Frappe la route, Jacques ! (Otherwise Known As: A Weekend in the Country)

This past weekend, I took a roadtrip with some friends to one of their family's homes, in the countryside of central France. The area is known as the Loire Valley, because the Loire river (pictured above!) runs through most of it. Famous for its wine as well as its gigantanornous chateaux, the region is dotted with quant little villages and winding country lanes, gravel paths and gardens....and you can actually breathe there!!!! I love Paris, but the pollution sucks! And this weekend getaway was just the change of pace I needed after the mayhem of the past few, post-fire weeks. So getting in that car on Friday night was like....freedom!!!

Alex's house is in Montlouis, and it has the sort of rustic, antiquey charm you read about in storybooks.

A cupboard masquerading as a window.
When I heard there was a family dog there too, I just about peed in my pants. I've missed my dog soooo much that being around any dog makes me super happy! And Titos seemed like he'd also been craving company, so we were the perfect pair!

And of course, there was a big, beautiful garden! :)

With delicious wild raspberries!

And Titoooos!

Some snapshots I feel captured the weekend quite well:

Bruno in his element.

Certain backseat riders playing tricks on Nathalie.

Trying to drink my beer in between cutting avocados.

Alex asking Titos how he normally gets out of the garden to go on walks.

Me taking way too many pictures of flowers on our walks.

Making delicious salads.

Cheeeeese! (and honey)

Someone looking for an escaped turtle!

Orly ecstatic to be back in adorable Tours.

Some rad shoes worn by townsfolk in medieval garb, milling around the chateau of Amboise on a Sunday.

A pantless bridegroom & his entourage (best not to ask).

And more flowers!

The weekend was really a blast, and we were so sad to leave!!

The three musketeers, mourning our departure as Orly and I are whisked back to Paris on the midnight train.
But to end on a happy note, check out this little guy who was in a bowl at one of the restaurants we ate at:

lots of love,
aunbon

Au Nom de la Rose

Yesterday, I had to move out of my apartment, and after the craziness of the last few weeks, I was more than ready. There was just one thing I had left to do. I went down to a local rose boutique, called "au nom de la rose" ("in the name of the rose"), and bought a mini rose arrangement for my sweet neighbor, without whom I could never have made it through the fire the way I did. She stayed with me through the whole thing, called the firefighters, and even gave me her own bed to sleep in when I couldn't re-enter my own place the first night. If there's one thing I've learned through this whole ordeal, it's that human kindness and compassion are ever present and strong in a world otherwise full of assholes. For all the bitterness and spite that my landlady threw my way, Adeline was as sweet and warm-hearted as possible. Hence the roses I got her!

All of these roses were just part of the "gift wrapping"!

To more roses and rosy days for all of us!

lots of love,
aunbon

Beeeeuhh, Auni.....Tu es héroïne!

After listening wide-eyed to the tale of the fire and how I put it out, my former French professor--a little woman with a penchant for the dramatic--declared :

"Beeeeuhh, Auni.....Tu es héroïne ! Tu portes maintenant un auréole sur la tête !"

Translated: "Beeeeuhh, Auni.....You're now a heroine! You're walking around with a halo around your head!"

Why, thank you, MC (short for Marie-Christine, but we all call her that). I quite agree. And boy, is that a welcome statement after all the shit I've been putting up with from the landlady this past week. I just have to keep reminding myself of the halo.

Out of the Ashes

To say this week has been a hard one would be an understatement. The fire broke my kitchen window, incinerated my stove, and melted part of my fridge--not to mention blackened nearly all the walls and ceilings, leaving soot on every square inch of the apartment. (On the bright side, I am now an expert at removing soot from every imaginable kind of surface!) Luckily, I made it out fine. Yes, I looked like a Mary Poppins chimney sweep and hacked like an old man with emphysema for a day, but still, it could have been much worse! And I can't tell you all how much every call or skype date or message has meant to me--when I felt like I couldn't handle things, hearing your voices and sweet words made me feel like it really was all going to be all right.

They say that things are reborn out of the ashes. So here are some photos that inspire new starts and fresh beginnings for me.

Renoir's garden

Chim Chim-e-ney, Chim Chim-e-ney, Chim Chim Chereee....My Kitchen Went Up in Flames in Sweet Old Paireee

Didn't you hear? I'm making crack these days!