And today with vengeance – BUGS!  I cannot even begin to tell you how upset I was – Clark was cool as a cucumber as he was looking and describing to Ford all the ammunition used in WWII and the tanks…and the bombs…etc…I would find the girls off to the side inspecting each others head of hair like little monkeys picking at each other – I had had enough!  I was wanting my RUBY RED SLIPPERS and wanted to GO HOME!  There is NO PLACE LIKE HOME – I kept telling myself on the steps of Napoleons Tomb!   I will not go into all the details – but from 5 until 8 I was washing hair and combing out bugs (Over 50 in Ford’s hair!)  We did regroup – take showers and stumbled upon a great Japanese restaurant (the famous one we were hoping for – steak and frites – we arrived at the door and they were CLOSED for renovations!)  AH – but we did good when we sat on a bar table top for 6 and watch the little color coded plates of sushi go by – you could just pick one out and enjoy!!! It was a great meal!  We headed home walking via the Arch De Triumph and Chanse De Lyse – saw some interesting sights and getting tucked in for a good nights sleep!  Tomorrow – Ford gets a BUZZ cut!  Not too happy about that!  Despite all our mishaps we are thankful and happy and never have laughed as much as we have – We read a devotion today about contentment – Despite of all the nasty things that try to get in our way – we are contempt with our circumstances – thankful that we can be together as a family and experience all that we have experienced…Our God is A MIGHTY God – He will go before us and show us the way!  Blessings to all!   J