I'd rather be in France 7/7/17

Ah, splendid view

from a distance

up close

and

from the upper tiers

Wish

I was picnicking 

on the grass

Day break in Mississippi: 20 lb Madchen purrs atop my closed computer. Gave her the "fish-eye." Computer still won't forward, reply or compose. Cuss cat and computer.

Let Schatzie in. Refuses dry food. "Eat it. It cleans your teeth, so they don't fall out." Rebuttal meows. Give him tuna.

JB on the couch with a cigarette. Morning news: large company refuses to hire anyone who smokes. Yeah! That doesn't work here. Make him coffee.

Commercial: Lula says donuts and a bucket of Church's Chicken are one remedy for stress. I need a donut. Maybe several. Chicken later.

Clean up body and attitude. Smear face with Origins Active Charcoal Mask to clear pores. Lie down. Compose self. Go deep. Find my center. Ahhh

A comfortable 73 degrees. Dewy in and out: typical semi-tropical Southern morning. No mosquitoes . . . yet. No need to move fast. Swerve to miss street lump: lost pillow. Muster gratitude we aren't flooded and it isn't snowing.

Donut Shop on #61: Raspberry filled for JB, chocolate filled for me, and a short Cappuccino.

Retrace route. Donut scent tickles nose and taste buds. Tempted to pull over and eat both. Spot tall, shaded garden tomatoes on the vine. Market hopefuls. Temperature rose three degrees, headed to high nineties with Ozone warning.

Give Johnny his donut. Nibble and sip at my French table by the kitchen window. Open plantation blinds a sliver. Filtered sunlight decorates and dances on my table. Parisian sidewalk cafe, sans swooping-in purse snatchers. Ah, accordion music, and a Citron, "Get out of my way!" horn. French girl giving the waiter "Merci!" for a bottle of water. Aaahhh.

Stroll along the Seine. Sidestep doggy-do. Artists out early for the light. Appreciate their work. Tell them so. Love French Berets. Ride the subway to the Louvre. Underground wall art, not graffiti. Spending the day at the Louvre. I miss you Ms. Mona Lisa.

Along The Champs-Elysee: Catch a hint of an exotic fragrance. Stick my wrist out for a sample. Clerk, "Chanel No. 5, of course." To die for.

8 am CST. Begin work sans jet lag. Try to write complete sentences. First take a stroll through "Monet's Garden," my happiest place on earth.

Feeling inspired. Write a few.

Mid-morning break. Read a little of Janet Evanovich's "Smokin' Seventeen." Stephanie Plum, I can't make up my mind whether it should be you and Morelli, or you and Ranger.

Get serious. Write!

Microsoft ClipArt Photo
©Copy 2017  Red Convertible Travel Series

The Great Courses Catalog

My heart soars when TheGreatCourses.com catalog comes. Did you know they offer over 500 courses? I wish there were a at least a dozen of me so I could take many at once. I could time travel to Medieval Europe, Explore the Louvre without sore feet and learn about The Night Sky with stars sans mosquitoes.

On a clear August night, my sister would insist I go with her to the top of Bodley's Hill in Nebraska. We'd spread a blanket, stretch out and watch the meteor showers. They shot every direction. We'd whisper excitedly, "There's another one!" When I've been with her elsewhere and stars were visible, she'd look up with longing, similar to Claire in Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series. I wonder if my sister used to have an address somewhere out there? Hmm, a really distant relative.

I could elaborate on the courses, but I want you to have the joy of studying the catalog, too.

The Great Courses partners with TheCulinaryInstituteofAmerica.com  NationalGeographic.com, and SmithsonianMag.com. This group's work is quality at its best  Thank you one and all.

©2015 Red Convertible Travel Series

My French Shelf

This is my dedicated, French, eye-level shelf. My sister and I would go back in a heartbeat. We will someday.

The over-sized book on the right is Monet's WATER LILIES. We stood by the pond and tried to see what he saw.

Monet's Table is to the left. Claire Joyes, text. Jean-Bernard Naudin, photos. Can you imagine being at Monet's table with his wife, Alice, Renoir, Pissaro, Sisley, Degas and Cezanne? "Other frequent visitors included Rodin, Whistler, Maupassant, Valery and the statesman Clemenceau." Glory days!!! I was born too late. I can only imagine the conversation around Pike in white butter sauce, baked field mushrooms with shallots, cognac and heavy cream, and Green (pistachio) Cake. The book is full of delicious recipes. And, for a beyond-your-wildest-imagination moment, Christmas morning was scrambled eggs with black truffles. Oh, my achy, breaky heart!!!

To the right is The Louvre, worthy of a week's visit. I was surprised to see students copying the master's works, but they had permission to learn from the best,

The Heartaches of a French Cat by Barbara McClintock, was one of Krysia's favorites. It's a pen and ink children's book about life in 19th century France. Minette is the heroine.

Fodor's Escape to Provence is not just  a map, it's a moving, soul-nurturing feast throughout the Region. The French so love their food. They take their time eating even a loaf of bread. They don't grab something to eat while driving or working. STOP and eat, for heaven's sake! Enjoy your food! I would love to learn to cook in France and understand wine. Maybe I'll live there some day.

To the right is Andy Warhol's Cats, Cats, Cats and Henry Beard's French for Cats, Advanced French for Exceptional Cats and POETRY FOR CATS. Krysia read these in French to her cat, Jasmine. The cat in turn acted out the French cat's tricks. She jumped from chair to couch to end table and made the vase spin! Just thought I should warn you not to underestimate your cat's intelligence.

Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence, Acquired Tastes, Chasing Cezanne, Anything Considered and A Dog's Life.

Elizabeth Bard's Lunch in Paris A love story with recipes "denotes major life events around certain foods."

There's a ratty copy of Dickens' Tale of Two Cities. It was a ratty time in history, but it's on my reread list.

I'm reading Miles Morland's A Walk Across France. Life Transforming. Hiking the Grand Canyon did it for me.

Victoria Magazine Aug. 1992 and Oct. 2000 and Victoria's book, The Heart of France, A Journey of Discovery.

There are language books, sarcastic language books, guide books and others sandwiched in. Right now, I want to slip into bed, squeeze my crunchy lavender sachet and dream of France. Nite. Nite.

©2015 Red Convertible Travel Series

I'd rather be in France 7/7/17

Day break: 20 lb Madchen purrs atop my closed computer. Give her the "fish-eye." Computer still won't forward, reply or compose. Cuss cat and computer.

Let Schatzie in. Refuses dry food. "Eat it. It cleans your teeth, so they don't fall out." Rebuttal meows. Give him tuna.

JB on the couch with a cigarette. Morning news: large company refuses to hire anyone who smokes. Yeah! That doesn't work here. Make him coffee.

Commercial: Lula says donuts and a bucket of Church's Chicken are one remedy for stress. I need a donut. Maybe several. Chicken later.

Clean up body and attitude. Smear face with Origins Active Charcoal Mask to clear pores. Lie down. Compose self. Go deep. Find my center. Ahhh

A comfortable 73 degrees. Dewy in and out: typical semi-tropical Southern morning. No mosquitoes . . . yet. No need to move fast. Swerve to miss street lump: lost pillow. Muster gratitude we aren't flooded and it isn't snowing.

Donut Shop on #61: Raspberry filled for JB, chocolate filled for me, and a short Cappuccino.

Retrace route. Donut fragrance tickles nose and taste buds. Tempted to pull over and eat both. Spot tall, shaded tomatoes in a garden. Market hopefuls. Temperature rose three degrees, headed to high nineties with Ozone warning.

Give Johnny his donut. Nibble and sip at my French table by the kitchen window. Open plantation blinds a sliver. Filtered sunlight decorates and dances on my table. Parisian sidewalk cafe, sans swooping-in purse snatchers. Ah, accordion music, and a Citron horn, "Get out of my way!" A French girl giving the waiter "Merci!" for a bottle of water. This is the life.

Stroll along the Seine. Sidestep doggy-do. Artists out early for the light. Appreciate their work. Tell them so. Love French Berets. Ride the subway to the Louvre. Underground wall art, is art, not graffiti. Spending the day at the Louvre.

Along The Champs-Elysee: Catch a hint of rose in an exotic combination. Stick my wrist out for a sample. Clerk replies, "Chanel No. 9, of course." To die for.

8 am CST. Begin work sans jet lag. Try to write complete sentences. Take a short stroll through Monet's Garden at Giverny first: "It's my "happiest place on earth." Feeling inspired.

Write a few.

Mid-morning break. Read a little of Janet Evanovich's "Smokin' Seventeen." Stephanie Plum, I can't make up my mind whether it should be you and Morelli, or you and Ranger.

Get serious. Write!

©2017 Red Convertible Travel Series