Soar-Dream-France

Feeling Safe...or not?

 

I confess to having had the luxury (maybe even the privilege) to be able to feel so safe in my life that I didn't even think about it. Being safe was a given condition. It wasn't until I went to an art therapy workshop and we were asked to make two drawings; one where we were happy, and the other where we felt safe. Happy was an easy one for me, my stick figure was standing in front of the Eiffel Tower in a beret with a camera in my hand.

"Safe" was a little harder.

 

 

I had to reach back and feel more than think.

As it happened, "safe" turned out to be me spending time out in the country with my Nannie and Papa. I hadn't really thought about safe, or how truly safe I always felt with them. 

These days, as I watch all that is going on with the violence in the states and in New Orleans, the question of "safety" comes up often. It scares me to see ongoing gun violence and then add in other violence by white supremacists.

 

 

The other morning when the sun was rising out my window over the Lot, I had tears in my eyes. I am often "tearfully" grateful that I am able to be here. But that morning, I was "tearfully" grateful because I felt safe. 

I honestly never thought that being able to feel "safe" would be something to be grateful for. When did being safe become a special blessing and not an ongoing condition of living?

 

Pondering Safety?

Happy Thursday!

 

 

 

 

Happy International Overalls Weekend 2021

 

This year, I've been a tardy girl for International Overalls Weekend.

To be honest, I'm always confused over whether it is the weekend before or after Thanksgiving.

I should know better by now! 

 

 

That opening photo says it all!

It was overalls, wood back in the meter long log days of 2009, cold November, and did an Irish Coffee and Cookies Overalls party here at the Chatette.

It was certainly memorable for me.

 

I found out how much other friends enjoyed it when we were having lunch after the village clean-up!

I do have some great photos and found myself wondering if I could pull another one off.

Maybe next year or the year after...

 

...for now, we're all doing a lot of living on memories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's hoping you'll enjoy some of mine to celebrate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy International Overall Weekend!

 

 

 

 

A Heavenly Happy Wedding Anniversary

 

Finding pictures of Mom and Dad together, much less all of us, can be a challenge. It just seemed right to start off with this shot of all of us in front of Uncle Bill's house on Mardel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nannie moved in with him not long after we lost Papa in 1971. He must be taking this shot! I figure it's around '75 or '76, because I cut all of my very long hair off during 1975 and was in St. Louis until the summer of '76 when I left for graduate school and New Orleans.

 

 

As I was thinking about what I wanted to write today, I stumbled on the blurb I'd written and to have posted for their 50th wedding anniversary in 2003.

 

 

I will share this with you here today to say: Happy Heavenly Wedding Anniversary, Mom and Dad. This will be the second one that they have shared in heaven.

And, Happy Sunday!

 

The Last of the Four

 

Earlier today, I wrote to my sister that as a group, I believe our family is very caring and passionate about everything. Because we value history, people, places, romance and memories; we don't take anything for granted.

Being people who don't take anything for granted, makes their loss that much more profound. I remembered how after Katrina I would say: Never in a million years did I think ...!

With the virus, that list has grown exponentially! 

 

 

It has also left me asking myself just how much I have truly taken for granted in my life, for which I was totally unaware until it was gone.

 

Will all of this become more valuable upon return, or will it remain a distant and profound memory. Only time will tell.

 

All that said, so many photos stirred memories, but it was a day with my sister in fall of 2014 that grabbed me an pulled at my heartstrings. That was the year that I called my year of 4-4-4. I spent 4 months in New Orleans, 4 months in Cadrieu, and 4 months in Ferguson. 

 

I realized yesterday, as difficult as those 4 Ferguson months were for me, was as wonderful was the quality time that I was able to have there with family and friends. Until now, I was only able to see the difficult.

That day, Kat and I enjoyed the Missouri River from the bluffs of Alton, Illinois. We went to the Grafton Flea Market where our cousin Carol had booth. We took the Grafton Ferry over to Kinder's Restaurant.

 

 

 

I'd been to Kinder's with an old boyfriend, and always wanted to return. That, and a chance to have catfish with Kat sealed the deal! Then, we took the John W. Cannon Ferry back across the Missouri, through the countryside and home.

 

 

What a day we shared. It was a treat then, in the midst of all that was going on with our parents at the time.

It's an even bigger treat today because of how long it has been since we've seen each other, or been able to enjoy an outing and a lunching like this!

We knew it was an important day together then.

It's an even more treasured and important day now!

Here's to hoping there will be more tender and gentle moments like these to share together for all of us!

 

 

 

 Happy Thursday!

 

Good Things Come in Small Packages

 

When the post-person flew up to the Chatette in her little yellow car with the blue writing on it tooting loudly on Saturday; I ran out to see what she had and to make sure she would scoop up the 3 stateside bound cards I had attached to the mailbox!

The envelopes were easy, but she had a small box from the states. I was excited until she told me there was a 50 euro customs charge on it. I couldn't tell who it was from or what it was, but based on conversations with family and friends there were a couple of possibilities. I told her no. But then, decided to think about it until Monday and then play detective. Eventually, I figured out it was my Christmas gift from my brother Jim and that I would just pay the 50 euros and be done with it...talk about holding your packages hostage! This isn't the first time something like this had happened.

I had no idea what to expect when I opened it up yesterday. Imagine my reaction when I opened the wrapping on this beauty! I cried! While there have been many steps along the way over the years, this pen and ink drawing of my Window on the Lot is the very spot, the launching pad if you will, where I began my life in the Lot.

As you can imagine, touching is an understatement! Jim is a talented artist and has gifted me with many beautiful and poignant pieces over the years. Yesterday, this one got the memories rolling and pushed me to doing a little looking back. I even went back into the blog archives, and have found some older posts I will share again soon!

 

HUGE MERCI, Jim. Love you bunches!

Happy Tuesday!

 

The Day of Her Birth

 

I don't want to let today escape without mentioning that TODAY is the day of my Mom's birth.

Today, she would have been 88 years old.

I always thought it was interesting that both she and Nannie died at 84. 

 

In fact, here's an old photo with (l-r) Nannie, Mom, Aunt Pat and Dad out in the country. Oh so many fond memories of those childhood times going to Nannie and Papa's country place in House Springs! 

We all loved it.

Missing you on your special day and every day, Mom. Joyeux Anniversaire from Cadrieu. Lots of Love from the Lot, Laury

 

Happy Birthday Mom-and Happy Wednesday!

 

Living Paris Treasures

 

Recently, I wrote about trying to be creative about covering up that nasty (but necessary) printer that impeded my path to artistic expression around the Chatette.

I had a couple of ideas. I tried lace, but the white was too stark with the dark furniture.

Then, I remembered the quilted wall hanging that Mom had made for me after our 1996 Paris trip together.

While it did survive the fire, it was quite smoky and needed to be bleached more than once.

 

 

 

It's not perfect, but it is the sentimental value that means more. And, it was a perfect cover for the printer.

Fortunately, I have photos of it in all of its glory and close ups of the collages that Mom had printed on material and added.

In one corner Mom had written "Treasured Moments" and in the other a little note of love and thanks-"Love, Mom!"

 

 

 

 

 

Those sweet notes didn't survive quite as well as the collages did.

They are only ghosts of their former selves, but I remember.

I seem to live with ghosts around here every day!

Now, as I work in the kitchen, water the window boxes or rearrange my vases of flowers; Mom is right there with all those memories of our week together in Paris.

Those memories rise and become more. Feeling Mom so close every day is a treat!

 

 

Happy Thursday! 

 

Beyond Grass

 

 

After finally finishing up the last bits of grass that needed to be cut on this side of the tracks yesterday, I found myself focused on flowers once more. First, I so enjoyed how that beautiful flowering shrub draped lacy sweetness over Sammie Cat's spot. I always have a little chat with her when I begin and when I finish. 

It always feels good to finish, even though I know I still have to head over to the barn.

 

 

I will, but in the meantime; I enjoyed the beauty everywhere close to me inside and out.

The roses continue to be gorgeous.

The remaining geraniums got potted.

And, the barn, lavoir and chateau continue to be a backdrop that shows the roses off beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the afternoon light at full force on the side and behind the Chatette, those gorgeous reflections of color snuck inside once more.

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

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!