Today, I, Jan, taught a lesson with the sister missionaries. Randy was a little jealous that it was just the ladies, but he rallied nicely and went the extra mile when he took us all to lunch.

It's been a weird week. Studying so hard and feeling like we're not getting anywhere. Going out and speaking, but not a lot of dialogue is required at venues. We have been accepted to apply to participate at the homeless shelter, but I want to check with the RS pres and see if that's a safe area/activity here.

So, today is photo-posting day! Randy finally uploaded my photos. And it is brought to you courtesy of Landon Embry, The Great, who did a remote repair on my computer that I owe him Big Time for. ;o) Oh, and thanks also to Jason and Lindsey Gomm who ran support for Landon, and to Kaylynn Olsen who actually texted Randy the directions of how to upload photos to a blog. You are all PRICELESS!

This is an actor's strike being held at the Plaza just outside The Louvre. Could anyone else be as lucky to catch this kind of action as former U.S. actors? I did check into being an extra (since we're not fluent) in French films while we're here, but we can't. We don't have work visas and we are not union members. If not for the union thing we would have VOLUNTEERED!

This is for my dear uncle Cordell. Organ pipes at Saint Severin's cathedral. I never found the organ, but the pipes are cool.

In Paris, people are so kind as to share a "pet the pet" program on nearly every street. For a small donation, anyone who is homesick for their pet left back home, they can have that "bonding" experience with a pet in Paris. ;o) Seriously, the homeless situation is really bad here. Socialized medicine and meals helps, but those are only available to citizens and there are many refugees here. There are also many beggars with fat fingers and tummies who are after whatever coin they can get and it's not illegal to beg here.

This is a statue in front of Saint Michel Cathedral. It depicts St. Michel defeating Satan. I wish the defeat had lasted longer than it did.

This was one of those sacred moments that you tuck into your heart, that humbles you to your very core. It is the Deportation Memorial where more than 600,000 French citizens, mostly women and children, were deported to death camps. It was daunting when Randy and I were alone in the memorial. Silence is requested. The experience took a turn when we came out of where the "holding cells" were represented and stumbled upon a family - mother, father, daughter - as the father was explaining what had happened to the little children who came here. He was very gentle, but honest. "Are the bad people gone?" "Yes." "Why is this here then." "To remind us to never let this happen to our children or any other person again." "Oh, it feels pretty now." After overhearing that conversation, it did indeed.

Summer is wondering why we haven't posted any photo of Randy yet. Here's the answer: Randy has been posting his own photos on facebook and I had all the photos of HIM on my camera. Here is he (finally) at one of the oldest, if not the oldest metro stop in Paris. The stop is horribly graffitied, but it has charming and inexpensive landscape and home decor shops all around it.

The week after Fashion week, all the flower stands put out their "plantables" They line both sides of the walkway and the smell is incredibly "delicious" as Carolee Erikksen would say. Randy (another photo) thinks he can take some home on the plane. "No, no, no," the customs people will tell him.

This is my favorite metro stop - Louvre/Royal Palais. It was closed when we arrived but recently re-opened. The first time I saw it I though it was a "found art" statue. Now I am seasoned enough to know that many metro stops have their own personality/color. It's interesting to see the variations.

The sky scapes here are incredible, everyday, dancing with a different light! This photo was taken at L'Orangerie, an impressionist museum just west of The Louvre and at the end of Le Jardin Tuileries.
If you look closely, you can see a hint of a rainbow after a torrential Paris rainstorm. Notice how the trees are all pruned and trained to grow a certain way. That is called espalier. It is what Randy and I are working to accomplish with our fruit trees. It's an interesting horticultural practice.

One of my favorite all time shots. The pond at the far west end of Le Jardin Tuileires. The seagulls play "king of the mountain" on it. Young children float boats in the pond that they steer with long poles. People sit around and visit or just relax. It is a popular community gathering place.

Again, the cloud scapes are stunning. Especially after a rain. This is Place de la Concorde. You can see the Eiffel Tower in the background, far right.

This photos and the next one are for my friend, Sheri Copier, who started college with me. She finished way ahead of me and also earned a Master's Degree. One of my favorite people. She is a Disney-ophile. ;o)
(Sheri, don't be mad at me, but we opted NOT to go to Disneyland Paris.. The rides make me sick. Sorry.)

Monument at the top of The Grand Palais. I don't remember what it represents, but it was breath-taking with the clouds and light behind it that day!

The Obelisk of Luxor at La Place de la Concorde. It marks the town square where the Revolutionaries beheaded several hundred aristocrats and traitors-to-the cause via the guillotine. The obelisk itself, is one of the spoils of war when the Romans conquered Egypt (Or the French conquered the Romans - it's all a blur at this point).

This, of course is for Matt Passey. You can rent this Ferrari for 89 euros/hour to drive through the city of Paris. The irony is that the streets are so packed with other vehicles that one can never obtain a full run of more than 20 miles per hour. An incredibly sad waste of horse power.

I think that's enough for today. A dozen photos of some of our best adventures. Tell friends and family to check after tomorrow night. Fashion Week will have it's own full page. We are offering French chocolate to those who are first to tell us who the people in our paparazzi-style photos are!

Je vous-aime! A bonne nuit! Abiento!