Consumer frenzy - Art Nouveau at the Musée d'Orsay - Volunteering

New TV

We've been debating several purchases for a very long time. It takes us forever to finally decide to take the plunge and buy. But we're getting there. In December we visited a furniture showroom to see the sofas, but the salesguy was so insistent we left in a hurry. I want to get rid of stuff before buying replacements because I want less and I want it distributed in the living room differently. So I think it'll be some time before we act on that.

Another discussion was fixing the path from the house to the front gate. It got to the point we couldn't really open the gate anymore. That's been taken care of. 

Then, there's been the TV discussion. Time to get a flat-screen TV that could be hung on the wall or put on a shallower table and not take up so much room so that we could free the space between the living room and dining room and once again walk through. It's been time for a few years already. Well, it's done and in the frenzy we got a second TV so I could watch a little TV in bed. All these years resisting a second TV and here we are, at last. After seeing that TVs are going the way of computers (once you buy it, it's already outdated) we finally got LED TVs, the really thin ones, and decided not to wait for 3D, Skype integrated into the TV, or whatever comes next.

Little by little we're also framing or re-framing the artwork and we seem to have expensive taste in frames, but they do so much to the pictures that once you see a good frame it's hard to choose a lesser one. Anyway, that's why we're going so slowly on that. It's hard to choose.

There's still plenty on the list: redoing my closet space, a new kitchen (after 25 years, it's time!), making Louis' old room into another guest room, and other odds and ends.

A Visit to the Musée d'Orsay

Yesterday evening we went to the Musée d'Orsay for the first time in a really long time. It's still a beautiful place. There are loads of people but you don't have that crowded sensation you get at the Grand Palais exhibits or at the Louvre. Sara, a Swedish friend here in Paris that I associate with STC, but that's because she's a close friend of Jen's from her Brussels days, set up the visit and Paul and I were glad to go. It was to see the Art Nouveau Revival exhibit that's ending next week on the 4th. We had gotten hooked on the first part of the title, Art Nouveau, and were surprised to see the later stuff from the 30s, 60s, and 70s. Of course there were posters and furniture from all these periods and it was interesting to see how strong the Art Nouveau influence was. In fact, it could have been a bigger exhibit and still not bored me.

Since it was a small exhibit, we went through it fairly fast and decided to take in the James Ensor exhibit, which is also ending on the 4th. The poster for that exhibit is one of his surrealist paintings of masked figures. I  don't particularly like those, or the ones of skeletons -- not the kind of thing I could look at for long before getting very gloomy thoughts. But, I discovered his early paintings, which seemed, to me, at least, to be heavy-handed impressionist -- bold colors, thick paint, but wonderful light coming from the depth of the painting. Also, he did fantastic drawings. Still, I wouldn't really want any of it at home. I am glad we saw it, however. 

American Library

I've become a volunteer at the American Library -- one afternoon a week (Tuesday) at the circulation desk. I've done it twice and am enjoying it. It gets me into Paris at least once a week, although it's a real challenge to get there in less than an hour and coming home during rush hour is horrible and a reminder of why I'm so glad I don't have to do that every day. Once a month I'll stay on for the "night at the movies" event at the library and come home later, well after rush hour, when you have to wait about 15 minutes for the next RER to come along. 

The Gardener Cut the Phone Line

We had a team of gardeners here yesterday morning to prune the trees and bushes. Unfortunately, the one who trimmed the roses on the front of the house also clipped the phone line. We have no phone, no internet. We do not use the full triple play option of our subscription that would also give us TV, so our satellite TV still works.
So, you must be wondering, how is it that I am able to write this blog? We have very nice next-door neighbors, who have given us access to their wifi. It's a weak connection, but enough for this.
The phone repair person is coming on Monday morning. Then, I'm going to the chiropractor; my back is really all better, so I'll be back to my regular frequency of chiropractor visits soon. Tuesday morning, the gardener is coming back to lay a new pathway. The original one has buckled to the point it is difficult to open the gate. And also on Tuesday, I'm starting as a regular volunteer at the American Library -- every Tuesday afternoon. Mondays and Thursdays. I still go to Francine's for painting, but I should probably change for a more directed approach.
Nothing much else to say this week.
Winter has receded back to its normal self -- rain replacing snow.

Hello 2010 - Bonjour 2010

My back is on the mend. It's been more or less out of whack since the last time I wrote. In fact, I kept putting off writing, hoping I'd have something else to say. For some reason, I'm not feel as confident as I usually do and Paul and I have canceled our trip to Cambodia and Vietnam for the time being. I just didn't want to wait until the last minute to cancel. I don't feel ready to go and even thought the departure is a month away, I don't know why, but I just felt it wasn't going to work out.


At Christmas, though, it was fine. We drove down to Six-Fours to stay with Pierre and Gillette and visit with Marguerite. It had snowed a few days before we drove down and it was a snow that stayed with us for quite a while, putting France into a tizzy. Down in Six-Fours, the temperatures were in the teens C° -- very comfortable. The veranda at Pierre and Gillette's is a great sun room in winter. We stayed up late talking and, thanks to Google Earth, I got a full tour of Constantine and Philippeville (Skikda), Algeria from Pierre and Paul. I got to show Pierre Panama St. in Philadelphia, too. On Christmas day, Marguerite joined us for lunch and we had a good time. Gillette, even when claiming to do just simple cooking, put a lot of work into the menu and the preparation and it was perfect.


We left the next day in order to be ready for the Husaunndees arrival on Monday, the 28th. We had a sort of Christmas dinner - again - with everyone. We opened our gifts and had a great evening. Then my back went out again.


Emma left on Tuesday to take on a new job at a ski resort in Switzerland (http://www.whitepod.com/). Louis and Gwen left for Grenoble for a few days before heading off to Milan for the New Year's celebrations with friends. Anne was on vacation and came over frequently during the week to spend time with Aurelia, Charlotte, Claire and Geoff. I was in bed. Paul was running up and down stairs serving. This is not what we had planned!


The Husaunndees left on Jan. 1 -- with colds. Paul and I went to the chiropractor on Monday, the 4th and return tomorrow, Friday. As I said, I'm much better, but it doesn't seem stable, yet. We've had another dusting of snow and it's very cold out -- winter.  Thank goodness for a comfortable bed, the internet and a laptop computer! 
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Oof, mon dos se remet. Depuis la dernière fois que j'ai écrit, avant Noël, il m'embette. J'ai tarder à écrire en espérant mieux. Je ne suis pas aussi confiante que d'habitude en ce qui concerne le dos et nous avons annulé notre voyage au Cambodge et au Vietnam. On remet ça à une autre fois. Je ne voulais pas attendre la dernière minute pour annuler. Je ne me sens pas prête à partir et même si d'ici le départ dans un mois, ça irait mieux, je n'y ai plus le coeur.

A Noël, tout allait bien. Nous sommes descendu à Six-Fours chez Pierre et Gillette avec des visites avec Marguerite. Il avait neigé quelques jours avant de prendre la route, une neige qui a tenu quelques jours et qui a mis la France sans dessus dessous. A Six-Fours, les températures étaient doux. Le véranda chez Pierre et Gillette est un bon solarium en hiver. Nous avons veillé en bavardant. Grâce à Google Earth, j'ai eu droit à un tour complet de Constantine et de Philippeville (Skikda) de la part de Pierre et Paul. J'ai pu montrer Panama St. à Philadelphie, à Pierre. Le jour de Noël, Marguerite est venu pour le déjeuner et nous avons passé un bon moment. Gillette, tout en disant qu'il s'agissait que des choses simples, à fait beaucoup d'effort dans le menu et la préparation. C'était parfait.

Nous sommes partis le lendemain pour être prêt pour l'arrivé des Husaunndees le lundi, 28. Nous - tous - avons eu encore un repas de Noël. Nous avons passé la soirée à échanger des cadeaux è fort agréable. Ensuite, mon dos a déclaré forfait.

Emma est partie mardi pour un nouveau boulot en Suisse (http://www.whitepod.com/). Louis et Gwen sont partis pour Grenoble avant de rejoindre Milan pour fêter la nouvelle an avec des amis. Anne était en vacances et elle passait pas mal de temps chez nous pour voir Aurelia, Charlotte, Claire et Geoff. J'étais au lit. Paul passait son temps entre les étages. Ce n'était pas prévu comme ça !

Les Husaunndees sont partis le 1er, enrhumés. Paul et moi sommes allés chez Caroline, notre chiropracticienne (je déteste cet appelation en français !) lundi dernier, le 4, et nous y retournons demain, vendredi.  Je vais beaucoup mieux, mais le dos ne me semble pas encore très stable. Il a encore neigé légèrement et il fait très froid.  Jai un bon lit, l'internet et un ordintateur portable - pas besoin de plus ! 

New Year's Greeting