Versailles was a group house

People build these massive mansions and only one family lives in them. I think people misunderstand the historical purpose of large houses, in that they were meant for many likely related families to live in at the same time, as seen in the TV show Downton Abbey.

Then there is the Versailles mansion or castle in France that was not just the home for the King but also for likely hundreds of other people. The Versailles mansion was so busy that Marie Antoinette built a small rural village a 10-minute walk from the mansion, as she missed the rural life from her youth.

Today's mansions can easily accommodate more than one family. Or people could build smaller homes and enjoy the land as outdoor space. I see homes nearly filling their entire lot / land area, with little more than a 10 x 10 foot area for outdoor relaxing. The Versailles mansion was huge but it also had a huge garden in the back.

Far from the city. Close to a running trail.

The further one lives from the city, the closer one is likely to a beautiful trail through a forest or meadow. Living in the so-called middle of nowhere, is likely right spot in the middle of a nature.

Sold Out means nothing and Fun.

I hit the most amazing concert on Thursday night. I saw the grammy-nominated band Fun. I scored a 7th row orchestra seat (on the side) from a mom who didn't want to go. She was leaving the box office area saying, "I have a really good ticket here. Someone should buy it." Fortunately (not luckily), I was there as she walked out. I paid face value - $36 plus the 6 TicketMaster fee. This proves once again that "Sold Out" doesn't mean you can't go or that you have to buy from scalpers. I was going to the box office to see if they were releasing tickets held for music industry folks.

After the show, I tried to meet the pretty musician in the touring band. I went to stand by the tour buses to see if I might see her as she was walking out. Would you believe that as I was talking to other fans in this area, the musician was outside the back door, smoking a cigarette and talking on her phone. No one mentioned this to me because they didn't know I wanted to meet her. Then when I told them I did want to meet her, they said I just missed her. Not that all of this matters as her Facebook page has a photo of her wedding ring. I never got to see the band because by midnight I was freezing and tired and a bus was coming then or in another 30 minutes, so I left before the band left. Still an amazing night.

Monkeys eat baby leaves

Meanwhile, I just read in National Geographic about a monkey breed that mostly eats young leaves. I may return to eating some spinach - though it's really expensive, not the least because somehow they have to get the leaves off the stalk. This all makes me think we're not really supposed to eat the stalk, at least not the part by the root. Maybe the plant doesn't mind that we eat the small leaves as long as we poop after eating to nourish the plant.