Soar-Dream-France

Comin' Around Again

Tomorrow will be the one year anniversary of the day that Dali, Sammie Cat and I, left Cadrieu for the states. It's hard to believe that a year has passed. So much has happened, and so much continues to happen. On November 15, Sammie Cat and I will be ready for our new tenants to move in to the apartment. Of course, that means yet another change for us. We're doing what we do...taking it a step at a time and tryng to pay attention as we go. Sammie is already settling in to her new routine and digs. With less space, the question of where to put the kitty litter loomed. It began with the suggestion from my upstairs friend/tenant, John...put a cat door on the broom closet and use that. We are not "cat door" people, but the more I looked at the broom closet...why not take the door off, dude it up a little bit, et voila...a cozy corner for my sweet Sam. We are very pleased with ourselves, and John approves. As we move through to yet another change in our lives, I realized that this latest move brings us full circle. When I bought Columbus Street back in 1980, I had a tenant in the apartment, my brother upstairs, and I was living on the first floor. Now, I have a friend/tenant upstairs, tenants in the apartment, and Sammie Cat and I are living on the first floor. We're just coming around again. 

A Sunday Wish for Apparent...

...Peace and Contentment

                                                                                                                                                                

Cahors Cathedral Color

For some reason, I'm in a bit of an "Ode to Backpack" mood today. You shouldn't have to lose/retire two companions in the same year, should you? Dali's passing in April and my purple backpack's demise a short time later, felt like a lot of loss. When I return to France in mid-May, neither will be there to recaputre our lives together. I miss them both. I will miss them more in France. I've always loved the shot above for the color. My trips to St. Etienne in Cahors to light my "merci" candle with St. Therese, usually meant my backpack needed to rest somewhere. 

I will be looking forward to the day when I'll be able to put my bouquet of flowers from the Cahors market into my new electric blue backpack. Missing the old, but looking forward to the new and moving on. Happy Saturday!

Today...

...I would place myself right here on the terrace of the Chatette if I could. 

Children of the Angels

The St. Roch Cemetery held much more than St. Lucie. The cemetery is surrounded by depictions of the stations of the cross, there's St. Roch in his chapel, but then there was something unique...most of the angels in this cemetery were children. Capturing them on film, highlighted by the beautiful blue October sky, seemed the thing to do at the time. In the light of a different day, there is something unsettling to me. Is it that "children" don't belong in a cemetery? Is it some of these very grown up, stern looks, on the faces of child-like bodies? Is it only the volume? I'm not sure. But, once I had a chance to fully realize the impact; their presence was overwhelming and unsettling. There may be more meaning that I've missed. I'm thinking that there may be a return trip in my future.                                                                                                                                                         

Saint Lucie Joins Saint Therese

Tucked away in the back right hand corner of the St. Roch Chapel; Stew, Eric and I found St. Lucie at the door to welcome us into her grotto. St.Lucie is the saint for "eye sight". You understand perfectly, when you look at the eye balls laying on a tray that she holds in the palm of her left hand. From what I could see, her power lies in more than eyes. Her walls are covered with limbs, prosthetics, and busts. I knew she was the girl for me, when I looked down and we were walking on thank you.                                                               St. Therese of Lisieux has always been "my" Saint. Her ability to find joy in simple things and grafefulness spoke to this "non-Catholic" in ways that none had before. Until now-with St. Lucie. Walking on "thank you", seeing "merci", and being surrounded by gratefulness at every turn had me hooked.                                      
                                                                                                                                  I tried to write this post 3 or 4 different times yesterday morning, and kept losing pieces of it. I'd start over, and finally just gave up. I posted yesterday's photo of Saint Lucie and promised more today. As frustrated as I am, I always laugh when that happens. It's usually because there's something else at work in the universe out there. I let go. I moved on. I'm glad I did. St. Lucie wanted me to see. She's about a lot more than eye balls in a plate. She's about a lot more than "eye-sight". She's about vision, the vision to: see beyond, see ahead, and see more than just what meets the eye. So, to my bag of joy in small things and gratefulness; I now have double gratefulness, joy in small things, and the vision to see more. Welcome, St. Lucie...and thanks to Eric and Stew.                                                                                                                                                                         

A One-Saint Girl No More

Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story.

Old Boyfriend with Bees

                                                                   I must confess to stopping by on my bike one day to see Paul and Scott. I'm doing some contract work with an organization that is only a half a block away, so it was easy. Getting in the gate, through the foliage, and up the steps was a different story. And then, No one was home.                                                                                                                 So, it was fun to actually get to see them both on garage sale day. While chatting with Scott on the sidewalk, a woman said to him: "So you're the Bee Keeper?" He confessed that he was. I asked for a tour, and took me back to see them. I expected the hives to be way in the back yard, but this one was at a middle corner of the house. He told me how he'd loved bees ever since he was a little boy. A local Baton Rouge man encouraged him, saying: "We need young blood, otherwise we'll die out." Scott learned how to be a bee-keeper. It wasn't what I expected. All the hives I've ever seen are covered. He promised me that this is the biggest hive in the state and you won't see one like it anywhere else.                                                                                                                                       Following the sidewalk out, through deep foliage; it felt like I was I was in the middle of some tropical jungle somewhere. But, I knew it was just a short walk to the sidewalk. Good thing!                                                                                                                      

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Garage Saling with Stew and Eric

There really is an art to this garage saling stuff. Early is a must. At 8am, Stew and Eric pulled up in front of Columbus Street in their white Cadilac chariot that was heading in the wrong direction... moving before I could close the door. Stew is serious about garage sales. And, this was a serious garage sale. I knew I had to go when they told me that their friend, Paul Poche, was involved. Paul is the brother of a guy I used to date (many moons ago), so I knew the place and what unique and incredible items could be available.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             You know it's not a race or a contest, but it sometimes feels like it. For me, it's necessities only. I've promised myself that it has to be small, light, something I need at the moment, or at least something I love enough to haul back to France with me. When I looked at the rooster tapestry on the green velvet chair, I was reminded of the brocante that Jean and I attended in Limogne. Money was tight, but I found these 2 beautiful tapestries with a medieval theme, that were just the perfect colors and size to hang over my staircase at the Chatette. Did I buy them? No. From that point on, I scoured the flea markets in hopes of finding them again. Yesterday, I pondered the rooster myself, but never asked the price. Eric scooped it, for a mere $8. What a deal, huh? I looked at everything Stew and Eric posted from yesterday's outing...I felt like I made a haul myselt and all for under $20...antique floor lamp-$10, office organizer- $3, book-$2 and the paper towel holder-$1. What fun! And, what about the old boyfriend? More on that tomorrow!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Brother and Nephew Bonding

It's rare for me to get to spend any time with my brother, Jim, and nephew, Jesse. The Friday before the 60th Wedding Anniversary for our parents, was a different story. I picked them up at the UMSL metro stop, got them to their hotel, and then we headed out to run around a little for the evening before I brought them back. Although I'd already had a hamburger with Mom at Crackerbarrel earlier in the day...what's one more hamburger when you're out with your family. We ended up at Steak and Shake...Hamburgers, wienies, and this very pretty cherry lime-aid that Jesse had. I'd never seen so many cherries in one place. From then on, it was a whirlwind of activity-I''m glad we grabbed the Friday moments while we could. Happy weekend to these two guys!