Soar-Dream-France

Countdowns to...

I looked at my calendar this morning and noticed 10 Days to Evelyn, but then I began thinking about all the things that are going to be happening between now and Evelyn's arrival. Over the next 10 days, I will be:

Announcing the winner of my blog design contest, celebrating my birthday, writing my "Member Abroad" article for my column in the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers Newsletter, offering a portion of my workshop-"Writing to SOAR: Journaling to Client Success, and continuing the rewrites on a couple of short stories that I'm working on with my writer/editor and friend, Jeff May over at www.askwritefish.com

So, for those of you who would like to comment on the new design and layout for the blog, TODAY IS YOUR LAST DAY.  You can comment on any post and I will include it in the drawing, but commenting through a personal e-mail doesn't count for the contest.  That doesn't mean that the e-mail comments don't count when I'm evaluating the feedback received...you just have to comment on the blog if you want to be included in the contest. (I'm sure you e-mailers know who you are!) Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Ye Old Swimming Hole

It wasn't really fair to post that earlier shot of our swimming hole in the winter time, but it was such a pretty shot and easy to find.  Ah, the seasons of our magical place.  I never expected to be living smack dab on a river somewhere, much less, a river in France.  In addition to no car and no television, the other thing I don't have at the Chatette is a swimming pool.  With a spot like this in front of your house, who needs a pool?  Pools are a popular topic of conversation during our Monday language class.  Everyone has one except me.  I always say that they're expensive and a lot of work, neither of which are very "interesting" to me.  But then there are the days that I really enjoy, when everyone around the table tells their latest swimming pool woe:  my pump is broken, it isn't heating well enough, the cover is stuck, I can't get rid of the frogs, and what about those big green biting lizards?  (Christiane and Jean-Paul probably has the best swimming pool story of woe: the day the wounded sanglier (wild boar) ran bleeding straight across their pool with the swimming pool cover on it.) When it's my turn, I just smile and say: "J'ai de la chance. Je n'ai pas une piscine." I'm lucky.  I don't have a swimming pool. I think you would agree-look at me-I have the river and the best swimming hole around...11 days to Evelyn!

Dreams and Destiny...A Gift of More than Paris

People frequently tell me that I'm "living their dream"!  I'm not sure exactly why I cringe every time I hear that, but I do.  Maybe it's because my "dream" was to live in Paris.  On my many visits with Madam Vera before she died, we would talk about what I would have to do to make life in Paris a reality.  It seemed like way too much work to me, and the expense of an apartment or flat in Paris was just not realistic. She had great faith and confidence in me: "You'll be fine. Your French will come.  You're the kind of person who won't be alone for long." Her death that February of 1995, put me on the road to the Lot.  That's when I met Wendy.  Every trip I make to Paris, I have my pilgrimage places that I can run by on my way to the airport.  Vera's apartment is always on that path.  There are all those quotes we've heard about Paris-"We'll Always Have Paris","Paris is Always a Good Thing", "You'll Find Your Heart in Paris", and now for me who is always passing through Paris or spending a night on my way to the airport to return to the states...Vera gave me what I now like to think of as "More than Paris!" I never thought it could be possible!

Today I'm showcasing a photo that my sister, Kathleen Bourgeois, took of the Circus Shop in Montmartre in Paris.  Paris makes the sandwich of me and the Lot for most of my family and friends who come to visit us in Cadrieu. This photo is from their November, 2007 visit.  I'm trying to convince Kat to do a guest post from time to time...maybe she needs a little encouragement!

Rockin' on the River

I've been a rock girl ever since I was 2 and digging in the driveway at Nannie and Papa's.  This place is rock girl heaven!  I added another "rocking" activity this summer that I never thought about doing before, till I met Marina at the river last week.  We got to talking about exercising in the water, so I resurrected as many of the water aerobics moves I could remember that I had learned from Cynthia at the New Orleans Athletic Club.  Cynthia was incredible, and taught me that you can actually work up a sweat exercising in the water!  Yesterday-I was Cynthia...modeling exercises, counting us through, screaming hooray and jumping around when we hit our target number!  The difference here is we're doing what Marina and I now call: "Rockaerobing on the River" because the river bottom where we swim is quite rocky and slippery.  So, you  have to wear rubber soled shoes and try find a little level spot for yourself.  Yesterday the current was also a little stronger so we struggled to stay in place. We had so much fun we rewarded ourselves with a little glass of rosé on the river when we finished!  So, Marina goes back to the states very early tomorrow morning.  We hope to squeeze in one more "rockaerobing" together on the river this afternoon.  When I thanked Marina for getting me back out having fun in the river again, she said with her wonderful Russian accent: "I am your stimulus package!" Look forward to more "Marinaisms" in future posts! I probably won't get to see Marina again, till our swimming hole looks something like the photo below-don't look for us out there then-it'll have to be next summer!-13 days to Evelyn!

A Tale of Two Places of Our Hearts-

Once upon a time there was an almost 55 year-old, unconventional, woman living with her dog, cat, and Winkelmann baby grand piano in the south of France.The Chatette called to her from her life in New Orleans and pulled hard on her heart and soul.  She believed it was more than a dream...it was her destiny. She didn't know it at the time, but during those early years at the Chatette, she was beginning to build a life for herself and her four-legged children in France.  She was always torn between her life in New Orleans on Columbus Street and the sweet, uncomplicated, life she was able to have in stolen moments at the Chatette. The Chatette spoke to her.  "Why are you closing me up? You should be closing up Columbus Street." And then, the levees broke after Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans and Columbus Street flooded. Their lives were never going to be the same again.

The Chatette was a life-raft, waiting for her and her dog and cat when their lives in New Orleans became painful and too torturous to bare.  Columbus Street was repaired and rented by the hardest.  And now, only the apartment is rented on Columbus Street.  The woman has big decisions to make.  If the house doesn't rent soon, she may take it off the market and search for creative solutions that will make Columbus Street a happier place than it's been this year.  The woman knows that she will do whatever she has to do.  Renting Columbus Street would certainly be easier than considering some of her other more creative options.  Could it be that Columbus Street is speaking to her too?

Happily ever afters and forevers are the stuff of fairy tales, ours is just a real life tale so you'll just have to stay tuned for the rest of the Tale of the Two Places of Our Hearts. I think it's going to be a serial!  14 Days to Evelyn!

The Evening of and the Morning After

As with all new projects, there is a learning curve.  The new set-up for the blog means that I have to re-evaluate the way I have been including photos.  So, today I'm going to practice on you with photos from last night's Assumption Apero Party and this morning's clean-up.  Maybe I'll get in the groove here today!  Don't forget to let me know what you think!

Had to start out with my wonderful cheese identifiers that my sister Kat gave me for Christmas last year.  I love them and it was the first time I actually got to use them for an event.  I got so excited that I decided to try my hand at making something similar before the party-to identify types of sandwiches, kinds of tea, and varieties of dip! (Anything to avoid vacuuming the dog hair!) I'm sure most of you are familiar with the French Laughing Cow cheeses that we are able to get in the states. Here, the Vache qui Rire (the Cow who Laughs) is available in "Apericubes" that come in a variety of flavors, designated and individually wrapped in colorful foils. They brighten up any basket or tray and remind me of the wrapped chocolate Easter Eggs.  I guess if you're going to put something else besides chocolate in colorful foil, cheese is the next best thing! It was another endless apero party last night.  We started at 6 and went till midnight.  I was pleased that all the food was gone, but booze was left. It was so hot that the most popular vessel of the evening was the spigot cooler I bought to use as an ice bucket!  I also introduced this gang to "Wine Spritzers"...fizzy water and your choice of white or rosé wines!  I've hesitated in the past-how dare I dilute some wonderful wine, but last night not a soul complained and just about everyone joined in! The umbrellas are closed-everyone had gone home...and, I am not happy with my photo experiment! Off to the river-Happy Sunday!

Be Careful of What You Wish...!

Yesterday I wrote about changing the blog because I thought it would give new perspective and form to issues that I'm facing at the moment.  As most of you have noticed, I jumped the gun a bit yesterday and have now made one more change today...so here we go!  Don't forget-comment here on this post if you want to be in the contest.  I will print all the comments out and put them in a hat and have someone else choose the winner a week from today!

As soon as I turned off the computer, I went out to the terrace to get my watering cans.  I like to water the window boxes of herbs from inside first, and since it was blazing hot, I closed the one shutter to keep the house a little cooler.  I had forgotten to shut the window, and voila!  When I came back in, the whole place was glowing as the sunshine came in through the cracks in the shutters.  I had more rainbows, in number and brilliance, even though they were tiny.  I had more shimmering-everywhere-partout! I played some music while I was watering and 2 or 3 butterflies actually found their way to my breast and rested or fluttered while I watered.  They decided it was time to go, once I started dancing to Big and Rich's-"Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy"! We saved a dragonfly who'd been caught in the Chatette, and last night when I went to bed my old friend Orion was crawling up over the causse to keep the moon and I company throughout the night! So, changing the blog...keeping the window open with the shutters closed...just one (or two) little changes thrown out there in the universe can make all the difference in the world! 

And...17 days to Evelyn! Happy Saturday! It's Assumption here and I'm throwing an Assumption Apero Party! Keep those comments coming!

In the Mood for Something New-CONTEST

I'm not really sure what has been going on with me lately.  Feeling a little dangling and unsettled, I'd like to do something that would put an aura of new and different in my life and give me a new perspective on the issues I am facing.  Moving the furniture around in New Orleans used to work for me, but here, I'm happy with everything the way it is in the furniture department.  So, I've decided that starting with my post tomorrow, I'm going to change the design and maybe the set up of the blog.  I found something I really like in the Typepad repertoire and I'm going to give it a go.  Actually, I'm hoping that while Evelyn is here, she may be able to share some of her blogging design savvy with me and help me set up a more personal banner and design.  (Don't worry, although I love my overalls, they are going to stay in the sidebar!)  The other "new" thing I'm going to do, is have a little contest here on the blog with a prize so I can get as much feedback as possible from my readers. 

So, all you have to do to be eligible to win a prize from my bag of tricks is to comment on this post with your feedback about all that's going to be new on the blog starting tomorrow!  You have until Saturday, August 22, 2009 to submit your comments and enter the contest.  I will put all the names in a hat and have a friend pick the name so I don't cheat.  I plan to personally tailor the prize to the winner, so I will keep you posted! 

Thanks for adding so much to my life and for having a little fun with me here.  Who knows, this could be the start of something big!

All Roofed Up!

Today I'm sharing my last installment with you of the Château and the progress on the roof.  It's looking good and doing exactly what roofs are suppose to do, protect the Château and its interior!  I was amazed that it went as quickly as it did, and happy to see the Château and the "hood" smiling! Oh, and...18 days to Evelyn!

Sharing in the Excitement-Countdown to Evelyn!

We are very excited around the Chatette today!  Our "colis" that I missed yesterday, was in fact, Evelyn's two photos that will hang in the vernissage on  September 12, 2009 at our Galerie dans la Cave.  Smart girl-she also included her maps, some French envelopes, an article, a beautiful file folder to keep everything in, and my requested packs of Good Seasonings for Kelly's Artichoke Dip.  Evelyn and I met through the blog, and she will be coming to "pilot" the Mélange-ing Magic experience for me.  She has agreed to provide me with constructive feedback on her month here at the Chatette.  Although we have never met face to face; between telephone calls, sharing on our blogs, reading each others creative writing, sharing our hopes and our fears, supporting each other...I feel like I know Evelyn well.  We tease all the time about our stories that we're saving for "the terrace and a good bottle of Cahors"!  We have so many stories now, that we're not sure a month will be long enough!

Evelyn's babies arrived safely and in one piece this morning.  In addition to putting her in charge of line dancing on the train tracks behind the Chatette the night of the vernissage, I'm going to put her in charge of long distance packaging.  Her box arrived in one piece.  Each photo individually bubble wrapped, and packed around with bubble wrap...not a scratch, mark or piece of broken glass was to be found. 

Yesterday, Evelyn told me that it was 20 days and counting till her arrival at the Chatette.  So, today must be 19.  I'll be giving you the countdown to Evelyn's arrival and I'm sure I'll be sharing stories of our visit, as will she, on her blog. You can see some more of her work and learn a little more about my friend Evelyn Jackson on her blog at: www.redbellfarm.blogspot.com We are EXCITED!