tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57949542012-04-15T19:00:48.969-04:00BEBERE 2.0"Ha ha. I made you blog again." - PabloBehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.comBlogger2986125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-73105389805781248772012-04-11T16:26:00.000-04:002012-04-11T16:26:22.531-04:00Excuses, Excuses.
Am tired, very tired. Am also spending more time over here, given that it's April and all. (Please join me, if you'd like! The more the merrier, and I can use all the happiness available).Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-55075225653433342802012-02-04T05:38:00.000-05:002012-02-04T05:38:38.995-05:00Fruit Salad à la française.
Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-8985556708701183612012-02-03T15:23:00.002-05:002012-02-04T05:31:50.175-05:00Bought my stamps, collected up my letter papers, found my favorite pen. Am ready for the challenge.
Seems like such a nice means of working one's way through what I think is the Worst Month of the Year.
Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-11231462591794321172012-02-03T12:43:00.004-05:002012-02-03T14:56:00.919-05:00Breathing.
One of the reasons why I'm not out every day enjoying my ballon de rouge in a café along the Champs Elysées is that that's an awfully expensive pastime*. Another reason is that I'd most likely end up suffocating after about a week or two of this sort of thing given the state of my lungs and the air quality in The City. Some days are better than others and I've learned to look out Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-8604541445519795242012-01-15T17:54:00.003-05:002012-01-16T09:05:30.505-05:00Compote de Poires.
Was very pleased to see the little seckel pears at market again with the new year.
The last of last week's batch before hitting la casserole.
Every year at about this time, these little beauties are packed into plastic bags and sold at ridiculous prices*. Last week, they were going for two kg for four euro (that's roughly a dollar a pound). I bought four kg with the Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-51644828425104036432012-01-10T17:07:00.000-05:002012-01-10T17:07:04.437-05:00(Sorry, but had to be said.)
Auchon (kind of like a Walmart): with selections from our butcher for less than an euro.
IT'S PEOPLE!Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-19780410515797124952012-01-09T17:04:00.001-05:002012-01-09T17:05:56.872-05:00Star-Crossed.
It's interesting to see how much space in the French women's magazines is devoted to horoscopes, this being the land of Enlightenment and all. To be fair, in some (but certainly not the majority) of the American ones I've looked through, you'll have a little blurb on your sign from month to month. This is nothing compared to the French editors' fascination with the stars and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-91745086837008605102012-01-08T15:33:00.003-05:002012-01-08T15:56:58.648-05:00Did I mention previously how much I learn not only culture-wise, but vocabulary-wise from these magazines? They're a treasure-trove of pop imagery, current argot, etc.
Case in point: the other day, I brought home a favorite weekly (which I get mainly for the recipes; they're really good. I should just get their magazine devoted to cooking; can't resist the more general one, though.) called Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-51959399169589931622012-01-08T15:31:00.000-05:002012-01-08T15:31:24.927-05:00La Presse Feminine.
Will admit to a guilty pleasure here: women's magazines. Though I don't subscribe to any, I do like to pick a little something up at the press kiosk from time to time to see how underachieving/unfashionable/unhealthy I am according these publications. I also like to keep up with what I guess is Popular Feminism around the world*.
What's interesting about a lot of the Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-15152967030189598652012-01-07T17:11:00.000-05:002012-01-07T17:11:23.728-05:00 Epiphany.
Though yesterday was technically the Feast of the Magi, weak stomachs kept us from digging in to the traditional Epiphany Cake or 'galette des rois.' Instead, saved them for today's breakfast.
There's a lot to be said for delayed gratification.
Traditionally, these are either just straight puff pastry or pastry filled with apples or almond paste. Nowadays, you'll find filled Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-13758042802174215702012-01-05T14:57:00.000-05:002012-01-05T14:57:41.508-05:00The weather's been very odd lately. Temperatures have been averaging about 12-15 degrees celsius (that'd be about 55-60ish f). The winds, though not as rough around the Channel, are still a bit wild. Black, black, really black storm clouds are quickly rolling in and out, bringing with them rainbows, cloudbursts and sometimes even hail.
We were treated to a double rainbow the other day Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-7744539665756616452012-01-04T04:21:00.002-05:002012-01-04T04:25:07.624-05:00Resolutions and Resolve.
I just don't see the point of New Year's resolutions. Why the arbitrary first of January for making all sorts of drastic changes? Doesn't do much except crowd others out of the local pool or gym until the end of the month when impetus and interest peter out. If I want to try something new that requires a bit of discipline, am more likely to have this new interest takeBehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-81796948009358401442012-01-02T15:51:00.000-05:002012-01-02T15:51:54.101-05:00I'm willing to bet that this would hold its own quite nicely against a 10€ offering in most of the places featured in the Figaroscope.
Just a bit of really good fromage blanc* that I drizzled with Mistral's home-harvested honey, then sprinkled with ginger and fresh-grated nutmeg. It looked kind of naked, so added the fig for a bit of a flourish.
***
* Our favorite is from the experimental Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-12796319878441478342012-01-01T16:25:00.002-05:002012-01-01T16:35:26.332-05:00First Day.
It dawned warm, damp and gray; not too bad, though, if you're accustomed to frigid Januaries. Enjoyed a bit more truffles and eggs, then decided to take a wander about the neighborhood. Wanted to see the old sights with new eyes for the New Year.
A view of the American Cemetery from La Terrasse. The trees in the foreground are planes, historic staples in French landscape Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-31787159223869939332011-12-31T17:41:00.001-05:002012-01-01T14:19:18.094-05:00Quiet Night In.
Just us with some mollusks & feet from the stomachs, a big crustacean, a bottle of Loire Valley bubbly and some Strauss on the radio.
Time for bed now, though it isn't quite midnight; have had enough of 2011. Hopefully your New Year's a happy and safe one. Best wishes for 2012.Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-90391070040249418942011-12-29T23:20:00.001-05:002011-12-29T17:21:59.684-05:00Three Easy Pieces II: Felt.
Heavens, did life get a bit hectic lately. Took a trip back to the Heimatstadt to visit my dad, came back to the launching pad, then flung myself across the Big Blue again. Somehow papers managed to get sorted somewhat and stuff got mailed that needed to be mailed right away. The knitting WIP pile is slowly shrinking, though not as quickly as I'd like. Other Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-52822176752573865542011-12-29T05:33:00.001-05:002011-12-30T06:46:30.887-05:00Heavens, I know you get what you pay for, but what a terrible new interface for Blogger. Every post I've written since they "improved" stuff has had to be re edited, re formatted, re taille four or five times as stuff's shifted between writing and publishing. This is even in the HTML editor area. Switched back to the old interface; hopefully it'll lessen the time I have to do stupid, repeat Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-80670133573116220642011-12-28T16:16:00.005-05:002011-12-29T05:28:35.221-05:00
The Frenchie dropped a couple strings of LEDs down a couple flights of stairs with an ethereal, almost eerie effect. It's kind of a Visual equivalent to that Kate Bush Christmas song I like so much.
Here's to hoping that everyone had a happy day - no matter what you celebrate. Though a little jet-laggy (yes, I'm back across the Grand Bleu), am doing pretty well. The Frenchie seems in pretty Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-15077045020947716442011-12-11T12:07:00.002-05:002011-12-30T06:44:30.997-05:00Three Easy Pieces - Warm as Wool, Cool as a Concombre.
Don't know how it was by you this Summer, but ours was characterized by damp, dark, unseasonably cold weather. Heck, to add insult to injury, both the Frenchie and I ended up with head colds.*
When we finally started sprouting mold**, I suggested to the Frenchie that maybe, if for nothing other than our sanity, we head in the general Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-7111728906835268912011-12-09T12:00:00.001-05:002011-12-30T06:45:52.590-05:00Don't know if I mentioned this before, but earlier this year I turned 40. Now, am not a big fan of birthdays*, and would have been perfectly happy to have let the year pass quietly by. The folks at my Health Care Provider, amazingly on the ball that they are, didn't forget.
Long Story Short: things started with a pep talk from my Primary Care Doctor,** saw me through not one, but several Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-2537579489385413672011-12-08T18:13:00.002-05:002011-12-30T06:47:04.401-05:00It's been a pretty eventful few weeks, and I'm still trying find my balance again. Am right now in the process of:
a.) healing.
b.) getting a few items currently hosted on the blog off.
c.) preparing to visit family I'd not seen in a while (fingers crossed on this)/preparing for Christmas/preparing to fly away across the ocean.
d.) hopefully making a little bit more money, which Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-86015160298891378952011-11-20T20:08:00.002-05:002011-12-30T06:47:28.642-05:00Waste Not, Want Not.
Remember this guy?
Well, he's undergone somewhat of a transformation.
Ended up with something like 25 jars of a total treat, along with a couple pots of soup. Am really pleased with myself.
Wasn't sure what I was going to do when I set out to peel and cut up this year's behemoth. Since jack-o-lantern pumpkins are generally for decoration and not so much eating, Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-82787952261182830452011-11-18T12:10:00.002-05:002011-12-30T06:49:05.136-05:00Reestablishing Equilibrium?
Honestly didn't intend to bring another animal into the home so soon after losing Trouble, but...
Poor Magnolia, after losing her friend and suddenly having to deal with Tony on her own just doesn't know *how* to deal with the new interloper. Little black girl is dealing like a dream with all this. She's surprisingly well-adjusted for a shelter cat. About the Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-74237908175710857232011-11-11T12:18:00.002-05:002011-12-30T06:50:10.366-05:00In Flanders Fields.
Not quite a hundred years ago a treaty was signed, signalling the end of hostilities on the Western Front of an awful, bloody war. Battles continued on other fronts, and other wars followed. In some cases, the messes we are in today are related, either directly or once removed from that "War to End All Wars." Such sobering thoughts for such a beautiful Fall day.
Up in Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794954.post-37027562161341266452011-11-01T20:38:00.004-04:002011-12-30T06:50:37.337-05:00Goodbye, Little Trouble.
He'd been sick for a few months, seemed to be getting better. Suddenly, over the weekend things took a turn for the worse. Last night, took him to the hospital. Today, the vet told us that both the heart and kidneys were having serious problems and, to fix one would put serious stress on the other. Plus, he needed a blood transfusion, which his heart probably Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593480051760923088noreply@blogger.com2