Almost There

Senator Barack Obama spoke today at noon in Des Moines. It was my plan to walk the 4 or 5 blocks from where I work to hear him. No matter what your politics are, I think everyone can agree that this is an historic election. I wanted to be a witness to this history. You know what they say about the best laid plans...well, mine went astray as well. At the exact time I needed to walk out the south door of the hospital, I was deeply involved in a critical and time-sensitive personnel issue. I had to be at my desk to make phone calls and send emails; it couldn't wait. So, I did the next best thing. I sent the email, grabbed my cell phone and headed to the roof. That's one perk of being the boss of the Life Flight program...I'm authorized (and I have a key to the elevator to prove it!) to access our rooftop helipad. This is what I saw. The glass building is the Pappajohn Education Center. There were huge American flags hung at either end of it. Senator Obama spoke from the opposite side of the building and that's where most of the crowd was as well. Estimates put the number in attendance at 25,000. (click on photos to enlarge and see the people) Since the Senator was speaking away from my position on the roof, I couldn't hear his words distinctly. Only when he became animated and spoke loudly could I understand all his words. I could, though, hear the crowd clapping and cheering.

It was a warm bright day...Indian summer and I heard on the news that the Senator spoke in shirt sleeves, rolled up. Even though I couldn't hear him well, I could feel the excitement. It was like the difference between watching a football game on TV and being there in person. In person is SO much better even without great TV shots, instant replay, and color commentary by the announcers. Excitement, hope and change colored the air even from a distance. And as the crowd cheered, I lifted my arms and chanted softly under my breath..."Yes, we can!" with them. Hope no one caught that on the rooftop security camera!

I was almost there today; Senator Obama is almost there as well. Please vote on Tuesday, November 4th. This is an important election.

Another Road Trip

I haven't gone anywhere for weeks on end. Then within 5 days I've made trips to Minneapolis and Kansas City. What's up with that??
I left around 9am Saturday morning to make the 3-hour trip to Overland Park, KS...a suburb of Kansas City. My dear friend, Anne, who lives in Colorado was there visiting her sister. She called me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would drive down while she was there. Of course!! We had so much fun! We visited the shops in Country Club Plaza and 'licked the windows' as the French call window shopping and then watched as the annual WaterFire event pictured here unfolded. Torch-wielding boaters lit huge bonfires in the middle of Brush Creek that flows alongside the Plaza. As wonderful music blared over the sound system, performers entertained with belly dancing and fiery sword swallowing. It all felt very pagan. We returned home to glasses of Pouilly Fuisse wine, brie, bread and olive oil, and a Rick Steves DVD of Paris and Provence. On Sunday morning we looked at all of Anne's vacation photos from France and then went to the Nelson Akins Art Museum to immerse ourselves in art from all over the world. I was able to locate my very favorite exhibit there to share with Anne and Jean. It's a display case full of cricket cages and cricket accoutrements from ancient China. It makes me giggle and smile every time I imagine little fighting crickets singing in their ivory carved cages and sleeping in their tiny beds decorated with Chinese poetry. Overall...a weekend well worth the road trip!

Minneapolis on Tuesday

If you called me on Tuesday and got voice mail, it's because I was in Minneapolis. This was the week of the national air medical conference held in Minneapolis. Budget constraints (mine as well as the hospital's) kept me from attending, but I did make a quick trip to the city for some business meetings. I use the term 'quick' very loosely here. It was a 5-hour drive each way and ended up being a 17-hour day for me! I was beyond exhausted by the time I crawled into bed at 12:30am. Good thing I kind of like road trips. The most fun meeting of the day was a presentation ceremony hosted by American Eurocopter. It was a 'thank you for choosing Eurocopter' fete. A marketing rep did a brief introduction, I met the company CEO, Mark Paganini, we toasted with a plastic glass full of champagne, and had our pictures taken. Guess they're pretty appreciative when they can sell a $6.5 million helicopter. For the record, my hospital didn't buy it; our vendor, Air Methods did. I think Mr. Paganini was a bit surprised when I 'bonjour'd' him and toasted him in French! And I think his parting words to me were something about hoping to see me again. I knew my diligence with my French language tapes would come in handy...even if I never get to France again.

Manon of the Spring

I promised you a review of the rest of the Jean de Florette story and here it is...I watched Manon of the Spring (or Manon des sources as it's called in France) last evening. The review: there isn't any. I don't want to spoil it for you in case you decide to brave the French with English subtitles and watch it yourself. I will tell you that it is worth every bit of the effort it takes to watch a film in a foreign language. I will direct you as well to Isabelle's comment on my previous entry about this movie. It was a beautiful film about difficult human emotions and relationships. A caveat: my copy is rated PG. I would caution you that there is some tastefully filmed full frontal nudity as well as some graphic content that young children might be disturbed by. I think it's more of a PG13 movie.

Jean de Florette

Last week I blogged about one of the movies I watch when I need to vicariously visit France...French Kiss. A blog friend, Isabelle who lives outside of Paris, responded with some recommendations for other movies that I might enjoy. Taking her advice, I ordered them. This pair came on Friday, and I watched Jean de Florette last night. If you click on the link, you'll go to the Wikipedia entry about the movie. It explains the plot in detail and also relates how this movie and Manon of the Spring were filmed together over several months in the heart of Provence. Watching Jean last evening, I felt transported to rural Provence post WWI. This is rural Provence of the garrigue and of small poor farms and tiny villages, and not the Provence of lovely vineyards and luxurious chateaus. If you follow this link, you can see a map of the area around Vaugines where the movie was filmed. This is definitely 'my' part of Provence as I've spent time in some of the villages shown on the map.The story was a bit sad, but as it ended, I felt encouraged that Part II...Manon of the Spring will bring at least a sense of justice and retribution for the wrongs that Jean suffered. I'll let you know in my next blog entry as I plan to watch Part II tonight.

Thank you, Isabelle, for the great recommendations!

A New Journal

I started a new journal this morning. Does it surprise you that I have been an almost daily journaler for many years? My guess is...it doesn't! And I have a whole shelf on my bookcase dedicated to filled journals to prove my daily habit.I actually had two new bright empty journals to choose from; I picked this one for its 'connections.' Entitled Provencal Entree, the photo is by Lisa Taylor Huff who is the author of Bold Soul, a blog I've recently begun following. If you click through the link on the photo's title, you can see some of Lisa's other photos on items for sale through CafePress.

Of course, I love this journal because it combines two of my favorite things...Provence and Provencal doors. It also connects with two other passions I have...photography and writing. Lisa is primarily a writer who is also a life coach inspiring others to become their own Bold Souls. What better inspiration for a journal?

Because I've been told that the only way to make dreams come true is to put them out there for the Universe to work on, I've decided to share part of my very first entry in this journal.

"Here is my goal that I will work on from now until this journal is filled...and beyond! The goal:

a new life living and writing in Provence. I have no idea how I'll make that happen...but

today, as I begin this new journal I'll re-dedicate myself that with God's help, I will make

this happen!"

Okay...so now you know my deepest dream. I don't know how to make the dream come true. I don't how in the world to come up with the money to enable this dream. Yes, I know I'm 'way too old to go off and live in a foreign country with no income, possibly no talent, all alone. Yes, I've thought about all the 'what ifs.' What if I get sick, what if someone in my family gets sick, what if I never see my grandchildren again, what if I end up being a homeless bag lady. My feeling is you can 'what if' yourself into never doing anything. And anyone reading this who knows me (like my family and friends) knows that I've always had a tendency to seek the adventure instead of the safe, non-what if path.

Wish me luck! No matter what happens, no matter if I never make my dream come true....it will be an adventure!

A Tango in Paris

Yesterday I spent the entire day at a workshop on process improvement. I won't bore you with the details...lots of ways to address process changes using lots of acronyms like LEAN, A3, 5S, etc. It was well presented, though, and peppered with fun videos. One video was a clip from "Scent of a Woman." It showed a blind Al Pacino leading a lovely young woman to the dance floor of a swanky hotel. He gathers her up in his arms, and the band begins to play...a sexy tango! He's a beautiful dancer, but that's not what made me smile. Memories of my 2005 visit to Paris immediately sprang to mind as the tango music swelled. On that trip I signed up for an 'Illumination and Seine Tour' at my hotel front desk. If you've never visited Paris, you should know that as dusk falls all the public buildings and some churches are illuminated. The Eiffel Tower is not only lighted, but on the hour twinkle lights dance up and down her lovely limbs for 5 minutes. It's a sight not to be missed. And since a boat ride on the Seine was on my to-do list, this tour was a great combination. The illuminations were breathtaking, and the warm September evening was perfect for the boat ride on the Seine, even if it is one of the most touristy things you can do in Paris! As we neared the eastern limit of the ride, the voice on the loud speaker drew our attention to the Left Bank. There dancing under the stars were dozens of people. We could hear the faint strains of tango music drifting across the water while they twirled and dipped and clutched each other tightly. As the boat drifted under a bridge, the tour guide advised everyone aboard that any wish made while under this particular bridge was guaranteed to come true. Can you blame me for wishing to return someday to Paris and dance the tango with a romantic Frenchman along the banks of the Seine?

Imagine my surprise when I found this link on Google.

Tilleul Tea

It's a cold rainy afternoon at Red Bell Farm. Somehow it seems like just the right kind of day for a warm cup of tea to relax with after work. I searched through my tea basket until I found a box of tilleul tea that I bought last year in Provence. I had never tried it before that trip, but one night after dinner, Babeth suggested it might be just the right thing to settle our tummies and relax us for bed. As Americans Marie and I weren't used to finishing dinner at 11pm and often found it difficult to sleep after eating so late. Babeth brewed the tea and we tried it; it worked like a charm! Patrick relied on aged cognac instead.



If you click on the tilleul tea link, be sure to scroll down the page until you reach the information about this lovely tea.






Patrick and Babeth of Famous Provence.

More Venasque

The rest of our visit in Venasque was much less daring. We stopped at Viard-Oberlin poterie where Marie always buys delightful ceramic pieces to add to her set of dishes. Anne and her husband, Etienne, were excited to visit with us. Etienne, a metal sculptor, had just sold 35 very large sculptures to some collectors in New York City. They had been crated and shipped the month before, and he and Anne were leaving in a few days to fly to New York and then Chicago to introduce the works at gallery openings. They were quite excited about the prospect of staying in one of the collector's NYC penthouse.

As we left, Anne gifted me with this small, round dish from her collection. It sits by my kitchen sink holding squares of Provencal soap. Every time I wash my hands I think of Anne, her bubbly personality, and her generosity.

We lunched at Les Remparts that day and sat by the windows to enjoy the spectacular view of the valley below. No blog entry about Provence is complete without the menu: seafood salad with mussels, prawns, anchovies and smoked salmon accompanied by a nice rose and completed with a bread pudding-like dessert--custard and apples. Bon appetit!

La Maison aux Volets Bleu

I'm in desperate need of a 'France fix,' but the closest I can come right now is browsing through my photos from previous trips. This one caught my eye. The chambre d'hotes is in Venasque, a very pretty village north of Goult. It's called La Maison aux Volets Bleu, the house of the blue shutters. Isn't it pretty? Marie and I actually sneaked into this courtyard; the lovely painted gate was pulled almost closed. She convinced me that we should enter the house through that open doorway. Ever the chicken, I wasn't sure that was okay, but what the heck...I went with her. This turned out to be the opening into Madame's kitchen! Before we could exit, she entered and started chattering away in French. Yikes! Busted! Marie muttered we were considering whether we should make reservations to stay, asked her for a business card, and we beat a hasty retreat.

A beautiful gate

A Long Week

This has been such a long week. I usually don't use my blog as a forum for whining, but whine I must today! Not only has the economic news been dismal, the Presidential campaign is making me crazy. I'm so tired of it. I really could simply tune it out, I guess, as I've already voted by absentee ballot. The pundits say that negative campaigning, as repugnant as it is, works to sway voters, but I think we're better than that. Let's delete those email stories, let's leave the room when negative ads come on TV, let's turn off the radio rather than listen to more smear stories.

On top of all this national nonsense, my hospital, for some unknown reason, not only does budget this time of year, but also requires all performance evaluations be completed now. Feel my pain! I hate the numbers game, and much as I like the wonderful people who work for me, giving their evaluations is exhausting. I'm an introvert; sitting and talking to people non-stop all week has totally drained me of all my energy.

I'm in dire need of a glass of wine and an evening curled up on the couch watching "French Kiss" for the umpteenth time. I'll fantasize that I'm Meg Ryan kissing Kevin Kline in a wonderful Provencal vineyard....that should perk me up

Mass on the Grass

Last evening my church held its annual Blessing of the Animals service. Dubbed "Mass on the Grass" this service is held on the weekend closest to the saint's day for St. Francis of Assisi. When I searched Google images for a picture of St. Francis, I found many, but this one 'spoke' to me. It looks like how I imagine the real Francis looked...thin, intense, aflame with the love of God, yet gentle and peaceful enough to hold a delicate bird in his hands. I think the artist truly captured the essence of St. Francis. The Blessing service at church, however, was anything but peaceful! There were at least 30 dogs and a half dozen cats present along with their owners. Every breed and mix was represented. I counted at least four standard poodles...not a breed you see much anymore. One couple came with three show-quality cocker spaniels in tow. There were several yellow labs as well as two gorgeous golden retrievers. Elizabeth, Mary and Milton, the three priests there to do the blessing, were thankful that nothing with scales showed up. Everyone mingled for a bit, then services began out on the lawn east of the church. All participants were VERY well behaved as we worshipped. While the human congregants passed the Peace, the priests blessed each animal present by touching them with the love of God and thanking them for loving their humans. It was a fun way to spend a beautifully warm, slightly breezy fall afternoon.

Lucie was a very good girl; she only barked once when she saw other dogs running with their children. She was exhausted, tho, when it was all over. It was a big day for her sniffing more doggie behinds than she's ever even seen before!

Not Such Good News

There's bad news from the blog-o-sphere. Polly Lyman, creator of one of my very favorite Paris blogs, is going home. Home to the United States, leaving Paris! Oh, say it isn't so, Polly! I am SO bummed. My guess is that Polly is more bummed than I am, though. When I read her comments on Polly-Vous Francais today, I could feel her disappointment. It seems that it's a financial thing...the dollar is so weak against the Euro, living in Paris is tres cher, and I can't help but think that perhaps the volatile stock market and the financial crisis we're in the midst of may have something to do with her decision as well. Sigh! I do hope that wherever she settles Stateside that she'll keep blogging. I love her comments of life, no matter where life finds her. I think another reason I feel so sad about this is that perhaps my dream of living in France someday is also in jeopardy. If Polly can't make it happen, can I??

One bright spot from the world of blogs, however, is a new one that I discovered today called The Bold Soul. This blog is from Paris as well written by a woman who is a writer and a life coach. She was bold enough to move to Paris to follow her dream; maybe she can inspire me to do the same.

A Fundraising Salon

Last Sunday our church rector and her husband hosted a fundraising salon. The idea was to assist the Cedar Rapids Public Library re-build after the devastating floods in early summer. Most of the library's books were destroyed by water and even those on the second floor which were not under water were severely mold damaged. Since the floods happened in 2008, guests were asked to contribute $20.08 or multiples of this amount to attend. The two-hour event boasted wine and dessert, great jazz by George Cole-Duvall and his Flying Fish jazz band (all high schoolers and very professional!), and the opportunity to purchase art. There was pottery, pen-and-ink drawings by Milton Cole (the rector's husband) and some framed prints by Sr. Corita Kent, who was active in the anti-Vietnam war protests of the 60's and 70's. I purchased one of her prints that is hanging now in my office...a multi-colored spiral with a quote by Francis Bacon. The print pictured here is one of Milton's. I think it looks rather Picasso-esque. I have it and the one below hanging in my bathroom. Black and white goes with the decor.

Both of these drawings were done while Milton was assigned to a missionary project in Guam. While there, he presided over 8 small Episcopal churches. I love the faces in both of these prints. They are very different, yet both convey a sense of Guam to me. The salon was a very enjoyable way to fellowship with others in my church as well as contribute to a good cause. And I got some interesting art in the bargain!