TRYING TO FIND SPRING

One of the things we did early on in Paris was buy flower boxes to place on all our balconies.  If you remember, I posted our struggle bringing the boxes via bus then walking the rest of the way to the apartment, having to stop for a rest etc.  It was worth the effort and time as the entire 20 months we were in Paris they bloomed and were absolutely beautiful.

Remember these?  I wonder if we can do this again!!

So, when we decided to try flower boxes at our backdoor entrance that all the residents use to get to our garages, we thought we'd try geraniums again.   Now, we know the weather here in Kansas City is different from Paris so these may not do as well...hotter summers and colder winters.  But we're feeling really confident...so here we go!!

It's decidedly easier to get what we need in Kansas City...if nothing else, we drive to get the supplies and drive home.  There's no walking and carrying involved.  Unfortunately, with the quarantines in place we are somewhat limited.  Home Depot is open, though, so we went there this morning and got boxes, a little spade and a watering can.

Ready to go!!

They had a really pretty watering can, but it's going to be housed in the closet so why spend more $$$ when no one (not even me) is going to see it?  This little $4 one will work fine.  Sadly, there aren't many flowers out yet (perhaps because of the weather..not quite warm enough or perhaps because the large floral markets (like Calloways in Dallas) aren't open right now).  David put them up, though, and, for now, they will remain, sadly, empty until things change and we can get the flowers for them.

Here's the view from the breakfast area - ready for flowers - I'll be able to see them from the table as we're eating

I'm also planning to buy a Boston fern for the sunroom but, alas, didn't see one of those either.  The past many years I've bought beautiful ferns at Kroger for $10-12.  I don't know if I'll find that here once things loosen up.  However, I did see this hanging pansy (I removed the hangers) so, for now, it's sitting on my little chair in the sunroom.  It looks cheery, adds some color and, I hope, will stay alive inside.  It gets lots of morning light...will that be enough?????  That is the question!!!!

Perfectly fits the chair!

We FaceTimed with Paris friends to end our morning and that was wonderful.  We feel very blessed to have made good friends during our time there.  As you know if you've moved very much, you don't keep in touch with everyone after you move...only those closest to you.  Some fall off our radar and we fall off some radar.  That's life.  So I appreciate even more when people continue to reach out.

Yet, again, perhaps another positive coming from these quiet days being home is keeping in touch with people we care about.    I do wonder what we'll take with us from this crazy time we're living in....maybe more than we could imagine!

HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR TIME

It's amazing how quickly the days go when you're not able to get out much and live in 1300 square feet!!!  In addition to that, we've only lived here five months (already??!!) so everything should be (the key word!!) in good order.

David continues to get up early (we're talking before 6 a.m.) and walk every morning (unless it's raining).  When he returns, I'm up and we've begun a new habit of doing (or trying to do) the New York Times Crossword Puzzle.  We sit at our counter,  have our coffee/tea, and work together  on it.  Not surprising, David is much better at it than I am; however, I contribute my share and I do know some things he doesn't!!!!  As you know, each day gets harder and one day I just gave up.  I don't care that much.  David, however, perseveres...with success, I might add.  Anyway, it's kinda fun.

Here's one puzzle from this week

Friday used to be cleaning day,  but we have recently changed that to Saturday so we can go to the grocery store when it's not as busy.  We are, after all, retired so why should we fight the Saturday morning crowds (on typical, non-Coronavirus days).  Anyway,  Friday was a beautiful, sunny day and nearly 70 degrees so we opened windows.  Oh, it was lovely and felt like spring!  It made me want to get the flower boxes I'm planning and put them out in the back of our apartment.  But when you open windows that have been closed all winter (and probably never opened by the looks of them), the window sills are gross!!!!  Moving in I had cleaned out some of them I knew we would open but the double breakfast area windows I had not.

You know how you start out just doing a "little something" and it balloons into a "big something"????  Well, that's what happened.  I was just going to wipe out the sills and David said we might as well clean the entire window.  Seriously, I think I could have been happy with the sill cleaned, but, oh, well!!!  We actually had a "meant to be" conversation with the window cleaning---we've talked many times how well suited we are to each other in so many ways.  As he was struggling to get storm windows out (all the other windows have been replaced but these...they're the original and are raised by a cord along the side like David said they had in the house he grew up in), I said we were destined to be together...I grew up with a mother and grandmother who washed windows spring and fall and he grew up with a mother who taught him to wash windows as he helped her.  We are perfectly suited!!!!

Not the best picture..there was more labor involved than this shows!!

We weren't able to remove the screens so they just got vacuumed but, still, they look so much better and we kept the windows open all day til the sun went down and it started to cool off.  We can't reach the outside of the windows so we'll have to ponder that.  Perhaps, sometime, we'll replace them but for now...not bad.

So our cleaning took a lot longer and by finish we were exhausted.  We decided for supper to make our French quiche that we made many times when friends came in Paris.  That with a nice salad makes a pretty easy, tasty meal.

Obviously this will feed us again sometime this week!!

Like many of you, we've been having church online the past several Sundays.  While I miss the community of actually being in church, it does have some advantages...like David gets his morning walk in as usual and we have time for a nice breakfast.  I've been in the mood for pancakes lately which is not my usual breakfast fare.  So today we fixed blueberry pancakes (no mix!!) from an old recipe I had that David's sister passed on to me years ago as we were both raising our children.  It's simple and good and hit the spot before we tuned in to worship.

Blueberry pancakes before church...

This afternoon we walked a couple of loops around our park across the street.  We've been doing that late afternoon most days this week.  It's especially nice when it's sunny and mild.  There are usually quite a few people walking, joggers, people at the strength stations, some people sitting on benches and sometimes guys/kids playing in the grassy areas.  Trees are beginning to bud and flowers are beginning to bloom.  In the near future, it's going to be really pretty.

Tulips (I had to ask my daughter-in-law because they're not the traditional tulip I recognize)

Today, for the first time I've seen, the city has taped off the strength equipment so it can't be used.  I certainly understand that in this climate.  When we used the equipment last week (before taping) I wore gloves (not rubber, my winter gloves then came home and washed them).  David and I have been doing a strength training band workout I have on video so we don't need the stations right now.  But it was just an interesting addition...

Sign of the times

It is certainly a strange season we're all in right now,  and I hope you're all making the most of the perks of it as we're trying to do.  There's an old song "Love the One You're With" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young..these days I think it's probably just as important that you "like the one you're with" if you're going to be with them all the time!!


https://youtu.be/921CsfhKzqw

OUR NEW HOME

Well, it's been nearly five months since Kansas City became our home...again.  I wanted to wait until things were pretty much in place before I posted pictures for you.  David and I always wonder what people say when they leave our apartment as it is soooo different from the way most of our friends live.  I imagine they're saying the same thing we say when we leave their large (but beautiful) homes, "I can't believe they want to live in such large space".  The reality for us is, of course, our time in Paris influenced us more than we realized, although we had already downsized several times before the Paris move.  Paris just confirmed to us we didn't need more, we can be just as happy and content in less.  Now, that said, sometimes the idea of a little bungalow does draw me...I'd like a little deck/patio and a tiny yard and I'd love a fireplace (which you just won't find in an old apartment building).  But our little apartment (1300 sq.ft) really is pretty perfect for us.  So, here it is...

Welcome to our home!

Here's the inside of our front door-the living room area is on the right as you enter - the gold framed mirror we bought at a Brocante in Paris

Sofa wall is across from the front door-picture on the wall is a print we brought from Paris and had framed

From this pic of the living area you can see the breakfast area

This little wall is left of the kitchen bar-the table and candelabra are antiques we bought in Paris

Across from the previous wall is this little space-the  drawing is of the American Church in Paris given to us by the church when we left-we had it framed here-it's signed by the artist and dated 1931-the prayer chairs are like the ones we saw in our favorite churches in Paris but we bought them here from an individual

Back to the front corner of the living area-the mirror we purchased soon after arriving in Paris at a little antique store near the apartment with a money gift from our sweet Sunday school class in Plano-the windows run along that wall and lead to a sunroom across the front of the apartment-Lovely!

This sideboard is across from the kitchen bar and stores Christmas dishes and David's mother's china-the little child's chair to the right belonged to the preschool department of the church we both grew up in-I love it!

I love our breakfast area-as soon as the weather permits, these windows get cleaned-they're the only windows (I think) that are the original, others have been updated.

Kitchen view from the bar

Not the kitchen I wanted, you know I love white cabinets, but this is very nice and I've adapted!!

Great stove/oven and I love the original brick

Back to the front of the apartment to the sunroom off the living area-here's my desk-the plant stand will hold a big fern soon-the view of the park across the street is lovely-when it snowed this winter, it was absolutely lovely looking out

Here's a cozy little sitting area-we bought the painting at our market in Paris right before we left-those windows see into the living area which keeps that room light

This old sliding barn door leads from the kitchen to the laundry room and a back door to the garage (the ladder is decorative..it needs decorating like a wreath!)

Combo washer/dryer but large and new so not bad-cabinet to the left is great storage

Here's David's study, small but nice space for him with original brick walls and two windows so plenty of light

David's printer and map of travels

Still David's study-door goes to the breakfast area-the bookcase belonged to David's dad and we've had it our whole married life-the Eiffel Tower tapestry above it David got at an antique store inParis

Between David's office and the guest room is David's bathroom-his because it has a nice walk-in shower and my bathroom has a tub

Guest room

Sofa sleeper for guests-there's also a nice closet and a dresser for storage and a tv (when we don't want to watch the same thing!!)

In the hall between guest room and our room is my bathroom

Not your typical US bathroom but living in Paris helped us  realize what's really important to us and what we can live without (although the tub water pressure is BAD and we're talking to the management company about that)

Our room faces the front and has the original brick walls too which makes it soooo cold...the North Pole!!!

Everywhere are reminders of places we've lived and places we've visited

Well, that's it.  It's a little hard to show you our home in pictures...come and visit!  

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY (OR TWO MONTHS) MAKES!!!

In the two months since we received our things from Paris, we have spent the days trying to establish our new Kansas City life.  Having all of our own things with us and creating new things by framing Paris prints and buying new things for small spots, has helped us feel home.  Finally.

There have been many times when I wished I'd taken a photo of something we saw or did but, alas, I'm a terrible blogger.  Good thing I'm not doing it for money!!!  Over the past two months, however, several things have come into focus for me.

Though we're still attending The Church of the Resurrection (COR), the mega church, and love the worship service and small group (which, remember, isn't really small...50 people or so!), several weeks ago we did visit another Methodist Church very near us.  We really enjoyed the worship service and want to visit the small group the next time they meet (once COVID-19 is over).  While attending a Retirement Seminar at COR, I had an Ah-Ha moment that perhaps God had us there for "training" we could use somewhere else.  I don't know...just a thought.

As most of you know, I'm a midwestern girl but have loved the years I've lived in Dallas (Plano, actually).  I love the weather (always hot over cold for me), the ease of getting around (Plano) and just the familiarity of having lived there over 20 years (longer than I've lived anywhere ever).  I never had any inclination to move back to the midwest...no desire at all.  However, having lived here now for nearly five months, I've realized there are things I always loved that I had lost and forgotten.  I love living in a older area where houses are made of various materials and in various ways so they're not all just alike, where huge trees (and the leaves from them!!) surround them, where many neighborhoods have green areas with fountains and benches...and where there are pockets of darling little shopping areas with flower shops, small cafes/restaurants and novelty shops.  Sound like Paris??!!  That's what it feels like to me.

I think I'm really going to enjoy experiencing four seasons.  We have loved the winter, snow and all.  We don't have to get out so...we don't!  If we do, it's because we want to and that's okay.  The trees are beginning to bud as our temperatures, on some days, get warmer.  Though living here was really David's first choice, perhaps this time he was right...

So, this COVID-19.  Who would have ever imagined something like this taking over our lives?  We hear from our friends in Paris, and it's worse there.  I hope by taking measures now we can avoid the lockdown they're experiencing.

I told David I already feel social distanced since we don't really have many friends yet so we spend most of our time together (good thing we like each other and most of the time get along!!).  We love old movies and watch them in our real life and we both read.  I'm not crafty and don't really have a plethora of hobbies...so how am I spending  my days??

First I baked.  Earlier this week I found a new recipe for Blueberry Muffins and decided to try it.  Then yesterday I had found a new recipe for brownies (you know I love a good brownie!) from one of my favs, David Lebovitz, "Dave and Kate's Brownies".  The "Kate" is Katherine Hepburn (I loved her) and it seems her family lived down the street from David's brother's family though they didn't see her (she lived on the coast).  But a mutual friend in Miami had known her and she sent them her brownies every year.  Cool.  So I made them.  And they were yummy!!

These were really yummy!

Obviously, we can't eat all this so, for now, we've frozen the extras to eat as we need a treat!  I do have my little neighbors, but right now maybe it's not such a good idea to share.

Since I'd been in the house quite a bit, we decided to go for a little drive yesterday.  We ended up at Loose Park, a beautiful park where we, in our dating days, had a picnic.  The weather was cloudy but not cold and we strolled the paths we'd strolled so many years ago.  I can't wait to go back in the spring when everything is blooming and green.

A good Parisian always has an umbrella...

There were geese in some of the ponds

Just a little show of the blooming yellow bushes-there were many other trees  beginning to bud and flowers pushing through the warming dirt-

In the background of this picture, you can see a brown wooden bridge.  I have pictures on that bridge from our first visit there.  Deja vu!!!!

See the bridge on the right side?

Here's this cute guy on that bridge!!!!

Can you tell it's the 70's???!!

After our stroll, we decided to go through the family pictures and get some organization.  Now, just to be clear, our family photos have been placed and dated in albums since the beginning.  But...I have pages and envelopes of pictures from my mother's albums so it was time...

Albums of trips, important family events, memories

Not enough room to display everything...but precious enough to save!

Our lives are in these albums...and our hearts

Obviously, I also had framed photos I am no longer putting out and multiple albums, some gifts.  So...we found a place in the apartment to store the albums (so I can access them when I want to-what good is having them if you can't look at them??!), went through the framed photos and sorted them and kept some of the frames and tossed others, and went through the miscellaneous pics and put them in groups in envelopes.  So now each of my children has a not-so-full envelope of pics!!!!

I know some of you are thinking "why isn't she putting these on the computer?"  Well....all new photos are put in files on the computer.  These old photos...more work than we want to do.  Plus, I know I'm showing what an old fogey I am,  but I like sitting and looking at an album just like I like to read a real book...not electronic.  Sorry!  But now if the kids come, I can show the little boys pictures of them when they were with us ..pictures their parents may not have.  And I can look back and remember those sweet times with them.....

I guess being "quarantined" isn't all bad.......