As time goes by.....

It is Saturday morning in France, last night we had our rehearsal for our part of the presentation in “ La Sauvetat Du Dropt sans frontieres” (1). I was incorrect (imagine that? ) in that it’s actually being held next Saturday night. It is a collection of seven different couples, and a description of their native homelands and their reasons for moving here.
In a rush of memories, I am reminded of the people that we’ve met and how they have wholeheartedly taken us into their life, with no reservations. Isabelle Janssen who is the proprietor of the Gite we are renting, and her nonstop help with everything. The parents of Caleigh’s friend Hannah, who allowed us some sanity by embracing us, and sharing their experiences of seventeen years on this soil. Our friends Arlette and Andrew, who have been our lighthouse during some dark days in the planning stages, when we first arrived, and Arlette’s constant positive encouragement.
And of course it reminds me of the first time I left the comfort of the East coast and moved to California, some twenty years ago. After living in Los Angeles for a year, I met Cindy through a friend of mine Joe. ( Thanks Assclown!, It was actually the best thing that happened to me. )
I started dating Cindy, and I pretty much had a black tone of sartorial attire, and not even remotely having a clue about beach life, or relaxing and enjoyment of the simple things. Well through the years Cindy’s folks had watched initially thinking, “How long is this experiment going to last?” and they weathered my peculiarities, my love for all teams from the Boston environs, being a boy from Maine, and constantly trying to be funny. ( a trait that annoys even me)
As time passed, I hope I’ve passed their test, well not test so much, as to see that their Cindy is happy and respected by her partner. Because it works both ways, as these eighteen years have passed I’ve also seen something.
I’ve seen Gary and Susan grow stronger together, travel the planet together as they broaden their horizons together. I’ve seen the photographs from their trips together, and admire the shots of them together, smiling and at ease, on one of their many, constant, unending paradise island vacations. I read Susan’s and Gary’s e-mails, describing with details the places they visit, and I wish I could capture Gary’s sense of at ease in any environment they land in. Just so you know this blog would have died on the vine, were it not for Gary’s constant comments, and support. But these grapes (blog entries) reached their Cuvaison, in large part, because after all these years Gary and Susan’s approval still means a lot to me.

Happy Anniversary Gary and Susan Brown.

All my Love. Henri’
Go Patriots…..And Chargers!

Cuvaison….I’ve always wanted to incorporate that word, how fitting.
The French term for the period when juice from the grapes is kept in contact with the skins and seeds during both fermentation and maceration. Critical in the making of red wines, cuvaison allows color, tannins and aroma to be transferred from the skins and seeds to the juice. For rosé or blush wines the cuvaison would be very short (measured in terms of hours) so that not much color or tannin would be extracted from skins and seeds.