Bonjour, mes amis, from Lyon! it's been seven years since I was last in this city. It's wonderful to be back and to see Lyon looking vibrant with its squares and monuments restored. Because it's August, many residents are on vacation and tourists have taken their place, but still, the city just shines with its lovely architecture and views. Maybe it also shimmers because of the heat--It was 35-39 degrees Celcius all last week (95-102 degrees F) until a weekend thunderstorm rolled in and brought relief.

*My daughter stepping into the fountain at Place des Jacobins, Lyon, just before the storm arrived*

*World Master Athletics flag at the awards arena*

My husband ran the 100m dash this last week in the World Masters track meet--I'm so proud of him, and impressed that he ran it in 11.74 seconds despite the scorching heat! He'll long jump this week as well. The Masters' meets are open to non-professional adult athletes age 35 or older with an official mark to submit. Participants compete against others in a five-year age range. A few days ago, for example, I watched a a group of 85-90 year old women from around the world run the 100m, and they looked amazingly fit. It's so inspiring!

*Pedestrian bridge (passerelle) to the Quai Saint Antoine, Lyon, where the daily outdoor market is held*

When we're not at the stadium, we're finding some family rhythms here. We have a French breakfast of bowls of coffee (for us parents) and baguettes with jam, then I help my daughter practice violin (less consistently this summer, unfortunately), then afterwards we all head to the outdoor marché alongside the Saône to buy fresh vegetables and fruit. I take the children to the library once or twice per week, and other times we head to a park or go swimming at a local pool complex. Our summer habits here are similar to our summer habits back in Oregon, but here we get to walk cobblestone streets instead of driving, and of course all of our conversations with others are in French. Every day here feels like a gift, even when it's unbearably hot or requires too much walking (in the children's opinion).

Tomorrow I'll be back on the blog with a post about Paris and a signed book giveaway! À bientôt--see you here soon!

*My three-year-old son with a balloon as we walk back to Vieux Lyon (from my Instagram account)*