• In early December, or thereabouts, my mother and I spent a lot of time in department stores.  We were both intrigued by the many interesting ornaments for Christmas trees.  Many were made of paper or of papier mache.  A few were made of glass--presumably reflecting Wartime France.  Most of our shopping was done at Au Printemps or at Galeries LaFayette.  The array of ornaments was truly stunning.  As of 2009, the papier mache ornaments have held up well.  Paper ornaments my mother purchased in London, on a trip she made there alone (earlier), are in reasonable, but not great, shape.  The few glass ornaments we purchased have long-since fallen apart (breaking at seams, and so forth).  My favorites were a papier mache pink squirrel with a plump red tail made of a thick pipe cleaner; a papier mache pig covered with sparkles; a bird in a cage made from paper, wire, and pipe cleaners; Santa Clauses of various sorts; a large Pere Noel made of papier mache and cotton.  We have a file showing photos of ornaments that still exist as of the 2000s, some 50 or more years after purchase!
• While in these two wonderful department stores, I found a stuffed donkey (a Poitou) that I thought looked exactly like Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh books.  He had beautiful silky gray fur and bright eyes.  He was, however, quite expensive.  Nonetheless, I made it quite clear that he was at the top of my wish list for Christmas that year.
• Meanwhile, my mother had found a beautiful large bear, with curly golden fur, a squeaker box inside, and flat fee so he could stand by himself.  I liked him very much, too.  We thought he was "Binker"--Christopher Robin's imaginary friend.  He was also quite expensive.  Eventually, my parents told me to choose one and PERHAPS I would get that one for Christmas.  I chose Eeyore at the top of the list.
• Shortly before Christmas, I awoke one morning with dreadful pain in my lower right abdomen.  My parents took me to the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine.  There, they decided that I might need my appendix out and recommended immediate surgery.  I recall a mask on my face and some nurse asking me if I knew how to count to one hundred.  I was insulted and told her so and told her that not only could I count to one hundred but that I could do it in two different languages, either forward or backward.  She suggested that I count backward from 100 in French.  Next thing I knew I was in a hospital room, minus appendix.  I think I must have stayed in the hospital for awhile.  I remember Dr. Rodgers.  I don't know if he did the surgery or whether he was just my doctor.  I was very small, physically, (less than 45 pounds) so I suspect they were being cautious.  They did apparently speculate after the fact that it might have been food poisoning of some sort, but wanted to be cautious.  Shortly before I was released, before Christmas, I remember being in the main Lobby with Dr. Rodgers who told me that my parents would soon be coming and that they were bringing a surprise...they came, carrying Binker and gave him to me.  I began to cry.  They thought I was so happy that I was overcome; however, I assumed that this meant I was not getting Eeyore and they had gotten me Binker instead because I had caused so much trouble by having to go to the hospital.  But, I didn't let on....after all, I was happy to get Binker.  Dr. Rodgers said how wonderful Binker was and got him to stand up on his feet, all by himself.  That was interesting.
  
• Christmas came around and the tree was beautiful.  The custom of using real candles instead of electric lights was an interesting one.  But, by far my greatest joy was in opening one present my parents told me was very special.  I went for it immediately...it was EEYORE!!  That was a really terrific surprise...but I said, "I thought I couldn't have both??"  They reassured me that both were in fact mine and that I did not have to return one of them.  What a great day--I felt very fortunate, indeed!
• As of 2009, Eeyore is somewhat the worse for wear; Binker, however, is in great shape (although his squeaker no longer works--it did as late as the early 2000s, though).  Pictures of them appear below.  I took Eeyore to bed with me every night for a number of years.  Binker cut a handsome figure sitting on a shelf.  Sometime when I was an adult, Eeyore got put somewhere where moths went after him.  That affected his coat, but not his inner beauty!  Eeyore; Binker.
  

Living in Paris, and in particular living with a French family, again opened many varied and broad opportunities, especially in regard to the remarkable set of Americans who lived and worked in Paris during this post-WWII time period.