tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86636108429809012912024-03-13T21:34:10.375-04:00the red bicyclelife in small increments.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-44201798750377315122012-12-24T14:11:00.001-05:002012-12-25T09:32:38.134-05:00my christmas wish<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8250101045/" title="Gifts under the tree"><img alt="Gifts under the tree by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8479/8250101045_21f17953e7.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8250101045/">Gifts under the tree</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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My most sincere wish, for everyone, for a peaceful Christmas filled with love and warmth. May you all find gifts under your trees, and more importantly, a gift in your hearts.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-41159419475227833912012-12-10T18:06:00.001-05:002012-12-10T18:45:36.448-05:00counting days<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8245762524/" title="Wanderlust."><img alt="Wanderlust. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8061/8245762524_c95830b5f7.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8245762524/">Wanderlust.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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Our Christmas tree is up, with gifts already wrapped and placed underneath it. It's dark outside, soup is simmering on the stove, and I'm listening to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyijiiuUbJw">this version</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> of one of my favorite Christmas songs.</span> </span></div>
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cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-27812125453154128572012-11-26T11:53:00.001-05:002012-11-26T16:34:12.662-05:00quiet<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8216029639/" title="Good morning."><img alt="Good morning. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8339/8216029639_079e2a9d23.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8216029639/">Good morning.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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After a weekend with house full of people, sitting alone in the kitchen feels strange, and the quietness of this place is unsettling. My son was heartbroken to see his cousin leave, and I am wondering if I need to do something special to cheer him up. <br />
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Thanksgiving was early this year, and we have a full week before Advent starts. I am working through the piles of towels and sheets to wash, and between the loads, making trips to the garage to get our Christmas things out.<br />
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I know I am six days ahead, but I find myself saying, "O come, O come, Emmanuel." <br />
<br />cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-54305236392461356092012-11-18T17:18:00.001-05:002012-11-18T17:40:26.901-05:00lingering upon...<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8191183368/" title="My new favorite spot in the house with a lovely photo gallery thanks to @alice_gao ."><img alt="My new favorite spot in the house with a lovely photo gallery thanks to @alice_gao . by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8199/8191183368_dd2327925d.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8191183368/">My new favorite spot in the house with a lovely photo gallery thanks to @alice_gao .</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span><br />
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A formerly empty wall by my desk, now perfectly prettied up with a <a href="http://lingeredupon.blogspot.com/2012/11/2013-instagram-photo-calendar.html">lovely calendar</a> for 2013 by the New York photographer <a href="http://portfolio.alicegao.com/">Alice</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/alice_gao">Gao</a>. <br />
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During the month of November, she is donating 25% of the calendar sales toward Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. I've always admired her gorgeous photographs, so I'm very excited to have this little gallery set up, plus contribute my bit toward helping the hurricane victims. She is willing to ship to addresses outside of the U.S.<br />
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After I purchased this (in addition to <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-office/25196908.jsp">this calendar</a> I had already bought last month), <a href="http://instagram.com/whimsyandspice">Jenna Park</a> of <a href="http://www.sweetfineday.com/">Sweet Fine Day</a> put <a href="http://whimsyandspice.com/item.php?item_id=41&category_id=8">this</a> in her shop, and now I want it, too. She is also donating a portion of the sales toward the hurricane relief efforts. This one is a bit more gender-neutral, so perhaps my husband could use it on his desk. I mean, he needs a calendar, right?cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-23529132943677772202012-11-10T10:46:00.001-05:002012-11-10T10:47:51.094-05:00shelter<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8161986688/" title="Moved furniture around today, and this piece finally went up on the wall."><img alt="Moved furniture around today, and this piece finally went up on the wall. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8161986688_5e695f3026.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8161986688/">Moved furniture around today, and this piece finally went up on the wall.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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A house is a shelter, first and foremost. It keeps us dry and keeps us warm. It would be nice if it isn't too small, great if it's prettily decorated. But its most important function is to shelter us from the elements. To keep us safe.<br />
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I am grateful for mine, and taking care of it is my way of saying "thank you". I can't imagine ever hiring a housekeeper.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-73371136714361611952012-10-18T11:29:00.001-04:002012-11-08T12:18:55.820-05:00lost<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/6779058204/" title="Leaving. (Gare de Lyon Paris)"><img alt="Leaving. (Gare de Lyon Paris) by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6779058204_d879f20b94.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/6779058204/">Leaving. (Gare de Lyon Paris)</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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I lost the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/6917381175/in/photostream/">pendant</a> I bought in February in <a href="http://jerusalem.cef.fr/de-jerusalem/artisanat-et-magasins/monastica-paris">Paris</a>.<br />
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I was subconsciously aware during our dinner that the chain was caught in the scarf I was wearing, but it didn't really register. It wasn't until the scarf got twisted on my neck and I tried to adjust it that I realizeed the pendant top was gone. By then we were halfway home from the restaurant, walking on a dimly-lit street.<br />
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We looked around, on the sidewalk and in the grass surrounding it. A young couple pushing a stroller and a gentlemna with a dog stopped and helped us look. I walked back to the restaurant, looking down as I took every step, and even went inside to look and ask. No luck.<br />
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I have often thought about where lost things go. I wonder if there is a space in the universe where lost things congregate and share the stories of how they ended up there. Do they know that they're missed? Are they lost if we don't know that we've lost them? <br />
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I hope someone finds my pendant top, and cares enough to wear it or give it to someone who might enjoy it. Then it isn't really lost; it may be lost to me, but not to the world. <br />
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When we decided it was time to stop looking, the young mom who helped us look said, "Well, you just have to go back to Paris." If only it was so easy. <br />
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Paris is no longer a two-hour train ride away.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-86967572486863834282012-10-12T16:47:00.001-04:002012-10-12T16:47:56.864-04:00october friday<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8074300614/" title="Pumpkin spice latte and a book about London."><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/8074300614_a149560c0e.jpg" alt="Pumpkin spice latte and a book about London. by cocopuff1212" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8074300614/">Pumpkin spice latte and a book about London.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>...and I'm dreaming of London.</p>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-14935991891143438942012-10-01T18:41:00.001-04:002012-10-01T18:44:12.991-04:00october.<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8029505754/" title="Clouds in the sky, leaves on the ground."><img alt="Clouds in the sky, leaves on the ground. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/8029505754_935c80bf4d.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/8029505754/">Clouds in the sky, leaves on the ground.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
September zipped by while we were too busy unpacking and trying to settle. I don't even know what happend to July and August -- I don't think they existed for us this year. <br />
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We are, in any case, in our new home. Our own home, surrounded by our own furniture, our art, our books. We have new routines, new friends, new issues to tackle, new advendures to make. <br />
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Here are some of the things I am excited about:<br />
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1. My desk faces the window (for the first time ever!), and the view of the trees outside is just what I need. Writing now is more meditative than it has ever been.<br />
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2. Lots and lots of great Asian food. And I don't mean just the restaurants (although there are plenty). My next door neighbor is Korean, and he just brought over the first batch of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi">kimchi</a> he made the other week. I had a big spoonful, not even with rice but just plain kimchi alone, and it was mmm, mmm, MMMMM. The only sad thing was that I didn't have any beer to go with it.<br />
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3. We have family, relatives, and old friends to look up. We've lived the nomads' lifestyle for several years, and while we met many interesting people and made many good friends, it is always a treat to reconnect with people with whom we share the earlier chapters of our history. I feel home now, rooted and comforted.<br />
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The morning air is chilly these days, and the leaves are starting to change colors. We've already gone apple picking, and are looking forward to visiting pumpkin patches and having freshly made apple cider. We'll do the hay rides and corn mazes, too. <br />
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This is where we are, this is our life, here and now. <br />
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What a lucky bunch of scarecrows we are.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-74027182799426022152012-07-24T08:37:00.001-04:002012-07-24T08:37:24.367-04:00home sweet Washington, D.C.<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7519167362/" title="Home sweet Washington, D.C."><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7519167362_cfbcfb1883.jpg" alt="Home sweet Washington, D.C. by cocopuff1212" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7519167362/">Home sweet Washington, D.C.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>It's good to be back.</p>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-62684311816581526822012-06-26T18:35:00.001-04:002012-06-26T18:40:18.759-04:00last call<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7446612300/" title="No.8 rue Godefroy, 6eme."><img alt="No.8 rue Godefroy, 6eme. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7446612300_10413c15b5.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7446612300/">No.8 rue Godefroy, 6eme.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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We have visitors until Friday morning and we move to a hotel Sunday afternoon. The movers are coming on Monday. In the meantime, my son has two birthday parties to attend over the weekend. <br />
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I'm not sure how busy I will be during the next nine days, but I'm pretty sure I won't be spending much time on my laptop, so I decided to go ahead and post something quick in case this becomes my last update from Lyon, France. It probably will.<br />
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I took this photo this morning while walking toward <a href="http://www.lyon.fr/page/culture-et-loisirs/ville-nature/le-parc-de-la-tete-dor.html">Parc de la Tête d'Or</a>. The building, No.8 rue Godefroy, 6eme arrond., has always stirred my imagination. <br />
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It's a rather grand building, standing all on its own on a tiny block with no neighbors. There is a big gate separating its courtyard from the street, and on the northern side, there is another small garden area, gated and fenced off from public. <br />
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All I can see of the inside is the ceilling lights on the second floor, and from the look of them, I know that the space is currently being used as a business office. <br />
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I fancy this building to be a mansion that once belonged to a very wealthy family but had to be sold off due to unfortunate circumstances. The harsh fluorescent lights I see through the windows are like cheap, ugly lipstick on an elegant lady -- they're incongruent, they don't belong with this beautiful building, and they make me sad.<br />
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I wonder who built, owned, and lived in this building. I wonder what happened to them. I wonder how many servants they had, what food they ate, what they wore. I wonder how many babies were born here, and how many deaths had to be mourned. <br />
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I am, of course, romanticizing. Now, if I was fluent in French, I could go to the <a href="http://www.archives-lyon.fr/archives/">Archives de municipales de Lyon</a> and try to find out the history behind the building. <br />
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Alas, my French is too limited for that kind of project. It's too ambitious an endeavor anyway, because I have only nine days left in Lyon.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com28 Rue Godefroy, 69006 Lyon, France45.771344 4.841446545.7699595 4.838979 45.7727285 4.843914tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-53876150613907754292012-06-20T15:54:00.000-04:002012-06-20T15:54:26.479-04:00luisenpark -- mannheim, germany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some photos from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luisenpark">Luisenpark</a> in Mannheim.<br />
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We walked around...</div>
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Sat in the chairs that are available everywhere in the park...</div>
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Played giant chess...</div>
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Watched the birds, and watched someone taking photos of the birds...</div>
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Walked around some more...</div>
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And got a piggy-back ride.</div>
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We had lunch at one of the restaurants in the park, and sadly had to leave around 2 p.m. as we had a long drive back home. <br />
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Otherwise, we would have stayed all day. What a beautiful, fun park. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7cDkYe8bJtWTYOnkb9S3OKTav6mki0FzfNvIJypkUfNgsLAkxWnhtVK4P0uMEWPgWA5lbguYGmjhSQmPog2uJLeWAZZXCFgIipx04WqV48MzrnQcmj_YpYh-DrwSGVJGCla5hM0miHE/s1600/1113fs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7cDkYe8bJtWTYOnkb9S3OKTav6mki0FzfNvIJypkUfNgsLAkxWnhtVK4P0uMEWPgWA5lbguYGmjhSQmPog2uJLeWAZZXCFgIipx04WqV48MzrnQcmj_YpYh-DrwSGVJGCla5hM0miHE/s1600/1113fs.JPG" /></a></div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0Luisenpark, Gartenschauweg 12, 68165 Mannheim, Germany49.4820197 8.495570349.4717037 8.4758293000000009 49.492335700000005 8.5153113tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-78002338731349764722012-06-18T06:10:00.001-04:002012-06-18T06:13:41.686-04:00memories to take home with me<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7388211440/" title="My last purchase at Les Puces."><img alt="My last purchase at Les Puces. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5038/7388211440_9d56dda67e.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7388211440/">My last purchase at Les Puces.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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I went to <a href="http://www.pucesducanal.com/">Les Puces du Canal</a> for the last time yesterday. <br />
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I wasn't looking to buy anything -- my niece was visiting for the weekend and wanted to go to the fea market; I thought it would give me an opportunity to say good-bye to the lovely people I've bought some wonderful things from during the last three years.<br />
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I used my very limited French to explain that I was returning to the U.S. permanently, and that I was grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know them. I wanted to tell them that I would take care of the things I purchased from them, but my French failed me there. <br />
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I don't think it mattered. They seem genuinely touched that I would come and say hello for the last time. They all wished me luck with the move and with my new life back in the States (I'm pretty sure that's what they said).<br />
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Until yesterday, I'd been a little worried that some of my fragile Puces finds wouldn't survive the transatlantic voyage. I thought I'd be heartbroken if something broke in transit. But I realized yesterday that what I treasure about these things are not the things themselves but the memories and stories that come with them -- memories and stories of these wonderful people and the absolutely delightful place that is Les Puces du Canal. Even if something broke, I'd still have the memories to carry and stories to tell.<br />
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And there's no price tags on memories and stories. That makes this painted box, for which I paid only 5€, a truly remarkable bargain of the century.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-30245718254802345972012-06-11T05:01:00.000-04:002012-06-11T05:01:47.403-04:00castle in the sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Castle">This</a> is where we were this past weekend. <br />
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We drove six hours to see the <em>schloß</em>, then to stop in Mannheim on the way home. A quick report to follow -- hopefully soon.</div>
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</div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-52249343313146037472012-05-31T02:54:00.001-04:002012-05-31T02:59:58.919-04:00little<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7301195360/" title="A full lunch with dessert under 10€."><img alt="A full lunch with dessert under 10€. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7301195360_549f3e15db.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7301195360/">A full lunch with dessert under 10€.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span><br />
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<a href="http://little-petitsgateaux.com/">Little</a> is a sweet, actually-not-so-little cupcake shop that also serves lunch.<br />
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I had a plate of tasty crab & asparagus tarte salè (served with baby greens) and a bottle of Badoit, a cupcake for dessert of course (apple caramel), and a generous cup of coffee (brewed with a Nespresso machine!). <br />
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All of that was 9.80€. <em>Pas mal</em>.<br />
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Little<br />
30 rue des remparts d’Ainay 69002 LYON<br />
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I discovered Little through <a href="http://atasteofmylife.fr/2012/04/20/little-petits-gateaux/">this wonderful blog</a>. Thank you for the information, Argone!cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-7942668018309577072012-05-28T01:55:00.000-04:002012-05-28T01:55:00.862-04:00a week in london, in 25 photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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London. What can I say?<br />
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I love the city.<br />
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I did not want to leave. I've been to many wonderful places during our three years in Europe, but no other city made me feel that way before. It's been more than a month since we were there, and I still think about it often.<br />
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London has my heart.<br />
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I shall be back. Yes, one day.<br />
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As the party winded down and some of our neighbors began going upstaris to their homes, I looked up and saw a small piece of sky, in dark hues of blue-gray with smear of pink. </div>
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A warm, early-summer evening, spent with good food and good wines, chatting, laughing, relaxing. </div>
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I thought I would be happy if time stopped and I just stayed here forever. </div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-10917104753715970812012-05-25T04:53:00.001-04:002012-05-25T05:03:45.176-04:00fête des voisins 2012<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7263703784/" title="Fête des voisins 2012."><img alt="Fête des voisins 2012. by cocopuff1212" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/7263703784_44d38e4bfa.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7263703784/">Fête des voisins 2012.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
<br /><br />And here's a scene from our "neighbors' party" in the aforementioned courtyard. I'm really going to miss these people.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-69358557952209072812012-05-22T13:42:00.001-04:002012-05-22T13:42:56.366-04:00courtyard<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7248524936/" title="Our building's courtyard."><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7248524936_15d9793d29.jpg" alt="Our building's courtyard. by cocopuff1212" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7248524936/">Our building's courtyard.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p><br /><br />The courtyard in our building is paved with concrete, and with three trash cans and nothing else, isn't exactly pretty to look at. <br /><br />But the pink-ness of the building makes up for it -- I think.</p>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-79988780959932665522012-05-19T15:01:00.001-04:002012-05-19T15:01:21.103-04:00seven more weeks<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7215051984/" title="Seven more weeks in France."><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7215051984_b3afdae833.jpg" alt="Seven more weeks in France. by cocopuff1212" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/7215051984/">Seven more weeks in France.</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/">cocopuff1212</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>Yes, seven more weeks. That's how much time we have left in France -- we're heading back to the U.S. this summer.<br /><br />It's an exciting time and we are looking right ahead. There are a lot of things we are looking forward to, as well as issues we need to address (that have been put on the back burner for three years). I know there will be an adjustment we have to make, but surely this upcoming move will not be as hard as moving from L.A. to France.<br /><br />I just hope our wash-machine will hang in there for just seven more weeks, and that we won't get rear-ended for the rest of our stay in France.</p>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-30845805157357658362012-05-10T03:34:00.000-04:002012-05-10T03:34:39.631-04:00science museum, london<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We expected the <a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/">Science Museum</a> in London to be primarily a place for children. We went there because we thought our 10-year old son would enjoy it. </div>
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We were very pleasantly surprised. Of course, he loved the hands-on exhibits and enjoyed the children's lecture and overall had a terrific time. But my husband and I were also delighted to find so many -- so many! -- fabulously interesting and beautiful things to look at. <br />
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I love old scientific instruments. Their beauty lies in their function and utility, and their ability to answer and ask questions at the same time. What were people trying to find out back then? Did they find the answers they were looking for?</div>
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We could have visited the Museum two days in a row and still not have enough time to see everything. I eventually stopped taking photos because it was taking too much time, and just enjoyed looking at the exhibits. <br />
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It was a good call. <br />
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<br />cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-38134502231517476702012-05-07T06:54:00.000-04:002012-05-07T06:57:25.771-04:00mind the gap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Waterloo_station">Waterloo Station</a>, boarding the 9:35 train to <a href="http://www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace/">Hampton Court</a>.cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-67667980940495654172012-04-24T04:49:00.000-04:002012-04-24T04:49:09.572-04:00color of spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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'Tis the season of petit pois. The weather has gotten cold and gray again, but we know it's spring because we can get peas at the market!<br />
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I used to get them 500g at a time, but these days I just ask for 1kg, which is good for two dinners. The amount of peas I get seems almost unnerving, but then I shell them (volume reduced to less than half), plus I munch on them as I shell them along (volume reduced by further 10%). <br />
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Peas have lots of vitamins A and C, and if <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2520/2">eaten raw</a>, provide much more vitamin C than when they're cooked. Nutritional values aside, they're so good and tasty. Early in the spring, these peas are tender and sweet, and very refreshing. I'm convinced that they are the elixir of youth. This elixir, I take with a glass of white wine.<br />
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This morning, along with the peas, I also bought potatoes, onions, brown mushrooms and three heads of lettuce. The <em>monsieur</em> at the stand gave me a huge bunch of parsley. It was so big -- almost as big as my face -- that I was startled, wondering what to do with so much parsely... until I snipped a piece and started munching on it. <br />
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I couldn't stop, you see. By the time I got home, I had eaten a handful. <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2513/2">Vitamines A and C</a>, anyone?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-hpZcxT421ICWaK3AWxOA19TOlUfEG8lcmA-Giv_5iseEqEX4Qsv4DUN0maSfQwUb8uCM2fkbkcHfFerBX4b556b3efsQyNz6ZOYdVyngHs6KzaHct_Q1_-cFbAYX_vshKJsjMnFjwI/s1600/006fs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-hpZcxT421ICWaK3AWxOA19TOlUfEG8lcmA-Giv_5iseEqEX4Qsv4DUN0maSfQwUb8uCM2fkbkcHfFerBX4b556b3efsQyNz6ZOYdVyngHs6KzaHct_Q1_-cFbAYX_vshKJsjMnFjwI/s1600/006fs.JPG" /></a></div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-56171303068185925102012-04-09T07:54:00.001-04:002012-04-09T07:54:39.952-04:00on easter morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the third day, He rose again.<br />
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From death comes life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7v8Gxv6ItGdzh0-wsiynPGxj1u8Sh3oLdjmjFhEeMM_jT_88KSe_2zeOHXl84YL5RatsiwZCK22Bh7WBVeTjR-0_1ZXnnJDUBCjNTdTGd-HonIRYRbRZUMrHtejVMmx7_rWIqvvBmbI/s1600/073gd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7v8Gxv6ItGdzh0-wsiynPGxj1u8Sh3oLdjmjFhEeMM_jT_88KSe_2zeOHXl84YL5RatsiwZCK22Bh7WBVeTjR-0_1ZXnnJDUBCjNTdTGd-HonIRYRbRZUMrHtejVMmx7_rWIqvvBmbI/s1600/073gd.JPG" /></a></div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or, France45.815306 4.81772945.7710265 4.738765 45.8595855 4.896693tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-75887565498944598132012-04-03T05:34:00.000-04:002012-04-03T05:34:42.262-04:00my french kitchen stove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago while I was at <a href="http://www.pucesducanal.com/">Les Puces</a>, I spotted an <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocopuff1212/6867107606/in/set-72157625773768902">antique toy kitchen set</a>. It was <em>très, très mignon,</em> but I just wasn't moved enough to buy it.</div>
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This past weekend I was back at Les Puces, and as I was walking around thinking to myself, "Maybe I should have gotten that kitchen set....", I came across this one, much smaller and much more affordable. </div>
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The oven door opens. There's also a drawer that pulls open. The chalet we rented last winter in the Alps had a beautifully aged stove, with a drawer that opened just like this. This is perhaps where the coals went? </div>
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I've been secretly wishing for an antique French kitchen stove, although it was the kind of wish that I figured wouldn't come true. Well, guess what? It did come true -- in the form of a pencil sharpener.</div>
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And I paid only 2€ for it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnv7TTISSLaq4OM76XTft9E96RHDVb1IcvlpliQAmp3hBsXtlJvuiqEUlxXVKDeF1mtU3OdwmYTFNUtwjt0kp_5H0YXPsf3pctQzUO976L4VrZaFEpZzw2T8SL2Tg3F5pGDangDCXaDI/s1600/032fs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnv7TTISSLaq4OM76XTft9E96RHDVb1IcvlpliQAmp3hBsXtlJvuiqEUlxXVKDeF1mtU3OdwmYTFNUtwjt0kp_5H0YXPsf3pctQzUO976L4VrZaFEpZzw2T8SL2Tg3F5pGDangDCXaDI/s1600/032fs.JPG" /></a></div>cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8663610842980901291.post-68173364054128466672012-03-26T05:59:00.000-04:002012-03-26T05:59:12.013-04:00lighter steps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1T9B1XDK6hLWcexJ4xIKtpdqamNaM8-zCp4O8vxlx-Ln8MHTcx3FIMPNm-ZUJSEkUSOOFviVIt1nBuNrCOj3gYoyIxzlwbciGm6qwj-Cuvz8Sz1u657o6t4aY7s-Zi0wzf1HWEldLxN0/s1600/181fs2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1T9B1XDK6hLWcexJ4xIKtpdqamNaM8-zCp4O8vxlx-Ln8MHTcx3FIMPNm-ZUJSEkUSOOFviVIt1nBuNrCOj3gYoyIxzlwbciGm6qwj-Cuvz8Sz1u657o6t4aY7s-Zi0wzf1HWEldLxN0/s1600/181fs2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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We've past the equinox on the 20th of March this year. The day is longer than the night now, seemingly more so than it really is after we forwarded the clock by one hour this past weekend. <br />
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It's not the best time of the year to be outside for allergy sufferers like me, but it's so hard not to, not after that unforgiving cold spell we had last month. <br />
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Our flat needs tidying up and the floor needs mopping, and there are several shirts hanging on the door knob looking sad and wrinkly -- but I'm going to ignore them and step out after lunch. I'll grab my Kindle and take some coffee in my thermo mug. <br />
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The question is, to which park?cocopuff1212http://www.blogger.com/profile/09434246406709552013noreply@blogger.com0