Working hard, being close to the source, and paying attention to the natural flow of life around you; are just what the doctor orders for me when every day brings news of different crises traded between my parents.
So much is hanging and unknown. So much seems to change on a dime. I've considered an earlier return, but we will see how things unfold over the next few weeks. For now, I just keep working in the garden, enjoy the morning sunshine that sometimes sneaks and sometimes blasts into the Chatette, and I check on my barn baby birds regularly.
There's no doubt I will always be a "southern" girl at heart. It makes no difference if I'm in the sweltering heat and humidity of New Orleans summers riding my bike, or the soft, dry, sweet spring sunshine of the Lot pushing the lawn more with dried grass and hay in every imagineable out of the way place...I have my iced tea with me.
My flavor/tea of choice is mint green tea. In New Orleans, it's Bigelow's. In Cadrieu, it's Lipton's the vert menthe intense. And here, I have more natural mint garnish than I know what to do with. I am in mint green tea heaven.
By the end of my grass cutting on Saturday, I was doing the land around the wagon and found many sweet spots to rest my beverage of grass-cutting choice...and I'm finding, my choice throughout the day as well. I'd shared many a mint green tea with a friend in New Orleans prior to my departure, so that every time I brew a new pitcher of it here in Cadrieu...it carries me to those New Orleans moments! Mint Green Iced Tea Magic!
Et Voila-a bit of the fruits of my Saturday labors! Who knows what Monday holds!-And, I checked on the baby birds who were peacefully sleeping on top of each other with their little fluffy black feathers beginning to peek out!
It's no secret, I love St. Cirq Lapopie. Reconnecting there is as important to me as is reconnecting with the Chatette. Friday's visit with Evelyn met the reconnection challenge, and then some.
Since my first trip to St. Cirq in 1996, the church there saddened me. The stain glass was broken, it seemed stark and empty, and it didn't really look like anyone was going to bring it back to life. But, here we are almost 18 years later, the church has life, color, repaired stained glass, and saints a plenty. The moment we walked in, this stained glass reflection took my breath away and I had to have a shot. My Merci lady was there waiting for me too. I lit my candle with intense gratefulness...but this time also had a little special energy stirring request for my parents.
Rarely do I buy anything in St. Cirq Lapopie. Money, coming by bus, and expensive items usually got in my way. Even though money is always an issue, we'd come by car, I'd found a couple of very reasonable and perfect items. What fun to have a huge wide-brimmed straw hat call my name just as Evelyn and I were about to walk out of a clothing shop.
And, having a beautiful non-functioning thermometer and a nasty, plastic functioning one that slammed in the wind on the terrace, was all the encouragement I needed to treat myself to a new, beautiful one that would work and dress up the terrace right out side the kitchen window. I bet my bittie birds and roses will be happier too.
And of course, there will always be my favorite restaurant with my favorite meals and flowers all along the way.
Taking Evelyn to lunch at St. Cirq Lapopie yesterday, was full of special moments. How could it not be special when you're wandering in the place that rose out of the mist from the other side of the Lot River while I drank my morning coffee on Wendy's Tour de Faure terrace in 1998? St. Cirq Lapopie whispered: "you must come back and make your own place in the Lot".
During our wanderings, there were whispers of another kind. There have always been many wandering St. Cirq Lapopie dogs on my visits there. Yesterday, it was as if Dali appeared in St. Cirq Lapopie. I tried to get the dog's attention, but he/she just kept on walking straight ahead, as if I had been unheard and unseen. It was a sensation I had had before when I dreamed about an old love that had been killed in a motorcycle accident. They are there, but they are gone. Evelyn and I continued our wanderings, with many more special moments I'll share another time. On our way back up the hill towards shops and cars...another siting. For me, Dali is everywhere in many forms. I miss her. She is here, but she is gone. She lives on for me.
It's no secret, I have been going through cheese withdrawal back in the states. Imagine my excitement when we were presented with this cheese plate at yesterday's birthday celebration at my favorite tabac in Figeac, La Cazelle.
I was in cheese heaven!-Bleu, Cantal, Cabecou, and a Brie made my day. I looked at the various cheeses, made my selections, and realized...in the states, this plate of cheese would cost close to $100...those Cabecou's alone would be about $6 a piece.
I know I'm going on about the cheese, but Marc made us a special birthday lunch. We began with a kir as our apero, regional onion soup, a very tender marinated duck in pepper sauce served over rice, cheese, a fancy prune dessert in a type of creme caramel smothered in creme anglaise, coffee, and a whole bottle of red wine. Greg drove, so the wine was mostly up to me. I knew I'd had too much when I started telling Marc stories about how they have the best bathrooms in Figeac! What a meal! What a treat! What a price...30 euros for 2!
And then, we went garden shopping. Happy Birthday one more time to Greg!
I love this new sign pointing the way to the new and improved public WC in Figeac.
I arrived and wasn't sure what to do with myself. You still have to walk past the urinals, but there are now two private areas that are automatically self-cleaning and locking. Of course, the instructions are in multiple languages, and forget your 2-euro coin...they are free!
Even so, there's something creepy to me about being locked into any kind of a space not of my own volition. I was very happy to note the explicit instructions on just how to get yourself out, and yes... I even went back a second time just to take photos! Happy Thursday!
We already know that I'm easily entertainable. Happiness is bird balls with the first return of my bittie birds doing their trapeze artist thing. I could watch them all day long.
Creative, generous, thoughtful, loving people are blessings in our lives. Each step of departure from the states proved one more time for me: I have many. Although our time with Mike and John at Mahogany Oaks was brief, it was rich. After shrimp salad, I opened a beautiful peacock bag full of goodies. There was even a little bit of Momie inside, but she didn't stay there for long. Pretty soon, she was everywhere.
The beautiful metalic cat journal, was probably intended to be the journal of our times here during our second "4", but I've decided to make it more. It has become Journal #2 of the Chatette. Our first Chatette Journal is full, and this one is perfect. It too, will hold the milestones, memories, and sentiments of this magical place for me, my family, friends, and visitors. For some reason, I don't think John and Mike will mind. I've already put Mike's Card of our favorite photo up on the side of the frige.
Most of the tiny envelopes that were tucked inside were empty for me to fill with memories, but one held a special treat: Momie's Little Book # 114-The Best Wit of the French People. Even though the proverbs are in English, the special French flair for thought, feeling and humor comes through loud and clear.
Funny...I opened the little book to just this proverb:
"Seizing the moon with one's teeth."
Now, that is quite a visual. I'd say Momie's come to France.