Soar-Dream-France

Pay Attention, Laury

I've written recently about times when at some unconscious level, I feel that something I'm doing or about to do is going to be important in my life...life changing.  I don't always know what it is, but I file it away in the "pay attention" category.  I labored long and hard over whether I could afford to buy my used baby grand piano from Philippe Jolly.  I told myself it was a treat to me, since my piano had flooded.  I'd made my decision, went to Paris to play Monsieur Winklemann before committing, and came back home to the Chatette having put a down payment on my piano to be delivered sometime in October.  That November of 2006, I went to see Philippe in Paris to pay the remaining amount as I was heading back to the states.  On the metro from the Gare d'Austerlitz, the car was swaying from side to side.  I was watching everyone get on and off, doors open and close, and as the warning sounded for the doors to close at one of the stops I almost said outloud: "This piano is going to change my life." My friendship with the Jolly's was one of the first outcomes of my piano purchase.  I will share another with you tomorrow.

Laury Time

I've found that mornings are my best time of the day, no matter where I am in the world. I love them no matter where I am, but my mornings in New Orleans were particularly special.  It was usually my time for me, before work, busy, stress and aggravation ruined a fresh, peaceful, beautiful new day.  My staff was funny, they always knew when I'd come straight in to work without having that "Laury Time" that I came to cherish. I've perfected "Laury Time" in France beyond my mornings so that it blends easily into the rest of my days and my life.  I'm hoping to be able to hang on to my "Laury Time" from Stuttgart.  Maybe this beautiful sunrise over Bayou St. John in New Orleans before the storm will help me succeed.  Happy Saturday!

The Light in the Eyes of a Child

I began my career as an assistant summer camp counselor in the Ferguson-Florissant School District's Camp Comet. I was in the 9th grade, and continued to work every summer camp through my freshman summer at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  I arrived at UMSL wanting to be a teacher, but left a Sociologist who was soon to become a social worker.  It should be no surprise that I spent most of my career working with children.  As I get ready to head to Germany and work with children, this photo spoke to me.  I've been mindful of children throughout my preparation. I think of their importance to our world, their moldability, and their resilience. I think about what they need and how they aren't always able to get those things.  It is an honor for me to walk with a child, to be able to see that light that shines in each one and makes each one special. I'm looking forward to doing a little going back...paints, colors, music, sports and teen centers here I come.  I'll be out there looking for that light that shines in the eyes of a child...I bet mine is going to shine even brighter in the process.

Thinking Thoughts of Spring and Blue Skies

As much as I enjoy taking shots of flowers, I learned very early on that some of the most delicate just fade into the background of field and foliage.  That was particularly true of the poppies, until I found what I've come to call my "blue sky background" technique.  Walking home from Christiane's one day, I looked up over to their pool and saw how happy this multi-colored daisy variety was.  And...the perfect blue sky to set them off! Today is gray and threatening snow-But, I can look at my daisies and poppies and see the blue. 

 

Moon Girls

I'm sure you've noted how often I write about the moon, mais oui...I'm writing from my own Moon River!  My Mom is the "Queen Moon Girl" and the rest of us are just ladies in waiting.  Each Christmas, Mom picks special ornaments for her ladies in waiting.  Last year, it was a beautiful moon ornament, and this year's ornament was similarly themed.  Our angel on this year's moon was a little sexier than the previous year.  Mine is hanging from one of my lamps.  She looked so pretty and matched my deep pink tulips so well that I just had to have a picture of her.  It wasn't till the other day that I realized...she is sitting on a blue moon.  She's our perfect angel who is sitting on a perfect blue moon that was a gift during a blue moon year.

Voting Abroad

Voting has always been important to me.  I'll never forget the slogan back in 1972-"Make Your First Vote Be Your Best Vote", meant to capture all of us who turned 18 and could vote with the lowering of the age requirement. I've always been a voter and a campaigner.  I worked for just about every elected official in New Orleans at one time or another.  Oh, the stories I could tell, but I won't go there.  As an American living abroad, I am able to absentee vote.  I went to the Registrar of Voters in New Orleans and got all my paperwork together.  I've been voting New Orleans, Louisiana and National Elections from France ever since. I am as excited about the Mayor's Race that is underway in New Orleans, as I was about the Presidential Election.  I was so pleased to hear that Mitch Landrieu had joined the race a little later than most. Although I'm not there to see the campaigning, it was an easy vote for me.  I'd love to see Mitch get in during the primary.  I don't think it's realistic, but it would be great to have a head start on all the hard work that lies ahead.  I've stayed away from politics here as much as possible, but this is important: Mitch Landrieu for Mayor of New Orleans!

Worth the Wait!

 

Laury's had me on the look out for a birthday card and parcel.  The postal system has been haywire, my birthday card arrived last Friday (a beautifully printed Caroline Gardner card from England), and today I received my very special parcel.  Definitely worth the wait!  Laury knows all of the special little French things that I love and she did not disappoint.  Sweet packaging, chocolates, and les Anis de Flavigny!  She also included a new  flavor for me to try, Reglisse, which is wonderfully strong.  And isn't that "cafe" paper just the neatest?  Merci beaucoup Laury! 

 

"Ping"-ing All the Way

The habits of others can be a puzzle sometimes.  I'd met someone from an on-line dating site who came to visit. Every day that he was here, he would buy a fresh baguette, eat one piece, and leave the rest of the loaf laying around in the kitchen getting stale. I didn't understand. It wasn't the only thing I didn't understand, but that could keep me posting for a year. He complained about his lack of money all the time, so being so "ping" wasteful didn't fit.  I know that first piece is warm and wonderful, but come on.  So, every day I'd wrap up what was left of the loaf and put it in the freezer.  Every day a new loaf would appear.  By the time he was gone I had a freezer full of baguettes.  Last year, I made White Chocolate Bread Pudding from the recipe of the Brennan's Palace Café on Canal Street in New Orleans.  It was quite a hit and I had planned to make it again this year.  I dutifully stored any baguette remains in the freezer all throughout 2009, but with all that is happening I never got around to the bread pudding this year.  I emptied the extra freezer yesterday to begin to get ready for my 2 month stint in Germany-baguettes were everywhere!  There are some very happy birds in Cadrieu today!

Bonjour et Merci!

Hello everyone and thank you for the warm welcome as guest blogger!  

I'm looking forward to guest blogging while Laury is in Germany.  Some of my posts will focus on sharing some of my favorite spots in Paris with you.  Tom and I discovered this gem, Le Grenier a Pain, in Montmartre on our trip to Paris in January 2006.  It's a sweet shop with wonderful breads, pastries, chocolates, and candies.  Our timing was off on our last trip in 2007, because we stopped by on a Wednesday and the shop was closed for the day.  The bright side, though, pictures of the shop's delightful roll-front door!  Do you have a favorite patisserie in Paris?  Location:  38 Rue des Abbesses.  

  

 
  

 

Too Much Cute?

If you haven't figured it out by now, you'll soon know that I am a sucker for "cute" (mignon).  Running down the Rue Gambetta to the Casino yesterday, the mom and baby polar bears called my name from the window.  I stopped to watch as they literally snuggled and moved up and down, and from side to side.  It was when they looked like they were smiling, I had to get the camera out!  I could feel every pedestrian eye on me as I threw my purple back down.  A few of them stopped too.  I was quickly on the run again, since I was meeting my bus driving friend for coffee. 

As if the polar bears weren't enough cute for one day...I found these tiny hedgehog stickers who made me smile. Kat loves hedgehogs. Of course, there was only one package of these cuties. Sometimes in Monday's language class, I felt like we were learning useless vocabulary words.  I remember saying to Greg one day: "Why am I ever going to need to know what a 'hérisson' is?" Now, I know the reason why...those six little 'hérissons' are way too cute!  Happy Sunday!