Elephant car wash.

Butterfly house.

In Seattle, there is a house for butterflies. They fly freely everywhere. We were so excited to take Marguerite, to have butterflies land on her shoulders and to watch her face in awe. Naturally, our eyes and mouths were as wide as hers.















Even more than the fair-winged creatures, I was held by the chrysalides and cacoons. Bright yellow, metallic and leaf-impersonators.

Dreams do come true.

Look at me. To be very clear, this is a photo of me holding a hedgehog. If you've been following along, this was my castle in the air. My dream. When I moved to France and found out that the French love these spiny fellows (hérissons are everywhere in France, in both live and representational form), it was the first indication that I would love the French. I bonded with so many people in France regarding this creature. Numerous conversations were spun around the hérisson. Remember that a phrase for two French men who haven't shaved and are greeting each other with kisses is: "les hérissons se disent bonjour" (two hedgehogs saying hello). Who could not love a people with lyrical references like that?





This hedgehog, who goes by Coco Chanel Hérisson (Chanel for short), is officially Andrew's. This was his grand Christmas present and surprise. All I have to say about that is there is something wrong in the birth order of our family. I should have landed around the time when my parents (apparently) get their children any fancy or whim. (There are 17 years and 5 children between me and Andrew). Sigh.