For those who didn't read the blog last year...

La Giro. It's a wonderful place, and it's also a wonderful place to be. It is the family home of Reginald and Teresa Dalle, whom we have known for many years. It's a bed and breakfast, in case you ever want to go there. It's a place for eating and resting and drinking good wine and watching les vaches. It's our destination.

Perhaps the most important thing to pack

We are starting---well, at least I (Vicki) am---to think about what we need to pack (I know... The trip is still nine days away, but my friend, Katrina, who is going on a trip on July 19, has already started her packing, so I feel behind). I am thinking that perhaps the most important thing (second to passports) may be this:

That's right. Bubble wrap.

Why, you ask, would bubble wrap be something to take to France?

The answer, my friends, is that we discovered that the French have an aversion to selling bubble wrap. I have no doubt that one of the greatest cultures on Earth has it and uses it; however, we searched the Pays de la Loire (okay... a couple of stores) for some to purchase last summer, but to no avail.

Why, you ask, would we need bubble wrap?

Crémant de Loire (http://www.loirevalleywine.com/home/?q=loirewines/wines/appellation/Cremant-de-Loire) is why we need bubble wrap. The winery where the Dalles purchase their never-ending supply of wine produces a most delicious red Crémant that is like nothing we can find in the states. Last summer, we wrapped bottles in our clothes, hoping that they would absorb the abuse of baggage handlers. This year, there will be no cause to worry! And if we drink all of the Crémant before we pack to come home, perhaps we can sell the bubble wrap. We might have a corner on that market.

And... we're off again!

Bonjour, les amis! We are, once again, going on the trip of a lifetime. That's right; another trip to La Giro is in our future. Our friends, Reginald and Teresa Dalle, have invited us for another stay, and we are looking forward to spending time with them, Gabi Kleckova, Mohammed, and the cows on parade.

Many of you have asked whether we will continue our blog and the answer is yes! Feel free to subscribe (scroll down to enter your email address in the "Follow us by email!" space on the right) so that you will receive a daily digest of posts.