Both in the same day… or

Finally seeing my sons.

 

It was a rather un-planned week, but by the end of it I needed to get some mail to my younger son, who, although he no longer lives at home, is still using my address. (As does his girlfriend – I guess I’m the “stable” one in the family).

This doesn’t bother me in the slightest until the mail piles up.

 

I had finally bundled it up and forwarded it, only to have it returned to the parents of the friend who’s apartment he is subletting. Good thing they live in my village.

 

So it was, and having received more mail, becoming rather urgent that I transfer this. Arranged to meet him at one of our larger DIY stores out where he would be teaching that day, but got hung up in a meeting (another story) and as was getting late by the time I was free arranged to meet him directly at his school. By the time all that had happened I still went on to the DIY center, was starving to popped up first to the restaurant for a bite. I was just coming out of the line when I heard behind me “I think, Ma’am, that we perhaps know each other”. And turned to see that my older son was just putting away his tray.

 

Serendipity as it can be literally months before I see both sons the same day!

 

 

Off the beaten path

Which I could just as well have entitled “detour” or “wandering” or “once again I took the path less traveled”.

Yesterday when I set out for my last weekend in the mountains I had no intended plan other than delivering some flyers on the way. My last stop was just in front of the border at the Café de la Frontière restaurant, run by one of our favorite waiters from years ago at another restaurant. Now although I was just depositing some flyers I wanted to at least say hi (he is the other person who gives hugs as good as my younger son) so peeked into the restaurant instead of just leaving the flyers on the sideboard of the entry. Not only did I get my usual hug, but another of our favorite waitresses from the same restaurant of days past was there having a cocktail before lunch (she now is the manager in yet another restaurant – one that myself and the boys really like, but as they are both less available, we have not yet found the time to go back there). Ah, the beauty of it all – so stopped for some conversation and a tomato juice – after all I was getting on the road, right? She and I made a date for lunch next week.

So it was almost an hour later before I again got in the car and headed on. I didn’t need to stop for lunch as had grabbed a sandwich before stopping with the intent of number one not being tired when I finally drove (big meals see me needing what my husband used to call a “pause”) and number two of not having to stop.

It was another of our glorious fall days so when I had to stop at the traffic light after having passed beautiful fields with rolling mountains still covered in orange and yellow, I made a snap decision and turned right instead of going straight!

A narrow road led through a small village up the hill and through the woods until I came out on a plateau overlooking Lac Léman on the one side and the back country of France on the other: wow would be about the only word that I can use to describe it. I returned through the small village of Ballaison – had always wondered where it was and how it looked when I passed the signs on the lower road, but had never bothered to stop – and continued on my way.

the scenery that had me turning off the main road

I do love my reflections

wandering through the woods

Although not wonderful sites in themselves, the views are extraordinary

The view overlooking the lake

quirky? out in the middle of nowhere someone got clever!

 

Ballaison's church, which I am going to have to go back and explore

the trees lining the road in Evian as I drove through

Vineyards and the mountains still covered in colors!

Today the weather is holding so yet another walk in the woods, yet another train adding color, yet another dip into my past as a child as I shuffled leaves to my heart’s content.

the yellows are predominent now, most of the orange is gone

This bird was re-introduced to the Swiss alps several years ago

I do like fall!