Dribs and Drabs

 

Thoughts that run through my mind.

Gender in Writing

Both my husband and I find toilet reading a pleasure. In our bathroom we have 50 Great Short Stories.

One story is by Hemingway about two men. It is filled with whiskey, wet socks, baseball talk.

The next story is by Dorothy Parker about two women. It is filled with tea sandwiches, and looking at pearls on Fifth Avenue.

Need I say more about gender difference?

CNN and Beige Shoes

Over the past few weeks I've noticed many of the women presenters on CNN have beige shoes rather than shoes that match their suits. Do they wear their own clothes or are they provided for them?

Backgrounds

Ever since Covid and there were more interviews from the interviewee's home, I love looking at the backgrounds. Often it's a bookcase, and it is best when we can read the titles. Sometimes it's a kitchen. I check their appliances. My favorite has been British reporter Polly Toynbee's blue armoire. Great colour (u added because she's British).

Apèro

I love apèros. Last night Danish friends invited Rick and me and two other friends for an apéro. Between us we hold Danish, German, Irish, Egyptian, Swiss and Canadian passports. Rick and I are ex-Americans adding to the international mix. Yummy nibbles of dried meat, anchovies, pickles, salmon, bread sticks and misc. dips topped off by champagne. Best part was the conversation.

Sunrise/Sunset

I can't type those words without thinking of the song of the same title. Today the sun rose at 7:53. So different from the summer when we could go to the beach in at four in the morning and sit on the sand to watch the sun come up. Or walking the dog early. A gift. I love the short days when I can get into PJs, read a book or snuggle up to my husband and watch Netflix.

Clothes

I never got my summer clothes out in France because we spent the summer in Geneva where I have a summer wardrobe. When we came back to France it was a transitional period. Today at 13° I reach for my sweaters. Love the autumn.

Walnuts and Other Fall Goodies

I love the seasonality of food where I live. Grenoble walnuts are about to appear. A variety of apples and pears are replacing the peaches and nectarines. And there are grapes of all colors. There's not a cherry to be found. And it is almost kaki season. Knowing that the veggies and fruits are availble for only a short season makes them special, sorta like a visit from a favorite friend who lives far away.

Our Flats

I love walking through both my Swiss and French flats, appreciating each piece of art work. This tiny cabinet was found in a village antique store. I would love to know about the person who painted it.

Sherlock

When Rick and I applied for our marriage license we had to tell them what we would name our children. Since we were in our 60s and 70s our chances of having kids was minimal, but we chose Adams-Nelson from all possible combinations. At least the clerk could check off the box. When we adopted Sherlock he took that last name.

His vocabulary has increased to many different barks depending what he is telling us. As for his comprehension, when he began to understand English, we switched to French. Now he understands French, we spell. I suspect he won't learn spelling. In the many dogs I've had from dumb to really bright, he's the smartest dog I've ever had and the most communicative. I suspect when we don't respond to him immediately, he thinks we're dumb.

AI

My husband is almost ready to publish his book on A1 and airline training. I use A1 to generate art work BUT ONLY when I wouldn't have paid an artist to do it. AI produced the woman at the top of this blog. It's fun and allows me to illustrate my blog in such detail.

Doppleganger

So nice to see the doppleganger of my father and his 95-year-old mother at the marché this morning. It was summer-tourist crowded.

Visit www.dlnelsonwriter.com.