Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard Appreciation/Ship/Discussion Thread

[Zandra's Ashes]

You can probably do a much better job than I could. I'm rusty on the rules, which they keep changing.

FH, Mr. SR and I just booked a Rhine river cruise for next September that includes Brussels and Bruges. I have always wanted to visit Bruges so this is a dream come true. We are also spending a few days in Paris. So excited.

I'm excited for you-I loved both cities! I did a fantastic food tour in Paris. We went to Eric Kayser, Laurent Dubois, Charcuterire Saint Germain and Patrick Rogers chocolates. I kept returning to them all as I built picnic lunches for the week. Bruges was so charming and a nice break for my eyes, as it's a quaint contrast to all the creamy limestone buildings in Paris. Very sad to see the fire at Notre Dame today.

You're welcome.

Even we need this sometimes to remind ourselves where they are heading, or not heading.
It's annoying not knowing cause we want to go back to Scotland (still planning on writing that travel report from last summer) over the summer, and ordering things from the UK. Should I or not, cause with a Brexit, import costs will be back.

I think I've narrowed down my itinerary. I'm focusing my travel on Edinburgh and the Highlands, probably spending a few days alone in the Isle of Skye.

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Fluffy Thursday!



Yay, ocean!



Yeah, the getting it from plan to paper is hard. My brain keeps ping-ponging between fragments of scenes and then I have to go back and stitch them together.

Glad I'm not the only one. I feel like I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle in my mind when I write. I know it will all fall into place after I arm wrestle it long enough.

I PASSED MY TEST!! You needed a 70 to pass, and I got exactly a 70. Phew. I was 1 question away from failing. But... I PASSED!!!!!! I am a Certified Professional Coder (CPC).

There will definitely be some of this, this weekend:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42880[/ATTACH]

*spins in circles*

Woo Hooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

CONGRATS!!!! I'm so happy for you! Nice job!

[Falcon Horus]

@Southern Red

I know you'll be visiting Paris in September so I should let you know, and you'll probably have seen it on the news already, but the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral is being damaged on a colossal scale by fire. News just came through that the main structure has been saved and preserved, the two iconic towers are safe from the fire, the vaulted ceilings have not collapsed, but the roof and three glass stained windows are gone, and so is the tower at the back of the cathedral.

It's a devastating view... and I shed a tear at the sight of it.

[Southern Red]

@Southern Red

I know you'll be visiting Paris in September so I should let you know, and you'll probably have seen it on the news already, but the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral is being damaged on a colossal scale by fire. News just came through that the main structure has been saved and preserved, the two iconic towers are safe from the fire, the vaulted ceilings have not collapsed, but the roof and three glass stained windows are gone, and so is the tower at the back of the cathedral.

It's a devastating view... and I shed a tear at the sight of it.

I'm excited for you-I loved both cities! I did a fantastic food tour in Paris. We went to Eric Kayser, Laurent Dubois, Charcuterire Saint Germain and Patrick Rogers chocolates. I kept returning to them all as I built picnic lunches for the week. Bruges was so charming and a nice break for my eyes, as it's a quaint contrast to all the creamy limestone buildings in Paris. Very sad to see the fire at Notre Dame today.

I'll make a note of those places for chocolate.

The Notre Dame fire was covered in detail on the news here. So sad. I'm sorry to miss touring it.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Smutty Tuesday!

@Southern Red

I know you'll be visiting Paris in September so I should let you know, and you'll probably have seen it on the news already, but the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral is being damaged on a colossal scale by fire. News just came through that the main structure has been saved and preserved, the two iconic towers are safe from the fire, the vaulted ceilings have not collapsed, but the roof and three glass stained windows are gone, and so is the tower at the back of the cathedral.

It's a devastating view... and I shed a tear at the sight of it.

We watched the coverage of the Notre Dame fire as well. It was just so awful to see.

[JT-2]

I knew we would hear from you on this subject. But size is not important.

We're a small state with a big attitude.

Yeah, that fire is just awful. Did they figure out how it started?

CONGRATS!!!! I'm so happy for you! Nice job!

Thank you!!! You must be so excited about your trip.

[Falcon Horus]

Yeah, that fire is just awful. Did they figure out how it started?

Most likely a result of the renovation work that was going on around the spire, which came down.

Investigation has already ruled out arson.

Also, some good news... the three rose windows, dating from the 13th century, did not perish. They, in fact, survived the inferno. Other glass windows from more recent periods were not as lucky. The altar inside is also undamaged, as is the cross in the back, and the, I believe 16th century, organ. There's water damage, but no fire or smoke damage.

A part of the vaulted ceiling did come down where the spire on top fell down on it. "The Forest", as the roof was called, is gone though. 12th and 13th century wood lost forever.

[Zandra's Ashes]

I'll make a note of those places for chocolate.

I had to go back to my notes for the name, but there was one other place we went on the food tour that I kept going back to- Un Dimanche A Paris pastry shop. The Tarte Citron and salted caramel eclair were fabulous. This has given me such food nostalgia- sorry to bombard you with recs.

We're a small state with a big attitude.

Yeah, that fire is just awful. Did they figure out how it started?
Thank you!!! You must be so excited about your trip.

I am. And it was a phenomenal deal on the flight- $515. It usually costs me more to fly to Seattle.

Most likely a result of the renovation work that was going on around the spire, which came down.

Investigation has already ruled out arson.

Also, some good news... the three rose windows, dating from the 13th century, did not perish. They, in fact, survived the inferno. Other glass windows from more recent periods were not as lucky. The altar inside is also undamaged, as is the cross in the back, and the, I believe 16th century, organ. There's water damage, but no fire or smoke damage.

A part of the vaulted ceiling did come down where the spire on top fell down on it. "The Forest", as the roof was called, is gone though. 12th and 13th century wood lost forever.

The pictures are sobering, but what an amazing job the fire brigade did.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Screw the Angst Wednesday!

The pictures are sobering, but what an amazing job the fire brigade did.

Indeed, both in saving as much of the structure as they could, but also evacuating as many of the artifacts and relics inside as they could before the roof collapsed.

[Southern Red]

I had to go back to my notes for the name, but there was one other place we went on the food tour that I kept going back to- Un Dimanche A Paris pastry shop. The Tarte Citron and salted caramel eclair were fabulous. This has given me such food nostalgia- sorry to bombard you with recs.

No worries, I'll take all the recs I can get. I hope I have time to check them out, but at least I can try for the closest ones to our hotel.

[Falcon Horus]

Drone images from the top show the damage... you can literally see inside so yeah... that vaulted ceiling will need repairing. They'll have to cover it up too, otherwise more water damage when it rains.

There's a lot of controversy out about donating to rebuild an "old building" but I'm donating. It's a freakin' symbol of 12th/13th century architecture. Of magnificense and wonder. It's a freakin' cathedral, the kind they don't built anymore these days.

Also, for anyone wondering cause there seems to be quite the misconception about it. The Notre Dame is the property of France, not of the Roman Catholic Church institute.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Fluffy Thursday!

Drone images from the top show the damage... you can literally see inside so yeah... that vaulted ceiling will need repairing. They'll have to cover it up too, otherwise more water damage when it rains.

There's a lot of controversy out about donating to rebuild an "old building" but I'm donating. It's a freakin' symbol of 12th/13th century architecture. Of magnificense and wonder. It's a freakin' cathedral, the kind they don't built anymore these days.

Also, for anyone wondering cause there seems to be quite the misconception about it. The Notre Dame is the property of France, not of the Roman Catholic Church institute.

I read somewhere that apparently the development team for the Assassin's Creed games had made very detailed 3D imaging of Notre Dame to accurately recreate the location for one of their recent games, imaging so good that it's possible those files could be used to help with the reconstruction. Pretty cool if true.

[Zandra's Ashes]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Fluffy Thursday!



I read somewhere that apparently the development team for the Assassin's Creed games had made very detailed 3D imaging of Notre Dame to accurately recreate the location for one of their recent games, imaging so good that it's possible those files could be used to help with the reconstruction. Pretty cool if true.

Whoa. That's great. Kind of crazy to say Assassin's Creed and Notre Dame in the same sentence and it make sense.

[Falcon Horus]

I read somewhere that apparently the development team for the Assassin's Creed games had made very detailed 3D imaging of Notre Dame to accurately recreate the location for one of their recent games, imaging so good that it's possible those files could be used to help with the reconstruction. Pretty cool if true.

That is correct.

Ubisoft also donated 500K to the restoration fund, and people were able to download the older game for free to play on PC.

[Southern Red]

Drone images from the top show the damage... you can literally see inside so yeah... that vaulted ceiling will need repairing. They'll have to cover it up too, otherwise more water damage when it rains.

There's a lot of controversy out about donating to rebuild an "old building" but I'm donating. It's a freakin' symbol of 12th/13th century architecture. Of magnificense and wonder. It's a freakin' cathedral, the kind they don't built anymore these days.

Also, for anyone wondering cause there seems to be quite the misconception about it. The Notre Dame is the property of France, not of the Roman Catholic Church institute.

I hope they do "restore" rather than "renovate." I can picture it now all painted white inside with vinyl tile flooring that looks like wood and maybe a barn door or two. Please don't modernize everything on earth. Thanx.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Pretty Friday!

Whoa. That's great. Kind of crazy to say Assassin's Creed and Notre Dame in the same sentence and it make sense.

Yep. Crazy and awesome.

That is correct.

Ubisoft also donated 500K to the restoration fund, and people were able to download the older game for free to play on PC.

Oooh, that's cool!

I hope they do "restore" rather than "renovate." I can picture it now all painted white inside with vinyl tile flooring that looks like wood and maybe a barn door or two. Please don't modernize everything on earth. Thanx.

*shudders* Now that's a scary image.

Though I do wonder what they're going to do about the roof. I thought I heard somewhere that France doesn't really have any trees that size anymore to recreate the lengths of timber used, which means they'd have to import the needed wood.