No weather contest

This is a blog written but not posted a few days ago.  

I don't want to get into a bad weather contest, especially with people who are shovelling like mad in various places around the globe.

My daughter in Boston contributed these photos and referred to her car as the white lump. They now have 84 inches of snow.

The ski areas in several places have too much snow --  yes you read that right -- They have too much snow to ski.

Geneva is experiencing winds of up to 60km/h. At that speed water can be thrown from the lake and with the minus temperatures perhaps the cars and benches along the water will once again be covered in ice, thick ice up to a foot thick depending.

My housemate is probably cheering her new windows.

Last night the Tramantane talked and sometimes yelled all night. It was like a machine. There are gusts of up to 95Km/h. When I walked to my Spanish lesson this morning, my shopping basket was blown at a 90° angle as I struggled to stay upright.

So, I don't want to get into a "My weather is worse that your weather" contest. I am willing to say everyone I know is living in brrrrrrrrrrrrr conditions.

I am travelling but will catch up on blogs on Thursday.

Cyprus teddy bear

Tossed in the air by fingers

On a windy day

A tale of two ages

We touched two ages yesterdays.

Rick and I were at an invitation only Cannes Airport lunch. The airport specializes in business aviation. The reason was more of a meet and greet for the press. At the entrance to the airport were some wonderful small planes as below as well as the latest and the best.

We allowed enough time to get lost from Monaco, but this time we found it directly. Near the entrance to the airport we saw a sign directing us to a 14th century chapel.

We parked and walked up the path. The death of a 400-year tree by "meteorological" causes in September 2009 was marked over. The stump had a beauty in itself and we could only imagine the history of the area that the tree had lived through.

Signs along the way gave us a bit more information.

Birds were perched on top of the chapel bell tower. Behind the chapel was a forest of cypress trees ladened with their puffy brown cones. Were the same kinds of trees there when the monks were at prayer?

Glancing at our watches, we realised it was time to go from the 14th to 21st century. Two ages in less than 20 minutes. The relativity of time.

Waiter, there's a seahorse in my soup

Marc gave me a big hug as we went into his restaurant on the Swiss/French border. We'd known him when he was a waiter at Marro, a place we eat regularly and know all the wait staff.

Then he disappeared, but Julia ran into him at Migros and learned where he had gone. We added his new restaurant to our regular culinary rounds, but I hadn't been there for several weeks.

Last night, I'd also had a big welcome back at Marro from Adrien, one of the waiters and Fabien, the chef, who assured me there was no shellfish (allergies) in the fish soup.  

Going to these restaurants is a bit like going to a good friend's house. There is warmth in the meal, warmth in the relationships.

J took a photo of Rick taking a picture of the soup as I took a picture of J taking a picture of Rick taking a picture of the soup and of the soup.

 

There are more of us than there are of them

Dear NSA...

Have you seen the film Citizens Four by Laura Poitras and  journalist Glenn Greenwald and Edward Snowden with the New York Time's media columnist David Carr just hours before he died?

I know you are unhappy with Snowden, but as citizen of the planet, I am grateful to them all.

Watch the interview here. Better yet, watch the film which has been nominated for an Oscar.

Love,
DLN

AirBnB

Rick and I have stayed at a minimum of 10 BnBs in six countries (Andorra, Canada, US, Germany, Amsterdam, and now Monaco.) We've been in the country, city and on a houseboat. All have been arranged thought AirBnB and all have been varying degrees of wonderful.

Each one is different unlike hotel chains.

I also love the program Bienvenue chez Nous on TF1 where four BnB owners visit each other's BnB and rate them for a prize. I know that a variation of this program is in other countries. Maybe it is French, but the ratings (usually called strategy by the recipients of anything other than a great mark) are much lower than I would give.

The contestants can be incredibly picky, looking for a stray hair or a little spot. We come in and pretend we are on the show, but we aren't that picky.

What is fun is to check out the ambiance, the art work, etc. I loved the little colored bottles above.

 The kitchen was equipped well, although cooking on our honeymoon part II wasn't part of the plan.

Real orchids in unusual vases flanked the bidet. I do miss have a bidet available in Argelès after years of having them in Geneva. The best place for one in our flat would be the kitchen or patio, and somehow, that lacks appeal.

The view out the window of the BnB in Monaco. We were met by our friendly owner who gave us a brief tour and her phone number if we needed anything. We didn't. Everything was complete.

Interesting stones and other art work graced the one bedroom flat on Princess Caroline Street.

We have learned to check certain things like wifi, parking (if we go by car) and we just added an elevator to our check list as we hiked up to the third floor, minor, minor, minor.

At the moment Rick and I don't have a next trip planned except to go back to the BnB in Andorra for a writing/hiking/golf week in the mountains.

How would I rate our Honeymoon Part II. 10 on 10 or A+.

We weren't invited

The photo of Prince Albert and Princess Charlotte was displayed in the Ferrari show room.

Rick stared at it for a minute. We'd just been looking at the palace on the hill. "Is that the prince and princess?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I saw the same photo in a real estate office and I thought it was the owners."

We are a bit disappointed. They haven't asked us up even for a cup of tea or to see the twins. After all we are the Baron and Baroness of Sealand with certificates to prove our royal status.

Ulysses

Ulysses was the legendary Greek King of Ithaca and appeared in Homer's Odysseus, which I read. I also read the Iliad by Homer. He was brilliant although it did take him ten years to find home after the Trojan War. Alfred Lord Tennyson picks up Ulysses' life story after he returns in another poem. I read this albeit (take that Rick and Julia) many decades ago.

What I did not and will never read beyond page 28 is James Joyce's Ulysses. Even as a compulsive reader, and as an English literature major, I cannot get through it after many tries. My tombstone, were I to have one, could read "She never finished Ulysess."

And every so often I'm reminded of this breach of my literary education, like today in Monaco when I came across a statue by Anna Chromy by the same name as my nemesis novel. It is a beautiful man, muscular and gold decorated.

Maybe my enjoyment today will make up for not reading Joyce's novel. Or not!

Boats to give my father an orgasm

I had Rick walk up to the boats in the harbor. "Inhale."

He did.

"That's the smell of money," I said. One of the yachts cost at least $200 million. What was fun were seeing the names.

Amadeus, was the name of my feisty Japanese chin not to mention a certain famous composer, a restaurant in Argeles, and "Rock me Amadeus", a German song by the late Falco.

I love the names. I really, really wished my father could have been here. It was his dream was to have a boat, so he built a 38-foot, sleeps six cabin cruiser in his back yard. For years he and my wonderful step mom took it up and down the New England coast. The boat was named Grand Slam to attract any other bridge players in port.

I believe my dad was probably happier with the Grand Slam than any of the owners of these multi-million dollar yachts.

The Grand Slam met a sad end in the blizzard of '78. Although moored, well off the waterfront, that storm came far enough off shore to pull the boat into the sea and smash it.

Nothing like a boat named Romance one's honeymoon.

A learning experience

"Mommy, pay attention to me!!!"

Petite Cougar, worn out from trying to bring Scooby II under control, finally adopted a new puppy, Angel (beige). Thé Noir and Miel (black dog and baby tiger) also came to live.

Scooby II, no longer the center of attention, doesn't like it one bit.

Will he mend his ways?

Is Angel really the little Angel Petite Cougar thinks she is?

Stay tuned, film at 11.

Monaco honeymoon Part I

Petite Cougar: We are lucky we are being allowed to go to Monaco with Rick and Donna-Lane, so I want you all to behave.

Petite Cougar and Angel decide to visit the boutique when Rick and Donna-Lane stop for a break and gas.

Angel makes a new friend and introduces her to Petite Cougar.

Scooby II: Come back, come back, you didn't mean to leave me in the car did you, did you, did you?

(Petite Cougar and Angel did mean to leave him there.) Petite Cougar really enjoyed showing and sharing with Angel in the store instead of having to chase her normally badly behaved son to make sure he didn't break anything.

After a little trouble finding the BnB in Monaco Donna-Lane and Rick were greeted by the smiling hostess and led to the lovely flat. The animals loved the chair except for Scooby who kept yelling at Angel, "Get off my Mom."

Truly original

I admit it.

The ordinary bores me. Color and creativity give life a whole new dimension.

I came across the photo as I was doing a quick check of email before doing the final odds and ends before we leave for Monaco later this morning. What smile-producing creativity.

Honeymoon Part II

We are doing Part II of our honeymoon, starting tomorrow: a couple of days in Monaco. (our goal is to do all the principalities, although we aren't visiting Sealand where we hold the titles of Baron and Baroness.) We have no plans to visit the royal family.

Thus there may be a few less blogs, so dear readers, check back in a couple of days if nothing new is appearing.

Although everyday with Rick is a honeymoon, we are taking the children: Petite Cougar, Scooby II, Honey Bunny, Herr Hare, and our new additions, Thé Noir, Angel and Miel. So I guess that gives us the status of an old married couple.

A tale of two messes

IT has been a running joke between Rick and me about how he's a paper hoarder. The papers on top of the table are his collection of only a few months.

I say my papers from the last 20 years are in my computer, but it isn't 100% true, maybe closer to 95%.

He was so happy when he saw the bed in the nest covered with papers that I were sorting.

This is paper from the last 20 years and the colored folders are empty. These are things I can't throw away such as birth certificates, contracts, and manuals etc.

And to be honest I have about double in Geneva excluding paper copies of all my unpublished writing. Those I will always have a paper copy of in case all the computers in the world disappear.

My goal today was to get nest paper working into folders  (9) with pretty matching labels. I will need to do the same in Geneva next week. Probably will need a few more folders.

Another admission. I often have trouble finding stuff, but for one golden moment, everything is in its proper folder. Manuals aren't in the insurance folder, contracts aren't in the birth certificate folder. My filing system is underwhelming at best.

My on-line files are much better.

I do love the French folders with the internal flaps and the elastic to hold things in place. But not matter how nice the folder, and how pretty the label, it still needs human intervention to get the paper into the folder.

I'm sure we'll keep teasing each other about our alleged "systems" but I'm happy my husband was happy at my paper mess.

Love not locks

I love the herd mentality. Fads come and go from saddle shoes, poodle skirts, silly putty, hula hoops, etc. We all fall for it then a decades or so later look back and laugh.

One of the latest is for two lovers to put a lock on a bridge and throw away the key to show the permanence of their love (there are no statistics of how many have stayed together).

We first saw it first in Amsterdam.

We thought it was cute. However, cute got out of control in Paris, the city of lovers.

'In a plea to Valentine Visitors to Paris this year Lisa Taylor Huff for the No Love Locks campaign told French News Online: “We need you! Let’s send a message to visitors to this city that hanging a lock on its historic monuments and in the public spaces of Paris is vandalism damaging to the capital and hurtful to the people of France —culturally, economically and emotionally. We call on tourists to act responsibly, to show their respect and empathy for Parisians and to refrain from destroying the beauty and heritage of this city. Paris is a romantic destination with so much to offer lovers, we hope visitors will move beyond destructive padlocks that say nothing about love.” She added: “Our message is ‘Give Paris Love (Not Locks)’ a campaign embracing social media with the hashtag #NoLoveLocksDay”.'

'The campaigners says the negative effects of approximately 1 million heavy, rusting, locks on the bridges and monuments of Paris are not only seen physically, in the collapsing and boarded-up panels of the worst-impacted bridges, but are also felt psychologically by Parisians who see their beautiful city centre deteriorating. Paris City Hall has already declared an end to “love locks” with the installation of experimental glass “lock-proof” panels on the Pont des Arts and Pont de l’Archevêché, and has been actively encouraging visitors to take advantage of the many other romantic things to do in Paris, the City of Love.'

Read more: http://www.french-news-online.com/wordpress/?p=39784#ixzz3RBmFRfuo
Follow them: @frenchnewsonlin on Twitter

So on Valentine's Day stick to flowers, chocolate, champagne. Better yet make every day Valentine's Day by being loving and considerate.

Shhh your TV may listening

Dear NSA...

It's been a while since I've written. I've been busy with Murder in Edinburgh, the title of my novel, not a personal action plan.

Rick just read that Samson has a new TV out that monitors watchers. It warns not to discuss personal things in front of the TV.

I'm beginning to think the best place to have a personal discussion free from spying is in a cement-walled, windowless room with no electrical devices under a piece of furniture.

If any of your operatives are in Boston, I wish them good luck with the snow.

DL

Why Rick and I are an O'Henry couple

Anyone who knows the O'Henry, the Gift of the Magi short story will understand why I say we are an O'Henry couple. For those that don't know it, there's a link.

I bought Angel as a surprise for Rick. (the beige pup in the middle to help keep Scoob II in line). She appears sweet when dealing with the bunnies and Petite Cougar but not everything is on the up and up.

In an earlier blog, she's threatened the Scoob.

Meanwhile Rick bought Thé Noir and Miel (black tea and honey, his favorite morning beverage for mornings) for me.

As I went to turn on my computer this morning, I saw the three newbies plotting against Scoob. Oh the adventures they are going to have.

Do they know that they are going to Monaco and Corsier?

Stay tuned, film at 11.

artificial insemination and character names

"I have to artificially inseminate my serial killer today," I said to Rick over the wonderful cordon bleu lunch that he had made.

"Won't that cramp her style?"

"You have to remember she has her own trust fund."

He nodded. "She kills for the thrill?"

"Something like that. But her gay friend's father has promised him a million dollars, and he'll give her $250,000 if they marry and produce an heir." I had a gay neighbor once whose father promised just that, only he didn't take the offer. So many times in writing a real experience triggers an idea that I play with and change.

I told him the name of the man.

Rick looked at me. "You may want to change that."

I realised that it was the name of a gay man that it is a friend. He might not think it is about him. Often people see themselves in my novels although I wasn't thinking of them at all. Others would like to be in them and ask for a role.

At least it was a name that find and replace won't be a problem. In Family Value when I changed the name Lou to Gino I ended up words like Ginoiana for the southern state and a woman wore a Bginose instead of a blouse.

It is now a little after 4 am and the next chapter was keeping me awake. Thus I am up and about to start to work.

More animal hijinks

Petite Cougar: Scooby II, I've had it with your misbehavior. I'm adopting a new puppy. One that doesn't give me so much trouble!!!!

Scooby II: You can't do that.

Petite Cougar: Yes I can and I have. (she leaves the room)

New puppy yet to be named: I'm going to be so sweet and adorable I'm going to wipe your clock. (He sticks out his tongue at SDII)

Scooby II: Wipe my clock????? Isn't that clean my clock.

New puppy yet to be named: Doesn't matter. You'll be sorry you were ever born.

Llara and J...this is for you two. I think we'll bring them with us so they can meet the bears and Lady Leopard.