It's been awhile. At first I thought I was hiding out again, but actually I realized that I am merely living in the moment. I haven't stopped to reflect much lately (strange for me), and that includes spending any time sharing these experiences.
What happened? Spring!
The picture above I took yesterday in our garden when workers were here installing a wrought-iron barrier around our pool.
But it really started around the time of my last post, Boo's birthday. I took a Saturday morning off, leaving Boo with E and headed down to Nice on one of the first glorious days of the year. I had intended to take lots of pictures of the old town to share, but I got so caught up in it that I completely forgot. Which I think is a good thing. I'm not very good with active wandering or even leaving Boo without a "good reason" which usually means good for someone else (employer, husband, friends) rather than myself. On this day I invented a shopping reason to justify my outing and as I wandered through the sunny streets the spell of spring worked on me. I slowed down. I began to procrastinate.
However, I had another appointment in Antibes, a 30 minute drive away, so I needed to hustle. I could see I wasn't going to make so called from my car - the folks at the other end forced me to reschedule and then suddenly there I was with two free hours with no plans, no obligations. I headed back out into the street and towards the old town with the idea of just walking. And perhaps lunch.
I found a place on the Marche aux Fleurs that catered to tourists and that was serving brunch. Lucky for me it was still early in the season & not too many tourists. I ate my salad slowly and read magazines that I'd bought earlier in the morning, and suddenly remembered my single life of cherished weekend breakfasts alone or with friends in the South End of Boston. After I finished I headed over to my favorite gelateria on the Place de Justice and sat on the courthouse steps with an immense coconut / strawberry number on a cone (something I never do now with Boo since I have to share). I people-watched - the booksellers were in full swing and there were older couples browsing the stalls, teenagers lurking and plenty of strollers weaving their way through the crowd. Sitting above it all, in the sun, satiated, I remembered my camera and managed a single photo for the day:
The next week passed quickly and suddenly it was Easter. Boo proved himself to be French by raising a glass at our Easter lunch and saying "Tchin!"
