Ce n'est pas avril."

I knew it wasn't April. Laurent, the new owner of La Noisette was being a smart ass. I had left the tea room a half hour before saying I would be back in April, but the train that was taking me to Paris was broken down. Thus I went back to the tea room. I still bought lunch there rather than put in any food since my frigo had been totally cleaned out and the dishes were all done. Barbara made me a wonderful goat dinner, I got in some good writing so the day wasn't a total loss.



Sunday morning, a last look at Argelès in the mist before I headed for Geneva.



Petit déjeuner at the brasserie in Perpignan while waiting for the train to Lyon par Dieu for the connection to Geneva. And they all arrived on time. Quelle Miracle!

Why I think my housemate is a great photographer

An important holiday

Let's celebrate penguin awareness day, as pointed out twice by a good friend. Lat year I celebrated with my daughter (same friend alerted me) by buying pizza (another word starting with P) in D.C. I still have to work out a celebration for today. Since I'm going to Flowers for lunch maybe a glass of champagne.

Meanwhile down at the south pole, penguins are packing up and getting ready for their annual migration.

HAPPY PENGUIN DAY

I went to Spain for lunch the other day

It felt like spring and it was possible to eat on the terrace, but it was not possible to eat everything in the buffet. One of the best things was a roasted artichoke...

We were surrounded by pines and above their tops were the mountains. Afterward we stopped and walked along a small bay where a cat followed us, meowing pitifully. Had she not been so chubby with beautiful fur, I would have thought she was a stray BUT I suspect she was scolding us for interrupting her quite part of a beach.



At the border, I snapped this pink elephant (who Rose is NOT a Republican) just because it was cute in a tacky way.



Coming home I noticed that my neighbours have decorated their side window. I can add the photo to my photo statue collection.

Good on Twitter

For notifying the Icelandic MP whose information the US Justice Department has demanded the social media group hand over because of her Wikileaks Association.

Full story http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/08/us-twitter-hand-icelandic-wikileaks-messages

Good byes and hellos

Goodbye Gilmore Girls.

For the past year my housemate and I have been watching Emily's snottiness, Rory growing up and Lorelei's relationships and business success. But Jan 1. in a marathon we watched the last six episodes, staying up until after midnight, because we no longer to wait to see if Rory would continue on her path or give in and marry logan and would Lorelei and Luke finally decide to make a go of it.

Over the year the series has been accompanied with various combinations of veggies, dips, humus, cheese, fois gras, champagne, smoked salmon, popcorn, veggies, wine.

Knitting has been done, and discussions on what the characters should or should not do.

We will miss the folks living in Stars Hollow even if we visit the towns where Characters in Everwood and Kingdom live.

There are other series, but along with West Wing and Mary Tyler Moore and maybe Northern Exposure, the Gilmore Girls will remain one of my all time favorites.

Good Bye Genève



I love the animated display that I must pass on my way to quai 7/8 whenever I head for Argelès. It is also a meeting spot and I always feel a bit sad at leaving the city I love so much.

Hello Argelès.

Glory, glory, the French train system was like the Swiss. All three of my three trainsarrived and left on time. It is enough to make one worry.

Coming back to my other life took me only a few minutes to have happiness sweep over me.

This morning I went out to discover that:
-Franck and Louise at La Noisette had morphed into Laurent and Sophie and they look like they will be great. They will keep English Breakfasts.
-Marielle's tumour had shrunk.
-Barbara C.'s tumour is benign and mostly gone
-Carol and Tony will be here for a month with Pat and Jeff on their way.
-Daniel can come to adapt my laptop to a couple of French thingies
-Janette, my 98-year old friend is still rushing up and down the streets except on the coldest days.
-Annie, Babette, Jean-Pierre and Elisabeth all had good holidays.
-The people at the real estate office appreciated my Swiss chocolate
-Arrange a 12th night lunch with Rosalie and Barbara H. Have to get the 3 kings cake
-Arrange a raclette with Sylvie
-There's a new man in Karine's life
-The old poissonrie at the end of the street is now a traitroir, with all kinds of great food and the owner was a bit worried when he saw me let myself into my friend Barbara's house. I introduced myself as I surveyed all the good foods that he is selling. Great to know for the days I don't feel like cooking.

Fin des fêtes

Blahs have hit...

Since riding back from Argelès with Jackie and Pierre in early November, it has been one exciting thing after another, the Wikileaks press conference, my daughter being here, two mini and one major Christmas celebration, the trip to Germany, fois gras, salmon, shrimp, champagne and a great Christmas dinner followed by a Boxing Day brunch.

It was careening from one exciting thing to another.

And now reality has struck. I need to settle down to writing. It is grey outside. The Jura have been in hiding for several days (maybe they went south for the winter).

A message from a friend was a bit of cheer as I pack to move South for January where maybe there will be blue sky.

I am not asking for sympathy. Nor do I feel sorry for myself, although I will allow myself a wallow for the next 28 minutes until lunch time.

Life is still good, but a bit of blah makes the highs more enjoyable.