Hotel Lebelle getting ready for the summer

First of all, the garden is coming along nicely. The raspberries are starting to ripen. We had a bowlful yesterday that we shared on our leftover cheesecake. They are very, very good this year. The other day I picked a pound of cherries that the birds hadn't gotten to. We have sour cherries and I made a kind of relish for meat dishes, but we haven't used it yet. As I was mowing the lawn on Friday I noticed the first tomatoes starting to grow and there are plenty of flowers on the plants, so we should have a bumper crop. And the sweet corn is growing fast. I really need to spend some time weeding, though, and I can always find something else to do! It's either too cold (yes, the heat is on!) or too wet.
Eric is in France, down in Lyons on a class exchange program. Unfortunately, it's rained all week. That's such a disappointing introduction to a place. Here, today is looking okay. It's cloudy, but I can see patches of blue. Jon and Tobi are coming at the end of the week and we'll pick Eric up from his group and spend some time together. I've got some ideas for day-trips or longer excursions. And of course, Paris could still occupy all of our time. I guess a lot will depend on the weather and what everyone wants to do.
Then, in mid-July, we're going off to see Claire and Geoff, et al for a short week. I'll continue working at the library on Tuesdays. In August, I'll have those Tuesdays off and the Pickars are coming. Jacques came over the other evening for dinner and we talked about what we'd like to do over the few days they'll be here. With them or without, we'll go up to Rouen before September to see the Impressionist exhibit. Then, maybe back to England for Aurelia's first birthday!
Yesterday, Sunday, Paul and I went to see Sylvie, Jean-Marie and their two children in the country south of Paris. Sylvie and our kids are second cousins, but they don't really know one another. Anyway, we've gotten to know them in the past 6 or 7 years because Sylvie is the one who was managing everything when Tante Marthe died and Paul helped her out a bit. They are a wonderful family and we spent a.great afternoon with them. They had not been able to make it down to the big family reunion last August, but we brought along our photo album. Lucie, just about to turn 6, spent the afternoon quietly producing drawings and airbrush paintings for us.
I've got to make my reservations for my trip to the States in October. Paul doesn't want to come and make it a longer vacation, so I'll probably just stay a week or 10 days and visit the Glasers in DC and high-school classmates. I'd love to get to NYC and go to a recital by Beth if she's got one scheduled. I didn't see any dates past September last time I looked at her schedule. I don't know if I'll go all the way out to Pittsburgh, though. I guess I should wait until I discuss it with Jon and Tobi before making the reservations.