paris and my failed power cord ... don't blame me!

so I've been off the grid for nearly 2 weeks! first I went to Paris for some business (sans laptop) and some pleasure. One day after my return, my power cord conked out.

now one thing about having a Macintosh computer is that it isn't like there's an Apple store on every corner. Or in every city. Or even state for that matter (in the U.S.). So imagine dealing with the consequences of a failed Macintosh power cord in a small village in rural Dordogne!

I grasped about for options...I knew they sold Macs in Perigueux at the Auchan so I headed there toute de suite, thinking problem solved.

not.

Yes they sell Macs but not peripheral accessories. So I could buy a new laptop and get my cord ... ha! He directed us to the service department, thinking maybe they could help. no again.

returned and borrowed a friend's computer. the closest apple store is in Bordeaux, about 2 hours from me. Looked at the apple.fr site. 8-10 days delivery.

racking brain frantically.

my cousin was coming to meet me on Thursday. 3 days plus without power isn't as bad as 8-10 days. My cousin is a Mac user, I thought he would feel my pain and could go buy the cord for me and bring it with him.

well, better yet, he had an extra cord. he brought it. it works. I'm here.

I'll regale you with random Parisian observations next. just you wait and see.

pretty tired!

well, this semi-job stuff is really cutting in to my days! I'm just about worn out ... (smile)

I know I know, happens to the best of us ... but I'm juggling quite a bit these days trying to keep up with the garden ... including harvesting and preserving the fruits and veg ... keeping the yard cut ... trying to clean house every now and then ... searching every Wednesday for old furniture to renovate, renovating said furniture for the shop (finished three pieces thus far plus one for Étienne's bedroom) ... and various other sundry items.

in the face of a heat wave no less.

yesterday something kind of cool occurred. I was in the shop and a little lady with a younger woman entered. She was excited to tell me in her rapid french that she knew the property ... in fact, as I began to comprehend I realized she was the daughter of Monsieur Briant, the former owner. Her eyes were welled up looking around at the renovated forge where her father used to work. She was so pleased to see so many original touches remaining! Jean-Yves reminded me, "the photo, Kim...the photo". Ah yes, we had recovered only one personal item in the house and that was a very tiny photo of a man holding the hand of a young girl, standing in the garden. I ran to the house to retrieve it.

It was her uncle, the brother of Monsieur Briant. She asked to see the garden and I also showed her the new kitchen with the 2 new windows. She gave me her address in la Rochelle.

They also bought some things. In fact, they got a few extras that I forgot to charge them for ... oops! JY and I had quite the lunch yesterday with aperos and a bottle of wine ... so I was a bit perky, to put it nicely! lol.

well that was fun. I'll have to see about scanning that photo and sharing it.

Blogging is getting tighter and tighter, now that I'm supposed to be doing 3 of them! two shops and mine ... le sigh.

but I keep hope alive!

lovely evening in Nailhac ...

I was invited to a "Fête de Noix" in Nailhac, a small village near Hautefort last week-end. English friends, Ruth and Steve, who I met through my french class last year live in Nailhac and have put forth a lot of effort to integrate into their area. This year Ruth was on one of the fête committees and spent many hours fashioning paper flowers that were strung into garlands and other shapes and used to decorate the tiny village.

This village celebrates Friday through Sunday ... one 'repas' won't do it for them! I closed up a bit early and headed over (it is about an hour's drive) ... did my usual getting lost a bit before getting guided back and was warmly greeted with a nice cool gin tonic ... what's not to love about that!

Ever encounter some one you just connect right away with? sure you have, and that's how I felt with Ruth. We were able to chat and laugh immediately (in class) and have had some nice afternoons ... they don't live here full-time so it is another 'flexible friendship' where you 'profiter' when able ... I'm learning more how to do that these days ... as potential friends are fewer and farther away than in the states. Ruth offered to put me up in her guest room so we could drink to our heart's content! lol, plus the fact we could walk there left us feeling able to throw caution to the wind!

uh oh.

well, j/k ... sort of. I had a lot of fun meeting some of Ruth's friends and checking out the village party. I think the tinier the village ... well no maybe not, anyway, I will say I have encountered such a broad variety of experiences with these village happenings ... they can be quite charming.

this one felt somewhat familial ... casual ... and fun! there were a couple of village characters ... the old gent who(french) who likes to take his 'bises' one step further ... and the young man(french) who is a performer at heart and dresses up in various costumes each year with accompanying personalities and entertains the attendees.

and the table full of brits we were 'reserved' with ... some colorful folks there as well...I sat next to a gent on my left, 3 across and Ruth to my right. All were spouses of others at the table. Everyone was quite friendly, jocular even. Except for the man at my left. Soon after I sat down, I was rummaging in my purse and he asked what was I after ... just as he saw me find a pack of Camels and a lighter.

"Oh. surely you're not," he exclaimed. I was kind of taken aback, first of all because he was peering into my purse right along with me. Okay, we were sat on benches ... but it was still a little forward. "Not at table. SURELY no," he kept repeating.

I'm not sure why, but it instantly irritated me! All who know me know I'm not even a serious smoker, just with cocktails or what not. and we were drinking aperitif, no food had been served. and we were outdoors. and all the tables with the french (just next to us) had smokers. smoking. Ruth piped up and pointed this out.

But let me also say that, in seeking out the pack, I wasn't planning to have a smoke just then. It was just that we were a bit scooched in there and it was on my mind to set them out on the table for later.

but then mister nosy mcnosy decided to tell me what to do. or not to do. the fellows across the way urged me to go ahead, have your fag, we don't care.

and so I decided to torment this slightly annoying article just a bit. (Ruth, I know you've begun reading me ... begging forgiveness in advance! :P)... I can be naughty that way. when inspired.

I placed the pack firmly on the table between our 2 settings, along with the lighter ... looked him straight in the eye and said, "I'm not planning to smoke just yet ... unless you piss me off". he was more than startled! I told him "you know us 'mericans are quite direct and I'm a best example of such ..."

The chaps (seems in keeping with the theme here) across the way had a laugh and kept trying to instigate a ciggy lighting session. I proceeded to point out the other folks around, smoking away. He then pointed out a guy standing off to the side, french no less, and smoking. Maybe I'd like to join him was his retort!

Sorry, I considered it but he was already with a pretty lady, so no go! I grabbed the pack and extracted a cig, rolling it twixt my fingers and toying with the lighter.

Now normally, I would never smoke at a table full of folks (picnic table it was) who were obviously non-smokers. but I was being pushed by his smug disapproval. I managed to hold out through a couple of courses, but after a few (more than a few) aperitifs and a glass or 2 of wine, I turned my back to him, sitting with my legs facing outwards of the bench and lit up. I felt his eyes boring into my back (and glimpsed him sideways, with an evil smirk).

He said nary a word.

after this, there was dancing. Ruth and I got on the dance floor a few times, and even stayed after her husband caught a ride with friends due to a case of the gout in his foot. I snagged a few photos of the dance floor but missed the best part ,,, which can only be described as some sort of giant seated, caterpillar dance. everyone is sat on the floor, legs spread and close to the next in front ... sort of seating swaying dancing and then ... ZUT ALORS! ... it morphs into a seated mosh pit ... the end person dives into the upraised arms of the chain and is passed to the front!

hilarity ensues.

somehow we walked home with our little 'torches' (about a mile down a country lane) and when we arrived (around 3ish) Steve was in the pool! I donned my suit and we went down ... for some reason I only sat on the edge and cooled down ... it was still warm at that hour. next day I couldn't remember why I didn't swim. that alone shows it was probably for the best.

needless to say, the hour's drive back to Brantôme and the afternoon working in the store were *cough* a challenge *cough*, to put it mildly.

but it was SOOOO! fun! especially letting my merciless contrary nature roam free a bit.

misery magnet.

hmmm. seems I've acquired a new attraction for the lonely-hearted. unfortunately of the feminine variety. I have had three women (all French) unload on me in the last week. concerning their loneliness. their 'habitation seule'. their incomprehension of how this has happened to them. or why. detailed explanations of how they arrived at this state. eyes welling up. finally, gazing at me like I'm some sort of holy grail, some ancient wisewoman soothsayer, their personal Lady of Lourdes, here to impart healing and understanding.

like it isn't frustrating enough to decide to stroll down to the village for dinner by the river at the brasserie ... intending to give myself a little treat and profit from the live music and the warm weather. Only to have the nice young waitress with whom I've exchanged pleasantries ask me rather dolefully why I am always alone? "You, a pretty woman, beautiful eyes, lovely hair, always alone when I see you here or in the village". um gee, thanks for reminding me! let me know when you come across some prospects, 'kay?!

wtf. many aspects of my life are amazing, gratifying, superb even. But when it comes to l'amour ... il existe jamais pour moi. my one pseudo-relationship here is complicated to say the least! I've got my hands-full trying to dissect my own state of being let alone diagnose others' sad-sack situations. and even if I had the time or inclination, gimme a break ladies. my track record alone should shoo-fly you right the heck on outta here!

sigh.

life in a bubble ...

life seems a little strange and floaty these days ... my French, while improving, isn't at a standard to fully immerse myself in the news and happenings of my newly adopted country ... and while my circle of French friends has grown a bit, it isn't huge. so making the transition to stimulating discussions of culture and events here is going to take a bit more time.

and while I can keep up with the American happenings via internet news (since I haven't a teevee) ... I'm missing the context that is provided by living in the country, discussing and debating the haps with my circle of friends and former colleagues... and even if I were wanting to expand my circle of English speaking friends, they wouldn't be American ...more likely mostly English. Who are most decidedly quite different from us yanks.

so, my life is a daily glide of domestic tasks and my never-ever-ending list of projects, big and small, related to home renovation, business creation, homemaking, etc.

its like being suspended in a bubble, the transparency allowing me to view various occurrences from a distance, the thin veneer masking the sounds and making communications difficult and complicated.

I've noted the effect of this phenomenon on my writing and blog as well. when I throw my opinions around, I prefer the confidence in my conclusions that comes from pre-flying them within my daily life.

I'm going to have to ponder this situation and see what I can do to alter the course a bit. Some of the folks I'd really like to create a new circle with either seem to travel a lot, making interaction a bit more challenging ... or live a good enough hike that requires planning and overnight stays etc. which isn't always too practical.

hmmm. here's one case where maybe the bubble does need to be burst.

is blogging the wannabe-writer's version of teaching?

there's an American expression...(maybe more than american, who knows ... well someone knows but I can't be arsed to look it up at the moment) ... "those that can't do, teach".

does this equate to "those that can't be published, blog?" gasp! yes, I said it.

yeah yeah, I know...lots of bloggers ... well some percentage of bloggers, blog and actually make money off of it. in my limited experience (being busy trying to survive and all) with blogging and the economics of writing, i've stumbled across a few blogs and bloggesses that seem to profit as well as enjoy ... the bloggess, dooce etc. yep yep.

many (okay some) blogs have moved on to book-land ... julie & julia project, dooce, bete du jour, petite anglaise, etc etc... seems to me, upon observation ... that many blogger blogs that experience bookdom seem to morph dramatically or even ! yikes ! cease to exist. those that remain seem to become an advertising vehicle for their recently published works.

but there is also a contingent of bloggers out there who have been very public in their quest for publication. and likely others that have kept severely mum. we have read of their journey...the writing, the submission, the rejections, the angst ...

the harder they strain, the more intricate their blogs seem to become. whereas before, earnest dialogue and ruminations ran rampant in their writings ... freed of the self-conscious glances over their own shoulders and second-guessing of their tomes ... now, in pursuit of loftier goals ... they vie for increased subscriptions, links, awards and followers. they employ artful approaches to increase visitor volume and blog ranking. all in the name of their art, they seem to form a culture all their own. running contests, beseeching for award votes and employing increasingly outlandish methods to gain attention.

i've asked this question before, is blogging real writing? or the near-miss author's pacifier?

i've thrown feelers out myself recently. fantasizing about interest, if any, in my adventure. all this in the wake of my severely neglected blog and writing. having gone back and read my first few months' entries, I find myself far more interesting then. but I was preparing for the adventure. or embarking upon same.

yes I'm interested in sharing that story and maybe even in a different medium than blogging. but I don't think I'm willing to expend time and energy trying to perfume the pig in order to find a taker...

what do you think?

qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?!

wow what a crazy week (and it is only Thursday ...).

somehow it didn't dawn on me until Monday as I was sat in our new little boutique, The Bohemians , that culmination of this project ... that is, opening the doors, also meant a return to work. well you know, working hours! all of a sudden, I am back to needing to be somewhere certain days, certain hours.

not that I haven't been working my tail off for the past year or more. but it has been unfettered effort. no 'hours' involved.

I'm chafing a bit. so far, I am the one in the shop as Monsieur has this smallish renovation project he is doing, being in need of income and all. so I've resisted posting 'les horaires' anywhere. I'm using the 'it is the first week and I'm still figuring it out' excuse. As of now, I know for certain I will be closed Wednesdays. And I am opening at 10:30 and closing at 7:00 p.m. Except Friday, I'll probably open earlier since it is Brantôme's market day. but beyond that I am uncertain. Do I go full bore 6 days a week to capitalize on the season? do I close Mondays, too, since all the little shops close that day? beats me at the moment...we'll have to wait and see. play it by ear. and such.

but ... our first 3 days have been good! I've been tracking how many people visit, are they French or English? and sales of course.

So we've had 20-30 visitors each day. about 50/50 on the nationality. and sales each day too. So can't complain on that front. And Wednesday I closed and did a buying trip for furniture projects which fared well too.

mais, qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?! donc, c'est un bon chose il est pour nous et pas pour une corporation!

new photos are up!

before and after of .... 'the project' ... !!!


click here to get a bird's eye-view

and if you want to check out (or even Follow!) our new blog for The Bohemians, click here ,

Bon lundi!

tomorrow ...

culminates 4 months of nearly continuous effort to shape an old stone grange housing a forge into an attractive space for a business.

We're opening the doors on The Bohemians tomorrow. Yes, there are last minute details yet to be finished. But I'm doubting a line will form simply because we're setting out a sign and unlocking the door.

But much of the legwork is done. Nearly all of the renovations are complete. Jean-Yves will finish up the electricity tomorrow. Luckily, our big windows let the sun pour in, so lighting won't be an issue. Even though the lights (most of them) were installed Saturday.

But it is clean as a whistle. The inventory is arranged and sorted and priced (thanks Christie for your help!). Friday I managed to locate things one needs in a boutique (like tissue paper and bags and a receipt book and ink pad and little price tags and a cash box and a big mirror and a screen to create a dressing area and ...) I've painted and varnished the screen and arranged it appropriately.

I built a clothing rack for our cool, funky spring wear by La Fiancée du Mekong. I bought some beige twine and created a hanging pole with a piece of bamboo I had. I suspended it from the big beams and voila! I'm only putting out samples of each style and color and then, clients cooperating, I'll assist them in finding their size from our stock. Less cluttered that way.

I have a couple of pieces of furniture awaiting refinishing.

We will be closed Sundays and Wednesdays...in addition to trying to organize life around those days, those are 2 days when buying (vintage furniture, etc.) is best ... Wednesday is market day in Perigueux as well as auction day AND new arrival day for a secret spot I've discovered ... heh heh. Sundays are when vide-greniers are best.

So I'll be getting back to a routine of working (non-building or gardening or other project related) hours through December. I'm also investigating a lead I got for independent work with a realtor. Seems they need an English speaker or 2 for showing properties. Going to check that out.

You see, contrary to what my adoring audience may assume (ha), I don't have an endless supply of income for this adventure. In fact, it is drying up quickly. I need to find ways rectify this ... so while there is no immediate income potential looming, I'm working on creating future streams.

fun week ...

my friend Christie was here several days and it was so fun just hanging out, visiting and knocking around a bit. On Monday morning she helped me price a line of body products in the boutique and that afternoon she rode along with me to Brive for an appointment and it was a good thing, I needed her co-navigator skills to get me there. We met with the representative for a line of goods we will have in our new boutique, and it was fun having her there to try stuff on and give opinions ...

That morning I had put a market rabbit in the big casserole pot along with fresh tomatoes and herbs from my garden. We arrived home to a delicious Provencal stew (oh it had olives and peppers, too) ... we snipped fresh lettuces and nasturtiums in the garden and dined like gourmands!

Tuesday's plan was to head back south and lunch at one of our old favorite restaurants, Bistro d'En Face in Tremolat. After that, we went to Chateau Montdoyen, a winery. I had tasted their delicious cabernet blend, 'Tout Simplement', and thought it would be fun to check it out as I wanted more ... it was a bit hard to find, but we made it in time and ended up buying quite a bit. Also, I scored points with my local wine store ... I'd been trying to get him to carry their wine but he has been too busy with the season opening to make it down their for tasting. I brought him back a sampling box with a bottle of each of their wines. He was quite surprised at my effort.

Wednesday Christie helped me in the store, again! All of the clothing items are now priced and tagged. We also got a bit of shopping that she wanted to do finished. That night we had dinner with a french friend, the 3 of us went to Bourdeilles for their weekly 'saveurs' fete. We picknicked by the river and ate ourselves silly.

Thursday a.m. came too quick and too early. We drove to Limoges for her to catch her train on to Paris and the airport. We allowed 1-1/2 hours to arrive based on advice from locals. We arrived about 5 minutes after the train's departure time ... but by some miracle the train was delayed and she just got on.

As luck would have it, she missed her next connection and had to reroute her trip anyway!! I KNEW she should have stayed the week-end!

message in a bottle.

i'm going to toss this out on the big blog sea and ... see what comes back to me.

a little confession. as I started getting in to my blog and reading other blogs and seeing other bloggers find ways to get their writing published ... I began to dream a little dream that maybe someone out there might read about my adventure ... someone who knew more about these writerly things than I ... someone that might see a seed of something...I don't know ... adventurous, fun, entertaining ... maybe even a little inspiring. And might know someone who knew someone who worked somewhere and could give me some advice on how one might get their story ... slighty, semi-autobiographical whimsy ... in front of the right person. perhaps ? maybe? parce-que? pourquoi-pas?

I'm in a place right now where I could use a buoy. a marker in that big old sea to swim towards. maybe a lifejacket too, if it is going to be a long haul.

but I'd really like some insight as to how one might go about this rather daunting prospect.

that of being heard ... more widely.

that's it.

I've decided to cease reading email after 6:00 p.m. I find that most emails are either spam, bad news or irritating. With the time difference, they seem to arrive around the time I am winding down from my generally productive day or preparing for bed.

This means my good night's sleep is interrupted or terminated, depending on the level of irritation derived from the email.

At least when receiving such news in the morning, one has the day to process and resolve the impact.

Herewith decided and seconded. fin.

another milestone achieved.

I am no longer classified as a "visiteur" to France via my Carte de Sejour.

I applied for a revised residency card, allowing me to own a business and have an income ... or work independently. In order to receive this, I had to complete paperwork regarding my business plan, projected income, resources to support the business, etc.
I had to provide attestations from my bank and pictures of my inventory. Several trips to the prefecture were required as I either did not understand the requirements fully or additional documentation was requested. In addition, I had two meetings with the Chambre de Metiers to sort things out further.

Le monsieur at the prefecture has been nothing but cordial and helpful. We reached a stumbling block mid-way ... the chambre de metier would not issue my SIRET number without a carte de sejour change to commerçant / professionel and the prefecture would not change my carte de sejour without a SIRET number! After my 3rd trip to the prefecture, he took pity upon me. Excusing himself, he disappeared for about 20 minutes ... he spoke with Madame at the Chambre de Metier and convinced her she could issue the number.

I immediately called and set an appointment. She too was nothing but kind during our meeting, very curious about my new home and activities. Returning to the prefecture, le monsieur decided I had waited long enough. He disappeared again and returned with my temporary Carte de Sejour ... which is typically mailed to the mairie. From that moment, I could conduct business.

But in my mind nothing was official until last Friday ... when my postal carrier delivered my letter from the mairie, summoning me to retrieve my new carte de sejour. Almost as good as my new status is the fact that I have a new, up-to-date photo, minus several chins!!!

I now have my SIRET number, a new Carte de Sejour approved for my second year and commerçant / professionel status.

With this change, it is also possible for me to receive my Carte Vitale, which is the French health care card. My taxes paid will also contribute towards a small retirement fund.

um regarding the carte vitale ... anyone out there have some good tips for applying / receiving? my next residency project awaits!

All in all, telling you I am quite satisfied, trés contente, would be a hell of an understatement!

merci monsieur cochon!

well, here it is ... the finished product! we spent about an hour getting this ready. well, in actuality, Jean-Yves extracted the head from the pot and removed the meat while I squeamishly alternated between closing my eyes and observing. Let me tell you, seeing the jawbones with teeth intact was a bit much... but I soldiered on and chopped onions and parsley ... wanting to do my part...ahem.

Meanwhile JY chopped all the meat and mixed the paté ... using gros sel, parsley and onion. The head had already been boiled (by me!) for about 4 hours with carrots, fresh thyme, fresh laurel, celery, onions, and peppercorns. It became kind of 'sausage-like' and then was spread on sheets and baked in a hot oven for about 40 minutes, until brown and just beginning to crisp.

Now I will slice it, put it in freezer bags and then the freezer. The small one I've been instructed to retain for immediate consumption!

je suis heureuse!

aujourd'hui Jean-Yves m'a dit que mon français a été meilleur les derniers jours. il a dit je me rappelle d'employer les petits mots qui sont si importants en français!

il est enseignement dur d'un vieux de nouveaux tours chien et encore plus dur pour acquérir une nouvelle langue après l'enfance… que je pense que j'ai rayonné comme une écolière qui a obtenu A!

j'ai pensé il était nécessaire de vous dire que cette histoire en français, il est plus appropriée!

my date for Friday ...

oh.my.god.

When Jean-Yves suggested we make a porc paté de campagne using tête de cochon ... I'm not sure what I imagined.

But ... being me, I retorted "I'm game" and made my way to the boucherie and placed an order for un tête de cochon, entier.

Eyeing me dubiously, they told me it would be a few days ... but dutifully inscribed my name in a journal and told me jeudi matin.

well now. just got back from the boucherie and off the phone from an uproarious Jean-Yves... when I arrived at the butcher and reminded them who I was, le monsieur disappeared with an ever so slight smirk and returned with the fellow above. I guess I was thinking someone would have kindly removed all of the various aspects that certify Yes, this is the head of a pig. But no, Wilbur's cousin was there staring back at me ... and now he's in a box in my fridge.

When I saw the item in question, I had to excuse myself and call JY to confirm that yes indeed, I should be receiving one head, complet! he was in the shower and Etienne could be heard shouting to him through the spray. I went back in the shop and said, yes that's for me. We had a bit of a laugh as I explained that my friend and I would be making a paté, that I was a silly american and had no clue what I was getting into.

When I asked if I would be able to get a bag, a really good laugh was had at my expense. "Mais oui, bien sur Madame. Did you think you'd walk down the street with a pig's head under your arm?" lol.

So, now I have him. After I got home, I took this photo and sent it to JY with a big OMG! seconds later, my phone rang and I believe monsiur laughed till he cried. Given the fact that this has been a hard week for him with Etienne visiting grandma and a bit of the blues ... I was actually happy to be the butt of the joke ... it was very good to hear his laughter.

I now have some marching orders to begin boiling the beast. with lots of onion and garlic and parsley and such. I was able to beg off of cutting of parts (ergggh!!) ... hopefully, he will handle all of that tomorrow. I just need to kick off the witch's brew pot! I also found out there is something of a movement around eating the entire beast that is slaughtered for our whims. Read a very entertaining and useful article on cooking a pig's head and why ... Here.

I recently picked up a big pot for canning at a vide-grenier so I'm all set!

double, double ... toil and trouble ... fire burn and cauldron bubble ...

potager ...

well my garden is in full swing...and some bits are going gangbusters! finished first round of green beans, tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, round) ripening on first vines, 2nd vines bearing fruit, 2nd wave of green beans in full bloom (beans on the way) ... up to my ears in mache (lamb's lettuce) and even got a few early onions. Cilantro is now about 10" tall.

Thinning beets and turnips, planted fennel this week and soon will put in chinese cabbage and chicory.

Mesclun and spinach are growing well. hmm, what else? Oh yes...radishes, carrots and zucchini in different stages of growth.

The only thing struggling are the jalapenos. Maybe there just isn't enough heat ...

flowers are blooming, grass is springing up for weekly mowing ...

it brings me joy!

one year ago, today ...

I arrived in France...

Two suitcases, packed to the gills. Two dogs, in kennel crates. One carry-on bag. Two shoulder-fulls of stress, à la U.S. Filled with excitement, fear, trepidation ... and a big dose of 'what's it all about, Alfie' ...

I thought it would be fun and good timing to pause for the cause, and take stock ... where I can find a picture ... I'll let it help tell the story.

First, let's start with me ... my physical transformation ... this one's kind of hard to do in pictures because I've spent many years avoiding them, hating them, destroying them! let's face it ... I wasn't morbidly obese but I was...um, I prefer the french version ... "ronde". I've misplaced about 30 kilos since coming here and that is one lost item I'm not looking to find. ever. but in the spirit of documentation ... here's a couple of before (I had perfected the fine art of posing holding something ... a purse, a coat, my breath ... ha ... or hiding behind someone or something to block much of what was me ...



and after...full body shots are hard because most of my photos are taken by me! you'll just have to make do here (but hell I even found and threw in a 2 second video JY made of me recently ... I'm puttin' it ALL out there, folks!):







Next up, my abode ... the house project ... now on surface, I've only gotten 2 rooms 'done'. My bedroom and my salle à vivre ... but that is deceiving for many reasons. My second bedroom was scrubbed top to bottom and is functional for guests. The escalier is about 1/2 done, awaiting final plastering touches and painting (winter project). The radiators/heat have been repaired and are functioning ... a MAJOR step for the cold winter. I have a new water heater and washing machine installed. Electricity is not awful ... but more awaits. The attic has been cleaned and fully insulated. Jean Yves insisted we attack things in a 'must needs' manner ... being warm for the winter, having the basics (water, heat, safe lighting) in play. as opposed to my decorative views... replacing cracked windows.... I remember having him measure the atelier window panes his first day here and his looking at me skeptically...






anyhoo ... when I first arrived I slept here ... (2nd bedroom) while I awaited delivery of my household goods, which included a bed!




I set up shop in this room because MY bedroom-to-be looked like this:


The wallboard and ceiling were moisture damaged, with mildew and other nastiness permeating. All of that had to be ripped out, replaced or refinished ... Jean-Yves deconstructed, I hauled and sorted the crap and our partnership commenced. At first he was dubious when I stated I wanted to be part of the labor force and the renovation project. But as he observed me willing to tackle each chore, he gradually became more open to teaching me how to do certain things beyond manual labor...especially with our business project (where we strive for as much of a 50/50 distribution of effort as possible)...and the physical labor has aided in my personal transformation. Nothing like manual labor and no kitchen to aid in body changes...

Back to my bedroom. Jean-Yves sandblasted the entire thing, I cleaned-up after. He plastered and painted and created ... check out the fireplace mantel for evidence ... et voila!





And of course, the beautiful gift my daughter Johnelle gave me ... up there at the top ... my handpainted door symbolizing my new life!

On to the 2nd room ... my 'salle à vivre' ...

When I got here, this is where I cooked, ate and perched ... amidst peeling paint, grunge and dust...and thankful for it, since I didn't have appliances yet. Jean-Yves, friend and 'mec' extraordinaire lent me his camp burner and mattelasse (pictured above in my original sleeping area) ... in order to help me save on exorbitant lodging expense while I had a perfectly good roof and walls to shelter me ...



This was the room I used because it is where the former owners had their kitchen. But it was smaller and darker than I wanted a kitchen to be ... so I decided to relocate it to the other room. Here It is before:





:





























2 months and piles of sand and stone and dust and paint later, here is my salle à vivre, after...







These projects wrapped up in February and we were able to have some respite with a trip to Africa and ensuing adventures(!) that's my view from the back of our motorcycle.....



































upon our return, we dug in to our next project ... transforming the ateliér adjacent to my house into a business that will bring in some small income and (we hope) big pleasure as we continue to work together... The transformation of this space has been documented on flickr.com, step-by-step. We've repaired immense windows, sandblasted and remortared stone walls, insulated, installed ceilings and new floor treatments ... and are set to open within the week! Yes, we've had twists and turns (all told here) ... but it is another chapter in my new life here and going forward.

Other details ...I've wended my way through French bureaucracy and have received new residency status as a 'commercant' as opposed to 'visiteur'. This entitles me to operate my own business, pay into the French retirement system and, best of all, qualify for a carte vitale (french health care coverage!!). I've wrestled 2 gardens into some form of recalcitrant submission, and planted a large potager, just beginning to profit from those efforts.



I've probably missed a milestone or 2 here ... in fact, if any of you readers have observations to share...either on my journey or changes you've detected, please share ... I'd love to hear that perspective!



and of course. Mais oui, bien sur. None of it, not a SHRED, would have been the same ... sans mon monsieur. words fail me (can you believe it?)


In the early months, I felt my stress shed along with the pounds. A new me continues to emerge ... not all of my ducks are in a row...but they're definitely paddling around in the pond ... finding their way and maybe even beginning to figure what it IS all about, Alfie ...

For me, it is about treasuring each moment of each day ... surrendering to the bigger IT I am a part of but which I have no control over. Learning to love unconditionally, regardless if it is returned, reciprocated, equal, recognized or otherwise different than what I have to give. Recognizing that each day's small pleasure or hard work is reward enough, in of itself. Knowing that yes indeed, I DO need others and I DO want love - to give and receive. I'm still working on that part of course. France has taught me a lot ... but maybe it isn't really France that's teaching ... maybe it is just me that is listening and learning, for a change.

I probably haven't come far enough ... and I have a long way to go ... but there it is, one year - a new woman in the making ... hopefully hanging on to the bits and pieces that have made me who I am but (little by little) letting go of those that prevent me from being who I want to be ...

thanks to all of you for coming along for the ride. for your words of encouragement when I've been at low points. for your suggestions when I've been fresh out of ideas. for the laughs you given and shared, and for kindly tolerating the rants and tears.

et depuis et alors. Non, je ne regrette rien ...

saturday shenanigans...

got up early...rode down for a croissant to have with my coffee. Next I put the coat of grey paint on the ateliér floor and looked at my watch ... 9:40!

cleaned up the kitchen, showered and futzed around on the 'puter for a bit. Decided to head into Perigueux...went to the garden shop and picked up some "hormone de bouturage" ... basically it is souped up fertilizer for when you take starters for plants. I'm putting together a little foraging kit for my bike (a small spade, plastic bags, water and maybe the bouturage stuff). It is supposed to ensure your 'slips' will turn into plants. I'm scavenging stuff for my garden on bike rides, cos buying plants is $$ and I'm cheap!

I also got some citronella candles for the garden and seeds for planting. Riana keeps us posted on what's good to plant ... so next I'm going for fennel, chicory, chinese cabbage ... and I bought a packet of flower seeds that butterflies like!

From there I hit the trocante (thrift store) but nothing good and it had a funky odor today, so I beat feet quick.

Then I visited a new grocer that my friend Ruth told me about, it is called le Grand Frais. I was impressed by the freshness, quality, and price !!! they seem to specialize in produce and fresh meats, not a lot of canned stuff. They also had a fairly good international section so I got some stuff. But one thing I was really happy about, they had potted herbs, big ones ... 2 for 3 euros ... so I picked up thyme, rosemary, sage and basil. The only herb I've gotten to grow from seed is coriander (cilantro). So I'm going to give these a go.

Also stocked up on dried beans, some herbs and spices.

Then I bought a dozen jelly jars and some paraffin. My neighbor brought me a big bowl of plums, their plum tree fell over and they couldn't eat all of the fruit. So I'm going to make some preserves.

It was a fairly warm day today and I've discovered there is music at one of the brasseries in town tonight. I may mosey down in a bit for a glass of wine...

Or I may just mosey out to my own garden...kind of lazy after the heat and all that running around.

this close!

Well I think we are moving in to our final week before opening! This week the floors were (nearly) finished. All installation is complete, today the sealant was applied to the cement floor and the wood floor received its first coat of paint. Tomorrow I will apply the other colors ... Next week will be devoted to finishing touches and arranging our items for sale. We would be delighted if we opened on Friday.

What a transformation has occurred in four months with just the two of us as workers. Sandblasted walls, repaired windows, new floors, new electricity, new plumbing, insulation, new ceiling, paint, artwork, custom artisanal touches abound ... the property has provided us with countless materials we have salvaged, repurposed and reused.

If the boutique is fun and successful, we will just move it to the stone garage and move forward with the café as well. Two businesses!

I'm very proud of us, our strong partnership ... our great complicity ... how sympatico we are.

Oh, yeah ... these are our signs thus far. My fantastic cousin Nate provided the artwork and I translated it into a handpainted sign ... whatcha think?

(check out the flickr link for more photos of the transformed ateliér) ...

it's been a good few days ...

the weather has been absolutely sizzling ... and there have been daily water fights to prove it! lol. but we've still managed progress, at least in the mornings ... nearing lunch we're huffing and puffing 'il fait chaud!' 'erhhh...j'ai chaud' as we work at half speed.

we caved the other day, we had to drive off to a town where JY has some of his gear stored at a friend's house. one hour each way. by the time we arrived the morning cool had dissipated and the sun was blazing. we loaded huge timbers on top of the truck, and a load of goodies inside (cool old iron stove/heater for the atelier, to name one). then we drove the hour back to Brantôme and unloaded. by this time we were glistening. We decided to rendez-vous at a nearby swimming hole (he rounded up his son) and we played hooky for the afternoon. It was too sweltering to consider anything else.

In spite of the heat, we've managed to get close to done. There's the wood floor to install in the entry area, final electricity and lighting touches ... and arranging of the wares. But we think maybe the end of the week? we'll still have lots of details to get in place (signs, etc.) but ... Wow! we've come a long way baby.

Today we may work in the afternoon and then I'm thinking of going to a night market in Nontron with an African theme. It is the 10th year ... and it sounds like it will be cool. Night markets are like day markets only darker ... HA, well also more elaborate because there is music and sometimes a theme! but also food and stuff to buy.

Tomorrow probably vide-grenier hunting. Last Sunday I went to a great one in Perigueux and found some cool stuff for displaying product in the shop. Two old suitcases ... well one is more like a trunk with wooden hangers, etc. and an old iron hanging scale. and loads more. so who knows what tomorrow will hold!

the garden is leaps and bounds, tomatoes are this close to begin ripening and first wave of radishes and green beans have passed. Now I've sown more radishes, plus spinach and mesclun and turnips. And flowers are doing better too! Especially now that I've eliminated the rash of pokeweed that had invaded my entire bedding areas! sinister, that!

life's generally not so bad. pas mal!

Fatigante.

I've been told by mon monsieur that the lyrics to this song describe me... it is by a group we both love, Louise Attaque.

Fatigante:

Blanche, fraîche, le matin, elle est douce, tendre, elle est sereine. Elle est excellente. Elle dit:
"Ce soir, allez, on va danser." Ce soir, au matin, couchée, elle est désespérante. Elle dit toujours
"Bonjour" comme ça. Elle dit toujours "au revoir" comme ça. Elle dit toujours "je veux ça ça ça"
Elle est fatigante. Elle a de la suite dans les idées. Elle te dit "bonsoir à demain" mais quand
Elle danse, belle, franche une reine elle est pour moi tout ça pour moi un ange qui tourne
Autour de moi et pourtant elle dit toujours "bonjour" comme ça, elle dit toujours "au revoir"
Comme ça, elle dit toujours "je veux ça ça ça". Elle est fatigante, oh, elle est pour moi. Elle dit
Toujours "bonjour" comme ça. Elle dit toujours "au revoir" comme ça. Elle dit toujours "je veux
Ça ça ça". Elle est fatigante. Elle est pour moi, fatigante, intelligente, intéressante et attirante,
Négligente, excitante, désespérante et attirante, pas très galante, souriante, affligeante et
Rassurante, désobligeante, énervante, sur la bonne pente, un rien méchante, surprenante,
Menaçante, militante, parfois charmante, très importante, très très changeante, imposante,
Suffisante, elle est pour moi, fatigante... elle est pour moi.

I'm told the fact that I am somewhat fatigante is not necessarily a bad thing. I am dubious. mais, j'accepte!

If you want to listen to the song, click HERE.

tendresse ...

whilst in Paris with Jean-Yves, I greatly admired a tree in his mother's garden. We laughed about my guess of the name ... "Jacaranda" ... which had somehow captured my imagination recently when reading a book. For some reason, I convinced myself it might be this tree. The tree was very lovely, smooth barked with leafy, fern-like foliage. It provided great shade, but also a pretty view.

His mom didn't know the name. She hauled out garden book after garden book to help us search. We had no luck. She urged us to take a specimen of the branch to a local garden shop to assist. We left with lots of great plants and cuttings, but forgot this one.

fast forward to last Monday. Jean-Yves left for the bricolage store. He returned and unloaded the items he bought for our project. And then he went back to the truck, and returned handing me a small pot with a plant in it. He beamed proudly.

"Now I know the name, too!!! Albizia!!". Yes, he had found a tiny version of the tree I loved, bought it and brought it back to me. In the states it is known as the silk tree, monkey pod or mimosa tree and you either love it or hate it. In some U.S. states, it is considered quite invasive and requires careful tending. It has unusual flowers, is extremely fast growing as well as profligates at will. It is a sub-tropical plant but has done well here.

I was SO touched by this simple act. Later in the morning, we walked the large garden together, selected a spot and he planted it. It is so small, he also planted a 6' tall bamboo stake so I, Miss Maladroite, wouldn't mow it over. We chatted how it would mark my first anniversary here and how we would sit together under its shade in the future.

Love it.

randonnée!

I received a newsletter from the mairie detailing the goings-on in Brantôme...in addition to the usual stuff (budgets, town committees, births marriages deaths...there was information on an upcoming 'randonnée' organized by the Dordogne Conseil de General. I asked JY to read this and discuss to make sure I was getting the drift...



So what it was was a perfectly organized family and citizens event ... launching in Brantôme and culminating in Bourdeilles. It offered biking, canoeing or walking a trail. But when I arrived, I realized it was so much more ...

I rode my bike down to the park to see a large trailer stacked three high with canoes. Another trailer held a large supply of bicycles ... good bikes, mind you ... in all sizes.

A couple of tables were set up and 2 good looking young fellows milled around in shorts, greeting people and chatting. We started in french, but as soon as my accent was detected (as well as my crappy french, I'm sure) some english was added. At first the fellow couldn't figure out what I needed since I had a bike. I told him I needed to know the process, since I was alone. He corralled the other fellow ... who told me there was a route to Bourdeilles and I could go with him if I waited. A few more pleasantries and then I thought to introduce myself. I screwed that up royally ... (realizing I haven't had the need to present myself in a long time...) the first part (je me present) went okay but then I said Je suis Kim ... DOH! what's the first thing we learn in french class 101??? not je suis ... je m'appelle ... sigh. well, he didn't skip a beat and we continued on.

As I waited, Guillaume returned and handed me a pamphlet prepared for the day. It had the course marked, stops marked along the way and questions for the kids about the history and what not . He then told me that all of the visits (a chateau, separate large gardens, a famous mill, etc) were free!

We commenced and I noticed that the route was marked about every 100 yards or so ... we went on paved roads as well as a little bit through field and mud! flat terrain and uphill! 11 plus kilometers, one way. Most of the participants utilized the equipment provided and were given a bus ride back to Brantôme after reaching the destination. Since I used my bike, I turned and retraced the route ... so that was 22 plus kilometers for me ... and being a novice and a non-sportif type, that was pretty damn awesome!

After I got home, I showered and went back to Bourdeilles for a night of music. 3 bands in their square, and dinner facing ... All in all a fun day... yes, I do love my new bike!

life is like quicksilver ... translucent and momentary ... what if he is the one ... what if I am his one ... what if we miss each other ... if we slip through each other's fingers ... like water cupped for a moment that evaporates before someone thinks to place it in a vessel for safekeeping ... fragile, temporary, uncertain. je vis.

my morning...

rose for a walk in my garden ... dogs at my heels. weeded maché, picked a potful of fresh green beans, puttered in the tomato plants. Brilliant sun, blue skys, masses of birds singing.

grabbed the bike and headed to the boulangerie. The petite madame is now friendly with me and asks what I am looking for. "Je cherche pour un pain paysan". "Deux minutes, madame!". I look into the rear room to see monsieur unloading fresh loves from the enormous old brick bread oven. She brings me out a warm round loaf. She nods approvingly as I sort out my centimes and get it right on only the 2nd try! (why do I always fail to have my glasses here?).

pedal home, prepare a fresh coffee with beans from Corsica that I bought at yesterday's market, steamed whole milk and cream, and a snip of vanilla bean from my trip to Africa.

grab my volume of La Bonne Cuisine (the original companion for french home cooking, written by Madame Saint-Ange in 1927 and translated by Paul Aratow of Chez Panisse fame ...) for some morning reading and inspiration.

look at the clock ... it is 9:01.

bon week-end!

an old family tradition ...

yesterday, JY was out in the garden doing his manly thing that the manly men do here in France ... when he spied something.

He came into the kitchen and requested scissors. I obliged and he asked me to follow him back outside.

He showed me 2 wheat plants randomly growing in back. He carefully counted out 13 stalks of wheat and handed them to me, then proceeded to count out 13 more.

We returned as he told me that every year, as a young boy, he watched his mother do this very same thing. He told me firmly that it was necessary to hang these stalks of wheat near the front door, and this would bring abundance and prosperity through our doors. He smiled as he told me and it was obvious he believed it worked!! but it must be 13!

We then went on to our task of going to the dechetterie to dispose of our load of work schmutz that had accumulated. While there, I found 3 really cool chrome barstools in perfectly good condition, a woven rattan fateuil, 2 table bases that can be used for the restaurant, a cast iron-back for the fireplace with a really interesting relief (these are trés cher at the vide-greniers), and a big lot of chromed tubular poles that we can use in the atelier.

Now, while this isn't money directly into the bank account, it certainly is money not leaving!!!

that blé is bringing the bling already!

nice week-end in Paris ...

Jean-Yves invited me for an extended week-end visit with his family in Paris. We left Thursday night (Jean-Yves, Etienne, and me) ... the drive was fun ... we stopped at MacDo's in Limoges (blech) and then pushed on up. Around 11:00 pm, I took the wheel (about an hour outside of Paris) ... and was told to follow signs "Lille".

When he woke up an hour or so later, he claimed we were lost! and the car was doing weird things ... a light went on which indicated electrical difficulties (well, it seems to be sparkplugs...or really that the car needs a tune-up and I'm negligent!!) ... so after lots of muttering and chuckling and car-sputtering, we rolled up around 2am.

JY's mom lives outside of Paris in a small suburb town, Chambly. It is actually pretty quaint. Beds were made up for us and we collapsed after kisses all around. shattered!

Friday arose around 8:30 a.m. JY's mom arises early to care for her youngest daughter ( injured when she was young ) and so since my bed was a futon in the open kitchen, the smell of coffee awakened me.

Like most family gatherings I'm familiar with, despite the best of intentions ... no one really got their act together until around 11am. We were up ... but with everyone juggling or taking turns with showers and make-up and coffee ... ( and the fact that I was sharing a chair with JY and he upset the table with the coffee onto my new white jeans and I had to soak and change!) well ... you get the drift, the usual antics.

We wanted to head into Paris to check out the wholesale district ... drove straight there and found a park. As we were hungry AND it was lunch hour (shops firmly shut) we decided to eat first. JY headed for a jewish restaurant he knew but alas, it was no longer there. We settled for another brasserie that was decidedly ho-hum. After that, we wandered around the shops ... disappointingly it was an endless stream of low quality Chinese imports. I bought just a few items and we left.

Since last week-end was Noémie's birthday, we wanted to find her a gift. We went to Carrefour and the surrounding mall. I found some blank music disks ... Etienne hung out in the games section of each stop we made ... we got her some Gucci perfume and Etienne bought an orchid for his Mamie. (sweet!)

We hit some other game stores for the petit monsieur and then made a tour of some other spots. JY took me by the town he had lived in when married and we saw his old house, etc. We then headed back and spent time at Yvette's (JY's mom). Saturday and Sunday were spent lazily visiting, preparing lunches and dinners to eat on the terrace, playing volleyball with Etienne in the garden, heading to the grocery store with Yvette, welcoming various family members who stopped by to see the prodigal son and grandson. I got to know his mom and daughter better as well one of his aunts who is staying with Yvette, recuperating from surgery for a torn Achilles tendon. Many of the folks I met were in their 70s but robust and vital. Sunday, because we share a love of flowers in the garden, Yvette took me around the yard and made cuttings or dug up root samples of some very pretty specimes in her yard. I am so Stoked! I have already dug a new bed and placed them. Plus she gave me one water plant and I filled the bassin to commence with my water garden. And I have some seed packets she brought out that will be sown next.

The drive home was also not bad. JY and I were chatting about various things and he asked me about a comment I made while there ... to the effect that he was nearly perfect (lol). He asked what I would change about him since he was not perfect. I hemmed and hawed because .... well because I'm not good at the old honest expression of feelings thing. then I managed to get out that I would change our 'amities' ... he protested that he was my friend, that we were friends, that he wouldn't change that ... I told him I have a bad habit of not expressing my feelings and that I didn't want to do that with him ... that I wouldn't want something to happen to me and I hadn't been honest ... and that I wouldn't want to change that we were friends, or change our friendship ... but I wish we were more ... or I would like more. (mind you, I really don't think this is a big news flash for him ...) He listened without judgement but with understanding... I didn't expect a response ... some big outpouring of emotion or anything. I just wanted to say it. I also didn't say much more, although I'm probably feeling more.

It is a struggle because I don't want to do anything that changes our friendship or pushes him away because of my feelings ... so it is a tightrope. There are days that I know I must be terribly annoying because I feel like a teenager and put on a good pout ... without going into all the reasons why or other details ... suffice it to say, I'm glad I said what I did. and after I got home I sent him a text and thanked him for listening so well.

but all in all, it was a terrific week-end with a dear friend. le sigh.

obla di, obla dah

weeks slide into each other lately ... we just keep on chipping away at our project, doing the frenchified sidestep around obstacles encountered and then sashay on forward a bit.

still futzing with changes to my carte de sejour. After getting a letter in the mail from friendly prefecture man telling me I needed to obtain an attestation from my bank and bring it on down, I went on over to the bank and submitted my request. The not-so-friendly madame told me it would take a week or so and I would get it in the mail. After 10 days, I went back to the bank and lo/behold, the manager typed something up on the spot. I proceeded to the prefecture, which was closed.

Next day, got up and drove back to the prefecture (each trip is about 30 minutes one way. gasp, that's long in frenchy-time!). Got my number, waited my turn, presented my papers and was told no, the letter was insufficient because there was not a balance (soldes) on there.

sigh.

Back to the bank for an appointment I already had regarding an internet fraud on my account (another story!! gasp). Whilst there, I informed mr. manager that I had given his colleague a copy of the Prefecture letter and thus when I returned ... I hadn't provided him with a copy and thus the letter was incomplete.

Well, he retyped the letter with today's balance. Which was over 1,000 euros off the mark due to the internet fraud. And he said he couldn't change it. Because those amounts had yet to be reimbursed.

sigh.

When I discussed my fear that the quoted balance would appear too low, JY was in agreeance. So now, I must return to the bank next week and request a new letter (3rd) and return to the prefecture (5th) with my new letter.

Hopefully (but highly unlikely) that will complete all the documents for my dossier to change my status. we'll see.

In the meantime, we've placed our first order for merchandise for our new little business, "The Bohemians".

I've posted new pics of our work progress on the flickr account (sidebar link) ... it is coming right along. Tonight we are driving to Paris for a day of shopping (Friday) for the shop and a day of visiting (Saturday). Home Sunday.

Next week we commence with working on the floor of the shop. It is cement and I have a painting idea. JY is dubious. But hey, nothing different about that exchange of ideas! lol.

I also FINALLY have not one but TWO new lawnmowers. Guess who found them for me! ha.

One is super heavy duty and one is just heavy duty. One has a Honda Motor and the other a Briggs & Stratton (?). Both are considered "trés bien" by monsieur and the two were 160 euros.

I spent today being pulled around the huge garden by the super heavy duty lawnmower, much to the amused entertainment of Jean Yves.

I've been sick with a cold and therefore cranky. Today's garden performance didn't help. I passed on lunch and retreated to my room for a good sulk and a nap.

la la la la, life goes on.

go figure! Jean-Yves gives me another beautiful gift!!

I made a big screw-up on Monday, while left to my own devices with the atelier project.

Ya see its like this. JY has the world's biggest collection of tools, gadgets and machinery known to mankind. well okay, maybe only know to me. but still.

funny enough, even though he has now known me for 10 months, he obviously believes I have an automatic command of all said paraphernalia. so, in an effort to please him, I pretend I do.

for the last week, I have been working on the atelier windows. I've done the entire project nearly on my own (after some quick demos from monsieur) ... and ... well maybe I've gotten a little cocky.

week-end before last, I embarked upon sanding and painting the exterior forged metal frames. Involved in doing this project was this weird aluminum ladder that JY has. It is weird to me because it is not just one piece but two, and can be manipulated from being just a long ladder thingy to a pyramid or triangle shaped ladder thingy.

I used it as a long ladder, leaning braced against the outside wall near the roof. I worked merrily along my way and successfully reached the halfway mark of my project. Then, during the end of last week the ladder was put into usage on the inside. JY flipped and folded and made it a triangle ladder, insisting it was more secure for me to use this way. I sighed and grumbled to myself because I liked MY way. I thought MY way was better. harumph.

Fast forward to Monday and my goal of finishing the other half of the exterior windows. I was a bit on overdrive, feeling confident and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of this project. Monday was hot and windy. (queue drums of doom). There I was, struggling with this triangular ladder thingy, dragging it along on the uneven surface outside, each time I mounted it would sway and shake and I felt very insecure 6+ feet in the air with a bowl of bordeaux colored paint in one hand and my brush in the other. The wind would blow sprays of paint down my arms and legs and I was convinced I was headed for a tumble.

Deciding I didn't care what he thought about the ladder, I was going to return it to MY superior way of doing things, where the ladder remained immobile propped against the side of the building. I descended the ladder, put my things aside and began trying to figure out how to flip it back into the shape I had used. Keep in mind, when fully extended this ladder is easily 18-20 feet long.

Well I got it back to one long piece, hooking the 2 pieces together and kept it at about 12+ feet long. I got it airborne and began gingerly trying to put it in place when along came a big gust of wind and ... boom...I lost control and 2 window panes broken. Cassé. shattered. It all happened so quickly, I was quite shocked by the turn of events. I cursed and cried and stomped my feet and decided to quit this whole stupid neverending project. leaving everything at the side of the road, I made for the house and had my hissy fit. I smoked a cigarette in an attempt to calm down a bit and then decided to take a look at the interwebnets to distract myself.

Bringing up CNN, I saw the breaking development banner alerting me to a downed passenger jet with 230+ individuals. That jerked me right back in to old reality ... nothing like a twist of tragic fate to remind one how inconsequential 99.9% of our indvidual life's irritations actually are.

I gave myself a good talking to, brushed myself off, picked myself up and got back in the race. Or at least went back out there and finished my painting job, tidied up and calmed down. I worried the rest of the day and evening about JY's reaction. He had warned me about taking care, and also about the correct use of the ladder. Not to mention that now a major project which was to be finished by Monday would require steps of rework...Re-remove the broken glass and mastic, Re-measure the panes, have the glass cut, re-install new panes, re-install the putty, wait for it to dry and repaint it all again. A good day's work at least.

le sigh.

To make matters worse, when he arrived Tuesday...he arrived bearing gifts! Check out the bicycle I am now in possession of! She's a hot and sexy little black number (who needs a little black dress with this beauty?) ... absolutely brand new, absolutely just my size, with smoothly shifting gears, a comfy seat and even a swish basket.

My heart sank. I babbled, you may want to put that back in the truck after I tell you my bad news. What bad news? with an alarmed expression. I hemmed and hawed and then blurted out "J'ai cassé deux fenetres hier!!!" .

Kim! C'est pas grave! J'ai pensée ils etaient quelques chose plus mauvais ...

He didn't bat an eyelash, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at my concern.

Work continued, we now have some very artistically done red walls, a grey poupon ceiling and other stuffs in the works.

For my part, I have a terrific new ride that I buzzed about on yesterday and today ... J'ADORE!!!

J'ai la chance! il etait mon hero!

Montravel!

I found a really good cave in Perigueux. A few weeks back, I went to one in the centre ville, in search of JM Rhum. I had bought 2 bottles there before, and just cracked the 2nd so it was time to restock.

They were out! but I was directed to another cave on the outskirts of Perigueux in Trelissac. Now THIS was a really great find.

They sell vin du pays (I've read about vdp and how one can just bring a jug/s and fill up on the cheap) ... also loads of wines from all over the country ... and alcohol ... and other stuff.

Plus le monsieur was very helpful, listening to me describe the type of wines I'd like. When I described my favorite white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Marlborough region ... crisp, dry, fruity ... NOT sweet ... he directed me to 2 wines he thought I'd like.

I bought a couple of each. Tonight, I opened the first one, a chilled appelation de Montravel ... Chateau Roque-Peyre. It has the description "subtilite, crispness ... 2007".

It isn't exact, but it is quite reminiscent of my favorite and very good. Oh, and cheaper than my favorite, coming in at under 5euros a bottle.

It is the little things in life, my friends.

I can't wait to go back and try the vin du pays. I left with 4 bottles of white and 2 bottles of rhum.... so next time will have to do!