Soar-Dream-France

It Pays...

                                                                                                                                                                                           ...LOOK UP!    

       HAPPY HALLOWEEN!                                                                                                                                                                                

French Flair

      Sending a little early Happy Halloween, with just a bit of a French Flair. 

Patience

                            A couple of my favorite "ladder-loungers" and "door-huggers" in France...                                                                                                                                                                                               
  

Flowers for My Friend

We go along in our lives, on the train. Sometimes, so caught up in things that just don't really matter, that we miss the important stuff. Even though I'm back "on the train" to a certain degree here in New Orleans; I've tried very hard to continue to do the things that mean something to me, and be there as best as I can for the people I love and care about. There are two things about being back that I've noted before: I keep discovering reasons beyond Dali and work for being here; and, that I have this cadre of wonderful and amazing friends who love me, support me, and stand by me in many more ways than I can count. Today, I'm one short. My friend, Nadine Henneman passed away on Thursday. Nadine was one of those love you and support you no matter what kind of friends. While I was in France, it wasn't unusual to pick up the phone and find Nadine on the other end. It meant the world to me. Nadine was also a big birthday person. Every birthday-a beautiful card, but the best, a long hand-written note, filling you in on everything that had been going on for her, but always showing her love and concern for you at the same time. Nadine loved my photography. Whenever I'd come by her house, I found all of my cards on her book laden shelves. Since my return, she'd been having more health problems. Because I work for myself, I was in  a position to go with her or meet her at medical appointments. I was happy to be able to spend more time with her. We'd often go off and have lunch afterwards, she'd bring me little presents to say thank you, and sometimes we'd shop. I miss my friend. Now I know, it was an honor to be able to be here and be with her more, at what has turned out to be her last days. Flowers for Nadine.

 

 

 

 

 

Celebration Cooperation

There are days when I feel the whole city is in sync. It's the end of October. Halloween is near. The sky boasted a huge peach moon last night, and an early morning bike ride surrounds me in a beautiful peach mist. Hmmm...maybe this time of year it would be pumpkin, not peach! Happy Sunday!

Is That a Courgette in Your Pocket...

...or are you happy to see me? For my American friends, courgette in French is zucchini for us. While this is absolutely NOT, my most favorite photo of me in my overalls; it certainly is the funniest. I'll have to save my "salad man" and "vegetable man" stories for another day. Happy Saturday! Celebrate and wear overalls every chance you get!

Less Than a Month Away-Celebrating Overalls

It's hard to believe that International Overalls Weekend is less than a month away. It  seems like only yesterday that Niels, Bodil and I, were sitting around the table at the Chatette, talking about the possibility that they could be in New Orleans for that weekend. Et voila-they will be arriving at the Union Passenger Terminal on Tuesday, November 19, just in time for me to scoot over from my evening diversity class and scoop them up. We'll be "pot-lucking" on Columbus Street from Saturday afternoon into the evening, and then they depart on Sunday afternoon for Chicago, to catch their plane home to Denmark. You'll be hearing a lot more about overalls over the next month or so. Niels and I were part of a group of overalls lovers, who were recently included in an article in Modern Farmer-(I've linked it for you below). This overalls photo above screamed at me this morning. It was taken in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, October of 2005. I'd gotten away from the rubble of Hurricane Katrina, to go visit my friends Keith and David. It was nice to be away, and smiling in my overalls. 

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Overalls, Sunflowers, a Cahors and a Great Friend

Today is my friend Joan's birthday. We've been friends for coming up on ten years now. We met in 2003 in Cadrieu. Morning coffees, aperos, dinner parties, fetes, dog walks, vernissages, and wines at the wagon...we've shared so much, and yes, we do know how to celebrate.  We've also taken some shopping and photo excursions that are hard to beat. Life has gotten in the way for both of us, that has made it hard to see each other in Cadrieu. But, hopefully, that is all about to change. Love to you on your birthday and always-Laury and Sammie                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                            

Another Dali Day

Losing Dali during April, so quickly after we returned; was heart-breaking for me. It would have been heart-breaking at any time, but I really did believe that we had at least another good year together. It goes without saying, that she is always in my heart, and never very far away. Some days, she's everywhere. Yesterday was one of those days: seeing others walking their dogs-tears, still looking for her when I come in the front door-tears, Esplanade Bus and Streetcar-tears, and, even walking across campus and feeling what a partner she was-tears. Tears, now too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Sammie cat and I carry on. She's doing double duty in the loving, hugging and emotional support departments. One of the things that helps me move forward is to put some of our pieces in place to return to France. Yesterday morning, I checked to see what requirements exist for traveling by plane with your cremated pet. It's certainly easier than when they're alive, but you do need a certificate from the crematorium AND a special travel container that can be x-rayed by TSA. I leave you with a little series of Dali-right before we left France almost exactly a year ago.                                                                                                                                                          

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing...

...a mood, a place, a time of day, that at the moment...is very far away, but close at heart.