Soar-Dream-France

And the Winners are...

 

Yesterday turned out to be a fun and interesting day. I hadn't stayed into the evening for the raffle at the Telethon, but I knew that Christiane would let me know if any of my gang had won. When she came to pick me up to take me to the Chatette, she was loaded down with goodies. It was fun to see AND most of it will be able to make it back to the states.

 

 

Mike won two very pretty dolls. John won a light that is supposed to kill flies. Glenn won a flat duck basket with three cans of pate AND a beautiful flat of vegetables with pounds of potatoes. I've teased Glenn that since he won twice, he'll have to share with Bill! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must say that the vegetables are my favorite. They are the prettiest flat of vegetables I've ever seen.

 

 

 

It's unusual to see them displayed so pretty and all together. When Jacky and Yannick are selling them at the market, they're all grouped together so you don't get the same effect.

This felt more like an artistic vegetable bouquet! 

 

 

Congratulations to our winners!

Happy Monday!

 

Cadrieu Telethon and...

 

...finding my way back a bit, yesterday. I was riding my bike starting from Cajarc. It's the same route that I always take between the Chatette and Cajarc, but it feels different and surreal starting from the apartment in Cajarc.

 

 

There really is a strangeness in feeling that I'm going in the opposite direction in many things in my life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, at least for now!

 

 

I'd been in earlier in the morning to work with Christiane to sort out more that needs to be done with the Chatette. I keep saying it, but it's true-she is Wonder Woman heading a team that can't be beat. I decided to go back to the apartment and see how I felt about the rest of the afternoon. I knew I wouldn't stay for the Tombola since it would be too dark for a bike return, but maybe I'd come back for a little shop.

 

 

I made it back and was glad I did. It was good to see everyone. As tired as I was, it was also a chance to get the questions and the "fire" discussion out of the way. Everyone was wonderful!  Everyone had a chance to see that I was really okay!

With a pack of friends who bought raffle tickets, I'm still waiting to hear if we have any winners in there. I did buy a couple of things to hang in the apartment and later back at the Chatette. Therese wonderfully gave me a Christmas Wreath. I behaved myself and managed to stay away from the Pastis, Bread, and other sweets on offer.

The Pastis and Bread were made by the village, a wonderful group/community effort. (At the moment, I'm feeling a bit like a group/ community effort!)

 

 

The winter weather pattern and a ride closer to sunset brings a different ride home, but it makes no difference where I am along the Lot on the route between the Chatette and Cajarc...I always feel the love.

Happy Sunday!

 

The Christmas Lamb

 

Over the years,I've had my own traditions and activities that make Christmas meaningful. It made no difference where I was in the world, New Orleans, Cadrieu, Ferguson, Holland, Germany or some other locale; I found a way to bring something of my own to make it special for me. One of the things I used to do was bring my Christmas Lamb ornament along with me. He was easy: light; pretty; easy; and, laden with meaning.

 

He was always the first ornament that went on my tree every Christmas no matter where I was in the world. He'd been a late 80's Christmas present to me from my friend Denny. Denny later died from AIDS. Every year I found his spirit embodied in my sweet Christmas Lamb when I hung him on my tree. 

 

 

This year was no different. I'd begun to get the tree up and ready. There he was. He hung alone for a few days, until I began to put the rest on little by little.

I had all my special ornaments there in the living room ready to be put on the tree. Some I'd brought from New Orleans. Some, Mom had sent. Almost all are gone now, except a plastic container that held tiny china Hummel-like ornaments that Mom had sent over and an iron Eiffel Tower.

Jane comes today to take me shopping for some essentials. Riding my bike in Cajarc, I found some tiny trees that might just be perfect size for a window in the apartment...I want to get one to holiday us up. I've got what's left of my ornaments to hang. Jane gave me a beautiful sparkling gold Eiffel Tower yesterday...and ornaments or not...we will be filled with all the different meaningful spirits my ornaments held, but above all-the spirit of Christmas.

Happy Friday!

 

 

The Visits Continue

 

So many things about Sammie Cat are woven in to my daily living that she pops up everywhere. Once I could catch my breath a bit it seemed that the subtle visits began. Yesterday morning, her visit was much less subtle.

Throughout the losses I've experienced in my life, I know that there are times or portals that are particularly open to my loved ones. Of course, dreams are one. For me, there is a time when you aren't dreaming, you aren't awake, and you aren't sleeping. It's the cusp of a very in between time and a consciousness. For me it is a time of visits, and sometimes messages.

I am alone in the apartment. I heard snoring in the bed. It wasn't just any snoring. It was my sweet Sammie Cat's snoring. Easing from sleep to wakefulness she was waiting for me in the in between. That's my girl! It didn't take her long!

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

Time Telling Bells

 

 

As you can imagine, lots of adjustments going from living in my gorgeous Chatette to the center of Cajarc. Even though Cajarc has always been a part of my life here, I'm getting to know it even better.

I realized early on that I don't have a "clock." And then, the bells of St. Etienne rang.

I love that place and have photographed it madly.

 

 

 

The church bells in France have always offered a flow to my life. 

At the Chatette, the bells rang twice, once in Montbrun and once in Saujac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But these bells...

 

I am almost close enough to touch them and they ring loud and clear.

 

I am now telling time in my life by the bells of St. Etienne.

Happy Tuesday!

 

Rudderless

 

 

At times like these, I find it's important to try to make the best of whatever I can and to continue to what I love and what centers me when I can. This year, I began using my Project Fi Nexus 5 Smart phone for all of my photos. I'd downloaded all except the most recent here to my laptop, but the phone melted in the fire. Fortunately, I did take out the insurance! What to do at many levels? I still had my Canon PowerShot A550 with me and thought it could back me up in the camera department.

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning I discovered what I had forgotten-that there was a reason I'd stopped using it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a first night's sleep in the Cajarc studio apartment, I got myself together with my list.

 

 

On my way to the post office, I had my 2euro coin out to go see my friend St. Therese of Lisieux. I had lots to be grateful for and needed to have a little conversation with her. (At the moment, my St. Therese and the 2 Marys are black and may or may not be recoverable-the big Mary has lost her head!).

They were beginning to put together the Christmas Creche at St. Etienne. It is all Santons and very special. The minute I began taking photos I remembered. This camera is not going to work for me. I did my best, as you see here, but something else to add to my list.

While there are photos in my future, I'll be problem-solving what to do in the meantime. I don't want to miss the creche up close, the lights in Cajarc, and of course my hardly after Christmas in Paris!

Happy Monday!

 

Friends and the Fullness

 

When I checked in on FB this morning, I wasn't sure if I was at the Mahogany Oaks Bar (MOB) with John and Mike, or if John and Mike were here at the studio apartment with me in Cajarc. No matter. The wonderful photo above brought us together no matter where we are in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I went to save the photo in my downloads folder it did something else. Our Sammie Cat was everywhere in just the section where I saved. She has been beginning her visits.

 

Yesterday it was a tiny smiling cat on the paper towels I bought at the Casino, and some children out my window who were bringing a new kitten home all wrapped up from the cold.

Now...many many photos of our Sam all in one place.

Most of you know this, but John and Mike have been taking care of the "Samster" (as I sometimes call her) whenever I traveled.

She loved them so much in her own Sammie way.

 

But, they loved her more.

 

We always laughed because Mike was the one to take care of her, but she fell in love with John. I have the photos to prove it right here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So today, an homage to Sam and her wonderful, loving, giving, selfless Uncles...John and Mike who loved her (and me) more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Sunday!

 

 

 

When Little Things are HUGE

 

On the run yesterday with banking, new mobile phone stuff, and getting into the apartment in Cajarc; I was so touched when Evelyn told me that Genevieve had stopped by with some cookies wrapped up nicely in tin foil for me.

I put them in the bags that were coming to the apartment and didn't think much more about them until last night.

I was having a little dinner. Funny, I have more whiskey  (Cajarc church bells just rang 7am) than I know what to do with. I'd brought some of my own and then after our phone/bank trip, Jane brings me a bottle of scotch and salami and swiss cheese.

 

 

When I opened up my cookie package, voila...a gang of these beautiful sables! 

Scotch Whisky and cookies for dessert last night after salami and swiss cheese, and coffee and cookies for breakfast this morning.

 

Everyone is taking such good care of me.

HUGE MERCI Genevieve

Happy Saturday!

 

All of the photos in this post belong to Genevieve-le chat est son chat "Paris!"

Gratefulness and...

 

...an opportunity to wallow in it senselessly! It is difficult to describe the events of the last few days without overwhelming myself and probably you too. Most of you know about the fire at the Chatette and Sammie Cat's crossing over to the other side. Most of you also know that this is NOT my first disaster, since I came here to Cadrieu and the Chatette after Hurricane Katrina.

I just keep moving on and doing what needs to be done here.

 

 

 

Without Sam, my "we" is severely reduced. Dali's ashes have been disbursed in the living room. Monsieur Winkelmann will need some work. One of my Mary's lost her head and the other Mary and St. Therese of Lisieux are now black. Actually, everything is black everywhere and in the living room all gone.

But mostly, I'm grateful I'm here. I'm grateful my friend who was with me is okay. I'm grateful for the 15 years I had with my Sammie Cat and how big of a part she became in my life after I'd said "no more cats!"

 

 

 

I am grateful for great assurance (insurance), amazing friends, a village who is loving me and supporting me, and such depth of care and concern for me "en francais" that it brings tears to my eyes to even try to describe it. EVERYONE is a superhero and I have the A-Team.

They say it takes a village...I have one literally and figuratively. Lucky girl!

Coming back in to my life here earlier this summer, I sat in my beautiful living room in my big comfortable chair that EVERYONE loves and wants to be the one to sit there.

 

 

I looked at: the atrium; the play of the light; bathed in the silence; and, patted Sam's head and rubbed her chin as she sat on the arm of the chair. I actually said outloud: "This is all I need. It is just enough for me." Nothing is left in there now. Then this week, I sat on the front steps with Monsieur Winkelmann behind me while I looked at my loving Lot and said: "Even in all of this, I am happy. This is enough!"  

 

And so, I just keep going. I do what I need to do. I wallow in the gratefulness and glory in my wealth of spirit and love in my life...and I know that I am the richest woman in the world. Whatever is up ahead for me will be different, but as I've said before-sometimes the surprises  are better than anything I could have planned and I just need to trust the universe!

Lots of Love back to y'all from the Lot!

Happy Friday!