Almost time to say goodbye

I must say, I am getting hardily sick of saying goodbye. It feels like its been a year full of farewells.  Some more heartbreaking and lasting then others. It has been six months since my dear friend Judy died and, as Dennis said this morning, it feels like so much longer. For me, time has flown by but it hasn't made the farewell to Judy any easier.  Its so true, some wounds no amount of time can heal.  I miss Judy and I think about her every day. She is among the list of people I miss back home that I stop and think about every single day.  With Judy I think of a fun memory like how I loved to make her laugh with a wild story or I still think "what would Judy do?" I know that it would be classier and better and lovelier than what I chose to do in that particular situation.  Judy always handled everything perfectly. She was flawless and effortless. If she knew I was saying this about her she would be so embarrassed and say "Oh Sarah, you have no idea...I am such a mess" But I knew the truth and so did everyone else who's life she touched...Judy was never close to a mess. She was elegant and kind, she had a great laugh a huge generous heart and a love of life and her family and people. Judy was a gift and I am still not ready to say goodbye. I am not ready to let go of even one second of one memory I have of her. I cannot except that she isn't back in her home with Richard and I can't just text her the minute I get back.  Her words still sound in my mind, her advice and kindness, her patience and love. She never stopped me, turned me away or shushed me. Judy believed in me, in my future happiness and in my ability to make a success of my life. She even sometimes succeeded in making a believer out of me.

A mere six months have gone by and life moves so fast. Here I am, back in France, facing the end of my visit and another goodbye. Yesterday we drove into Provence to visit vineyards and sample wine.  We had a jolly time eating and drinking along the way with Denise and cousin Bernard.

We stopped at a vineyard where 7 generations have worked there since 1813 and the current owner who gave us the tour, his grandfather was friends with Dennis' grandfather. We learned that the grape vine is a lot like a person. It can live for 75 or even 80 years but as it ages it produces less and less so they eventually must pull it out and plant new vines. They recently removed an area of vineyard that was over 75 years old.

The owner was very kind, explaining all about the different wines that they make and the flavors, even how the color of the wine comes about. He explained that the pulp of all the grapes are colorless or white but its the skin that gives wine its color. So with a blush or Rose' they allow the skin to remain for a short period during fermentation and then they remove it, so Rose' will be pink in color and stronger, bolder or more flavorful then white. With red of course, the skin stays on the longest giving it the darkest of color. With white? No skin left at all.

We of course enjoyed an exceptional meal along the road, stopping at a beef restaurant and I enjoyed some seriously good steak.



I won't mention what type of meat Bernard ate but lets just say it was from the unmentionable part of the cow.  UGH



So it is that I face my almost last night and soon Dennis will be driving me into Nice and off I'll fly, back to Florida and back to work.  I will have to say goodbye to Dennis then until he returns home to Florida on March 3rd. Goodbyes everywhere I turn.  At least with some of these goodbyes I won't have to wait for too long before I can say hello again.