Soar-Dream-France

Katrina and Overalls

 

 

During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the tumbling of the levees, my overalls were essential! I did seem to live in them during those times.

The shot above was taken in Armstrong Park, shortly before Dali and Sammie Cat and I were going to be heading out to France. Wynton Marsalis was playing and a friend and I decided to take a break from working around our places and head down to hear him. Armstrong Park is always a fun focal point for events and music, even though it is a location that had a horrid history of slave sales and uprisings within.

 

 

I often had conversations with friends post Katrina about how we survived. We could point to the support of friends and family, neighbors, and that sometimes getting away from the devastation helped.

We often needed to know that there were other places in the world that were still "normal"...or at least the normal we used to know. I got tired of hearing about the "new normal," and even more tired trying to live it 24 hours of every day. 

During a particularly bad spell for me, I went off for a weekend or so with my friends Keith Landry and David Zielinski. Keith had this fabulous place that I'd fallen in love with in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

 

 

 

Going there was always a treat. 

After being wrapped in the nurturing arms of my friends in Cajun country, I'd return to Columbus Street in a better place to continue to attack problems or new crisises.

The aura didn't last long.

In no time, I was back and moving and trying to fight the good fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, it was a fight.

 

Through life's celebrations and challenges, my overalls have been with me every step of the way.

 

 

Happy International Overalls Weekend.

Happy Sunday!

 

Me and Dali and Overalls

 

What a girl my Dali was. She lived with me in overalls most all of her life. She and Sammie Cat became French Girls with me here in Cadrieu back in 2006, and when we had to return in 2013 our overalls saga continued. We lost her in New Orleans in 2013. I lost Sam last year in the fire.

 

Actually, I've come to the conclusion that Dali's perfection has ruined me for other dogs. I miss Dali and Sammie Cat desperately! Both were a perfect fit with me!

 

 

Dali was even at our first International Overalls Party here in Cadrieu. I did put her in overalls for the event...somewhere I have the photos! She was a tolerant and patient girl who enriched every moment of my life. Ah, here's a collage...I've teased she looked much better in them than I did.

 

 

 

Happy International Overalls Weekend in heaven to

Dali and Sammie Cat. 

 

Happy Saturday!

 

From the Canyon to Cadrieu and Cajarc

 

 

Yesterday I posted this shot of me in my overalls after a hike in the Grand Canyon back in 1978.

It evoked a lot of comments from friends and family.

It also gave me pause to reflect on those times and how they impacted the last 40 years that brought me here to this spot.

In many ways, the canyon brought me to Cadrieu and Cajarc.

 

 

 

I learned a lot about myself on this trip. I love to travel. In that love of travel, I learned that I prefer to travel alone and truly explore the places I go and the people I meet along the way. Even though I travel alone, I am rarely alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this particular trip, I met 3 women on the bus to Flagstaff. Two were Australian and one was Swiss. We got a hotel together in Flagstaff and then took another bus to hike the Canyon together.

 

While we were reserving the van to the top of the South Kaibab Trail, there was a group of guys from Philly who were going too. We ended up taking the van and hiking together.

 

 

My friends and I only went down to the five mile mark and then returned. The guys went on to the bottom of the canyon.

 

Before we parted, Ed (sitting on the ledge in the photo above) and I agreed to meet at the bus station in LA on Saturday night at 6pm. I went on to Las Vegas and then LA.

And, yes...I was at the bus station early.

I'll never forget how happy I was to see Ed running down the staircase to get me.

We spent a little LA time together but then they headed back to Philly and I headed on to visit a friend in San Francisco.

 

There's something to be said for falling in love at first sight in the Grand Canyon, even if it can't last forever.

We managed to do long distance between Philly, St. Louis and New Orleans for almost a year. I guess I should have known that when I chose New Orleans over Philly during the summer of '78, that was the kiss of death.

 

 

I am convinced that I am here today because I reach out and talk to people. We get to know each other. Relationships develop. We end up staying in touch...sometimes ending up in interesting places all over the world.

 

This last one, just happened to become home.

 

 

Even in 1978, I was celebrating the beginning of a truly international life in overalls. Don't forget to begin celebrating today!

 

Happy Friday!

 

# One Overalls Guy

 

 

 

While most of my sentimental things did NOT survive the huge fire at the Chatette last November, I was very grateful that ALL of my dolls made it out alive.

That doesn't mean that they weren't the worse for wear.

Many required:

 

 

trips to their bleach spa and hot tub; clothes soaking; hard scrubbing; and, sometimes body repair and reassembling. It was quite a site around here in the early days of my return to the Chatette at the end of April this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddy Lee was one of the survivors.

You can see the soot on his wrist and elsewhere.

I believe that he had been a sample doll for Lee Overalls. He'd be taken around to show people an example of Lee Overalls.

 

 

Buddy's been here with me since 2006. I've brought him out for all of the International Overalls celebrations that I have had here.

 

 

He cleaned up well, but he had to run around naked for a while because it took so long for his overalls to dry!

He makes me smile.

Celebrating life in overalls with Buddy Lee.

A girl couldn't ask for a more perfect overalls mascot!

 

 

 

Today, he holds a place of honor in the new enclosed bonneterie between the two girls formerly known as the "Smokey Girls!"

Happy Thursday!

 

Finding Room

 

Yesterday was one of those days where my time at the computer took on a life of it's own.

I got a lot done, but basically stayed in my pjs all day and didn't even unlock the door.

There are a lot of odds and ends to take care of before I return to the states at the end of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found myself:  looking at Paris options for those days before the return; looking at social security and medicare sites; communicating with tenants; communicating with my congressmen and senators; writing the blog; keeping up with bills; and, keeping up with happenings in the states which begin to feel like rolling soap operas daily and sometimes moment to moment

 

I've chosen this spot for the view, but have a small work space. I crowd up quickly when the boys want to come and hang out. It makes no difference if it's one or two, in my lap or on the desk top; "mousing" is a challenge.

 

Then, someone posted a beautiful cheese and saucissons platter on FB.

Hmmm, I have just the wine and makings to make one of my own, and did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to put it? Once a brought in another chair we were good to go.

 

I enjoyed my evening wine and cheese, while I listened to Rachel Maddow's Bag Man Podcasts 1-4.

Today, I think I need to get out!

Happy Wednesday!

 

It's Coming...International Overalls Weekend

 

I can't believe that it's already time for International Overalls Weekend this coming weekend. I'd pondered party, but have decided that a small get together chez moi is going to have to do this year. That said, I've been thinking about what I can do to join in the fun and celebrate! 

So from today through the end of the weekend, I'll be sharing some of my history in overalls through photos. I have my favorites over the years, even though some of you may have seen them before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also committed to wearing my overalls every day this week.

 

 

Which I confess to not doing as much as usual.

How do you plan to celebrate? 

I'm starting off today with a couple of the earliest photos I could find of me in overalls (as you can see I had a very early start) and the invitation I sent out for our first International Overalls Day and party in Cadrieu.

Happy Tuesday!

 

Coming Home

 

After meeting Evelyn for our walk up to the church for our Cadrieu ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, I made my walk home on the main road.

Most times I shortcut up and back behind the barn, but not today.

Shame on me. I took NO pbotos of the ceremony and subsequent apero up at the Mairie de Cadrieu this time around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, I couldn't resist

the sparkling road home.

 

 

We're still golden. You can see the paint brush tips of color that remain on the top of the trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I may have a new favorite tree to photograph.

 

 

 

I'm going to have to be paying attention to the light and location.

I'm just not sure that it will be as photogenic as my old favorite that you see on the left here, who disappeared down the Lot as the banks continue to erode away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming home has also come to mean seeing those sweet little foster men waiting for me inside the Chatette.

 

 

 

I'm not sure life gets much better than this.

 

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

Hubert Henry Bohland-Our Hero

 

 

Our Papa was an amazing man. We loved him to the moon and back.

These are two of my favorite shots of Papa and me and Papa with me and Jim.

He deserves even more love, kudos, and special attention today on this 100 year anniversary of Armistice Day.

Hubert Henry Bohland fought for us in France in WWI.

I continue to marvel and what did and didn't survive last year's fire here at the Chatette.

It is the mementos that are priceless.

Most of the photos (but not all) had been saved to the computer.

Everything else in today's post was in an envelope in the upstairs bedroom, hanging from a collage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can tell from this photo of the envelope, it was a pretty close call.

 

While the antique postcards are my favorites, they managed to capture something even more special.

One must have been a "carte postale" that Papa had written to Nannie. He calls her "Funny" and tells her about what actually happened in this particular postcard. 

 

 

On one of the photos that I don't think survived, Nannie wrote "My Hero" on the back. Every time I looked at that photo, it made me grateful that "Our" Hero made it home.

 

 

Who'd have thought that on the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI, I would  be living in France.

It is an honor and a privilege to be able to live here. 

HUGE MERCI to our Papa, and all those who fought and died during WWI.

I will be walking up the hill to the church today, to honor these men and say thank you to the strains of our village of Cadrieu singing the Marseilles.

 

 

 

Armistice Day 11/11/1918 to 11/11/2018!

 

The Little Men

 

 

It is absolutely no secret how much I love these two foster brothers: Ollie and Opie. 

They are everywhere!

I believed that by fostering them from kittens up, they would have a good start and a sure road to adoption.

Now, I wonder if they wouldn't have been better off at the Refuge so that people could have come there to see them.

 

 

 

The fact is that the Refuge in Figeac was full for kittens/cats back in July when these two sweeties came to me.

They have been with me since their very early days of hiding under the bed most of the time and crying through the first two or three nights. It's difficult to believe that they were really once this tiny!

It used to be easy to fit them both in my lap while I worked. They are big boys now.

 

 

 

Actually, I've taken to calling them the little men. Now, they take turns or sometimes just wrap themselves around each other to make the fit!

I am a realist. I can see that there are pros and cons for them to being here with me as they learn and grow. 

Now, I'm looking to the end of the month and early December. I am returning to the states for an extended period of time. If they are not adopted, they will be going to the refuge.

 

I have been very clear from the beginning that they belong to the Refuge and that I could only foster them until it was time for me to return. I have to believe that they will be fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish my heart were as clear as my head.

I will continue to keep you posted. Miracles do happen!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Saturday!

 

 

 

 

Heavenly GOLD

 

 

We are surrounded by gold!

Just outside all of my front windows on the Lot it is a golden life.

Every year I look forward to the color and the reflections that magnify its brilliance. It takes my breath away.

 

 

 

I patiently wait for one particular tree to go yellow. If you follow the road and focus on the far bend...you will see the flame that beckons.

Blessings everywhere!

In the blessing of enough, I have the luxury to choose this gold over the gold of coins.

 

 

 

Happy Thursday!