Summer’s Almost Gone...

A very low key summer this year... there are so many things going on and I felt the need to get away from it all. So, I packed a bag and hopped the TGV to CH, my favorite place to unwind!

Much of the time was spent doing exactly that, unwinding... cooking and sipping wine on the patio overlooking Lake Geneva, but we also celebrated the Fête Nationale Suisse. The day started with the racing yacht Alinghi making its way from Lausanne to Geneva... we caught sight of it mid-way in Morges. Followed that up with the canton Vaud's celebration of music, food, wine, bonfire, fireworks on the lake and dancing! I haven't been dancing in years and teamed up with a nimble Brazilian man who kept me on my toes! Obrigada, Luiz! The following day was quiet, mostly because it was Sunday, and half the village had left town on vacation!

On Monday, we headed up the hill to a friend's house for lunch. She and her husband have a spectacular view of the lake and Mont Blanc. Lunch was delish, and it was nice to catch up! Merci à tous!

By Tuesday it was time for a road trip... the beauty of Switzerland is that it is small enough to get around and you feel like you are in a different country within an hour or two. We drove up to Neuchâtel, and did a cruise around the lake, always relaxing... Got back to port and decided to drive to Murten; a beautiful little town in canton Fribourg. It was getting late by the time we arrived, so we hit a few shops along the central Hauptgrasse street.

The first was a gun shop to purchase and have a Swiss Army knife engraved as a gift for a relative (he only charged 1 CHF for the engraving!). It was a very peculiar little shop; lots of dead things, and lots of mercenary type gear, not to mention antique armory (he had a WWI machine gun set up near the cash register!). The owner was somewhat gruff and kept an eye on every move we made. I didn't dare touch anything, and I didn't see the guard dog until we were leaving. He was sleeping in his hidden/camouflaged cage, but the door was wide open and I'm sure, had the word been given, we would not have been going anywhere fast!

Our next stop was much more relaxed and enjoyable. The glass dispensers filled with different colored oils were what caught my eye. The store is called Vom Fass and it has every flavor of oil and vinegar you can imagine. They also have a wide variety of whiskeys, cognacs and other spirits. The site lists their locations, if you have one near you, go for a tasting!

After the oils, we grabbed a beer at Grizzly's, a Canadian resto serving ribs and American style food... right next door was a butcher. We had already decided it was too early for dinner, yet too late to grab something on the way home as the stores would be closed. The butcher's shop smelled of marinades and spices and the rack of lamb was the choice of the day. If you happen to be in Murten, stop by and ask for Christian Pauli, Hauptgasse 22, Tel: +41 (0) 26 670 11 32.

We got back to home base and whipped up dinner... I have never had lamb that was so tender and flavorful. Turns out it was Australian lamb... I may need to make a trip down under! The lamb was accompanied by fresh green beans and a dressing of avocado oil and fig vinegar, both from Vom Fass.

Plans are underway for the Cow Parade in September... however, that all depends on several situations and how they work out. For now, it is back to reality...

When summer's gone, where will we be?

Sweet cherry wine...

I couldn't resist, and they tasted great! I'm back, it's been a while, but I've been busy and have spent some great times with friends who were visiting. Got to see Crosby, Stills and Nash on July 4th, and then had unexpected tix to see U2 on July 11th at the Stade de France! Great show, 80,000+ people... Next up is Yes in November and then The Harlem Gospel Singers at the Olympia in December.

A quick heads up, if you are a cycling fanatic and happen to be in the UK area, take a look at my friend Ymer's site. Tell him I sent you, he'll take good care of you... be sure to pack your wooden leg!

It's truly summer. I'm off to my favorite place... photos to be taken, wine consumed, friendships renewed. Life is too short, have a great time wherever you are!

Drink it right down, pass it all around...

Say ahhhhh.....

In so many ways, saying ahhhhh right now is so precisely right. The opening of the yap and the sigh of relief for the outcome.

I was a smoker, on and off, for many years. It has been a little over 12 years since I quit smoking for good. I watched my mother die of lung cancer. I held her hand as she passed. Very recently, I have been worried about what was going on with my body, convinced that cigarettes have finally caught up with me. That funny looking spot on my lip that wasn't going away. But, that's not the cause... this is from too much sun exposure.

I am lily white. I never tanned, I burned and peeled. I have had sun poisoning more than once. I finally gave it all up at the age of 28. I had spent a long day at the beach with friends. It was fun, but the after effects were not. Our family trips to the beach afterwards were spent slathered in sunscreen or covered up, and definitely not outdoors during peak hours. Still... last Saturday afternoon I was at the dermatologist's office having a minor procedure done to remove a precancerous growth from the right half of my lower lip. Right now, it ain't fun and it sure ain't pretty, but it beats the alternatives. Time marches on.

My son reminded me yesterday that he will be 18 this October. I'm having a hard time taking that in. I knew it would happen. When I was pregnant I used to think... when he's 18, I'll be 51... it was such a long way off back then. But, here we are. I actually had to think out loud the other day, 'how old am I?'... I am still 50. For another 2 months or so, I am still 50. I find my memory banks to be a little harder to tap into.... maybe the mental Rolodex needs a bit of WD-40? WTF?

Seriously, WTF???

So, to combat some of this (what's the word I want?...) ennui? laissez-faire? (why can I come up with FRENCH and not ENGLISH words now?) I am planning some adventures for the next few weeks.

Some friends from Lyon will be in town the weekend of June 27 for the Gay Pride Parade. We have plans to meet up for lunch at Pooja, but we'll play it by ear. If you haven't been to a Gay Pride Parade in Paris, you are truly missing something... music, costumes, a lot of fun! (Guy, where are you??)

If you happen to be in Paris on July 5, meet me and a few other summer stragglers at the Eiffel Tower for a big sing-a-long. This is a Facebook event... the song is still being decided upon. Hopefully, it will be something everyone can sing. The big favorites being debated so far? "La Vie en Rose" (meh) and "We Will Rock You" (barf). How about "Imagine" or "All You Need is Love"? Something with meaning that everyone can sing... "Three Little Birds"? In any case, a friend is coming over from NYC and we will be spending July 4th at the Olympia with CSN. "Find the Cost of Freedom" would be a great song, but it's too short, and besides, how many French young-uns know the words to that? Hope to see you there. Here's one we can all relate to:

I will survive...

There are places I remember...

I was there in 2002, the era of Bush, Chirac and Colin Powell. It was the first Memorial Day following September 11. We had invitations from the US Embassy to attend and a group of us drove up for the day. Our driver (a friend with the biggest van) picked us up bright and early and we hit the autoroute... we had a great time enjoying the camaraderie and rare moment of being together for something that wasn't office related.

As we approached Colleville, the streets were lined with French and American flags and military "checkpoints". We had to show our invitations and passports several times along the way. We arrived early as told, which gave us plenty of time to park and get good seats.

Going into the cemetery took my breath away. Knowing the events which took place there, and the enormity of the loss of life, I couldn't help but be moved by the vast number, row after row after row... of grave markers. The sea in the background and the decorated veterans who survived...

I am a military brat. I have written about this before. "Taps" starts the tears. Fly-bys do me in. Once the ceremonies were over, I pulled myself together and we finally had the opportunity to walk around and visit the grounds. I found myself standing and chatting with U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Larry Poe, overlooking the beach. Lots of stars and bars for a Navy brat like me.

If you have not yet been to Normandy, put it on the list of must-see places to visit in France. It is such an awe-inspiring place to be. The museums and sites will stay with you forever. To have been there for a special ceremony was a privilege, but I need to go back and spend a day there. It's a peaceful place to be.

Some have gone and some remain.

Toits de Paris...

A lot to be said about the light in Paris... in all seasons. This was taken about an hour ago, 10pm... still light enough for that fabulous twilight blue to come through.

These past few weeks have been an exercise in patience... waiting for too many outcomes, just glad they have all turned out well. Now it is time to turn the page and move on.

Spring is very much here; and even though it is still chilly, the days are really getting longer, Rolland Garros is just around the corner and I will soon be heading to my favorite respite. Then, before you know it, summer will be here with la fête de la musique and friends coming to visit! Where does the time go?

Chim-chiminy...

The way you do the things you do...

Gotta love Facebook. I know, I know, enough already, but... dig this! Just in today's posts I learned about restitution, retaliation and resurrection! Might I add [sic] for all?... Enjoy!

Restitution Q:
OK fellow FB'ers....anyone have an Ipod Guro who can rehab a rain-soaked Ipod?

Restitution A:
"Turn it off immediately. Put it in a bag of dry rice. Put the bag in a warm spot. Voilà!"
"ouch! then to reboot - hold down the menu button & center button at the same time for 10 seconds."
"DO NOT turn it on until dry (1-2 days in the rice). Water and circuit boards don't mix."

Retaliation Q:
?? "is figuring out how to retaliate. there's this long-running feud with her upstairs neighbor. he just broke out a saxophone and it sounds like he hasn't played it in a decade. he can barely blow a clean note. should ?? (a) make the dog bark, (b) get out her violin, (c) get out her irish tin whistle, or (d) bang on the ceiling with the broom handle?"

Retaliation A: (lots of them!)
"...we generally bang on the ceiling. And last weekend, early in the morning, we turned the speakers up towards the ceiling and blasted the stereo!!!"
"Make the dog bark while banging the violin on the ceiling. Save the whistle for later."
"No, no, no. Don't fight fire with fire. Call him up and tell him you think the sax is so sexy."
"Play the violin badly, if you can, and hopefully the dog will bark along with you."
"(e) All of the above...simultaneously."

Resurrection Q:
?? is asking "for help for our new worship service: anyone got any good resources (web or print) that have great assurances of pardon that will work for a more post-modern service? Or if you don't have resources, what would you want to hear about God's grace?"

Resurrection A:
""One fact remains that does not change: God has loved you, loves you now, and will love you always. This is the good news that brings us new life." It cites Women and Worship and is from the New Century Hymnal (we refer to it as "assurance of God's forgiveness" in our order of worship). I also like many of the resources found at Outside the Box prayers."
"Seriously, something from your heart, if you have to chunk this in, and have to follow Is. 6, do it completely from your heart...the key is for it not to be a formula...but then again, is Is. 6, the only way to see the USA...post modern style?"
"hehehe, i love that you're working towards a more "post-modern" service"...

You make my life complete...

Death and taxes....

Come what may.

I'm knee-deep in French taxes. Another word for it is Ciel Hell. Ugh. I am not an accountant. I remember a long ago 25 question college course pop quiz. I got all 10 math problems right and all 15 true or false theory questions wrong. Need I say more? Now, take all that, put it into French, and then, apply French tax laws. You can SEE how much FUN I am having, non?? As they say in Skype... (puke). Due date? May 1st. Death is more inviting. So much so, that I am thinking of my submission for a project called "A Book About Death".

A friend here in Paris, Matthew Rose (an avant-garde artist), is the brainchild for this project and he has put together an idea for a book and website... 1000 artists contribute 500 post cards each to create an unbound book about death. Exhibition at the Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery in New York City. Opening: Thursday, 10 September, 2009. Exhibition: 10-22 September 2009.

When I first heard of this project I knew exactly what I wanted to submit. A photo of the church library where my mom spent many of her last days, which is adjacent to where she is now buried. It is a stark black and white image and, as it was almost Christmas when she died, the doors have wreaths, rendering them almost too festive. I have been going through boxes and piles looking for the negatives. I'll find them, and the shot I want, and I will submit it as a part of this project. It is a cathartic way to honor a memory and let it go at the same time. I have found the letting go part to be really hard, even though it has been almost nine years.

In any case, I hope you will take a look at what has been submitted thus far. There is a lot of love to be found, and a lot of creative expression, in many forms.

Nothing is certain...