WHAT DAY IS IT?????????

Boy, the days just melt together when you're so limited to where you can go, what you can do and who you can see!!!!  Once we retired at least we had Sundays that were different because of going to church.  Now that's not even any different...except we sit down at 11:00 in our living room and watch the service (which, by the way, isn't all bad!!!).

So, last week I attacked ye ol' gray roots!!  One thing I've learned from all of this is I don't really NEED to go to the salon as often as I've been going.  That's good news!  But, even though I'm not really seeing anyone (at least that I know!), I decided it was time.  As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I stepped out and tried a product new to me (since I haven't colored my own hair since we lived in Atlanta 29 years ago!), Madison Reed.  I saw it on Facebook, a friend told me about it and, then, I just happened on a YouTube of Terri Hatcher (from Desperate Housewives) covering her gray roots with it.

Thursday was the day and I was prepared!  I followed the instructions exactly (as best as I could) and made sure I had my handy assistant ready and available (that would be David, of course, to help with the back).

Maybe I should wear my hair like this!!

Step One - part your hair in four sections.  Done.  From here I just applied the color to each parted section of hair until all the sections were ready to be capped.  I am not showing the picture of that (I'm not completely crazy!!!!).  Wait 35 minutes.  Done.  Apply the rest of the color to the rest of my hair (I may not do this step next time since it will be the same color.  I may just do the roots).  Cap and wait 5 more minutes then....washout, wash/condition/blowdry and...voila....

I'm kind of ready for a new style cut...
for now this is good

All blond again!!!!  Now, the shade, while very similar to what was on my hair, is a little more beige which is fine with me.  I did, however, lose the dark roots I had finally achieved at my last salon visit.  In fact, our plan was to do high and low lights in April.  Oh, well.  Maybe when I finally get back to her...we'll see.  Obviously, this is very economical and I do have plenty of time!  My stylist is opening their salon mid May but I'm not ready by then.  Plus, I'm a little concerned that's a little too early with all this virus stuff.  Maybe by the time I need color again (in June), things will be a little better and I'll go see her.  Or maybe I'll do my own color again and just go and get a cut - THAT I can't do myself!!!!

David and I have talked for months about our desire to convert my blog posts about Paris to print form so we will have them to actually look/read through.  We weren't really sure the best way to do that and, after several searches, found a site, Blog2Print, where we could get it done to our liking.  It wasn't as easy as we had thought it would be,  and David spent hours working on it and communicating with one of their people getting everything downloaded.  Because it wasn't exactly cheap, we especially wanted to make sure the end result was a good one...at least one we would be  happy with.  Finally, everything was done, ordered and we were just waiting.  Unlike Amazon, who is not quite as fast since the virus, our books that were supposed to arrive mid May came today!

The left book shows the front (both fronts are the same
and the right book shows the back of the
second volume which is the end of our time
in Paris and our new home here

Here's a page of Part II to give you an idea

We were so excited and happy with the finished books!  I say books because there were too many posts/pages to contain in one volume so we have Part I and Part II.  It ended up being 400+ pages with the posts pre-Paris as we were deciding to make this step to our departure from Paris back to the US.  Each post is on a separate page with the corresponding picture with it.  It reads like a book!  We have only flipped through them but I'm excited to actually sit down and read through them.  Even at a glance, many memories are brought back I'd forgotten about...little things mostly.  It was well worth every hour we spent (me writing the posts and David getting it all ready for print) and every dollar we spent having it printed.

You know I need my flowers for my mental health!  Today we went out and got some hanging baskets for the back (by the geraniums) and planted herbs in them...hopefully to use for cooking.  Like a kitchen garden.  So we have basil, cilantro, German thyme and parsley.  We'll see how they do out there.  If they don't work (because of sun etc.),  I have some alternative choices!  But they look pretty right now so, hopefully, they will thrive.

Lots of basil - we use it a lot

Cilantro, German thyme and parsley

We're still strolling our little park and the Plaza, getting take-out pizza and Cheesecake Factory desserts, doing The NY Times puzzle, strength training, reading, watching movies and playing gin rummy (I do win sometimes!!!).  Surprisingly, the days seem to go pretty quickly.  We cook every night but Friday (that's Pizza Night!) and I'm baking more (which I've always loved).  In fact, brownies are on this week's plan!  But I do miss seeing friends we have (from previous moves) and developing new relationships with people in our new home.  Hopefully, soon.

HOMEY HODGEPODGE

...and so the days pass and we find ways to feel productive, creative and peaceful.  At least, that's what I'm trying to do and some days it's easier than others.

So...after planting our flower boxes in the back and getting a beautiful fern for the sunroom, we picked up some petunias to plant in the pots that are outside the front of our building by the steps to our front door.  I'm not sure whose responsibility it is to do this but we volunteered at an HOA meeting since they were empty when we arrived and seemed to collect trash (ugh!!!).  We already had the dirt and the flowers were cheap so not a big investment.  Since planting we've had a little freeze but they seem to have survived...this time.  I don't know how often they will survive low temps but, hopefully, we're near the end of cold weather.

What a difference flowers make!

As you know, I've taken advantage of this time to try new recipes or make things I did before my "working days" when I had more time and desire.  This week I made popovers...herb-flavored to complement the smoky corn soup we were having.  The day we had this for supper the temps had gotten colder so the soup and bread was a cozy, tasty meal.  Now, I've made muffins, biscuits, cupcakes etc. for years but I don't think I've tried a popover.  My recipe said I could use muffin tins if I didn't have popover tins (which I didn't).  They didn't turn out quite as pretty as I had hoped but they did taste really good...especially warm with butter and our soup!!!

Wonky but tasty first-time popovers!

I could eat soup every day..and sometimes do

Obviously, we froze many of the popovers for a later time.   I do want to make them again and see if I can get them less wonky!!!!

David and I got hooked on a series of novels by Cara Black, the Aimee Leduc Mystery Series, where each novel takes place in a different arrondissement in Paris (there are 20).  We had the pleasure of meeting Cara while we were in Paris and, in fact, she came and spoke at the last Bloom event we had at The American Church.  We've read all the Aimee books and have been waiting for Cara's new novel, Three Hours in Paris,  to come out.  Well, it did and I finished it this week.  Again, Cara has researched her time period, history and locations.  Because I love her other series so much, l was really afraid this book wouldn't meet the mark for me.  But, friends, it was excellent (in my opinion)!  The main character, Kate, is a sharpshooter hired to kill Hitler during his three hours in Paris.  Check it out...it's "a work of fiction but it is drawn from a range of real-life inspirations" (Cara Black).  I don't think you'll be sorry.

Read this book...really!!

I told a friend recently I'm going to end this "quarantine" fat and gray if I'm not careful!!  So, as I've mentioned before,  David and I are trying to walk our little park most days.  We're also doing some stretches for our backs and my hip.  Because I'm a lover of strength training and don't have any free weights here, we're using the tubed bands and doing strength workouts from my Turbo Fire workout cds.  These are really good workouts for arms and legs (I can't do the leg workouts right now) so a couple of times each week we're working on muscle building.  I need these things to counteract the popovers and cinnamon rolls!!!!!

I love Chalene and her kickboxing but
right now that's off limits...boo!

I prefer free weights but these are a good
substitute for now and easily hidden from view

The gray issue will be another post when I tackle some of my personal beauty issues.  Things have been ordered...now I just have to get brave enough to do it myself.  I have been there, done that and thought I'd never do it again!!!  I know, I know...vanity run amok!!  I own it and make no excuses for it.  We'll see if I still feel this way in a couple of months!!!

I hope everyone is well and finding peace in this unusual situation.  While I mostly read fun, entertaining novels, I have also read Adam Hamilton's daily devotional "Living Unafraid".  He's the pastor at Church of the Resurrection we've been attending.    He also has a book,  "Unafraid",  and this is the accompanying devotional to it.  I haven't read the book but did the devotional and it's very uplifting and encouraging during this time we're all in.  Check it out if you want an encouraging voice in your head.

I need to pick up the original book but
these devotionals are easy and short

Take care everybody!

THIS AND THAT DURING OUR "STAY AT HOME" ORDER

I thought today I'd just do a little "here's what we've been doing this week" post as, somehow, we've managed to keep busy and productive (with a little leisure and napping going on too!!!).

We had never completed the window washing begun weeks ago so this week the weather one day was glorious and I heard a little voice saying "today do the windows!"!!!!!  As I wrote in an earlier post, it may not be David's first activity choice, but he also likes clean windows and he likes to be busy.    So we spent the morning Wednesday cleaning all the windows and screens.  Like often happens, we got into a rhythm and it actually went pretty quickly.

After all our work, we needed a little fun so we packed a picnic lunch in our Paris picnic basket and headed for Loose Park.  They had closed off the parking lot (we're not really sure why) so we had to drive around the park and find a place on the street to park (us and lots of other people!).  Once parked we found a perfect, grassy spot and spread out our wares.  We enjoyed a quiet, peaceful lunch watching young families around us (but not close to us!!!), girls laying out taking in the sun (I could warn them they will pay for that in years to come!!!), and lots of walkers/joggers.  Everyone was just basking in the warm outdoors while keeping their social distance.

It really was a beautiful day for a picnic!

Ready to eat!

Looks like a French lunch!  My favorite
jambon-buerre (ham and butter)

After lunch, we packed up our things, put them in the car and walked a little around the park.  As you may remember from my earlier post and pics of this park, there are some very pretty areas with bridges, ponds with geese and flowering trees.  It was a really nice day combining work and play.

Thursday we had a call with our insurance people to finalize (at last!!!) our Medicare plans.  What a journey this has been.  I told David we should write a book or set up a small business to advise people what to do about their Medicare if they're planning to live abroad for a period of time retired.  This system just isn't set up for people who function outside the box as we did.  It's ridiculous!!  But, July 1 we will have all our coverage except for Prescriptions (more misinformation to us!!!Arrrggghh!!!).  Luckily for us, we have our own personal pharmacist in Paris who is happy to send us what we need,  and we don't take that many prescription meds.

When it wasn't my turn to visit with the insurance representative, I decided to whip up these little "Energy Bites" I'd gotten from a food blogger from Kansas City who now lives in Barcelona.  There are recipes like this all over and I've just never tried them.  So I did. They're really tasty and, with oats, peanut butter and flaxseed, I feel I'm making a healthy choice for a treat!

Energy Bites in a little French dish

Most days we're walking around our little park across the street in the late afternoon.  People are very good about the social distancing and it's just so nice to get outside.  We also have planted geraniums in our flower boxes...actually, David did that earlier in the week.  I don't know how they'll do in this spot but we're going to try.  One of our neighbors who we passed on the steps in the back said how she loved seeing them the first time she was going out after they'd been planted.  If they die, we'll try a different flower!!

It makes me happy
whenever we leave out the back

I know, I know,  no shopping except for essentials.  Well, flowers are essential for my mental health!!!!  I live with someone who sometimes stretches the limits and, according to him, we aren't breaking any rules.  I tend to lean a little more legalistic and have the attitude just because others are doing it doesn't make it right.  However, I am a willing accomplice to some of these little excursions!!!  It's Adam and Eve in reverse!!!!!!!😂😂🍎

Several days this week we did some cemetery trips.  Now I know some of you don't understand the way I feel about visiting the cemetery where our parents are buried.  I remember going with my parents all those years ago so my mother could put flowers (always artificial) on my grandfather's grave.  As Christians, we all knew he wasn't there (as I know our parents aren't there now), but I think it gave her peace and comfort just to be there...as it does me now.  Anyway, we took flowers for Easter to Mom and Dad's grave earlier in the week (I'm taking flowers at regular intervals because my  mother loved fresh flowers and that's what I take even though I know they don't last long) and today we got flowers at Trader Joe's and put them at David's parents grave.

Memories abound...

Speaking of Trader Joe's, remember the line that was there the last time we were there that I posted?? Well, today the line was wrapped around the corner.  The lady behind saw me trying to take a picture and asked if I had an iPhone.  I was afraid she was going to be upset I was taking a picture...instead, she told me how to take a panoramic picture with my phone!!  You can learn new things even standing in line during "stay at home"!!!!

TJ's is on the far right and
you can see the line all the way
to the left-that's David and the
lady we visited with in the middle

It was nice visiting with her while we slowly made our way into a store that's being very careful about the safety procedures for their staff as well as their customers.  I read in Real Simple magazine that six Trader Joe's stores have closed recently because of the virus...New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Wisconsin.  I'm grateful our store began to take serious measures early so we can continue to shop there safely.

There are always the mundane chores waiting to be done and changing sheets was on today's agenda .  As you know, one of the appliances we have David was not happy about was our washer/dryer combo (which is what we had in Paris and he hated).  However, this is a new, large unit and very nice.  It even plays a little tune when the load is complete (which I love).

Here's our singing washer/dryer!

The problem is, though it's large, it can wash a larger load than it can dry.  So you don't want to overload it.  It can easily wash my queen-sized sheets and pillow cases and not be crowded.  But drying is a different story,  so I play Paris and drape the flat sheet over chairs!!  Living in Paris taught me ways of doing things  "from a bygone time in the US"  that I am able to adapt to our little apartment life here.  I like that.

Not as good as a clothes line but dries pretty fast

Easter is Sunday.  We've been watching worship online for the past many weeks as many of you probably have too.  But it will be so different not having family, friends for an Easter lunch.  We sent a little Easter treat to our kids and decided to play Easter Bunny for our young neighbors here.  We wanted something simple and easy and here's what we came up with....

The Easter Bunny's been at work!!

...Lindt solid chocolate bunnies and we put little tags on each.  David put them at each door early this morning on his way to walk.  Several have already been taken in...I hope everyone gets them.  We're not really sure if all our neighbors are here...we're not seeing people coming in and out like we used to.  Hopefully, it will add a little sunshine to their day.

Tonight is Pizza Night,  and we've been going outside our comfort zone and trying new kinds of pizza. Not always successful but it's pizza, how bad can it be???!!   David just came in from getting the mail and, yeah, loaded with boxes of various things we've ordered (like a new spring back door mat, a self-tanning starter kit!!,  and a new hardback book from one of our favorite authors Cara Black) so it feels like Christmas...at Easter!!!!

Easter blessings to everyone!  Our prayer is this dramatic change in our lives will dramatically change our lives in a positive way in the days and years ahead!

WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING?????

I thought we had crossed over to spring and then...I woke up this morning to cloudy, rainy skies and temps in the 40's.  What happened to spring????  I guess that's living in the Midwest.

I really didn't mind a rainy day.  Sometimes the occasional rainy day is cozy for reading, movies and napping...three of my favorite activities!  Of course, these days I can do those things almost any day!!

Still, we needed to hit the grocery store and Trader Joe's if we want to eat next week.  So late morning we bundled up and out we went...

Ready for the task at hand

In addition to my scarf (and David's hat), we both had gloves with us...not for germs, for warmth!!

When I receive blog posts from Paris friends, the scenes from the city streets there make me sad because they're so empty and quiet which is so foreign there.  But even here it feels eerie and sad a little.  Though the daytime crowds this time of year aren't huge, there are always people strolling around, people in cafes and activity, more at night, of course,  But now...

What a difference a few weeks makes

it's pretty empty.  The weather doesn't help but by midday there usually is activity.  However, flowers are blooming in the pots and, though I didn't get a picture, there are beautiful tulips not only on the Plaza but in the landscapes of many homes we pass on the way to the store.

I had planned to take some photos of empty shelves at our store as many have shared how their stores were bare in many areas.  But I actually didn't notice many...yes, there are some shelves that are really light on product, but we haven't had any trouble finding those items we need.  One thing I did notice (and took advantage of!!) was the in-store Starbucks was open.  The Starbucks with drive-throughs appear to be open but our Starbucks on the Plaza is closed as it does not have a drive-through.  In fact, the in-store Target Starbucks was closed Monday when we were there.  So....I picked up a hot Peppermint Mocha for David and I to share on this cold day!  I don't think I've ever appreciated Starbucks so much!!!!

Next stop...Trader Joe's.  This was a little different experience, even from last week.  Perhaps you've experienced this at your local TJ's as well.  Last week, they informed everyone they were doing a "one out, one in" plan and they had an employee manning the door.  No big deal.  We got in right away.  Today...we waited in this line...

The line at Trader Joe's today

for about 10 minutes.  As you can see, everyone is observing the social distancing rule, many were masked and some also were wearing gloves.  It was cold but at least the area is covered so the rain didn't present an additional problem.  The employee out front was a perfect person to monitor us as she was very positive and upbeat and friendly.  We're all in this together,  and she was certainly a great ambassador for TJ's in reflecting their attitudes regarding safety, customer service and the difficulties we're all facing during this time.  Once in the shopping went quickly, we were out and someone else able to come in.  And I didn't notice any shortages in products.

I know most of you are probably experiencing these same things where you are.  But I wanted to let you know what's going on here...I'm reading from many of the blogs I follow (some by friends of mine) how many are struggling with anxiety and fear at this time.  And everywhere you are able to find places and resources to help deal with those issues, workouts, meditations, activities etc.  For a person who has struggled with panic attacks and migraine headaches for many many years, the whole mind-over-matter techniques I've practiced for those issues are being put to good use now.  While there are many things we can't control in this time, we do have control over what we think about, what we watch on TV, what we read.  For me (and this isn't just for now) I keep it all happy and positive.

And, God is still in control and I'm good with that!