Yea/Boo

Yea/Boo was the way my late friend Barbara described the days that had both bad and good. Friday was a mega yea/boo day. With the exception of Nice, all places mentioned are in the same neighborhood.

Boo: Woke up to news of Nice. Another tragedy in a list of too many around the world.

Yea: Went to Chez Elisabeth for fresh melon, peaches, green beans, onions, pepper, eggs and milk for breakfast. Peaches from local grower were especially good.

Boo: 50 Euro note had ink on it. Needed to go to ATM.

Boo: Forgot tomatoes,

Yea: Made oatmeal-blueberry pancakes.

Boo: forgot blueberries for pancakes

Yea: Added raisins to pancakes changing to oatmeal/raisin pancakes

Yea: Wrapped up dog biscuits and tied with bow for Rossi's birthday. Took to P&P and had coffee on their terrace while Rossi ate one of his biscuits. Nice conversation. Plans for Saturday night dinner together.

Boo: Artwork I had left wasn't framed but I told the framer Annie not to worry.

Yea: Nice conversation with my Halal butcher while buying meat in English/French/Arabic, The first on his and the latter on my part being minimal to the amusement of his other customer.

Yea: Stopped to see Lydia in the crypt. She thinks the cat that who greeted us in our flat when we returned from London, snuck in while she was watering our plants.

Yea/Boo: Make meatloaf and scalloped potatoes for lunch as surprise for Rick who said he liked both. He is saved from my more daring food. The oven temperature is not consistent but can juggle between that and the microwave.

Yea: Ordered flowers at the florist. The son of the owner wanted to practice his English but we talked about how we would save the world in Franglais. I don't think he recognized me without my red hair. He said come back for another conversation.Our world solutions are as good as the clowns in charge.

Yea: We know when Solar Impulse will land thanks to a telephone call.

Boo: Probably won't be able to go to Abu Dhabi because Rick is in the middle of a tight deadline.

Yea: Won't have to worry about the heat.

Boo: Will miss a major world event.

Yea: Our Peanut Butter Jelly sandwich (Initials on their email thus the nickname) Swiss neighbors are back. Quick catch up and plans made.

Yea: The parrot has landed. Whenever it is on the first floor shutter it means K&C have arrived and are in residence much like the flag flying over Buckingham Palace then the Queen is there. They weren't home.

Boo: Keep checking on news. It doesn't get better.

Yea: Our Nice friends are safe. We get many messages of relief from our FB posting that we weren't in Nice. I know people, and I do it too, who think one might be in a region of tragedy want to know that one is okay. Geographical or timing distances don't matter. Being cared about is always welcomed.

Yea:  Turkish coup. Turkish leader is bad news.

Yea: Go to Côté Place for Sangria. Joined by Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. K and C show up. Hugs all around. The summer season is official now. Learned Melinda, the cat, is healing well after her accident.

Yea:  C. confirms that the goldfish, bun and bird which I thought were newly painted were indeed painted when he was here and we weren't. Liked confirmation of my observation powers. He also said the fish with the Botox lips was done by one of his students. Again self back pats because I thought the style was a little different from his. C. is a renaissance man and among other artistic endeavors is a set designer. C. considers the outside of his house a canvas. It is the most photographed building I Argelès-sur-mer and has appeared in national magazines.

Boo: Turkish coup failing. I'm not usually a supporter of coups but . . .

Boo: Threats of more bombings on Isis and Syria in retaliation for Nice. Violence begats violence, begats violence....

Boo: Two Americans who lived in the same town Rick did in TX are among the dead. He confirms he didn't know them, but worries his grandson did. (he didn't we found out later but doesn't lessen the sadness of the attack overall).

Yea: Watch Lie to Me on DVD. Hold hands. Grateful we are together.

The world is filled with war, terrorism (or freedom fighters depending on who is reporting what), incompetent or crazy leaders (I prefer to call them representatives even when they don't represent most people), a financial system on the brink of collapse, climate change...yet in my personal life I am surrounded by loving family, family of choice and friends. I live simply in two beautiful places.

As Barbara would have said, "yea/boo." I hold onto the good amid the chaos.