60 Books in my 60th Year

Growing up I was an avid reader. I remember that when I was 5-years-old my mom would pay me a nickel per book for every book that I read -- and I remember feeling that I was really really rich. I definitely read at least a few books (sometimes up to a dozen) every day. And I was very blessed that my parents would buy me any book and any sheet music that I ever wanted -- and to this day I am still a reader, and I still play the piano.

For a chunk of my life I was with someone who was not a reader -- and he somehow got jealous every time I sat down to read. So for many years I could only find time to read at work -- but fortunately, for much of that time I worked at Franklin Covey, and they encouraged us to read all of the Covey books (which I still love to this day). After that I spent quite a few years reading mostly textbooks -- studying first for my bachelors (which I got on my 54th birthday), and then my masters (my pandemic project). 

The first half of my life I was a reader, and for the second half I had missed reading just for pleasure. For much of the past year I've been doing quite a bit more reading -- but it hasn't been very focused. So I've decided that I've neglected that part of my life for long enough -- and at age 60 I'm going to re-focus on reading. Before my birthday, I did not read a book a week -- but I think that I would be happier if I did, so I'm going to try.

My intention is to read 60 Books in this my 60th Year. A bit ambitious maybe, but however many books I read I am pretty sure that I will be happier that I did.

Below is my list of books. And I would love to hear any recommendations you have for me.

BOLD = finished        Italic = in process        plain = plan to read

1. Sweet is the Work by Mary Ellen Smoot
2. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
3. Atomic Habits by James Clear
4. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
5. One Drop at a Time by M Russell Ballard
6. What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty by Ehlig & Payne
7. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
8. Men are from Mars, Women from Venus by John Gray PhD
9. The Power by Rhonda Byrne
10. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
11. The Divine Within by Albert Huxley
12. No One Can Take Your Place by Sheri Dew
13. Finding Your Authentic Self by Susan Reynolds
14. Reprogram Your Subconscious by Gale Glassner Twersky
15. Frogs into Princes by Bandler and Grinder
16. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
17. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
18. Peace by Hinckley, Romney, Holland, et al.
19. Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro, PhD
20. How to Write a Book This Weekend by Vic Johnson
21. Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
22. The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukov
23. Your Brain is Always Listening by Dr Daniel Amen, MD
24. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
25. Heart of the Matter by Russell M Nelson
26. Yes to Life by Viktor Frankl
27. The Power of Stillness by Hess, Skarda, Anderson, Mansfield
28. Speed Reading by Christine Waters
29. Learning to Listen by Dale Renlund
30. Memory Rescue by Dr. Daniel Amen, MD
31. How to Be the Love You Seek by Dr. Nicole LePera
32. Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown, PhD
33. The Art of Writing and Gifts of Writers by C.S. Lewis
34. In Love Again and Always by Carol Lynn Pearson
35. Build the Life You Want by Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
36. The Search for God by C.S. Lewis
37. In the Hands of the Lord - the Life of Dallin H Oaks by Richard Turley
38. Learn Hypnosis Now by Michael Stevenson
39. The Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program by Stanley Frank, EdD
40. A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf
41. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
42. The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
43. Doing Small Things with Great Love by Sharon Eubank
44. Miracles by C.S. Lewis
45. The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk, MD
46. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
47. God Knows You by Matthew Godfrey
48. Change Your Life in 30 Days by Rhonda Byrne
49. When I was Seven by Mary Ellen Bramwell
50. Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo
51. What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Dr Bruce Perry MD, PhD
52. Created for Greater Things by Jeffrey R Holland
53. Becoming a Woman of Value by Sandy Weiner
54. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
55. Grace to Become by Emily Belle Freeman
56. Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
57. Emotional Intelligence by Brandon Goleman
58. Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas by Emily Belle Freeman
59. Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fos, the Horse and the Storm by Charlie Mackesy
60. The Infinite Atonement by Tad Callister
61. I've Been Thinking by Maria Shriver
62. Neuroplasticity - Sculpting the Mind's Destiny by Rosalyn Fleming
63. The Divine Gift of Forgiveness by Neil L Andersen
64. Four Thousand Weeks - Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
65. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B Peterson
66. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
67. Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza
68. The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
69. 1984 by George Orwell
70. 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty
71. The Enoch Letters by Neal A Maxwell
72. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
73. The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
74. Messy Love by Jay Shetty
75. The Abundant Life by Robert L Millet
76. The Gentle Artof Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson
77. The Next Day by Melinda French Gates
78. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
79. Healting the Wounded Soul by Jack R Christianson
80. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
81. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
82. 52 Weeks to Better Mental Health by Tina Tessina, PhD
83. Trusting Yourself by M R Ryan
84. The Brain Fog Fix by Dr Mike Dow
85. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
86. Essentialism - The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
87. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
88. Unshakeable by Tony Robbins
89. Agatha Christie - An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley
90. From Strength to Strength by Arthur C Brooks
91. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, PhD
92. Learning the Great Fundamentals by Dallin H. Oaks
93. Outlive - The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia and Bill Gifford
94. A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
95. The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
96. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
97. Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd
98. Persuasion by Jane Austin
99. The Broken Heart by Bruce C Hafen
100. Prayers That Matter by Robert Millet
101. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
102. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
103. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin
104. Five Wishes by Gay Hendricks
105. From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
106. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
107. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** by Mark Manson
108. The Untethered Soul (book & workbook) by Michael A Singer
109. How Great Thou Art by Robert L. Millet
110. A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
111. Shadow Work by Felix R Buchwald
112. Bridges Out of Poverty by Payne, DeVol, Smith
113. NLP the New Technology of Achievement by Charles Faulkner
114. The History of Joseph Smith by his Mother by Luck Mack Smith

Updated 19 August 2026

12 of 60 - The Purple Room in Palm Springs CA

Leda - Gena - John

In Palm Springs, there is a fabulous club named The Purple Room. Back in the 1960s, this is where Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, and their friends would perform and just hang out as part of the Club Trinidad Resort. My brother is friends with the owner who restored and runs the Supper Club nowadays. 

    The club is closed during the summer (because it's crazy hot all summer long), and reopens for the season on Labor Day weekend. And this year the Opening Show was "An Intimate Evening with Lucille Arnaz" -- so I begged my brother John to pull strings to get tickets to take our younger sister Leda and I to this sold-out show. Which, of course, he did. 

Lucy & Lucy
Mother & Daughter

   Lucille Arnaz is the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz -- and she does shows at this club every season. (She still lives just a few miles away in Palm Springs.) Her theme was Love -- and she walked us through her life and loves, including meeting and marrying her husband of 46 years, Laurence Luckinbill. She ended the evening by singing the beautiful love song "That's All" -- ironically a favorite of hers before she realized it was from the final episode of the I Love Lucy show. And this song is especially poignant for her because that was also the last night that her father lived with them, as Lucy & Desi filed for divorce the very next day after the series ended.

    Coincidentally, the next afternoon I was in Downtown Palm Springs doing some shopping. I popped into "The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs" (a slightly exaggerated name), a fun little Rock Shop (named The Rock Shop), and stumbled upon the statue of Lucille Ball (Lucille Arnaz's mother) -- and captured a photo there also.  

    

11 of 60 – Loretta Lynn’s Ranch and Kitchen – Best Catfish Ever

Somewhere between Memphis and Nashville is the hometown of Loretta Lynn. She has a 3500 acre ranch there, which is amazing. I drove and drove and drove up into the hills and past pasture after pasture. There are cabins and RV spots for rent – and it looks like a fabulous place for a family reunion. Unfortunately, by the time I got there the Museum and Gift Shops were closed – so I headed back into town to grab a bite. Fortunately for me, the Loretta Lynn’s Kitchen was open, so I got to a table and asked the waitress what the best thing on the menu was. She said everyone raves about the catfish – and although I usually think catfish is too catfishy, I decided when in Rome…. The restaurant is very much a hometown cafe, and the walls are adorned with photos/clippings/paintings of Loretta Lynn’s life. I was seated next to an oil painting of Loretta Lynn and her sister Crystal Gayle. 

 

A few minutes later a HUGE plate of catfish arrived – and the catfish was PERFECT! I was starving and I still couldn’t finish it all. Definitely not too catfishy. (The beans were pretty fabulous too!) I wandered around a bit, reading clippings and remembering Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle from the 1970s – and then hopped back into my truck and listened to their music for the rest of the afternoon. If you are ever in Tennessee, stop in Hurricane Mills – and have the best catfish of your life. And listen to some good ole’ country by a couple of sisters that put a lot of heart into their music.

10 of 60 - Woody Guthrie Park in Okemah, Oklahoma

 

Driving through Oklahoma can get pretty boring pretty quickly, so I decided I needed another detour. This time I found a park in the hometown of Woody Guthrie. 

 

Most of you probably don’t know who Woody Guthrie is, but when I was in elementary school we had a music teacher that LOVED folk tunes – especially since she taught us music by playing a guitar. And his song, “This Land Is Your Land” still makes me feel like I’m a 2^nd grader in Mrs. Garrison’s class.

 

I got out and spent a few minutes in this lovely little shady park, nestled right on the Main Street – before getting back on the road. And spent the rest of the afternoon listening to Woody Guthrie songs – many of which I had never heard before. They all tell a story, and a few are a bit surprising – but I love all types of music, so spending an afternoon listening to a different playlist was great. (I personally believe that Woody Guthrie was the inspiration for Johnny Cash’s House of the Rising Sun – and you can hear Woody’s version here: https://youtu.be/uX_bEDqxHFw?si=yd0nmC8rDEf2J9Ds

9 of 60 – Giant Coke Bottle, Arcadia, Oklahoma

Although I spent most of my time on I-40, there are a few detours I took to travel along Old Route 66. I live about 5 minutes from Route 66 near Kingman, Arizona -- so I love this old road, and even did a Route 66 Roadtrip (Santa Monica to Chicago) a number of years ago (which was a blast!) 

This time I detoured to Arcadia, Oklahoma, to stop at Pops -- a soda shop on Route 66. In front of Pops is a 66-foot-tall soda bottle (66-foot on Route 66, get it?), which is a popular stop for selfies -- and a great place to get out and stretch your legs. Pops has an incredible variety of Pop (aka "soda") and soda memorabilia. So I grabbed a Pop at Pops -- and a quick selfie -- and I headed back out on the road. (And on a cross-country roadtrip, a little extra caffeine is a very good thing.)

8 of 60 - The Lost Art of Hitchhiking

 

As I was driving along the highway, I suddenly saw this sign. It kindof caught me off-guard. Fortunately, since I usually travel alone I don't typically pick up hitchhikers anyway -- bit it is a bit disconcerting that there are frequent enough jailbreaks that they have had to put up signs. I mean, how often do people around here break out of prison???

My dad told me that back in the 1930s that he used to hitchhike quite a bit. He lived in Preston, Idaho, and attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah -- about 30 miles away. Back in the 1930s, it was the Great Depression, so few families had cars -- and even fewer college kids. But amazingly hitchhiking was a frequent method of transportation for my dad -- especially to get home to see his family. At 6'2’½" and a tall skinny red-head, I doubt that Dad ever looked very menacing.

Seeing this sign reminded me of the hitchhiking story my dad told me -- and that made me smile. If I had seen a tall skinny red-head, I might have stopped -- so it's probably better that no one was thumbing it on this stretch of highway that day.

7 of 60 - Blarney Stone, Shamrock, Texas

 

In the teeny tiny town of Shamrock, Texas, is a piece of the Blarney Stone. Yes, the real Blarney Stone from the Blarney Castle in Ireland. Since my family is Irish, I’ve heard Irish Folklore most of my life – including about the “Luck of the Irish” and “Kissing the Blarney Stone”. 

When in Rome ... or at least in Shamrock, Texas. I figured -- what the heck, right?!?!? Besides, it's been quite a while since any kissing of any type has happened in my life -- so I decided I should probably stay in practice. Just in case.

I can’t say that my luck has changed, but maybe the Blarney-Stone-specific promised “gift of eloquent speech” might find its way to me. I’d even settle for the gift of eloquent blogging.

 

6 of 60 - Buc-ees

One of my favorite places on the road is Buc-ees. IYKYK. If you don't know Buc-ees, you don't know what you are missing. Technically. it's a Gas Station with a Convenience Store -- but it's soooooooo much more than that. They easily have 50+ gas pumps, so no waiting -- and everything is really well-spaced-out (which is helpful because I'm pulling my Box Trailer, which makes my rig about 40-feet long). The bathrooms are huge AND clean, so I know it's a popular stop for Youth Church Trips, etc. (at least 30+ stalls). And the "convenience store" not only has every kind of drink/treat/souvenir imaginable, but it's really worth taking a stroll around -- because you just never know what you will find that you just cannot live without. 

And -- most importantly -- they have the BEST meat sandwiches (I'm partial to the Brisket), Beaver Chips (homemade potato chips that are AMAZING), and Beaver Nuggets -- which are kindof like Caramel Popcorn, but better. It's not necessarily a quick in-and-out type stop. But on long roadtrips a few stops to get out and walk around and stretch is a good thing. (And this is a 27-hour drive -- so a few long stops is helpful).

I made the necessary detours in the store, grabbed some yummers for dinner-while-driving, and then ran into Buc-ee himself. (Like literally, because I was distracted deciding on which sandwich I wanted and he had snuck up behind me. OK, so it's rare that a 7-foot Beaver can sneak up on anyone -- but the sandwiches really are that good.) So, I grabbed a quick photo with Buc-ee -- because I didn't realize they had a mascot that walked around the store, and when else are you going to have the opportunity for a photo with a 7-foot Beaver.

Buc-ees -- they are mostly just in Texas and around the southeast (this one was in Amarillo), but I heard that we might be getting one Arizona soon. And even if it's a little out of your way, Buc-ees is TOTALLY worth the detour.

5 of 60 - Second Amendment Cowboy

Near Amarillo, Texas, I stopped to see the Second Amendment Cowboy. He's just along the side of the road, and it's probably hard to see the large handguns at his feet. (It was a REALLY windy day, as my wild hair clearly indicates.) 

It's just a 20-foot tall cowboy with guns -- but a tall guy with guns is always going to get my attention. 😆

And although it's just a fun roadside attraction, I also fully support what it stands for. We have a Second Amendment to give us certain rights -- and those rights need to be maintained and protected. (And I found George Washington's quote to be eerily insightful in today's crazy world.)

Take a minute and review the first 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights here: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/bill-of-rights

Our forefathers were pretty smart, and these have been the guiding principles for the United States of America since December 15, 1791. And every citizen should not only know these amendments, we must ensure that they are supported for everyone. We cannot stand idly by while the rights of others are violated -- or we could easily be next.

4 of 60 - Petroglyphs National Monument

As I drove along, another site popped up on the map. I stopped for gas and saw signs pointing the way, and decided I had time for a quick detour. Down near Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the Petroglyph National Monument. This includes a Visitors Center and a number of trails. There isn't any fee and you don't even need to check-in to visit. 

I took one of the shorter trails and walked for a little while -- but it's pretty hot mid-day, so I definitely recommend hitting this early in the day. (And take lots of water.) The petroglyphs are 400 to 700 years old, and drawn by Native Americans and Spanish settlers. 

I don't know how they drew these -- and some you can tell are definitely part of a story. And a few are even in some pretty tough-to-get-to-places. But to me it's amazing that these drawing have survived the harsh desert climate for hundreds of years -- when even my deck needs to be re-stained every few years because of the intensity of the desert sun.

3 of 60 - The Continental Divide

As I was driving along, I knew it would be a long, multi-day roadtrip -- so I wanted to find a few stops along the way, just to break things up. The first one was The Continental Divide. I'd heard of it before -- and might have even stopped somewhere along I-70 or I-80 at some point, but this was a little nothing-stop along I-40 -- and I was ready to get out and walk for a few minutes. I didn't realize what the Continental Divide even was: as the sign says, all the rain that falls West of it flows into the Pacific, and all the rain that falls East of it flows into the Atlantic. And it literally divides the continent -- from Alaska, through Canada, into the U.S. (Montana through Yellowstone and on through New Mexico) and continues south through Mexico, all the way to the tip of South America. 

You can see it, even from miles and miles away -- and it really is pretty amazing to think how intentional this amazing world is. Even down to the smallest detail, God planned it all perfectly for us. Even down to how the rain flows into the oceans -- God has a plan for it all, and for each one of us. And just like I didn't know how the Continental Divide works, still it works. And just like I don't always know what God's Plan is for me, that works too -- I just need to have faith in it. 

2 of 60 - Truck with Tree Growing Out of It

On the way home from the Hualapai Mountains, we passed this fun old truck -- with a big tree growing out of it. We both commented, so Cheri flipped the car around and we decided to take a couple of pictures. Because sometimes something cool shows up in your path. And it doesn't matter how busy your life is if you don't make the time to enjoy the cool things that come along. Enjoy the journey.

Cheri & Gena - June 2025

And then Cheri sent me this older picture (below) -- from the first time we met. We were in a Facebook group together, and I posted that I had an upcoming weeklong vacation, but little money -- so she invited me to come stay with her in SoCal. Her kids were terrified that she invited a stranger -- who could have turned out to be a serial killer -- to stay with her for a week. But we became instant friends. And a few years later she sent her daughter to come live with me for a while in Provo. And a few years later she drove 6-hours to surprise me for my 60th Birthday Party. 

Cheri & Gena - June 2017

Sometimes it's a truck with a tree growing out of it. Sometimes it's a stranger that becomes your best friend. Because things don't just happen by chance. God has a plan for each of us -- and we just need to be paying attention.

 

1 of 60 - Hualapai Mountain Resort

View at the top of the Hualapai Mountains

One of my best birthday presents this year, was that my friend Cheri Johnson spent 6-hours to drive up from San Diego to surprise me at my 60th Birthday Party -- and spend the whole weekend with me. After a very late night (or would that be a very early morning?), and sleeping out on my back patio, we woke up Saturday morning famished. There was a restaurant I'd always wanted to try -- and I'd heard had fabulous Saturday Morning Brunch, so off we went.

I live near Kingman, Arizona -- and it's usually pretty hot here. But less than an hour away are the Hualapai Mountains -- and they get quite a bit of snow in the winters. This was the perfect chance to get out and have breakfast with a friend while exploring these mountains. 

Cheri has a new car, so she drove and I navigated -- and we chatted and laughed and caught up on our lives. As much as I love a New Car smell, the smell of the fresh clean air up in the mountains was absolutely intoxicating. You couldn't help but take in big deep breaths of the cool air -- with just a hint of pine.

There's a lodge, cabins, and a couple of campgrounds at the top of the Hualapai Mountains. We stopped first in the cute little General Store, and met the nice lady that works there -- then headed to the restaurant. The buffet is simple, but good/fresh/clean -- so I loaded up on bacon, and Cheri dug into Biscuits & Gravy. And we chatted and laughed and caught up some more. Our poor waitress kept checking on us, because we were there for a while -- but eventually we were stuffed, and decided to head on out. 

Before we piled back into her car, we stopped again and took in the beautiful scenery. And, of course, snapped a few Selfies -- to commemorate the occasion. PRO TIP: You should always do the Selfies BEFORE a large breakfast. Trying to smile AND suck-in-your-gut is much tougher! 😉

If you're in the area, take a detour to the Hualapais -- the scenery alone is worth the drive. And the Saturday Morning Brunch is delish. More details: Hualapai Mountain Resort - https://hmresort.org/ 

Cheri and Gena - June 2025

60 New Places in My 60th Year

    I tend to get reflective around my birthday, and this year was a biggie -- so as I thought about the past 60 years, I decided to look forward to the next 60. (Yes, that IS optimism!)

    For this 60th year, I want to get out and see more of this great world. So I've set a goal to get to 60 New Places in My 60th Year. Fortunately, with a friend visiting, I got a couple of new places in over my birthday weekend. And I have a few roadtrips planned this year, so I'm going to try to rack up a few more.

    Because the best parts of this past 60 years has been LIVING this life -- and many of my best memories have been when I have taken a leap and did something outside of my comfort zone. And I'm not really very good at Selfies, but I'm gonna try. My mom always hated having her picture taken, so we have very few of her, especially over the age of 60 -- but I'm just going to muddle through some bad selfies and focus on LIVING. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The purpose of life, after all, is to LIVE it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

     

DAY 39 – SAYING GOODBYE TO EUROPE, FOR NOW

This is it – my last day in Europe. What a whirlwind – definitely the Trip of a Lifetime.

            I wake up early, hoping that will have me sleep on the long plane ride home. Then I finish packing. I haven’t picked up much along the way – but I do decide to discard a few things, just to make a bit more room in my luggage. Somehow it feels like I have a lot less stuff now, but I think I just keep getting better at packing as I go along.

            I check out of the hotel and head out early – just for a last bit of wandering. I know I need to plan to get to the airport early – it’s more crowded now, 5 weeks later. And officially it’s a 1-hour bus ride to the airport, but there’s a ton of construction at the airport so I’m leaving extra early.

            On the way to meet the Airport Shuttle, I hope to do a last little shopping along these Paris streets – but most of the shops are still closed this early, so I stop at a café for breakfast instead. They advertise Pizza Crepes, but I opt for a pastry and some fresh-squeezed orange juice. As I make my way post-breakfast, I am stopped by a Frenchman who asks me for directions – and (amazingly) I knew exactly where he needed to go.

            The airport shuttle starts at the beautiful Opera House, then winds its way on a lumpy bumpy ride through Paris streets to the airport.

            Charles de Gaulle Airport is humongous – and even just Terminal 2 has 13 sections, with 50 gates each. And, of course, I’m in the last section and at the very last gate. Even efficient as they are, there are just sooooo many people to process. I get to the airport early so I don’t risk running late – and so I have some time to chill out before the flight. Besides, the stores at the Paris Airport are Prada, Ferragamo, Fendi – so it’s a fun place to browse through.

            Although I’m ready to get home, there’s also a sadness that this amazing trip is coming to an end. I watch Paris fade into the distance – but I also know that I’ll be back. Europe has won over a piece of my heart.

DAY 38 – THE PALACE OF VERSAILLE

The sprawling gardens at Versailles

My last full day in Paris, so I decide to spend it at Versailles. After a quick breakfast of fruit & croissants, I hop a train to Versailles.

            The Village at Versailles is just what you picture for a quaint, high-end Parisian neighborhood. Lovely shops, stylish women, adorable older couples. Since it’s Saturday there is what we would call a Flea Market (in the U.S.) and it's set-up next to the permanent market halls. The city sets up dozens of the canopied booths each weekend, and merchants bring their wares of all types. And the 4 permanent halls have meats, cheeses, prepared foods, and all sorts of individual merchants – each selling their unique specialties.

            I continue on to the stunning park-like walking street, lined with hundreds-years-old trees – leading directly to the palace. It’s the hottest day I’ve had this trip – about 90+ degrees, and the trees provide some very welcomed shade.

            The Palace of Versailles is spectacular – massive, with a magnificent gold gleaning wrought iron fence encircling it. I hop in line and begin my wandering. No tour group this time, just the audio tour (which is really quite good). Within the palace there are sections filled with beautiful period art – a wonderful selection of tall marble sculptures along with a dizzying array of oil portraits. And room after room of exquisite and ornate furniture – lots of bedrooms, but many sitting rooms many of which have beautiful desks. There’s a stunning Library. And a Music Room with 2 Harpsichords that were sadly covered up. (I’ve always wanted a harpsichord.)

            After the palace, I then mosey out to the gardens. There are 800 hectares, which (according to Google) is nearly 2000 acres – including 50 fountains. It’s so sprawling that they provide a map of the gardens with suggested routes to take so that you are able to see everything efficiently. I chose my route and began strolling. In this heat I melt (the humidity is doing me in) – but I have a hat, sunglasses, and water so I persevere. A few hours later I’m a sweaty mess – and listening to the whining children around me helps me realize it’s time to get somewhere cool to grab a drink (since my water is long since gone). I head to the Tea Room, set in the Palace in the Suite of Louis Something-or-Other (I can’t remember which; there were a lot of Louis.) I order a sparkling water and yummy dessert, and just sit to cool and relax before heading back on the train.

            A perfect way to spend my last full day in Paris.

DAY 37 – THE LOUVRE

Inside the famous glass pyramid
of The Louvre.

Today is all about The Louvre. I picked today because the museum is open late on Friday nights. And the glass pyramid is stunning all lit up in the evenings.

            I leave the hotel and meander my way through the streets of Paris. Unfortunately most shops don’t open until 11am or Noon – so it’s mostly window shopping. I was going to have Hagen-Daas for breakfast, but alas, they were closed.

            Instead I head to the Palais du Louvre and eat at a lovely café on the plaza – with the perfect view of the glass pyramid. (And the artichoke was lovely!)

            Then time for my tour of the Louvre, with a darling little French guide. This place is enormous – with over 400 rooms and more than 35,000 pieces of art. It’s the largest museum in the world. In our 2½-hour tour we see the basics – Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, etc., but so much more remains unseen. So after the tour ends, I venture off on my own for a few more hours.

            There’s so much to see that I end up going in circles. But even walking down halls I’ve walked before, there are still new things to see that I missed the first time. And I’m grateful for the occasional empty bench to sit and rest along the way.

            After 7 hours, I’m tired, overwhelmed, and emotionally filled. I don’t know why I don’t go to museums very often at home, because I always enjoy them. Unfortunately, this time I found no secret clues hidden in the museum (and I always enjoy a good mystery.)

DAY 36 – THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Time to leave Basel and bid Aufwiedersehen to Switzerland. Today marks the last leg of my trip – and I’m heading back to Paris for my last few days.

            After I check out of my hotel, I stroll through the neighborhood and lovely park that’s not far from my hotel. I could hear tennis being played nearby, and wandered over to find people playing on a clay tennis court – which I’ve never seen in the U.S. Nearby I found a stand selling pastries, so I grabbed some sort of deliious ham & cheese pastry, and sat and ate – and watched people stroll by.

            Eventually I meandered on, taking the long route toward the train station, and passed an inordinate number of hair salons – all open, but quite empty. There also seems to be an architect shop on almost every block too – with the fascinating 3-D miniatures of their projects displayed in the front window.

            Maybe I’m uninformed of current trends, but here I have seen modernized versions of old-style perambulators quite frequently – which add to the ambiance of these charming old neighborhoods. If the moms had been toting parasols, it would have been perfect.

            In due time I get to the Basel Train Station, which is huge (30+ tracks) and has a large numer of shops and eateries. I grab some Pelligrino for my 4-hour train ride, and stroll through shops until time to board my train.

            After a random unexplained delay, I arrive in Paris and get to my hotel – this time, right in the heart of Paris. It’s late, so I grab a Lebanese sandwich – and order Lebanese Cheesecake called Knefeh, which is nothing like cheesecake but is actually Cheese Cake. It’s more like a light cornbread with melted mozzarella – served warm so the cheese is still melty – then drizzled with a simple syrup. It was interesting and good – but you’ll never find this stuff at The Cheesecake Factory.

DAY 35 – BASEL SWITZERLAND

Beautiful view of Basel from the shore of
the Rhine River, with the lovely
ancient cathedral rising up in the distance.

I headed out to just wander around, explore, find something to eat. They have an electric rail system here, and I got a free pass from my hotel – but walking seemed more interesting. It’s been raining off and on all night and early morning, but I decide to risk it.

            Fortunately most eating establishments have a menu out front – and although my German is nicht so gut, I know enough to sort out most dishes. Unfortunately most have 42 kinds of bier and drink, but only 3 food items – and an astounding frequency seems to be pasta. Instead I stop in a Pastry shop and grab a brat & cheese in a croissant, and continue on.

            The Rhine River is only a mile away, so I head towards the water. The Rhine runs from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. It’s the second longest river in Europe, and I’ve wanted to get to it since a friend did a Rhine River Cruise a few years ago.

            As I’ve wandered these past few weeks, I’ve noticed that lots of these little neighborhoods have florist shops – far more common than in the cities I’ve lived in the past 20 years. And these seem to keep pretty busy. Both men and women coming out with bunches of flowers – and it reminds me how nice it is to have fresh flowers in the house. Something I haven’t done in many years.

            Eventually I decide on a restaurant for dinner, and although I planned on eating something more uniquely Swiss – when I saw the burger ordered at a nearby table, I opted for that. I don’t eat a lot of burgers (and I’m especially not too keen on fast food) – but this burger was FABULOUS! The meat was so flavorful. Sandrine keeps telling me about fabulous meat she gets from a local farmer in France, and that’s exactly what this tasted like. Probably the best burger I’ve ever had in my life. (What on earth are we doing to our food in the U.S.???)

            Post dinner I head back toward the hotel, but not without stopping at a little Coffee House that serves Tiramisu – which was the perfect ending to a lovely day wandering around Basel Switzerland.

DAY 34 – LEAVING ZERMATT

My original plans had been to go through Basel Switzerland, then on to Cherbourg to visit Sandrine again – but I cannot find any options to book a train to Cherbourg on any day, even routing through others stops along the way. I had this problem when I first got here, but since then booking everything has been so easy that I didn’t realize it would be a problem. (I would even consider a BlaBlaBus – but can’t even find availability there.) 

            I contact Sandrine and let her know of my challenge, and end up just changing my plans to spend an extra day in Basel Switzerland again, before heading straight to Paris. I’m disappointed that I won’t get to see Sandrine before I leave – but this definitely won’t be my last trip to Europe, so I’ll just plan on visiting her again next time.

            After being here in Zermatt for over a week, packing back up takes a bit longer. I’ve really settled in here, and it has been lovely. Some fabulous Day Adventures, a few trips down to the Spa Salon in the basement (I mean, it’s right here and a lovely way to spend a few hours), and lovely picnic dinners out on my balcony – it doesn’t get better than that.

            One last beautiful sunrise on my balcony, a lovely breakfast at the hotel, and some more time reviewing train schedules before updating my Basel hotel reservation – and I’m off to town for a last stroll past the beautiful stone church & pretty little cemetery, lovely little shops, and maybe a stop in a bakery or two.

            And this means that I will get an extra day in Basel Switzerland. Not what I was planning, but you’ve got to turn lemons into lemonade, right?