Goop

“Don’t be a goop,” my grandmother used to say whenever I said or did anything ridiculous.
As I lay under the warm duvet in the clinic watching a cat run through the little courtyard outside my window, I wondered if my abject terror at the coming operation was just a bit over the top or had it gone all the way into goop status.
I had heard from the doctor who would knock me out, the admitting clerk and the nurse that “Vous êtes très drôle.”
Great!
Not only was I going to let someone stomp through my eye, they found me funny. I had a future career as a comedian for the medical profession.
I really was totally unaware of what happened and soon my ever-so-patient housemate was telling me to watch my step as I left the clinic. I was back speaking English. I had been worried that the stress would drive the French from my brain.
Now that the bandage is off, and although it will take a few days for everything perfect I’m shouting down the stairs “I can read the clock without my glasses,” “I brushed my teeth without my glasses,” etc.
Seeing that is a novelty and when the second eye is done, it should be even better.
If my grandmother were alive, I would admit to being a total goop about the whole thing.

The penguins and the ball

Er guys, we have a problem.





We can take it. Hold your positions!




WE GOT THE BALL SURROUNDED!

The water cure

It had been a good writing day. Words seemed to just flow from my fingers to the hard disc. At the same time My back and shoulders were sore from staying in the same position. (yes, yes, I know I should know better).

Outside the weather was a perfect late winter day, something that is rare in Geneva, and much too nice to spend the entire day inside. I grabbed my coat and was off to visit my favourite stream. To get there is necessary to walk by the lake (no chore at all), and down a path with hedges. The there is a little bridge with the stream flowing under and down to the lake.

The water was in perfect form, bubbling over itself almost as if it were laughing at the world for being allowed this wonderful journey.

I don't know how long I stood there, but as I started back home, I realised that my shoulders no longer hurt.

Friends

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm paranoid about having anything near my eyes. Wearing mascara is impossible because I can't stand to get the little brush near my eyes. It took my dermatologist more than 35 minutes to remove a growth near my eyes in what should have been a few seconds job.

I tend to hit my ophthalmologist during an eye exam, assuming he can get near enough me to examine my eyes.

I'm a normal patient with all other kinds of doctors.

Thus facing surgery on both eyes, on what is a simple operation for sane people, but causes terror in me, the doctor decided the best course was to knock me out. I think he envisioned chasing me around the operating room or dragging me out from under the car in the garage to work on me.

On the positive side, I've been totally touched by my friends reaction. My housemate decided to stay home from an event in case I needed anything. Another friend was more than willing to stay with me until I took off the bandages. My Indian friends asked not IF they could help (go in my place was not an option) but what they could do, and another friend hearing about it from a mutual friend, wrote words of encouragement and offered me a free massage (which she does) if that would help.

My new mantra to get me through until the 24th and 3rd (two surgeries) is I'll be able to see well again I'll be able to see well again. I'll be able to see well again...

Don't anyone mention the word eyedrops, please...

Laughing

I finally found the baby laughing adver on you tube by putting in bébé rire pub


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E0IS-pUZXY

I just love those 29 second especially with the little boy puts his head down on his high chair tray totally convulsed with laughter.

I mention I found it to my housemate as we to and fro getting ready for bed between bathrooms and bedrooms, mentioning last minute things.

"Did you know adults laugh an average of 15 times a day," she calls across the hall.

"Does that include laughing clubs?" I call back. "I wonder how those work."

As I look for my book to pretend to read before falling asleep, she comes into my room and starts to laugh.

I can't help it. I have to laugh too.

And we laugh and laugh almost to the point where we hurt.

Then she leaves.

Finally settled down in bed, I giggle myself to sleep.

I should be writing the newsletter

But it was more fun playing with my photo

Killing ten minutes

"Ten minutes," my housemate said about the store that was closed until 14:30.

That was just enough time for a brief exploration.



We ambled down this small passage



No sense in taking art too seriously.



Roots, a mosaic almost gives life to the tree above. There are both cement and ceramic painted tiles.




A nursing mother cuddles her child. In a way it would be wonderful if our children could always stay small and cuddly. On the other hand having grown up children is equally wonderful.

The Knight in Shining Trash

At a restaurant near our house run by the mentally handicap, this statue was made by the students out of old circuit boards and other trash. Nearby are the remnants of a medieval château. Maybe he is looking for this château through his glases. On the base of the statue there is a sign not to mount the horse. However, it said nothing against taking photos.

More painted electric boxes

I keep discovering the boxes all over Geneva. What a treat.

Lovely lunch until

It had been a lovely lunch at Le Cottage, the restaurant in a small park overlooking the lake.

I was brainstorming with two writers. The food was excellent.

Then the owner came over and mentioned to the man, that there might be aproblem. The client behind him had been known to be a pickpocket. Sure enough, although the man's wallet was three: His money was gone.

These things happen, but what was upsetting the restaurant knew the pickpocket was trouble yet served him anyway.

She did not warn her other client in time.

She made no offer to apologize nor did she offer to pickup the cost of his lunch.

She couldn't stop smiling.

The food and ambiance at restaurant is wonderful. The owner IS NOT!

Beauty and loss

I chose a walk not just because it was a beautiful day, but because I could put off a phone call I didn't want to make. Sadly it is not a single phone call but one that I do so regularly that the sadness multiplies each time as I answer the same questions, repeat the same information and try to break through the ever deepening fog to the person whom I'm losing even though she is still there.

As I crossed the street, the sun shown on the stone wall and the moss moved ever so slightly in the breeze, a reminder that even in sadness there is a moment where one can see beauty.

Boatyard cat

A sunny spot, sheltered from the breeze on a winter day, this cat poses allowing people walking by the boatyard a chance to admire her beauty.

My daughter sent her sympathies to my housemate

She wondered how I would survive without my news fixes from all over the world.

The reason?

We were upgrading from ADSL to VDSL and our upgrade left us without internet at all, our life line to people, work and the world.

I was good. What you can't change don't get upset.

So we trekked to the wifi at McDos and made the best of it.

And today it came back ahead of the Monday promise, although the technician is still coming out on Monday.

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.