laundry and Lucon

I have laundry problems this week.
(Keep your snarky comments about how I have other problems to yourself!)
Our washing machine stopped working over a week ago.
I needed to make an trip to the laundromat. You know, to the HyperU, where we rented our car. One stop shopping. Baguettes, groceries, rental cars and laundry. You might not like the name, but the HyperU is there for me. I am even getting past the tacky building.
The owners brought us a new washing machine on Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I tried to use the machine. Nothing. Just a buzzing sound. What fun. What to do, what to do. I decide to impose on our British expat neighbors. When I pop over to their house, Gillian is making sheperd's pie (could they be any more British?) and Hugh is repainting. Hugh agrees to come look at the machine.
He looks at it for about 2 minutes before he sees that the water was not turned back on. Phew. Problem solved. (I am pretty certain this will make my dad laugh at me)
I am able to do one load of laundry. ONE LOAD!
Why? Because it is raining outside and I only have room in the basement to hang one load.
This morning, Friday morning, I am giddy because the first load is dry. Hooray. Some dancing.
I can do another load of laundry.
Two loads in one week! Wow.

So this afternoon, I need to get out of the house and not think about laundry.
Mom and I take the kids to a nearby town, Lucon. I really want to see the cathedral.
We drive 30 minutes and voila, we are in Lucon.
A quick trip to the tourist office for a map and a recommendation to visit a public garden. Then we visit the cathedral. Beautiful. Pictures will only help you visualize it. It is even better in person.






Richelieu was the Bishop here before becoming the chief minister to King Louis XIII in 1624. He is considered the world's first prime minister. He transformed France into a strong centralized state . . . . Wait, am I losing you? WAKE UP!
How about this, Cardinal Richelieu is the bad guy in the Three Musketeers movie. Now you know who he is. I don't even need to tell you anymore blah blah stuff.

By the way France, what is up with all these short doors? We see them all over. Your doors are either really talllllll or really short. The short doors crack us up.
Short door.

Tall door.


After we left the cathedral we walked over to a garden in Lucon. Lovely. Tranquil. I even forgot about the laundry.
I think the kids also enjoyed the garden. Then again they always seem to be up for running around outside.