Old and new friends - I hope

Having gotten well with the French bureaucracy (a rather innocent story...to be told in full at a later date) I decided Wednesday after work that a drink at my local watering hole was in order.  It's not really my fault, you know.  My co-expat Morgan returned to the states early leaving me to my own devices.  He spent an inordinate amount of time at John McByrne's Irish Pub in downtown Nantes, a rather special place to those who like a pint every now and then, and someone had to pick up the slack; it seemed to have devolved to me.  In any event, I'm glad I decided to go.

After the usual greetings (I sort of feel like Norm there), I settled down with my pint of Stella Artois (founded in 1633) to shoot the bull with Dave behind the bar and try to keep up with the rugby game on the tele.  Adjacent to me was this young fellow somewhere in his late thirties-early forties, and, after a greeting in English we struck up a conversation.  He was very nice, bright, well informed, and laid back in that distinctly British way of sort of observing the world.  Turns out he was a first for me; an opera performer, in town rehearsing for performances of Verdi's Falstaff in late March.  Now I gotta tell you one just doesn't meet such a one in your normal Texas bar.  I just love this place!  New horizons.  We traded contact information and I certainly hope to tip a few beers with him in the future because, even without the exotic vocation, he's a nice and interesting fellow.

I'm making plans now to attend one of the performances with some friends.  His name is Colin Judson and he's performing the role of Dr. Caius (tenor).  Neat fellow!  And, oh by the way, he went to school with  Damien Lewis who did such a great job as Lt./Capt./Major Winters in the Hanks/Spielberg production of 'Band of Brothers.' (Colin Judson - UK )  Again, this stuff just doesn't happen in my Texas bars.  (btw - Know how to tell a Texas bar?  You walk in and they frisk you...you don't have a gun, they give you one.)


Returned to McByrne's tonight (Friday) for a little break and a pint.  It was early so the crowd was a little slow, but ran into some of the usual suspects; Roger was there, he programs on the SNCF (train system) reservations system, and Adrian, Jo, and Elois my friends from the Sunday party a few weeks ago.  Eloise just loves my iPad and seems to have a knack for navigating around on it.  I got home tonight and, upon checking my emails found the following notes sent by this wonderfully precocious little 6-year-old.

 

Don't laugh.  She speaks two languages.  How many do you?

So...if some of you received a rather cryptic message from me you'll understand the source.  I'm cracking up thinking of all the stack dumps the computers at the NSA may be having trying to figure these out.

Have I mentioned I love this place?