Hello lovelies!
Walking home from the grocery store this afternoon, I ran into my neighbor, Monique. Monique is 94 years young and is a doll. Two Sundays ago, Monique's key got stuck in her door. Neither of us could get it to work, so she came over to my place and we called her insurance company and eventually got a locksmith out. A couple of hours later, she was in. There was climbing through bathroom windows involved with the locksmith securing himself to my towel dryer for safety (it wasn't going to help him much if he'd fallen), but everyone and everything came through relatively unscathed.
A bit later this afternoon, Monique showed up at my door with a beautiful orchid. I told her, of course, that it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. I'm really happy to be able to help her, and I couldn't ask for a better neighbor. From time to time we have an apéro together at one our apartments. She tells me about her travels (she's been all over the world), and we talk about whatever is going on in my life.
On the other side of my apartment is a nice lady named Nana. She's Iranian and has lived in the building about as long as I have. She's currently in pastry school, and three times now I've been the lucky recipient of her test kitchen results. Chocolate cake, raisin bread, and croissants. I'm no expert, but she seems talented to me!
Maria, who lives upstairs with her boyfriend Lionel, has become a good friend. She is hilarious and loves to come over for afternoon snacks and snuggles with Luigi. I also met my great friend Gaëlle living here.
When I tell people different things about my nice neighbors, they're always so surprised and impressed that we even speak to each other! As for me, I'm really grateful for all the friends I've made in my neighborhood and am so happy that we aren't what too often passes for normal in a big city.
What are you grateful for today?
bisous
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Monday, March 4, 2019
Le Soleil
When I looked at this week's forecast on my telephone yesterday, I was disappointed. Rain, rain, and more rain. The sun was scheduled to, perhaps, make an appearance around Thursday. When I woke up this morning, the wind was blowing so hard that I actually heard it break something in the courtyard. I could tell from the sound that the something was made of glass, but I don't know what the glass thing was because I couldn't find it when I looked out the window. Later, when I was reading the news, I saw that the summit of the Eiffel Tower as well as all of Paris's gardens and cemeteries had been closed because of the dangers related to the high winds. And the cherry on top was that it was also raining. You know how easy it is to stay dry when it's raining and super windy.
But the rain has stopped, the wind has calmed, and the sun is fighting valiantly to break through the clouds. From time to time, a ray escapes. I'm grateful for those rebel rays.
I'm also grateful for the sweet friend who invited me to her book club this morning at one of Paris's beautiful palace hotels, The Hôtel de Crillon. The other ladies were lovely, and the venue is hard to beat. It was a really nice way to start off the week.
Another thing I'm grateful for - good books. I hadn't read the book club book (I was only invited late last week), but I'm going to read the April book, The Man Who Outshone the Sun King, because it's an interesting and sad story. The subject is a man named Nicolas Fouquet who was the Superintendent of Finances under Louis XIV. Long story short, he built the Château de Vaux le Vicomte, but just three weeks after throwing a reception for the king at his new château, he was arrested on the king's order and thrown into prison where he would stay until his death almost twenty years later. The beautiful château which was the model for Versailles is still privately owned. It was given to its current owner as a wedding gift. If I ever get married, I hope someone gives me a gorgeous château as a wedding gift.
As I type this, I'm bookended by Gracie on the left who is snoring softly and Luigi on the right who is completely silent. My heart.
So there you have a few things I'm grateful on this windy, rainy, chilly Monday. And you? What are you grateful for today?
bisous
But the rain has stopped, the wind has calmed, and the sun is fighting valiantly to break through the clouds. From time to time, a ray escapes. I'm grateful for those rebel rays.
I'm also grateful for the sweet friend who invited me to her book club this morning at one of Paris's beautiful palace hotels, The Hôtel de Crillon. The other ladies were lovely, and the venue is hard to beat. It was a really nice way to start off the week.
Another thing I'm grateful for - good books. I hadn't read the book club book (I was only invited late last week), but I'm going to read the April book, The Man Who Outshone the Sun King, because it's an interesting and sad story. The subject is a man named Nicolas Fouquet who was the Superintendent of Finances under Louis XIV. Long story short, he built the Château de Vaux le Vicomte, but just three weeks after throwing a reception for the king at his new château, he was arrested on the king's order and thrown into prison where he would stay until his death almost twenty years later. The beautiful château which was the model for Versailles is still privately owned. It was given to its current owner as a wedding gift. If I ever get married, I hope someone gives me a gorgeous château as a wedding gift.
As I type this, I'm bookended by Gracie on the left who is snoring softly and Luigi on the right who is completely silent. My heart.
So there you have a few things I'm grateful on this windy, rainy, chilly Monday. And you? What are you grateful for today?
bisous
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Sunday
Hiya!
Ah, Sunday...the day when I let myself stay in my pjs all day if I want to. Usually I change into yoga pants and a top when the weather's cold or a light little dress when it's hot, but I do have the option of all day pjs if I want it. Today I went with the yoga attire. Yoga practice optional.
So if you're still here after THAT boring paragraph, bless you. :) Alright, gratitude. Here are just a few of the things I'm thankful for:
My sweet neighbor. We had a little locksmith intervention last Sunday afternoon because her key got stuck in the lock and refused to budge, so yesterday, she invited me over for a little apéro to thank me for helping her get back into her apartment. She's 94 and so interesting. She's traveled to so many places, so every time we get together, I end up asking her about some fabulous place she's been. She is truly delightful and sharp as a tack, and we'd all be lucky to measure up to her at that age.
Youtube. I've been watching Seth Godin interviews, and I feel like I've got a few new ideas to try this week. Exciting!
Avocados. I picked up two earlier this week and had one a day or two ago. It was like buttah! Seriously, so delicious. The second one is on the menu for tonight.
I'm going to let myself stop with 3 things. I always have tons of things to be grateful for, but three is enough for now.
And you? What are you grateful for today? Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy your Sunday!
bisous
Ah, Sunday...the day when I let myself stay in my pjs all day if I want to. Usually I change into yoga pants and a top when the weather's cold or a light little dress when it's hot, but I do have the option of all day pjs if I want it. Today I went with the yoga attire. Yoga practice optional.
So if you're still here after THAT boring paragraph, bless you. :) Alright, gratitude. Here are just a few of the things I'm thankful for:
My sweet neighbor. We had a little locksmith intervention last Sunday afternoon because her key got stuck in the lock and refused to budge, so yesterday, she invited me over for a little apéro to thank me for helping her get back into her apartment. She's 94 and so interesting. She's traveled to so many places, so every time we get together, I end up asking her about some fabulous place she's been. She is truly delightful and sharp as a tack, and we'd all be lucky to measure up to her at that age.
Youtube. I've been watching Seth Godin interviews, and I feel like I've got a few new ideas to try this week. Exciting!
Avocados. I picked up two earlier this week and had one a day or two ago. It was like buttah! Seriously, so delicious. The second one is on the menu for tonight.
I'm going to let myself stop with 3 things. I always have tons of things to be grateful for, but three is enough for now.
And you? What are you grateful for today? Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy your Sunday!
bisous
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
I Know What You're Thinking
I know, I know. "Well, well, well...look what the cat dragged in."
It's me. I'm what the cat dragged in. I know, I've been MIA for something like...four years. Just disappeared. POOF! Like that. So where have I been? I've been right here. Right here in Paris just doing my thing.
As for what happened and why I quit blogging on my lovely Gratitude Portal, I don't remember there being a reason for it. It's not like I made a conscious decision to stop blogging. I think it was just one of those things that happens. I imagine that I didn't do it for a couple of days, and days turned into weeks which turned into years, and here we are.
Bygones, as the weird guy on Ally McBeal used to say. Let's talk gratitude!
So much has happened since I was last here that I'm just going to put a few things down and explain as I go.
Things I'm grateful for in no particular order.
1. That I'm now French. That's right, my friends! Dual nationality! I became a French citizen in late 2016. If you'll think back to when I first started the Gratitude Portal, you'll remember the various entries about getting various cards. The carte de séjour, also known as the card that kept me from getting deported, was not an easy thing to get. I jumped through more hoops than a seal at SeaWorld for the first five years I lived here. From late 2013 on, things were a bit easier because I had a full-time job and the card that went along with that. But I still had the stress of renewing it each year, AND if anything happened to that job, I'd have card stress all over again. So in early 2015, I submitted my dossier requesting nationality, and in late 2016 I got it. Whew! No more stressing about the card! Thank yous were expressed, congratulations were given, and Champagne was drunk!
2. My pink-toed princess and my stripey prince. You remember Gracie, of course. Well, my pink-toed princess will be 15 in June, and she is still the smoochin'est, sweetest girl ever. You'll also remember that I lost my darling Potter in August 2013. Still heartbroken over that. In July 2014, I adopted a little black and tan stripey fellow who I named Luigi. Like Potter, Luigi likes to sleep with me, and also like Potter, he can be a bit attackey with Gracie. So, like Potter, he gets yelled at when he gets aggressive. But I love that little fella. He is a snuggler and a talker, and he definitely spices things up around here.
3. My new business. What? Last time you heard, I had a job? Right. Well, that all came to an end when the company did a big layoff - 35 or 36 people in France! My boss was laid off a year before I was, so I saw the writing on the wall and started preparing. I was supposed to go into business with a friend, but when it became apparent that doing so would be a huge mistake, I ventured out on my own. Want to come to Paris? Check out www.paris-personally.com!
4. Friends. I've made so many new friends over the past few years, and I still have so many great friends that I've known forever. My dear friend Ann and her daughter (my Goddaughter) Lizzie are coming for a visit (finally!) in just a few weeks!
5. My parents. The two people I most adore in the world. We do a video call every Sunday, and it's the highlight of my week. I love them so very much.
I'm going to stop there, but I'd love to hear from you! ...If there are any of you still out there, that is. And I'll try to be better about keeping this blog up. I think I need to do better about expressing my gratitude, and since I built this place to come do exactly that, it's only logical that I should use it.
Hope you have a lovely day!
xo
It's me. I'm what the cat dragged in. I know, I've been MIA for something like...four years. Just disappeared. POOF! Like that. So where have I been? I've been right here. Right here in Paris just doing my thing.
As for what happened and why I quit blogging on my lovely Gratitude Portal, I don't remember there being a reason for it. It's not like I made a conscious decision to stop blogging. I think it was just one of those things that happens. I imagine that I didn't do it for a couple of days, and days turned into weeks which turned into years, and here we are.
Bygones, as the weird guy on Ally McBeal used to say. Let's talk gratitude!
So much has happened since I was last here that I'm just going to put a few things down and explain as I go.
Things I'm grateful for in no particular order.
1. That I'm now French. That's right, my friends! Dual nationality! I became a French citizen in late 2016. If you'll think back to when I first started the Gratitude Portal, you'll remember the various entries about getting various cards. The carte de séjour, also known as the card that kept me from getting deported, was not an easy thing to get. I jumped through more hoops than a seal at SeaWorld for the first five years I lived here. From late 2013 on, things were a bit easier because I had a full-time job and the card that went along with that. But I still had the stress of renewing it each year, AND if anything happened to that job, I'd have card stress all over again. So in early 2015, I submitted my dossier requesting nationality, and in late 2016 I got it. Whew! No more stressing about the card! Thank yous were expressed, congratulations were given, and Champagne was drunk!
2. My pink-toed princess and my stripey prince. You remember Gracie, of course. Well, my pink-toed princess will be 15 in June, and she is still the smoochin'est, sweetest girl ever. You'll also remember that I lost my darling Potter in August 2013. Still heartbroken over that. In July 2014, I adopted a little black and tan stripey fellow who I named Luigi. Like Potter, Luigi likes to sleep with me, and also like Potter, he can be a bit attackey with Gracie. So, like Potter, he gets yelled at when he gets aggressive. But I love that little fella. He is a snuggler and a talker, and he definitely spices things up around here.
3. My new business. What? Last time you heard, I had a job? Right. Well, that all came to an end when the company did a big layoff - 35 or 36 people in France! My boss was laid off a year before I was, so I saw the writing on the wall and started preparing. I was supposed to go into business with a friend, but when it became apparent that doing so would be a huge mistake, I ventured out on my own. Want to come to Paris? Check out www.paris-personally.com!
4. Friends. I've made so many new friends over the past few years, and I still have so many great friends that I've known forever. My dear friend Ann and her daughter (my Goddaughter) Lizzie are coming for a visit (finally!) in just a few weeks!
5. My parents. The two people I most adore in the world. We do a video call every Sunday, and it's the highlight of my week. I love them so very much.
I'm going to stop there, but I'd love to hear from you! ...If there are any of you still out there, that is. And I'll try to be better about keeping this blog up. I think I need to do better about expressing my gratitude, and since I built this place to come do exactly that, it's only logical that I should use it.
Hope you have a lovely day!
xo
Friday, January 2, 2015
Happy 2015!!!!
Hi friends!
So, long time no see, huh? Yeah, about that...
What can I say? It's not that I haven't been grateful. As always, I have so many things to be grateful for. It's just, well, let's be honest here, it's just that I've been lazy. I've started a dozen or so journals over the years but have never stuck with journaling. I just don't love journaling.
I thought that a simple list of things I'm grateful for would be easy, and that putting it on the internet would keep me motivated, but apparently I can't even be shamed into keeping a tiny little public gratitude journal. So what's my problem?
I think I know. Take a look at Marie's video here & see if you understand:
http://www.marieforleo.com/2014/11/powerful-gratitude-practice/
Burnout, boredom, sounds about right. My lists looked like her first one--too general. So knowing that the beauty is in the details, how about if I try again? No promises. I'd love to make this a daily thing again, but if I don't succeed at that, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. As always, I invite you to join in the comments or on your own. I would LOVE to read what you're grateful for.
So without further ado (fun word, ado), here goes. Today I choose to express gratitude for meditation, and specifically for a meditation that I've used the past two days. You may want to use it too, so I'll explain.
Lately I feel like my head is swimming...all of the time. I have a million thoughts swirling around & feel unable to concentrate. I've meditated from time to time over the last several years but never stuck with it (are we seeing a pattern here?), but every single thing I read on meditation makes me think I should do it, so I have decided to do it daily. I started about a week ago with 20 minutes at a time, and to begin, I thought that instead of trying not to have any thoughts, I would start with a meditation to clean out my thoughts and choose the ones I want.
So for the first few days I would start with a few deep, cleansing breaths, then I would focus on words like peace, love, kindness, generosity, etc. It was great.
Then, two days ago, I sat down to begin my meditation, and as I started, I saw all of the thoughts swirling around in my head. With each breath in, they swirled around, and with each breath out, I saw them shooting out through my nose. I repeated the breathing, swirling, shooting until I had emptied all of them, and when I did, I saw my mind as clean and shiny and kind of light blue. It made me smile. For a few breaths, I just enjoyed my clean, shiny, light blue mind. It was calming. After a while, I started choosing my thoughts. I started with peace and let it come into my shiny, clean, light blue mind. It was beautiful and white, and it filled the space. I felt myself smiling. After a few breaths just feeling peace, I let love come in. Love was pink and white and fluffy. Now my mind was filled with peace and love, and I sat with that for a few breaths, still smiling. Then I let in warmth. Warmth was soft and light brown and cream colored. Warmth felt so good. I sat with peace, love, and warmth for a bit, and it was beautiful. Even now typing this, I feel relaxed and am smiling.
Then, all of a sudden, a piece of roquette flew in! I must have been hungry and realized in that moment that there was salad in my fridge, and that roquette just flew right into my beautiful shiny, clean, light blue mind filled with peace, love, and warmth. Laughter followed on the tails of the roquette, and I was literally laughing out loud. Peace, love, and warmth hugged the roquette then showed it to the door. Laughter, which was bright blue, hung around, and for the next few breaths, I concentrated on peace, love, warmth, and laughter.
I sat for several breaths smiling and enjoying my trouble-free mind, and beauty came in. Beauty was soft and pink and swirly and was there because where peace, love, warmth, and laughter are, beauty is also. When the little bells tinkled to tell me my 20 minutes were up, I felt warm, happy, and peaceful.
The next day, I repeated the same meditation, and afterward, felt joyful. Today when I meditate, once I've emptied the other thoughts, I'm going to focus on the sensations of peace, love, warmth, laughter, and beauty--really feeling them.
So today, I am immensely grateful for this beautiful, joy-inducing meditation. :)
bisous
So, long time no see, huh? Yeah, about that...
What can I say? It's not that I haven't been grateful. As always, I have so many things to be grateful for. It's just, well, let's be honest here, it's just that I've been lazy. I've started a dozen or so journals over the years but have never stuck with journaling. I just don't love journaling.
I thought that a simple list of things I'm grateful for would be easy, and that putting it on the internet would keep me motivated, but apparently I can't even be shamed into keeping a tiny little public gratitude journal. So what's my problem?
I think I know. Take a look at Marie's video here & see if you understand:
http://www.marieforleo.com/2014/11/powerful-gratitude-practice/
Burnout, boredom, sounds about right. My lists looked like her first one--too general. So knowing that the beauty is in the details, how about if I try again? No promises. I'd love to make this a daily thing again, but if I don't succeed at that, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. As always, I invite you to join in the comments or on your own. I would LOVE to read what you're grateful for.
So without further ado (fun word, ado), here goes. Today I choose to express gratitude for meditation, and specifically for a meditation that I've used the past two days. You may want to use it too, so I'll explain.
Lately I feel like my head is swimming...all of the time. I have a million thoughts swirling around & feel unable to concentrate. I've meditated from time to time over the last several years but never stuck with it (are we seeing a pattern here?), but every single thing I read on meditation makes me think I should do it, so I have decided to do it daily. I started about a week ago with 20 minutes at a time, and to begin, I thought that instead of trying not to have any thoughts, I would start with a meditation to clean out my thoughts and choose the ones I want.
So for the first few days I would start with a few deep, cleansing breaths, then I would focus on words like peace, love, kindness, generosity, etc. It was great.
Then, two days ago, I sat down to begin my meditation, and as I started, I saw all of the thoughts swirling around in my head. With each breath in, they swirled around, and with each breath out, I saw them shooting out through my nose. I repeated the breathing, swirling, shooting until I had emptied all of them, and when I did, I saw my mind as clean and shiny and kind of light blue. It made me smile. For a few breaths, I just enjoyed my clean, shiny, light blue mind. It was calming. After a while, I started choosing my thoughts. I started with peace and let it come into my shiny, clean, light blue mind. It was beautiful and white, and it filled the space. I felt myself smiling. After a few breaths just feeling peace, I let love come in. Love was pink and white and fluffy. Now my mind was filled with peace and love, and I sat with that for a few breaths, still smiling. Then I let in warmth. Warmth was soft and light brown and cream colored. Warmth felt so good. I sat with peace, love, and warmth for a bit, and it was beautiful. Even now typing this, I feel relaxed and am smiling.
Then, all of a sudden, a piece of roquette flew in! I must have been hungry and realized in that moment that there was salad in my fridge, and that roquette just flew right into my beautiful shiny, clean, light blue mind filled with peace, love, and warmth. Laughter followed on the tails of the roquette, and I was literally laughing out loud. Peace, love, and warmth hugged the roquette then showed it to the door. Laughter, which was bright blue, hung around, and for the next few breaths, I concentrated on peace, love, warmth, and laughter.
I sat for several breaths smiling and enjoying my trouble-free mind, and beauty came in. Beauty was soft and pink and swirly and was there because where peace, love, warmth, and laughter are, beauty is also. When the little bells tinkled to tell me my 20 minutes were up, I felt warm, happy, and peaceful.
The next day, I repeated the same meditation, and afterward, felt joyful. Today when I meditate, once I've emptied the other thoughts, I'm going to focus on the sensations of peace, love, warmth, laughter, and beauty--really feeling them.
So today, I am immensely grateful for this beautiful, joy-inducing meditation. :)
bisous
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Jetlag
Hi amis!
So here in la France we changed our clocks this weekend. Spring forward...um, about that. I feel less springy and more jetlaggy. Really, I feel like I have jetlag. Is it because I'm old at 47? I don't remember feeling this tired after the time change in the past. Maybe I have & just forgot about it. Anyway, I am glad for the longer days! I love getting off work & still having a decent amount of daylight left.
I'm also glad I get to go to bed in a little while. Ha...a little pitiful, isn't it? But I'm poooped.
So I'm going to say a grateful nighty-night. Sweet dreams, friends.
bisous
So here in la France we changed our clocks this weekend. Spring forward...um, about that. I feel less springy and more jetlaggy. Really, I feel like I have jetlag. Is it because I'm old at 47? I don't remember feeling this tired after the time change in the past. Maybe I have & just forgot about it. Anyway, I am glad for the longer days! I love getting off work & still having a decent amount of daylight left.
I'm also glad I get to go to bed in a little while. Ha...a little pitiful, isn't it? But I'm poooped.
So I'm going to say a grateful nighty-night. Sweet dreams, friends.
bisous
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Saturday
Salut!
Sweet, soft, snuggly kitty touching me with her toes as she sleeps beside me. A gorgeous, sunny, warm Saturday. Spending hours walking through some of my favorite parts of Paris. A beautiful new perfume. Having finally re-established my healthy sleep pattern. Today, these are just some of the things I'm grateful for. Hope you're having a lovely weekend too!
bisous
Sweet, soft, snuggly kitty touching me with her toes as she sleeps beside me. A gorgeous, sunny, warm Saturday. Spending hours walking through some of my favorite parts of Paris. A beautiful new perfume. Having finally re-established my healthy sleep pattern. Today, these are just some of the things I'm grateful for. Hope you're having a lovely weekend too!
bisous
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