I am terrible at writing back, and I feel guilty because of it most of the time.
If I did write everyone back, the computer would become my best friend, lover, child, housework, food, sleep, and new way of living reality– and I do not want that to happen.
Every now and then when the questions start piling up I try to answer them here instead.
Don't get me wrong, I love your emails, comments, gifts in the mail, humor, visits, attention, and friendship… that is why I blog… even if I am terrible at writing back.
Okay now to answer some of your questions….
Where do you find your French antiques?
Mostly in the south of France: Aix en Provence, Marseille, Aubagne, Gardanne, Toulon….
Or in Paris at the flea market at Vanves.
If you are in France and want to find antiques, follow signs that say:
Brocante
Vide de Grenier
Marche aux Puces
Trocante
Depot Vente
and you will be a happy camper in an antique paradise.
Are you ever going to write a book?
If I wrote a book I would want to put more photos than words in it. Photography makes a book very expensive to produce and costly to buy.
Secondly, if I wrote a book I would need a very kind hearted, non-nail-biting, whip-cracking editor … Deadlines and me do not mix, my grammar is terrible, and I write a blog, isn't that like a book without the stress, paper and editor telling me I cannot write a proper sentence?
Why are you a vegetarian?
When I was a kid I was the pickiest eater in Glenn County. I ate next to nothing, I think I liked ten things, most of them meat related or sweet.
When I was a teenager I started fainting, so I went to the doctor and he said if I did not start eating properly he was going to put me in the hospital. (I wasn't anorexic, just a picky eater.)
Since it was lent I decided to give up meat and read about being a vegetarian.
After forty days I felt better, so I never ate meat again… until a few weeks ago.
French husband, Chelsea and Sacha are vegetarians too.
The smell of bacon still makes my mouth water.
Does your husband's cousin Rent out his apartment in Paris?
Sorry, but he does not. But if you are looking for a place to stay in Paris that is a good location, inexpensive, and comfortable you might want to check:
La Louisanne Hotel
The NYT had an article about places to stay in Paris, the comment section is loaded with places to stay for every budget.
When are you going to show us your new kitchen?
As soon as I paint it.
I am guilty of doing other things rather than painting our kitchen. I am guilty most of the time.
At first I blamed it on my indecisiveness of finding a color. Then when I found a paint color I thought I might like, and I accidentally, (Unconsciously on purpose? ) knocked the paint bucket off the ladder on to the floor. Can you imagine the mess? Don't. It was awful, and I refused to paint after that.
Then we had a ton of guests. They saw the kitchen in its unpainted state and gave their opinion as what color it should be painted. The kitchen has become a conversationalist piece you might say. Kind of like when people look at a Picasso and sharing their feelings about it. Not that my kitchen is a Picasso but you know what I mean.
When is the best time to come to France?
The sky
was blue, yet the sound of rain was evident, it woke me up. As I opened
my bedroom window a cloud was directly over our house letting go every
ounce it held… the smell of rain, summer rain, it is the most
welcoming perfume.
I suppose what I am saying is that anytime is a good time to come to France. Each season has its beauty and charm, and it will work its magic on you. With that said, I would say my most favorite times of the year in France are Late May/June, and October/early November.
Summer can be borderline hot, which is fine if you are on the coast. Paris was sweltering hot last week! Though as late as eleven at night it was still light outside, and the evenings (around 7ish) cooled off.
How is Annie?
Annie
was suppose to come over this morning for breakfast, she is never late.
Due to the morning rain I expected her not to be on time, though twenty
minutes later I grabbed the keys to her house (the ones she gave me in
case, I ever needed to get in) and ran over to see what happened to
her. I saw her a few steps from her front door, looking spry, cheerful
and sweet. She said, "Good Morning, Beautiful! What are you doing here? Did you think I had died because I am late?"
I hugged her tightly and laughed, "Yeah, and please don't do that to me, if you can help it."
So when are you and French husband going on the motorcycle tour??
Oh that is a whole story in itself. I think we will postpone it until… next year sometime.
We did not calculate that this year Chelsea and Sacha had school final exams, and would not be able to leave until the second week in July. Leaving in July is more expensive (a thousand dollars per person more expensive).
Plus we need to find Chelsea a new place to live as she will be going to another university, but we cannot do that until she knows which one accepts her… and she will find out by the end of July.
Riding a motorcycle across Nevada or anywhere in the Western States in August is not my first choice.
Nevertheless, Sacha is leaving for California next week for his summer vacation, he is old enough to fly by himself.
Chelsea leaves for Mexico City (I know, I know the flu and all….)
French Husband and I will be alone for the first time in over nineteen years! It is going to feel strange, odd and wonderfully romantic. We might ride our old, mean, machine of a motorcycle in Europe instead.
With all that said… for those of you who know me well, you know all this could change in a blink of an eye.
Your life seems like a dream, do you ever have bad days?
First
the washing machine had a hiccup spewing water all over the place, then the car decided to revolt in a major intersection! I
loved how people drove by honking, flipping us off, and glaring at us
like we did it on purpose.
The car was repaired for a lovely sum of money.
When our washing machine overflowed, ruining the newly laid slats, I wondered
what it would have been like if I had dyed the old linens mauve. The washing machine had a screw loose you might say.
AND to top it off, my hair dresser went into labor early with my roots sprouting white…. and and and… please tell me WHO is going to dye my hair blond now?
Do I have bad days? Hell yes.
If I could change one thing in my life it would be: Never to have another headache again.
I have migraines, have had them since I was fourteen, I had one while in Paris, stayed in bed most of the day. Suffered the other days. But with that said, my bad days (if I could dare call them bad?) are nothing compared to most people in this world, and everyday I think to myself, "How would Shelley live today if she were me?" One thing is certain, she would live it lol, dancing in the street and her kitchen would certainly been painted several times over.
Where did you get your dress and that pink bag?
The dress, I bought at NAF NAF. It is black with white polka dots, easy to wash, dries in a flash and ready to wear. A perfect traveling buddy.
The pink bag, oh boy it is a good thing I do not embarrass easily… my pink, reusable, fabric bag is what my pair of sandals came in instead of a shoebox. I bought my sandals at Texto.
What do you like best about living in France?
French Husband, Chelsea, Sacha and antiques, the food, the health care system and our home.
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Until next time……
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