I haven’t taken enough photos of the main floor at the chateau. On walking in, it’s a long, massive area that houses a living room area, an enormous banquet table, and a full kitchen.
Our car (me, Liz, and Audrey) arrived first. And we got really lucky with our parking (it was incredibly hectic, and most folks parked several blocks away and walked in on foot).
Someone pulled out not two blocks from one of the entrances, and we were in the right place at the right time.
While the others were on route, we explored a little bit of the market.
A slow start to the day. I hopped in the car with Kirt, Anne, and Jackson… and we just drove around for a good while, getting lost along some of the roads near the chateau.
Everywhere you look, there’s a winery. Which I guess makes sense, since we’re in Bordeaux.
But as far as the eyes can see, there are rows of grape vines. The roads are small and narrow, and everything is charming. There’s a stillness everywhere.
The direct flight from Chicago > Bordeaux was a bit pricey, so we opted for a layover in Paris (CDG). Walking to our connecting flight.
Liz tried all the things, but wasn’t able to sleep much at all. I napped for a brief bit, and was surprisingly ok with how little I actually slept.
Somehow… this kitchen seems to evoke shenanigans. I’m not sure when or why, but I looked up to see my wife being hoisted up into the air. I think some kind of dare was involved.
For most of the event, I was helping pass out mocktails and moving food around. Tricia was working the grill like a pro. For most of the evening, after the adults left, Liz and Tricia and I were in the office shielding ourselves from the music and screaming and general chaos of kids having fun.
I should say: everyone at the party was impossibly polite. Every young man and woman, full to the brim with “Yes, sir” and “Yes, Ma’am” with nearly everything they said.
The pathway to/from the terminals wasn’t just cold concrete. The path took me through a tremendous amount of artwork.
A long day, but faster than it seemed. Despite us being in DC for a few days, it felt like we didn’t have enough time to visit with Kirt, Tricia, Paige, and Lisa/James. It felt like a blur to me, but it was probably doubly so for Liz.
All in all, I’m quite awed by what Liz has done. I know Tricia and Paige also completed the marathon, but for Liz… this was her first. And something she’s been working and training for, for almost a year. I’ve seen the work and struggle up close, and trust me when I say to you: it’s a LOT.
For most of the day, but especially starting from here on out… Liz kept saying “I’m freaking out!”
It got a bit… shouty. And a lot loud. And a lot competitive. But was as raucous and as fun as I hoped it would be. Really a fun, fun game all around.
Back home – Tricia is back home! And hanging out with everyone in the front yard.
While Liz and I have been in Georgia, we’ve done a lot of the cooking – making meals, some involved, some easy.
We’ve stepped into the suburban tempo of living in a house full of kids, who are in both high school and middle school (and juggling part-time jobs) – with all the activity and chaos that entails.
In the far corner, just underneath the deck, there was a nest of young birds. And of course, both Liz and Audrey were very concerned about their well being during our construction.
Today, the kids got involved in the process. Here’s Liz, showing Paige and Audrey how to work the circular saw… and how to cut down some of the debris we were getting rid of (we were throwing the old boards from the second floor, down to the backyard).
Paige, undaunted and ready to continue on to the finish.