Soar-Dream-France

A Sun With Staying Power

 

Yesterday's sun came in and out among the clouds, but unlike the others that were merely sun seconds before the rain, this one had staying power. I was energized. The sun stayed with us into the afternoon, and left me hoping that Sunday would truly be a 'Sun"-day. But, then the rains returned. 

 

 

Sitting on the stoop, I: journaled read a little of my new book by Samantha Power-The Education of an Idealist; had some coffee and cookies; checked out just how high the river was from the road; and, shot a few shots.

 

 

You know the river is high when it is rushing from the lavoir into the canal below the road, and the river is brown and covering up the boat slip below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It felt good just to sit in the sunshine for a while. With all that energy-I was off to chores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Sunday!

 

On My Own and Proud

 

After a couple of dry days, I'd gone to bed planning to spend my Monday morning moving wood and cutting grass.

Snuggled in and cozy in my bed Sunday night, the rain began hard on the skylight and I knew my plans were foiled.

Ah, but there is that big ladder in the utility cave.

Because it is so big it is rather unwieldy. I got it out of the cave and then evaluated my next steps.

Initially, I thought I could just lift it up and over the wall-ha-ha! No way!

Instead, I did a rest, flip, and then pull across the tracks.

 

 

 

 

I got it over with less struggle than expected, but then it needed to be angled up the hill so I could ease it into the barn over the stones.

Then I would figure out how (or if), I could get it up onto the wall as I had planned.

You can see how the ladder bows in the middle, spindles are missing, and it's the middle that is major charcoal,

This ladder has never lived in the barn before...it was always inside the Chatette.

As I mentioned yesterday, my two ladder ladies are going to be barn roommates!

 

 

 

 

I sometimes have a way of making things harder on myself. Finally, I opened the other side of the doors, et voila!

I got it hauled in and tried to measure up to see if she would fit where I'd hoped to hang her and if the iron and wooden pegs were placed strategically enough for her to hang easily.

 

 

 

 

 

She's just a little heavy, but I did manage to get her up off the stone floor and then hoist her the rest of the way up on the second end.

Even so, that bow in the middle made her look unsteady. 

I took her down and turned her around.

 

 

 

 

This hanging was much more complicated and she dropped twice as I tried to stabilize her at each end. We shall see. For now she's resting on the stone. I may try again, or I may wait for Didier's return.

 

 

I'm always proud of myself when I can do these things on my own, but I do know when it's time to ask for help. Or as Dad says: Maybe asking for help sooner is better than asking later!

 

Thanks Dad, and Happy Tuesday!

 

Living on or Near Water

 

Every place I have ever lived in my life has been near or on water.

For me, it has been the Mississippi River that runs through both St. Louis and New Orleans, and now smack dab on the Lot River here in Cadrieu. To be honest, it's a real treat for me to live right on the Lot as I do. 

That said, I'm not a big boat or fisher-person. I became more interested in boats and fish when I began seriously dating a guy at university in St. Louis.

 

 

Not only did he introduce me to boats and fish, but F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway were part of the deal too. F. Scott was easy for me. Hemingway took a little more work. I remember buying Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and For Whom the Bell Tolls for him as a thank you for helping me with a repair on my '66 Pontiac Ventura! It's nice that after all these years, he and I are still friends.

 

When Evelyn gave me Paul Hendrickson's Hemingway's Boat to read and keep, my friend tip-toed through my memories.

It took no more than reading the synopsis and the introduction to know I had to check in to see if he had read it.

I dropped a FB note to him.

He hadn't read it, but said he was going to order it.

It seemed serendipitous, that my boat appeared on the Lot River amidst the dancing diamonds just as I had finished Hemingway's Boat. It felt like a sign.

 

 

The beauty and transcendence of this lone boat with a lone two-poled fisherman floating through the dancing diamonds right before my eyes, was surreal. My still heavy heart and the tears that flowed during and as I finished this book, pushed me to follow him along the river. I wanted to soak up his presence. I found I felt the diamonds and the love of a man and his boat beyond my tears.

 

 

I was aware of the skeletal basics of Hemingway's life, but the layers laid bare by Hendrickson in such personal and direct ways showed me how little I knew and understood about Hemingway the man.  It brought home the tapestries of love, loss, histories of nature/nurture and the so many circumstances beyond our control, once more. 

 

 

Hemingway's boat, Pilar...she holds it all!

 

 

 

 

Happy Sunday!

 

It Has Begun

 

So much for days of rest!

Yesterday morphed into much more than I had planned, but who would say NO to the beginnings of the work on the barn? Sitting in my comfy chair with Hemingway's Boat open for enjoyment, I heard clanging metal that sounded close by.

I was right!

 

There was Monsieur Feres with his truck on the tracks, unloading all the scaffolding to get us set up to begin the work on the barn's roof.

It was amazing to watch Didier's progress all by his lonesome.

I learned even more about the structure of our barn and its beauty.

The stone is stunning and climbed much higher that the edge of the roof. You can see how high the stone goes in the photo on the right!

 

 

 

 

 

Watching the old roof come "undone" down to her bones and listening to the tiles crashing below are bittersweet for me.

I've been hoping to get our girl a new roof ever since she became part of our "WE" back in May of 2010. It'll be almost ten years soon! 

 

 

And, here we are!

Of course, I'll be back!

 

 

Happy Thursday!

 

The Importance of Paris

 

It's Sunday morning in Cadrieu, but Rodin's "Thinker" and I are pondering Paris! Looking back at my photos from my day in Paris in 2014 and just finishing Matisse and Son for the third time, are once more reminding me of the importance of Paris in my life. I'm feeling immersed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paris is one of my big "just ones"-no Paris...no Cadrieu. It's easier to look back to realize once more that if just one thing were different, I wouldn't be where I am (and who I am) today.

 

Paris was on my path. My "just one" Paris was chock full of many other just ones in my life. It's impossible to know when you are in the middle of it.

Then, Paris was France for me. Paris was my dream. I didn't think there was any more of France that I needed. How wrong I was! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cadrieu was my destiny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so today, as the sun rises over a beautiful Lotoise morning smack dab on the Lot River...I raise my cup of coffee and I say merci un million fois a Paris et beaucoup de bises!

 

Happy Sunday!

 

Resurrecting Matisses

 

Over the years, there have been books that I loved so much that I read them more than once...sometimes multiple times. Matisse-Father and Son, by John Russell is one of those books. And yes, it's encore time! 

I first read it in New Orleans when I borrowed it from Eric. I fell in love with: the story; the artist (all over again); the father/son relationship and love; and, their lifelong communication through letters. I read it a second time from here in 2014 when I borrowed it from Evelyn. And now 5 years later, I'm at it again.

With each read, I realize that my perceptions are impacted by where I am, what I'm doing, and, how I'm feeling. I seem to learn something new each time, even though I've read it before.

The best part for me is their letters. It also appears that father and son communicated with each other more comfortably in writing than face to face, especially on difficult issues. I often mourn the loss of letter writing these days.

It's a soft, sweet, raining day here in Cadrieu today. I celebrate the joy of reading a book I love at least one more time and that love and connection of letter writing. Give them a try sometime.

Happy Rainy Tuesday!

 

Books, Bob and Bread Pudding

 

 

How does one get ready for the Bob Mueller Report Marathon?

Even from France, it was important to me to dig in and watch Bob Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary and House Intelligence Committees last Wednesday. 

 

 

Tuesday, I made my microwave bread pudding. I like to celebrate many of my special occasions and events with bread pudding...easy, tasty and thoughts of home. Tuesday, I also finished Where the Crawdads Sing so I could focus on the Mueller testimony. Wednesday morning, I rode into Cajarc for re-enforcements and then after my call to Dad, hunkered down on the sofa with the computer YouTubed up and ready to go.

 

 

I wanted to read the whole Mueller Report for a reason. I wanted to see the whole testimony for a reason. Both in their entirety were important. Nothing I read or saw changed my opinion, but provided MORE facts and basis for what I believe is a well-informed and politically engaged opinion.

HUGE MERCI, to former Director Mueller...Doing battle for truth, justice and the American way as an American Hero for us yet again, just this time before Congress.

 

Happy Monday!

 

 

The Joy of This Life

 

There is an unending joy and luxury in this life for me here at the Chatette in Cadrieu. It envelopes me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, that doesn't mean that it is always easy.

 

 

 

Challenges and problems still arise. Most of you know my stories of here. I still struggle. But, somehow I still manage to feel the joy and gratefulness in the the midst of the struggle! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So before I go out to cut some grass this morning, I want to share a little of the beauty and joy of just this spot. 

 

 

 

Happy Thursday!

 

Marion's Magic

 

It's always easy to hook me with books. Sometimes a little extra hook from the other side grabs me and it's a done deal for sure. Wednesday's trip to Figeac's Recyclerie had one of those grabs from Eric's Mom-Marion Holsapple.

When Mary came up to talk to me about the English books, she had this book by Penny Vincenzi in her hand. Marion had introduced me to Penny Vincenzi and I had read many of hers while I was in New Orleans.

I saw it in Mary's hand and told her:

 

 

"Oh, she's a favorite of mine!"

 

All the while, I was thinking that I'd probably already read it. I decided it didn't matter. Marion was reaching over from the other side to let me know that I had to have this book. And, she was right. I hadn't read it AND it was only 50 centimes. It's also a perfect read for these hotter days ...thick, interesting, well-defined characters and an intricate plot. I haven't finished it yet, but it looks like I will by this afternoon.

 

 

 

Huge Merci to Mary, Marion and of course, Eric for sharing his Mom with me. She became such a treasure in my life and she still is. 

 

 

Happy Sunday!

 

Re-Building a Bookshelf

 

 

I love bookshelves. There is nothing better than sitting in a room that has bookshelves covering every inch of every wall. I knew one in my lifetime, It was in Paris. The bookshelf in the photo above is my favorite. You'll find it with my guys on Dupre Street in New Orleans. I chuckle because I've probably read almost every book on their shelves. Eric and his Mom kept me in books while I was in New Orleans. I used to tease that they were my "source!"

 

 

Of course, I'd brought all my favorite books from New Orleans to the Chatette after the storm. They were sitting on the beams on the second story. Most did NOT survive the fire. As I rebuilt our life here at the Chatette, I found that incredible bookshelf at the Deco Troc. I am in the process of re-building the bookshelf...not with wood and nails, but books.

 

 

 

 

 

I began ordering new books on Amazon.fr and was in hog heaven. I still am. Right, is my political section!

 

Last week's trip to the Recyclerie  in Figeac with Jane gave me a whole new source.

Back in the corner on the left as you walk in, there was a whole corner and table full of books in English. Paperbacks were 50 centimes and hardbacks were a euro! It was also a treat to chat with Mary and Karen-two Brits who work the books. You can buy the books anytime, but if you want to chat they are there Wednesdays between 10am and noon.

Mary also makes these amazing book bags for 4 euros.

 

The Recyclerie is another community response to supporting refugees in the area with training and other services. Great prices...Great cause!

Jane and I decided this will be another regular stop on our travels. I made a haul and could have gotten more, but I tried to control myself.

 

 

It is the beginning of a special stash.

 

 

Happy Saturday!