Life in Pictures

I’ve been busy – can you tell by my silence? I’m prioritising book writing over blog writing because a lot is happening on that front. I hope to tell you more soon.

Regarding blogging, though, as long as I can continue writing posts when the mood strikes without any pressure or deadline, it remains a joy. Even so. There comes a time when you realise you’ve posted nothing in weeks and you decide it’s time. And I thought today would be a good day for some pictures of what we’ve been doing lately.

I’m thoroughly enjoying our completed living room – shown here in the morning light – never mind that the couches desperately need replacing and the rest of the house is not finished. I’m embracing the perfect in the imperfect.

Although there is much to do, my husband did find time to build a coat rack, using leftover wood from our new stairs. It’s cool, isn’t it? With those old hooks?

Of course, the kids still throw their coats on the laundry room floor.

I’ve been sick again, which has contributed to my blogging pause. I’m sort of chalking this school year up as a bust on the health and energy front. Every time I think I’m getting better, I get some other infection and the antibiotics cause a set back in the tendinitis. A vicious cycle, but one I’m determined to break by the time summer rolls around. I went to the gym this morning, which is a lot better than where I was a week ago when I had to go to the ER at midnight because the antibiotics weren’t working.

I bought tulips. Tulips make everything better.

We were enjoying spring …

This corner is never so pretty than it is in spring. Then yesterday we got surprised by another snowfall  – when it almost never snows in Paris! This is what I saw out my window this morning.

I’m so unused to seeing our town white with snow.

Honestly, it’s pretty, but with the cold and me trying to get back on my feet health-wise it’s feeling rather bleak. And then all the efforts the flowers put in are sort of wasted. Do you think they will ever recover?

The cold is good for one thing, at least. I’ve waited 12 years to get our own raclette machine. We usually eat it at my in-laws’ house. Have you ever had raclette?

It’s originally Swiss. The raclette cheese pivots around a fire (at the ski lodges, for instance) and they scrape the melted part off for you to pour over potatoes and charcuterie. In France, we eat it by melting squares of raclette on little skillets that go underneath a grill. It’s cute and tasty, and everyone loves it.

We’ve had a whirlwind of activities here. Juliet and her lifelong friend, Eléonore are practicing to dance at a wedding. (I would have added more pictures and included one of the two of them, but now my kids are older and not all the pictures get approved). The bride wants the girls to dance around her and the groom during their slow song at the reception. It’s probably to take the pressure off the bride and groom.

We got a family Spotify account for Christmas and we’ve all been discovering new songs. William is loving it. He’s got some rhythm in his bones. He almost didn’t let me put this picture, but I begged.

His other passion is animals. I finally signed him up for a couple horseback riding lessons just so he could spend some time with animals since we’re not likely to get another dog.

This is his friend, Polka.

Gabriel is adjusting to life in junior high, and the more intense swim practices that come as he grows. He was also promoted to first trumpet in the senior orchestra. (Super proud of him – he has an amazing sound). They’re going to play at a competition in the Netherlands in May.

Yesterday after church, we did something unusual as a family. We went someplace.

We had lunch at a Parisian brasserie. Gabriel and I had an omelette with fries and salad – mushrooms for me, none for him. Juliet had a croque monsieur and salad/fries. William had the most enormous hotdogs on baguettes covered in cheese. They didn’t even bother with the salad – just threw in some fries. And Matthieu had a salade auvergnate with charcuterie, cheese, and baguette. Then for dessert, Matthieu and I had an espresso and two kids had homemade ice cream while Gabriel had fromage blanc with red fruit coulis.

Why am I telling you what we ate? Because food is important!

(It was very good, as random French brasseries often are).

These mischief-makers …

Afterwards, we went to see my brother-in-law perform, who’s a professional actor. He’s so expressive you would have laughed even if you didn’t understand the French. We also got to see my niece and nephew (his kids) plus his ex and her new companion and his kid. Plus my mother-in-law. We took up a whole row. The afternoon was perfect.

When we came out of the theatre, it was beginning to snow.

We headed toward the car, ready to be home and warm, and that’s when I accidentally walked into a gut-high metal post with an iron ball on top. I think it’s to keep cars out of pedestrian areas. I was trying to zip the sleeve back on Gabriel’s jacket as he was walking so I didn’t pay attention and I walked right into it. The ball part was bladder-level.

This is why I don’t go places.

And that brings us to today. Snow. Cold. Bleak. I couldn’t resist buying some herbs when I was out getting ginger. Three herbs for 3.99 because it was green and promised signs of spring.

It will be spring eventually, will it not?

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