Rose Scented Day

Hi friends!

Today was gorgeous...finally! I had errands to run, three in fact, and two were utter failures. Suffice it to say that those two were at French government offices. Oh well, one out of three IS bad, but it's not as bad as zero out of three, right?

As I ran my errands, I passed, as I often do the Eiffel Tower. Right now the back edge of the park is covered in roses. And the smell wafted over me as I walked by...heavenly. I stopped and took a couple of pics for you. Wish I could share the smell with you too.

I'm grateful for those gorgeous roses and their heavenly scent. I'm grateful for sunshine and weather warm enough for summer clothes. I'm also grateful for something that I can't actually tell you yet--something I'm hoping will happen. Someone special may be coming to see me...fingers crossed. I'll tell you if/when tickets are purchased!

So, what about you? What are you grateful for today?

Here are a couple of rose pics for you. Couldn't resist getting la grande dame in one of them. Enjoy!

bisous!

Friends

Hi!

To start off, I just have to tell you how very grateful I am to have friends in town. Nothing better than wandering around the city marveling at the beauty together, sharing laughs at the absurdities that are part of Parisian life, and catching up over a yummy dinner and bottle of wine.

I'm also very grateful to see a few days in this week's forecast that come without pictures of rain droplets. Mr. Sunshine...I'd be so very grateful if you'd come back and stay for a while...a few months, even.

I'm grateful for a busy week of work. (More please!) And finally, grateful for an upcoming trip to NC to visit family and friends!

What about you? What are you grateful for today?

bisous

Spring again...I think

Hi friends!

Spring seems to be back in Paris, and I couldn't be happier to see it. Of course, tomorrow's forecast calls for more rain and less warm sunshine, but I'm hoping it'll be followed by many more days like the one we had today.

Today was a stunner...so pretty, in fact, that Penny and I had a picnic on the Champ de Mars. Gorgeous afternoon spent on the grass enjoying tasty treats and people watching. I'm grateful for Penny's return to Paris, for a few days focused on catching up, for today's lovely picnic and for fabulous weather.

What about you? I'd love to hear what you're grateful for today!

Here's a picture of the view from our picnic spot...not bad, huh?

 bisous!

Ahhh...

Hi friends,

Today was a super cloudy day, but on the other hand, it was warm with spots of sun, and it never rained. There is something...relaxing about not having to wear a coat when I go out. It's just easier. I feel more free. I enjoy being out more. Ahhh...so nice. So grateful. I'm also grateful for a productive day. Got some stuff shipped off, got some other stuff purchased, some tax stuff filled out, some other paperwork organized...feels good to get things done.

It all started this morning with this yummy bread that my friend Donna introduced me to yesterday. It weighs a ton b/c it's full of fruits and nuts, and it's a great way to start the day. So delicious.

And it'll wind down this evening with a surprise treat--an interview with Simon Baker on TF1, the news channel I watch. He. Is. Delicious. And I am so looking forward to seeing him interviewed. Does he speak French? If so, is it with an Australian accent? Does it matter? No...I still can't wait.

So what about you? Care to share what you're grateful for today?

bisous!

Quiet Sunday

Hi friends!

It's cold and rainy here again (I should be used to it by now), but I am snug as a bug in my little apartment with my furry loves.

I've got a couple of Mad Men episodes to catch up on and a new carbonara recipe to try for dinner...can't wait! I also have a few new books to keep me company, not to mention a to-do list that, on second thought, can wait until tomorrow.

And if I get bored and decide I need some excitement, I can turn on the tv at 8 pm and find out who the winner is in the French presidential election...we're all on pins and needles!

So what about you? How's your Sunday shaping up? What are you grateful for?

Thanks for stopping by!

bisous

A better than expected morning

Hi friends,

I had been dreading today for at least a week or two. See, my first order of business was at the préfecture where I had an appointment to change my address. And going to the préfecture is no walk in the park.

When you're a foreigner living in France, you're supposed to change your address within 7 days of moving. So I tried, but when I went to the préfecture in my arrondissement, they told me they don't do that and said I needed to go to the commissariat. So, I called the commissariat to see if I needed an appointment, and they said that no, they're not responsible for that either. They informed me that I needed to go to the préfecture at Cité (the big one), but they said that first I must make an appointment online. So I did, and I took the first available appointment which was much further out than 7 days (and which was not at Cité at all but in a nasty part of town that I try to avoid whenever possible). And that's the appointment I went to this morning. Only when I got there, the guy (the one out of 5 who was not doing the crossword puzzle, mind you) told me that the commissariat handles that. For those of you that are new here, welcome to France. So...I turned around and went to the commissariat. Well...almost. First I had a detour or two to make.

See, my carte de séjour (residency card) expires in July, and you have to schedule the renewal appointment two months in advance. Since I was already going to be enjoying the pleasures of préfecturing today, I figured I might as well do that too. So I went to Cité where I have to go to renew the CDS. I got to the office, and believe it or not, there was no waiting line, and the guy (super nice) made my appointment in 2 minutes flat, and I was on my way. Now, I thought, this is more like it.

By now (10:30), I was hungry and decided to stop for breakfast. I never eat breakfast out, but when I have to go to the préfecture at Cité, I try to make morning appointments. And since I usually don't eat breakfast first, if I get finished before lunchtime, I take the short walk to Brasserie Balzar over by my old stomping grounds, La Sorbonne and enjoy their 6€ breakfast...best breakfast bargain in town. So today I made that little detour too. Memory lane with a café crème and a croissant. A nice treat.

So then I went to the commissariat. Waited in line for 5 minutes, then was helped by THE nicest lady in French administration (she even smiled...unheard of). Five minutes later I walked out with an official document declaring that my address had been changed.

In other words, the day I had been dreading (préfecture appointments usually involve hours of waiting both preceded and followed by chilly service delivered by surly government employees) had a rocky start which moved nicely into smooth sailing and 2 missions easily accomplished.

So, I am grateful for the turn of events in my favor, the two super-nice préfecture peeps who helped me today, the nice little breakfast treat at my favorite breakfast spot, and the fact that I have those two dreaded tasks finally behind me. Now I only have to go through the renewal process. But I'll think about that later. (Wish me luck!)

And you...what are you grateful for today? Would love to hear!

bisous

Sunshine, friendship, and rosé

Hi peeps,

Happy May day! Today has been GORGEOUS!!! We got a well-deserved break from the rain, and seeing as it's a holiday (the first of FOUR in May), a friend and I took a bottle of rosé to the Champ de Mars and sat in the sun.

While we were there, we made heroic efforts to save a little bee, watched some energetic dogs who were quite possibly even happier than we were to see the sun again, observed a handful of what we will generously call fashion victims, and looked on as an adorable little boy happily chased the bubbles his dad was blowing for him.

A great couple of hours, indeed. And for all that I am immensely grateful. I'm also grateful for a recent skype chat with my cute parents and for a number of upcoming visits from friends...you know who you are, and I can't wait to see you!

And you? What are you grateful for today? Hope your May day is a beautiful one!

bisous