AND ON THE 7TH DAY THEY RESTED

One of our blog readers yesterday was surprised by my apparent lack of appreciation of the Lescaux Cave reproduction, so I'd like to clarify that. A few years ago, we visited the Sistine Chapel in Rome. We were among the first people in the Vatican, and we raced through the museum part to the Chapel. There were a few other people there, but we were able to move about easily, sit or stand while we stared at the ceiling and the Last Judgement, and appreciate the magnificence of the art. We then toured the museum. Later, to leave the building, we had to exit through the Chapel. By then it was—and this is no exaggeration—wall-to-wall people staring at the ceiling and jostling each other just to move an inch or two in any direction. It was all we could do to reach the exit.

Our blog reader had been fortunate enough to be one of the last people to visit the real Lascaux Cave years ago before it was permanently closed, and it changed his life. His experience must have been like our early visit to the Sistine Chapel. But, had he visited the reproduction of the Cave as we did yesterday with crowds of people jostling each other, groping their way through the dark tunnels, and trying to understand a guide whose English left much to be desired, his appreciation of the art in this prehistoric version of the Sistine Chapel would have been totally different.

As for last evening, we were too tired to go out for dinner, but we did anyway, returning to our familiar restaurant, The Regent, and our waiter, Cedric. This time, Bob and I spotted “cassoulet,” a dish I'd made recently in Tucson. We wanted to know how mine compared with “the real thing.” Bob said, much to my surprise, that mine was just as good. Hurrah! In any case, it was a perfect end to our day, especially since the hot and hearty dish was just what one needed on a cold, wet evening.

Stew reading Sue Grafton mystery

As for today, it was one of rest and recovery from all the excitement of yesterday. Bob did two loads of laundry and one of dishes. The only exciting adventure for all of us was a trip to the supermarket to buy something for dinner—and, of course, a couple of sourveniers for Karin. Otherwise, we read and took naps, resting up for tonight's happy hour and dinner in.

 

Karin reads M.C. Beaton

Bob preps the blog.