Aaron,
The house we live in is about 1700 Sq foot.. older home that needed some fixing up.  At the time I thought we paid too much, however prices in the neighborhood skyrocketed just after we bought the home.  The Houston Texans (a very original name) have developed the new stadium and have torn down some of the seedier hotels in the area in their wake.  Also, they have totally redone South Main Blvd creating a nice thoroughfare. The area is experincing a lot of renovation which is adding value to the neighborhood!  However, home values go up and down just like the stock market.  Most important thing is that we like the home and are very comfortable there.

When we had the house remodeled it was a nightmare, I think the guy was an alcoholic and he did a half ass job.  I prefer to do it myself, I like the way it looks when I do it and it is whole lot cheaper.  One day the contractor almost died in the house... he lost his tooth and proceeded to take a bunch of Advil to ease the pain; however he did this on an empty stomach.  He had to be rushed to the hospital and was there for a week!  He ended up returning and finishing the job?!?!  Anyways, I have to say that it was a good learning experience and next time I will have a better idea on how to get things done.  It was hard to organize and quality assure the job since I had just started a demanding job here at Enron.  All in all, I think France or US you run into the same types of problems with contractors.  

Talking about wild flowers and plants.. the same is true for Costa Rica.   Plants that only grow indoors with great care in Houston grow like weeds in Costa Rica.  I recommend that on your places to go list.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Natal, and Feliz Navidad
Later
Paul

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	"daarontaylor at hotmail dot com" <daarontaylor@hotmail.com>@ENRON  
Sent:	Thursday, December 20, 2001 2:47 PM
To:	Thomas, Paul D.
Subject:	Re: Hello

Cher Paul:

That sounds like a nice marriage.  When we got married it was nothing
extraordinary, just a small and informal marriage celebration.

Yeah, I know Braeswood and Buffalo.  I'm sure you paid a pretty penny for
the neighbourhood -- it's a nice area.  We've done horrendous amounts of
work to our apartment.  We are doing something like a loft with it and we
had to gut it by removing most of the walls and floors, etc.  Soon we will
be putting in a mezzanine floor (it's a trendy thing here).  We had two huge
bins full of debris in front of our home for about a week!  Artisans in
France don't like working very much and when they decide to work they do
just enough of it to get by so customers are very unsatisfied when they are
finished.  Inevitably, the customer must always bargain the price down at
the end because more artisans must be hired to come in and finish all that
which was not done.  It's a hell of a mess but to be fair the same problems
exist in the States it's just that I've never owned a home before.  In the
end I decided it's much easier and faster to do it yourself and bypass the
contractor all together.  Plus you can do a much better job yourself!

Yes, I need to go to Rio.  I've been to Hawaii and to date it is the most
beautiful place I have ever seen.  Waikiki has exotic flowers -- that cost
$15 a piece anywhere else -- growing on the sidewalks like any ordinary
flower!!!

BTW, I was thoroughly impressed with Yosemite.  I've been trying to plan a
vacation back there ever since we left.

Kudos,
Aaron


----- Original Message -----
From: <Paul.D.Thomas@enron.com>
To: <daarontaylor@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 9:44 AM
Subject: RE: Hello


Well Aaron,
It is great to hear that you are doing well.

Yes, Raquel and I ( the same gal I was dating at Genesis) ended up tying
the knot in late April in Rio.  We got married in small church on the
Lagoa, quite a beautiful place to get married.  Above the church sat the
giant statue of Christ the Redeemer looking down on us.  My parents, family
and friends attended and I know what you mean by fish out of the water!

We bought a house over off of Buffalo and Braeswood.   I too have learned a
lot about fixing up homes, it is something that I have actually begun to
enjoy.  The house is great except for the mortgage that we owe to the bank.
We are now considering paying it off, however I am not sure for how much
longer we will live there. Therefore, not sure if we really want to pay it
off.

As far as children go, we are still waiting for the right time.  I imagine
we will have one in a year or so... right now we are enjoying taking
vacations on a whim.  Went to Rio in early Sept and got stuck there for
week and 1/2 due to the terrorist attacks.  Not such a bad place to be
stuck.  I definitely would encourage you to take a trip there.  It is
different from most great cities in the world.  For example Paris, Rome,
London, NYC are all famous for the great buildings, etc... however, Rio is
one of the most naturally beautiful places you will ever see (as far as a
city settings go).  The huge majestic tropical mountains merging with the
white sand beaches and blue sea.  It is the cidade maravillosa!!!


Take care and have a great Christmas.

Paul






    -----Original Message-----
   From:   "daarontaylor at hotmail dot com" <daarontaylor@hotmail.com>
             @ENRON
   Sent:   Monday, December 17, 2001 2:36 PM
   To:     Thomas, Paul D.
   Subject:  Re: Hello

   Hi Paul:

   How have you been?  How is Enron treating you?, well I hope?

   Yeah, we moved to Lyon at the beginning of 2000.  When looking at a map
   of
   our solar system, Lyon is practically in the center of France.  We're
   more
   or less located at the foot of the French Alps.  At about a million
   people,
   Lyon is smaller than Houston.

   Because of the Internet Boom, my Internet investments appreciated enough
   to
   buy us an apartment in an old neighbourhood located in the center of the
   city.  We've been renovating it ever since.  I've learned a hell of a
   lot
   about working on homes!

   Before David Underwood got fired he told me that you got married and
   bought
   a house in or near Linkwood (off Stella Link).  I imagine you married
   that
   young Brazilian lady that you were dating while at Genesis?
   F?licitations!
   Have you been to Brazil?  I'd like to see it one day if ever the
   opportunity
   presents itself.  Since you're hitched now, I guess you are obligated to
   have children soon. :)

   So yes, since the 22nd of September I've been the proud father of a baby
   girl -- Camille.  She's a real angel and quite a character too (read
   rascal).  I hope Enron allows you to receive e-mail attachments that are
   not
   work related because I've attached a photo of her that is as recent as
   tonight.  She's got brown eyes like her mommy.

   I heard you went to NYC.  How did you like it?  I love NYC and I was
   just
   there one week ago!  No matter how many times I go there I will never
   run
   out of things to do.  This last time I saw an exhibit on Brazil at the
   Guggenheim.  There are still a number of museums and neighbourhoods that
   I've not seen so I know I will return.  Actually, I ponder the idea of
   getting a small apartment there so that we can go and soak up a little
   American culture for six months at a time (NYC is only six hours from
   Paris).  Since Camille is American, I think this would be good for her.
   Of
   course the problem is the price of an apartment.  It's bloody expensive,
   mate.  (Stress BLOODY)  I asked one agency and they told me $450,000 for
   a
   studio apartment in a nice area on Manhattan (I don't know how accurate
   this
   off-the-cuff quote was).  That's a little too much for me unless I get a
   mortgage which I horror the idea of owing any bank money.  Perhaps
   something
   cheaper can be found in a crack neighbourhood.  You know, the ones with
   ugly
   whores hanging around every small street intersection.  Then there's
   Harlem,
   maybe I can get a pad next to Clinton's.

   June 10th, 2000, we got married for a second time.  The marriage was in
   France and all my in-laws attended as well as my mother and aunt too.
   They
   (my mother and aunt) were a little shocked to say the least.  They speak
   no
   French and were like fish out of water (to say the least).  But you
   didn't
   hear this from me.

   I've tons of little day-to-day stories that are worth a laugh but this
   e-mail covers all the big stuff that's been happening.

   Best Regards,
   Aaron


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   ----- Original Message -----
   From: "Thomas, Paul D." <Paul.D.Thomas@ENRON.com>
   To: <daarontaylor@hotmail.com>
   Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 11:25 AM
   Subject: Hello


   Aaron,
   How are you doing?  How is France?  I imagine that it has been a great
   experience for you to live in another country and get to know another
   culture?

   Anyways, I just talked your mom and she let me know that you are a
   dad!!! Congrats!!

   Let me know how are things are going?

   Paul


   **********************************************************************
   This e-mail is the property of Enron Corp. and/or its relevant affiliate
   and
   may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the
   intended recipient (s). Any review, use, distribution or disclosure by
   others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient (or
   authorized to receive for the recipient), please contact the sender or
   reply
   to Enron Corp. at enron.messaging.administration@enron.com and delete
   all
   copies of the message. This e-mail (and any attachments hereto) are not
   intended to be an offer (or an acceptance) and do not create or evidence
   a
   binding and enforceable contract between Enron Corp. (or any of its
   affiliates) and the intended recipient or any other party, and may not
   be
   relied on by anyone as the basis of a contract by estoppel or otherwise.
   Thank you.
   **********************************************************************


    - Camille2.jpg << File: Camille2.jpg >>