French la Vie

This November my blog will be 16 years old. To celebrate that I have asked you my readers to submit a Guest Post for my blog as a way of celebrating our connectedness as a community through social media. 

I hope you will send me your story or at least a glimpse into your life I feel I know so many of you through the comment section and emails, I hope this will introduce you to one another. Thank you in advance for being part of French la Vie / Tongue in Cheek.

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Good morning Corey from our little piece of paradise on the West Coast of Canada.  I have become a big fan during these pandemic times.  I wish you lived next door.

 

 

Back in January, I knew something big was coming.  It was an uneasy feeling that had me feeling panicked.  I wanted my mom who died 5 years prior. This may sound strange but I sat up one night and checked the ephemeris. I am not an astrologer at all but I figured the "stars" could tell me something. And they did.  They told me there would be unsettling times for several months. So, surprisingly, I started to relax. Nothing I could do.

 

 

 

 

 

I run a small bookkeeping service from home and have done for close to 30 years.  My husband is a woodworker/joiner and together we live on Saltspring Island. 

 

When I first got that uneasy feeling, I took stock of the cupboard.  What do we need? What will we use? Over the next couple of months, as things began to shut down, and, as people bought all the flour Einkorn, yeast and toilet paper, I purchased grains and legumes in bulk.  I researched and purchased a mill and immediately started making my own flour and bread. 

 

Life is good if you have bread. 

 

From last summer, I had many berries and figs in the freezer so I began to make jams to use up those fruits before summer came on.  Bread and jam!

 

I walk but not enough. Ride my stationary bike. Sometimes, I do yoga. Watch my weight. And cook.

 

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, I continued to work.  My choir had shut down in March but we continued to get together through Zoom.  Not satisfactory but a way of connecting.  Our lovely choral director gave us a master class every week.  When the weather started getting better, we got together outside in a park and sang.  Social distancing of course.  Some masked. 

 

I also play with a ukulele group called Ukulele Ladies and Ian (7 women + Ian).  Sometimes called the Mother Pluckers.  We have split into groups of 4 and have gotten together most weeks to play and sing and talk. 

 

Our choir has started getting together again and we run "sectionals" with 4 – 6 people in a very large church with doors and windows open and spread out so that we can safely sing without infecting one another.  

 

 

 

 

 

Life carried on.  I have a daughter who lives 2 ferry rides and several highway km.  I saw her for the first time in August and don't know when I'll see her again.  Travelling the ferries is scary.  We don't know when we'll see each other again.  I also have 2 step sons who live close by and we see them occasionally but it's definitely not the same.  With our rainy season coming on, my husband, the "best person in the whole world to be isolated with" is building a cover for our deck which will allow us to have more social evenings safely.  

 

 

 

But, how do I feel?  It depends.  Last week, I threw up my hands and said I'm done.  I'm done with the sadness and the negativity and the conspiracy theories.  I was lucky enough to have a friend visit me the next day and we discussed this.  It's the 6 month mark in this project we call a pandemic.  All major projects hit a wall at 6 months and I believe we all have.  Some people go inward and get sad.  Some are acting out.  As I was putting my friend on the bus to go back to the ferry, I said "maybe I should go back to coaching" and she said "why don't you?".  That seed started sprouting.  I trained as a business coach years ago so I decided to put that training and my knowledge of bookkeeping together and start a business training people to do their own books.  I have some certifications to go through.  The website is in progress.  I am happy there is some movement forward.  But honestly, inwardly, I want to put my head down and just howl.  

 

Susan  

 

 

 

 

Photos: Here's a few that hopefully tell the story.  My husband Chris who is also called Ramanand.  Tansi the dog who is always happy.  The Roof Template for the covered deck and our last concert in January before everything hit. I am second from left in front.  And, no I don't dye my hair!  Lots of wrinkles and lines but little grey. The cake is actually my Italian grandmother's recipe made with fresh milled Einkorn. 

 

 

 

Questions to Susan:

 

 

 

 

 

What type of the mill do you use? Nutrimill.

 

 

 

Tell me more about your interest in Astrology?

 

My interest in astrology goes back to 1978! It was then that I met a friend who had studied it extensively. I got my hands on many books and from there instinctively knew that all matters of life on earth aligned with the heavens. So in January, when I felt that overwhelming fear, looking at the aligning of the planets, it gave me a strange peace. This too shall pass is the mantra I learned from my Mim which was a devout.  I would never advise anyone. 

 

 

 

Do you have a recipe? And or your grandmother's?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our living / music room

 

 

Your life in Saltspring seems peaceful and creativity, a gentle life …

 

 

Saltspring Island is a quiet place. My favorite walk is along the Fernwood waterfront.  One tree is particular is where all the birds congregate – spring and fall they are at their finest. There's a small cafe where everyone gathers on the lawn where we have wonderful coffees and the very best pastries made by Jana.

Right now I dash between processing veggies. This has been an abundant squash year so it's either one of many squash dishes, ratatouille,  or stuffed with einkorn. No recipes. Right now I'm going to try  lacto-fermented butternut squash with sage. If it doesn't explode it should be delicious (or so they say). I also cut and freeze to be added to soups in winter. I also practice singing choral pieces and the ukulele. See friends at a distance at music and a weekly dog walk or two.

Mostly quiet.