My Floueur II

So many anecdotes never became blog entries, so many updates about our new life in good ol' Europe were never shared online, but here is, at least, first-hand blogging material!

Besides our world trip, the move to France, my new job and Laura's pregnancy, the new and exciting thing is: I got to play again with Playmobils.

Those toys are not as popular in the US, but here any kid born since the '70s has memories of long hours spent creating worlds with them.

And now it is my delightful niece's turn. How could a responsible godfather like me, deny the little Marie, on her fifth birthday, the pleasure of sharing new playmobil adventures?

My mom has kept many toys of my spoiled youth, carefully boxing and tagging them, in the hopes of a grandchild. The wait has been long, very long, I hear her say. But last weekend the time had come to bring my pirate ship and its crew out to the 21st century!

Laura was amused by my very approximate English skills as an 8 year old, which made me name a boat "My Floueur II" as an homage for... the Mayflower.

My niece busted Laura and me on Sunday morning for playing with some of the pirates after she had put them to sleep for the night. Thankfully, my mom was quick to defend us, with the clever answer of a dedicated grandmother, "Is the boat's anchor down, Marie? No? Well, that is why some sailors have to stay up, to control the ship."