Someone Buy This House, Please……..

For purely selfish reasons, I confess, even though I’m a long way AWAY from this house  – geographically

Here are the details:

55 NW 94th St Miami Shores FL – Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing – MLS #A1723846 – Realtor.com®.

If you buy it, I’ll probably know you – perhaps – and then you will invite me over

so that I can cook a gourmet meal for you in the fabulous kitchen and slide down the stairs on my tummy like I did on those stairs – many many MANY years ago…….

I will do this with my granddaughter IRIS who slides down HER STAIRS too now.
Funny – what’s in the blood, eh??!!?

Please buy this  house  that I was born in – my old house!!!!!!

It’s an awesome place –

I love my home – always will

EARLY MORNING STROLL, Petit Dejuner, MARKETS, too many Baguettes

Stumbling out into the windy morning, it was our day to get café grand noir and a “une noisette” with croissant at the port.  Something different.

Breaking the routine is always good.  Ahhh, it’s almost not winter because people are here and milling about which is not what we’ve been seeing for 3 months atleast.     It’s been QUIET!!   We like it that the temps are a bit warmer, even though we still need  2 hot water bottles in the bed before climbing in.   And it is necessary to hang up our pajamas by the heater under the window or we freeze getting into them.  And, we do that same thing with our clothes in the morning before the coffee is ready or before much of anything, while we stay under the warm covers.   Putting on clothes that don’t freeze your body is a good thing.   The closet where our clothes stay could be used for hanging meat!    We do not know what is on the other side of that closet…the proprietor’s Cave?  Their basement?  Their outside wall ?  We just don’t know.

After drinking our little cafes and chewing on a fresh croissant and watching the boats move briskly back and forth in front of us, we see the fisherman have come in with their daily catch and now engaged in brisk talk and flipping the fresh fish over to scale and de-gut them …….it’s always fun to watch people buying their supremely fresh fish.  One day I’ll be brave enough to try this ( gutting and all). ;-/  ?

 

We walk towards the Marie (Town Hall) to find the number for my new French school – and it’s close by our apartment and it starts next Thursday.  Very excited.  This one is “Gratuit” – free.   Yeah.

After finding great items at the outdoor vetements market (clothing) for upcoming birthday gifts for 3 members of my family, we head over to the fresh CHEESES.  Dressed in white butcher’s coat and full of energy he beckons us over to try a sample.  It’s  (VERY FRESH) gorgonzola. I think it just came out of the cow.  We tried it and bought a little over a gram. (2 euros)  – Not very much but enough for what we need it for – salads and fresh bread.

 

The pain (bread)  we bought is virtually gone now.

This is the problem in going to the markets.  The baguettes  are so fresh, that the top is bitten off – by  everyone. It’s a French thing.

We do this, but we don’t stop at the tip, we continue on eating it until it’s virtually a stub and then we have to go to the other market – the typical grocer’s – and buy , alas, another baquette.  It’s okay.  We have friends at Marche U and like to say hello to them and speak our lousy french.   One is the butcher who so perfectly sharpens my professional knife.   (Gratuit) FREE – because they are just that way here.  We bring him a gift from the US.   They are very kind in this shop – and  patient when we speak our French.    It’s going to be a very good day.  It already is !!! We get back to the little “Les Romarins” apartment and – SIX  separate little letters arrived in one big envelope from my grands today!!!
How lucky can a BABCIA get?!?!

PAGNOL – and Peanut Butter

 

 

PAGNOL AND PEANUT BUTTER

 

Finishing the very last of the AMERICAN Peanut Butter (Crunchy) on a piece of breakfast baguette , we sit on a big rock on that trail that Marcel Pagnol

 

used to walk and play as a boy and wrote  about as a gifted adult.    The apple stolen from the IBIS hotel (last week) is also smeared with the remaining peanut butter and we are having just a fine ‘ole time up in these hills.     The hot sun on our faces is such a welcome after a cold cold winter (for the SOUTH), and now the cool air complements the sun.    We have just walked about 30 minutes and have another 45 minutes to go. But we also know that when the brochures, the signs or the “Randonnee maps” say a particular time, we , the  “Two Seniors that are not living life as a usual AARP members” STILL have to add about another 45 minutes to their schedule.   

 

Doesn’t matter, what we see by HIKING, or “faire de la randonnee” (to go trekking)  is more than ever expected.   Walking even around our little neighborhood this morning before we left for La Treille, we saw so many things, trees, bushes, Mediterranean vistas, architecture, more trees, than we had ever discovered whizzing past by our  little used voiture.  HA!   But ofcourse!

 

On our way to Le Treille, An hour earlier,  we stopped at LA SOURCE, to fill up our JERRYCAN with the best FREE drinking water full of minerals, calcium and magnesium ,                

 

( contains no nitrates) and  barium, (an alkaline-earth metal with anti-acid properties that is rarely found in such concentrations.)  This spring water is particularly light.  Did I say it was FREE?

 

This spring, whose age has been determined by carbon-14 dating at between 2,500 and 7,000 years, could well be, who knows, an elixir of youth, but I’m drinking a LOT of it cause of my knees and arthritis.  I’ll keep you informed as how it goes……….    😉

 

Anyway, we need this water now on our trek on these hills.   It’s hard to describe, even though that is what I strive to do in my writing, but now I’m just going to post some pictures and let you determine yourself what you think of Pagnol’s countryside. 

 

Honestly, to me, it is so beautiful  and even spiritual up here, I just shake my head in disbelief.   The other hikers so pleasant and sincere in their “BONJOUR’s “ to us and their “Bon Promenade”  (Good walking) their happy faces, it  does us so much good to be here on a weekend taking in the beauty and walking these COLLINES – these HILLS……………

 

I wish I could bring every single person reading this,  with me.   There is SO MUCH to show you!!!!    🙂

 

 

Vacationing –  in the OTHER South of

                           France

 

 

When we left  to go on vacation last week I said to David, ‘Do you remember in the 90’s when we were not even 50 or 50-ISH – that we were NOT going to plan our vacations anymore, we would have ALL of it done for us?  – Do you remember that, darling?”

 

And the next thing to happen was that we did plan, still plan, will forever plan our vacations and probably will never have the 6,000 USD all-inclusive plan, where bags are picked up at the outset, delivered to your first/second/third location, carted around in one GINORMOUS bus that rivals the height of the Eiffel Tower, where every meal is carefully planned out for you, and that if there isn’t SNOW where you are longing to be for your “SKI Vacation”, that indeed, the bus will turn around and take you to once again another village that does have the snow, so that you can be happy. (& won’t ask for a refund to the travel company that has left you without snow).

 

This is a story of what a vacation like ours, and a vacation like “the others” take…..and I apologize before hand.  It is lacking in anything remotely made up, fabricated, as it is entirely, beyond belief,  true.

 

DAY 1 –  MORNING – Leaving Cassis via Train to the “OTHER” South of France

 

Excitement looms.  We slept but two hours as we just could not bring ourselves to going to bed.  We haven’t had a vacation away in France for a long time.   It’s 5:00 in the morning.  We haven’t been up this early in AGES.  That’s excitement all by itself.  (David works supremely late nights so we have late sleep habits).

The taxi arrives and takes our luggage and us to the little tiny train station in the dark and in the cold.  Cassis train station is the absolute embodiment of PROVENCE.  Even without the Cicada’s humming.                The COQ, however, (Rooster’s ) ARE crooning as we wait for our train to arrive in the darkness.  It’s magical.  My whole life I’ve dreamed of having “Le Coq” outside my window waking me up.  Not really, just having the CHICKENS so that I could have the fresh EGGS, is really what I wanted.    ZROOOOOOOOOM, the fast train swooshes past me and wakes me out of my dream state on Le Coq’s………and then our slow train comes to a standstill and we climb aboard.

 

 

As our SNCF train glides around  & hugs the tiny seaports of Sanary-sur-Mer, Bandol, Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, sunrise is beginning to peek it’s iridescent glow and it’s never been more beautiful than it is right at this moment.

 

 

 

 

 

When is the Sky the Sea?

This is my deck in Saint Louis.

A storm was moving in and I thought it looked like the sea with mountains in the background.

I wished and prayed for this to really be my view one day IF it was in His Will.

I am now on the sea.

This is how God works.

A Close Encounter with the Beautiful Agent de Voyage, in Aubagne France

A Close Encounter with the Beautiful Agent de Voyage, in Aubagne France  

 

  

 

 

The other day, Marti, almost walked out on her husband.  They were at the “Agence de Voyages” in the  Aubagne “mall” next to Auchun.   They needed a place to go – “package trip” preferred for the winter holiday  – preferably a skiing package in a drop dead gorgeous Alpine village, that is.  Not that they are going to be tearing down the slopes, hair flying out the wool cap, goggles in place,  Nope.  They certainly will not be doing that.   They don’t really ski.     They DID ski.  But –  Not now.  Marti’s knees are totally shot and she’s lucky to be walking the streets of Marseille and climbing buses to get around.  Her husband, David has fine knees, no problems, but SKIING is out of the question.  Once they went to Axamer Lizum, home of the Winter Olympics 1964 and 1976.  It’s excellent for beginners so they, ofcourse, began on the bunny slopes.

 

 

But, her husband had weak legs, was very shaky on the slopes. It wasn’t going well.  And it wasn’t from imbibing in some particular vintage of outstanding Austrian   wine the night before.  Nor anything like that.    No.   It happened that he had taken Viagra the night before and thus, any virility show of skiing wasn’t going to happen.   That stuff is potent and leaves you shaking, (I guess).  So, that is not an option.  Skiing at their ages, now?  Oh please!

 

 

So, they sat in the little Agence de Voyages boutique and her husband David started asking questions about where to go for a ski holiday.

 

 

ALL the packages were for a week or TWO and not just for 3 or 4 days like they were hoping for.  Then David asked her , the agent, whose name was Delphine,  about packages for a few days.  “Those packages don’t exist. “ she had to explain so very sweetly .      Then he started asking her about the TRAIN schedules and how they worked (even Marti knew, by this time, that what you needed to know about train schedules and were afraid to ask was at your local TRAIN STATION, not at this AGENCE de VOYAGES.  BUT, this  Travel Agent   had one particular quality……well, 2, NO,  3 or 4 or 5.  1) she was extremely beautiful  2) she had the speaking voice of an angel 3) she was patient 4) she was even more beautiful than what was just re-iterated in #1.  You get the picture.  So, Marti is beginning to feel uncomfortable and not sure where this is going.

 

 

She begins to bury her head in the lovely glossy travel catalogs on her lap.

 

 

David then asks her about the packages to ANY WHERE.   Marti, glancing into shiny photos, forehead in her hand,  shakes her head.  David started a new question about CRUISE PACKAGES and where they went, and where did the French like to go and which cruise ship did they like the best…….and oooohhh la la she is beginning to wonder what the heck – !!!!!!!    This was getting quite ridiculous.   Maybe she should just get up and walk out?

 

 

Finally the long conversation between them, came to a close,  & they left with many Au Revoir’s and Bon Journee’s  among their new – HIS new friend,  Delphine, – to (finally) continue their fun grocery shopping at Auchun.

 

 

She said to him later,  on the way home that night after 64 euros worth of groceries………..”DAVID – what the heck was that all about?  Did you know that you were flirting with her – all those questions about packages?  You were GLUED to that seat of yours…..and I could see that you were not going anywhere!!  I mean, you were really really trying to cover the gamut in every conceivable travel package you could think up………

 

 

For her to have given the answers you wanted with your detail questioning would have taken her the better part of an afternoon.  You do realize that don’t you?  “ What? “  he looks innocent.  SO incredibly naïve.  What… – WHAT?”  –   It was ridiculous.  You do know that,…….. right?”  She queries.   “Well,” he finally says most deliberately, “She was an “agent in training” I was giving her practice………”

 

 

Not really expecting the truthful answer she had only slightly anticipated,  –  they both just ended up laughing about it, cracking up actually,  as she drove home through the hills.
But honestly, she thinks………… If it ‘s something that helps the “Just gimMEsomeLOVIN” as the song goes…… then let ‘er rip!!!!!!!!  Questions, that is.  Lots and lots of questions.   No harm.

 

 

🙂

 

 

AND, …………The French Travel Agents  are very patient…….. they will answer you , kindly, and they also  give away beaucoup travel catalogs.

 

 

That’s all these two need,…………. more periodicals for their 33 square meter apartment.

 

 

Resigning from POLITICS

I’ve come to the conclusion that the UNITED STATES is just way too political. It’s in every discussion, every status, every thought.  You people need to drink more wine and sit out in cafes discussing really important things – like maybe  what you’ll be having for dinner with your FAMILY this weekend, or where your next little vacation, or time away will be, or maybe God’s GOODNESS . SOMETHING.  ANYTHING.   Just not POLITICS.

 

HIgh on the list (in a graph)  on FRANCE is :   time spent with families, time off work, 

Low on the list was Politics and Religion. 

 

I love this.  I hate Religion .  But, I do love God and his Mercy.

 

 

I”m resigning from Politics.  From ANY THING remotely close to Politics.  Just wanted everyone to know.  And if you catch me “slipping” – please remind me that I said this. 

 

If you post anything remotely political on my wall I am deleting it. Except my cousin Bob, who is very funny and if you can make me laugh while sharing a political thought, I’ll handle that.

VALENTINE’s DAY is OVER, but the LOVE continues on…………….

Valentine’s Day is OVER – but the LOVE continues on……………….   

 

The LOVE?  Not the ROSES?  Not the HEARTS?  Not all that RED in the HEARTS?   RED in the ROSES?       

 

NO.  And,

 

Yes.  The L O V E.

 

Of what?
Of blinding tiny sun dials whirring

 

Of the rugged Hills where you live

 

The NAME of the hills in French “Les Collines” (pretty eh?)

 

The breathtaking height and majesty of Ste Victorie

 

 

The fact that Cezanne painted it over 60 times

 

The Energy of the Seaport in Marseille

 

 

The quiet of the Port town in Cassis in Winter

 

The beauty of the Mediterranean in all it’s shades of bright blue, dark blue, angry black, foamy tide and glistening turquoise on your favorite day     

 

The SMILE on the Boulangerie clerk’s face when we tell her the pain (baguette) we took yesterday was fabulous (even though it’s exactly like all the other baguettes every morning, only this particular one was HEART shaped!)

 

 

The Freshly squeezed orange juice every single morning – no electric squeezer – all old fashioned manuel squeezing

 

The Médiathêque Marcel Pagnol (Library – Marcel Pagnol – in Aubagne)

 

The BOOKS

 

The Discovery of Marcel Pagnol’s first edition books      

 

The Beauty of the words in those books of Pagnol

 

The FACT that your husband sits reading in the Library because he waits for you and all he can read in there is FRENCH!

 

The Discovery of a Spring water source where one can get their water in a jerrycan

 

libre  or FREE    – (story coming…….)                               

 

The wonder of the Cistern and that the Romans set up camp in this very place

 

The further wonder that it’s been there 2000 years before Christ.

 

The memories of a particular day, called VALENTINES DAY and the taste of the

 

chef’s best on your tongue even the next morning………The Beginning and his finale looked like this:

 

(Not wanting to brag personally, but still – bragging on HIM – THE CHEF

 

from ANGELINA – Cassis)

 

Here it is:

 

 

 

The kindness of perfect strangers. The pleasant and sincere greetings, the lilt in tone of a thank you for coming, the smile,  the movement of hand gestures that allows you to proceed, the shutting off of a leaf blower just so the worker can say “Bonjour” to you.      The unexpected e-mails, and facebook greetings from anyone and everyone –  family, people who we had thought “disappeared”……..

 

It’s a GIFT to open such e-mail! How wonderful to keep in touch with those you care about – all electronically!

 

The Love that she shares with her husband, amidst everything good, everything frustratingly difficult, amidst  language barriers, amidst failing eyesight,

 

amidst doctor’s visits and shots for her knees, amidst having to repeat things because he won’t wear the damn hearing aids, amidst hips colliding in too tight a kitchen, amidst laughter that is so strong it turns to tears, amidst the incredible odds of just being HERE………

 

THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE — whether it be strangers, friends, close friends, family, and especially to the person I love.    🙂

 

(The freshly squeezed orange juice too)   😉

 

 

 

I Love You