Soar-Dream-France

Labor Day Morning Light

Seeing the moon smiling down at me from the back yard this morning, reminded me that I had some new garden lights in the back yard making their way out for the first time. What a treat to see the hummingbird, dragonfly, and butterfly cycling through various different colors already, even after a very rainy and sunless day yesterday.

 

 

The hummingbird was recognizable from a distance but the rest needed closer up and special angles to catch their beauty. Each is really prettier than the next and very entertaining to sit and watch in the morning darkness with a pretty moon hanging overhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then, they all became angels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Labor Day and a

 Special Merci to Evelyn, for such a wonderful birthday gift!

 

Truer Words

 

 

 

Last night I invited Steward and Eric over for dinner. Earlier in the week, I'd gone with Eric on a grocery run for his Mom which let me get a few goodies of my own. In that stash was a pack of nice thick pork steaks and my favorite mozzarella balls and mozzarella "pearls" for my tomato, basil, mozzarella salads I love so much. After a hell of a Friday, spending Saturday hanging out and getting ready to share a meal with good friends was just what I needed.

 

 

 

Eric is over pretty regularly so he'd already seen the piano, the new configuration of the furniture, and a few other changes in the house. It might help to know that before the storm, I used all of the space in the house and apartment. Now, I have a tenant in the apartment, a tenant upstairs, and I live solely on the first floor in a much reduced space than what I've been used to in New Orleans and in France. 

 

 

 

After nibbles, we went to sit at the table and dive into our BarBQ (KC Masterpiece Original is the best in my book) pork steaks, potato salad, and tomato, basil, mozzarella salad. Stew looked around these front two rooms of the house that are my main living space and said: "All I have to say Laury, is that you sure know how to make the most of every bit of space and still have it comfortable and pretty."

 

 

 

Truer words were never spoken. We're comfortable, happy, and as I've written before; this summer is the first time in ten years since the storm that I can truly BE in this space. That is a huge accomplishment for me, and it's nice when the people I love can see it too. Huge Merci to Stew and Eric!

 

Happy Sunday Everyone!

 

 

I Love Lucie

 

 

Coming upon this photo this morning, I knew I had to get on Skype and call Evelyn. I so wanted to be walking down the traintracks between our places and sharing today's cup of coffee with her and her Lucie! Video Skype is wonderful, but it's not the same as sitting across from each other at the kitchen table with Lucie on the sofa or under our feet. Last summer when Evelyn went to Ireland, Lucie came to stay at the Chatette with Sam and I until it was time for us to go.

 

Then, Lucie and I walked up the hill to Jean's where Lucie would stay with Jean and Rocky boy until Evelyn's return.

I always love having Lucie with us. We all felt just a little bit lost without Dali there last summer, but we soldiered on. Lucie and Dal were best buds, both so photogenic and lovers of overalls! Especially clean ones!

Happy Saurday!

 

And School Begins

 

 

This fall, I'll be teaching a course that's new for me and it starts TODAY! Stumbling upon my Royal Street Angels this morning, I couldn't help but wonder which one we'll be today. Will we be the happy, swinging angel who looks ready, excited, and adventurous? Or, will we be the angel behind the iron balcony looking out at the world looking a bit afraid, timid, unsure, and skeptical? I can assure you that I'll have both, and maybe a few surprises in there that I hadn't even considered. Happy Friday and Welcome to my new batch of students!

 

 

 

 

Return Ramblings

 

 

One year ago this week, Sammie Cat and I were leaving Cadrieu and closing up the Chatette to make our return to Ferguson. Not unlike my return that September of 2005; I had no idea what I was going to find in Ferguson. At least Sammie Cat and I were together this time.

 

Leaving the Chatette is always heart-wrenching. I cover Monsieur Winkelmann with a comforter and a blanket to keep out the dampness. I cover the wagon with those wonderful plastic blue tarps (memories of Katrina days) that protect her from the rain and other elements outside beside the lavoir.

 

Once I'm finished with what has to be done at the last minute. I try to give myself enough time to wander around and love on my place. Sometimes I take photos just so I can remember where everything is. I've already bought essentials at the Intermarche, so they'll be waiting for Sammie Cat and I when we return...kitty litter, coffee, wine, canned cat food, ... I think you catch my drift. We always leave expecting to be back the following summer, but so far that just hasn't been possible. But, we're ready for when we do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are not easy journeys under the best of circumstances. Country bus to Cahors. Train from Cahors to Paris. Fly from Paris to Chicago and then St. Louis. I know I make it a little harder on myself by insisting Sammie Cat and I leave on our own. I've said my a bientots to my friends, I can kiss the Chatette one last time, and then Sam and I walk to the bus. It's my ritual. I have to walk around the bend and turn back around to see the Chatette one last time before we continue on.

 

Sam is a travel trooper. But then when she's with me, we get a hotel for an overnight on each end to cut back on the carrier time for her. We also take a taxi rather than the RER. Loaded down on the RER with only my backpack is no fun...add in the carrier and I can't even imagine the headaches that would come my way.

 

 

We said good-bye to Paris and arrived in Ferguson on September 1. We already knew there was a lot going on.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little did we know that we were walking in to a human hurricane.

 

 

 

 

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A Golden Path to the Moon

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Somewhere Out There

Transitional Objects and Memories

 

 

 

To look at that rug under the piano bench, you'd never know the places it has been or the memories it stirs for me. I find meaning everywhere. For me, it makes for a much richer life.

As the piano was returning and we were resettlng on Columbus Street, I realized that I needed to protect the hardwood floors from too much piano bench sliding.

That very colorful rug began life in St. Louis with Mom and Dad.

 

 

 

 

When I got there in September of 2005, Dali and I took up residence in the basement until we could return home to New Orleans. I scooped that rug and put it on the floor for Dal. From then on, it's been with us. It was a sweet, safe place for Dali to sleep while we stayed with Carol in Covington and when we returned to Columbus Street. It went in Dali's carrier when she and Sammie Cat and I were going to France that May of 2006. It rested on the cold tile floor under Monsieur Winkelmann so Dal had a soft place to listen to me play Moon RIver. It went back in her carrier for our return to the states in 2012. It came back to New Orleans with us in 2013, and it was with her when she passed away in April of that same year.

Quite a journey. Quite a life and so many memories that just keep coming. I can't look at that rug without thinking of our Dal. Every time I play, it's as if she's right there under my feet on her rug keeping me company. She's never very far away, and for me that's a good thing.

 

"B" Overload

 

 

Two days after my birthday, my friend Barbara celebrates hers. I'm not sure how it happened, but Barbara's Birthday turned into an illiterations of "Bs" for me. I'd already gone into handmade card production and chosen the Barn as Barbara's cover. Barbara and Frank stayed at the Chatette for a month in 2003, so she knows the Barn well. It seemed appropos that it should grace her birthday card.

When you pull the ribbons on her card, two of the three slots are favorites of mine from our first time at the Bunch Club Mardi Gras Dinner Dance with Mike and John.

 

 

 

And then you have the Basil rooting in a Patron Bottle, with a Bag full of sea shells from the Beach in Bay St. Louis.

But the best part was that we got to celebrate our birthdays together with catfish at Middendorf's, then after dinner drinks and praline cheesecake with Mike, John and Carmen at the Mahogany Oaks Bar before we headed home back across the Causeway.

 

Birthdays Galore!