TGIF (Paris)

Well, folks, it's been a great week in Paris.  So many impressions, sites, interactions, delicious meals, laughs with my husband, meeting new friends,  getting to watch my husband converse in French (there is something so sexy about this language).

Our last day here, we ate a late lunch at this Falafel restaurant in the Marais.  The restaurant that was recommended to us by 2 different friends was closed due to Passover.  Yep, hard core.  So, we turned around and stepped across the lane to this place.  Steve had Chwarma and I, Falafel.  It was delicious, and a completely new food for Steve.

Unfortunately for me, the Falafel came back 3 hours later to haunt the hell out of me.  No last romantic dinner in Paris with Steve.  I spent the night curled on the couch, double up in pain.  What had I done to offend Him so?  Why smite me on my very last day?  Why me? Why me?

Now it is early morning and me thinks I hear chickens in the neighborhood.  Seriously.  Some birds are squawking up a raucous.  I've got packing to do.  Steve took care of his last night as I lay unconscious, grateful for the black darkness.

We'll walk through a few streets to the Rue du Rivoli, where we can catch a taxi to the train station.  Off to Avignon, rent a car, travel to our farmhouse where we'll be for the next week.  Other than last night, it's been grand.

Au Revoir, Paris.  Au Revoir, La Marais.  Let's get together again, shall we?

Wordless Wednesday

Nun, Paris    Photo by Tara Crowley.  All Rights Reserved. 2016

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Musings

Plascha, a friend in the neighborhood

“Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.”

—Dean Koontz(author, Whispers)

 

The only thing I won't like about our up coming trip, is leaving our pups.  We have a wonderful sitter, who has a dog herself, so I know they'll be well cared for.  Lucy will get a warm body to sleep with every night.  It's just -- well, I'll miss them.  

Boo, at the park

Lucy, left, meets a new friend, Skippy.

Our love of our dog friends & family runs deep.  I still miss Tikwa, and miss him more whenever I see a yellow lab of his age and girth.  Going through photos the other day, I came upon a video of him romping in the park behind our house.  That kicked in the sweet pain magnificently.

Yes, these creatures love me like nothing else.  Their love sends my endorphins flowing.  Stroking their bodies connects me to all good things.  No wonder dogs are brought into hospitals and retirement homes.  No wonder there are farms where children with various disabilities are able to touch and hug farm animals.  I don't understand people who don't like animals.  Don't they know what they're missing out on?  They're missing all the good stuff.  

We have friends who travel a lot, and so do not have pets anymore.  But they do have their neighbor's dog anytime they want.  In fact, sometimes the dog is with them more often than at its own home.  Their dog daddy is a little jealous, truth be told.  This dog makes these two manly men melt like buttah.  Sophie is a small white fluffy thing.  She loves these guys so much that she waits at her front window for them to come by.  If she sees them, she goes nuts.  It's a match made in heaven.

 

I am doubly appreciative of our dogs during these trying times.  Sometimes I get a tad too involved in the presidential race and politics.  The dogs are the perfect bullshit antidote. 

 

Even politicians (especially?) know the value of a dog: “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”
—Harry S. Truman (33rd President of the United States)

I hope you have a dog in your life.  Even a friend's dog. 

TGIF

Not in the writing mode, or mood for that matter. but I do hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

Tara Crowley Photo, 2016

Monday Musings

What to do when the pollen count is high?  Stay in a do a bit of spring cleaning.  My refrigerator has never been so spotless.  Well, maybe when we purchased it.

The bathroom drawers have been tidied, and expired pills gotten rid of.  Hairbrushes cleaned.

Who knew it took so much to stay afloat in this life?

Yeah, tell it to the Syrian refugees.  The victims of war the world over.  Of plague and starvation.  I am acutely aware of my privileged status.  I can ponder whether it is ethical to eat meat.  Not worry about when and if I'll eat today, tomorrow, next week.

That I can derive such satisfaction from domestic tasks is a triumphant call of the very lucky -- me.

The roses are in full bloom out back, albeit covered with rust.  They still look lovely and I'm cutting the blooms as fast as I can and filling all available vessels.  Rushing back inside to get out of the wind, and, yes, pollen. 

S. gave me this album, a re-pressed vinyl that sounds so warm and real.  Perfect for a relaxed day of sorting, cleaning, musing.

On days when big cleaning tasks need to happen, I like a mix of music I made specifically for the task.  I call it my "House" music.  Pink. Madonna. Bruno Mars.  Pop stuff.

But today, it's Nina.  Languid, sublime.

Monday Musings (On Paris)

Bon Jour from France!  Yesterday was our first full day here, and what a day it was.  Arose at a very reasonable hour, went to a local cafe for cafe et croissant, conversed with a couple of women from England who were visiting for several days.  We had pleasant conversation, and then one of the women very tactfully asked, "And who do you hope wins the Presidency?"  They were pleased and relieved by our answer "Anybody but Trump."  Then, of course, we got into the horrors of  Trump, and the disaster of George W. Bush's presidency, and the glory of our current President.  They said that Europe is watching, and is scared.

Rue du Tresor, Paris

After we left them, we went back to our apartment to plan the day.  We took the good women's suggestion and took the Big Bus tour of the city.  A great way to get an overview in 2 hours.

Lunch at a Bistro several blocks from Not.  We re Dame.  We went as far back in the neighborhood as possible to avoid a tourist trap.  We werre rewarded.  Many families out on Sunday, enjoying the afternoon meal together.  Many children who, by US standards, were well behaved and engaged during the meal.

Then a stroll around Notre Dame, first around the backside because we wanted to see the least often seen side.  Again: rewarded.  Although we were approached aggressively by a group of young teen girls who were trying to scam us.  We forcibly said "NO!" and they let us alone.

We actually experienced our first scam earlier in the day.  Standing outside the Opera, fiddling with cameras, a fellow bent down and picked up a gold ring from the sidewalk.  Exclaiming his joy, he then tried the ring on and it was too small for him.  So he offered it to Steve.  Clearly, a man's ring.  Steve kept insisting this was too much and we could not accept.  But the man pressed him and he relented.  Then the fellow said we could certainly buy him a cup of coffee to show our appreciation.  So Steve gave him 5 euros and off the fellow went.  Another Parisian who witnessed this expressed concern that we had just been scammed.  We thanked him but didn't believe him.  Then I began to wonder.  And sure enough, minutes later, the same scammer showed up, waved an identical ring in our faces and smelly coyly.  He was rubbing our noses in his trick.  We just laughed. There was nothing else to do; we had been fooled for the cost of 5 euros.  5 euros for a good story.  We consider it a fair trade.  Now we are more savy.  N'est ce Pas?

Notre Dame on a rainy day

On the main, a glorious and fun day.  Viva la France.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Musings

My husband and I had an interesting and thoughtful conversation with my daughter and  her husband about sensitivity and empathy for working class people.  So many of  us, as we climb the economic ladder, forget how hard it is to struggle to make ends meet.  This causes one to be callous about 'poor people' and feeds into the false narrative that we can all pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.  This is a blame and shame tactic used by the wealthy against the poor.  It does no one any good.

A few years ago I read two books that really shook up my reality:  Nickled and Dimed, and Deer Hunting with Jesus.  Two books on income inequality, how we got this way, and why it is perpetuated.  I always recommend these two books as an excellent reality check.

PBS is running a series on the News Hour about wealth and poverty.  You can take a quiz here.  It brings up some interesting points.

When I was growing up, my family experienced periods of wealth and stability, and also hard times where money was tight and mom was cancelling newspaper subscriptions in an effort to save money.  As an adult,  I've always lived paycheck to paycheck, which was especially stressful when bringing up my child.  There was a particularly stressful Christmas where I had no idea where I was going to get enough money to buy her a gift of any consequence.  Then, by mail, my grandmother sent me a very generous check and I broke down and cried I was so grateful.  She literally saved Christmas for my child and me.

But through hard times and good, I had what I call "class."  Values that include empathy, dignity, friendliness, generosity, and integrity.  I've passed these along to my child and she lives these values as well.

So we were pretty incredulous that some people, as they do well economically, lose their connection with working people.  We talked about how the people that have the least give the most.  Time and time again we see it and hear about it.  It seems to be true the world over.

I did see a great story last night on Sixty Minutes about "The Giving Pledge" wherein billionaires pledge to give away at least 50 percent of their wealth during their lifetimes.  Featured were Bill and Melinda Gates, the woman who invented "Spanks" of all things, and our favorite Billionaire, Warren Buffet.  The Koch brothers were not a part of the pledge.  Big surprise.

How you spend your money reflects your deepest values.  This is true no matter your net financial worth.  Some people retain their values and use their money for good.  Others use their money to build a wall between them and the rest of humanity.  I'm an old socialist at heart, because sharing of the wealth leads to the greatest good.  This is not to say there has been a successful socialist experiment on earth.  We're still working on it. 

TGIF

What a week it was.  We spent time in the Napa Valley, playing with friends, eating great food, strolling the beautiful valley.

It's as green as I've ever seen it.  We had a lovely wine tasting at T-Vine, just outside St. Helena.  We bought a Zin that must be consumed sooner rather than later, as it is a 2012.  It is delicious.  We'll take it to dinner with us when we celebrate mom's birthday in May.  We're taking her to our favorite Osteria Fasulo.

Yesterday, on our way out of town, we stopped at Il Posto for lunch.  Completely spur of the moment, with the help of YELP! to find something suitable.  What a great lunch it was.  We both practically swooned.  If you're in the area and like Italian food, do go!  I delighted over the Asparago Caldo - warm asparagus, frisee, pancetta, sherry vinaigrette, marcona almonds, goat cheese & ricotta fritte.  Beyond yummy.

As a lover of fine food, I am especially looking forward to eating in France and Spain on our vacation.  Mmmmmmmm.
Indulge me here, don't hate me for traveling. I've not ever gone to Europe. And so many other places. This is my time, boys and girls.