Dear Friend calling from Paris

I try to blog something intelligent and then end up never blogging. Hmmmmm... So I subject my fellow bloggers with ramblings.

First off I'd like to say that friendships acquired later in life are just as wonderful as childhood friends. Furthermore blogging is a place that you can meet the most daring, honest, loyal friends I know. My fellow belly dancer and blogger, Señorita, made my day by calling me from Paris. Imagine a beautiful, intelligent, brave woman traveling to Paris alone inspired by literature and well perhaps my dreams of living in Paris with my daughter for a bit.




She gave up the safety of her country, the safety of her routine with a successful job, her bed (the older I get the more I love my bed!!!) To travel the unknown, couch surf, and learn more about our world and other customs. Kudos to my girlfriend! We need to learn to give praise more often to the ordinary heroes in our life.

Where would I have been if I believed I could go where grace lead me? Hmmmmm...

Well, this morning was brighten by a call from Senorita. I thought what an amazing world to be talking to my friend in Paris as I drive to care for kindergartners (I will have to tell you later about my transition from PR to kindergartner assistant.)

Senorita, my hats off to you! Travel safety and have fun. I actually will rest easier when you are with Pork Star. Even though I know you are a capable, savvy, world traveller - it's the Mom in me.

I know I feel gratiude to be friends with a person with strong character ethic where actions come from her own inner core, not from superficial human relations. A person who is true to themselves as well as you is worth it's value in gold. Thank you.

Come back home so we can cause havoc and have some fun around here...missing you

Paris

The idea to travel to Paris and live for a month came to me a couple years ago.  As I wanted my daughter to experience France when she was 10 years old, the same age when I lived in Versailles with my Parents and Brother in 1980.  Well 2009 came and went and I did not go, nay sayers - mostly my Mom. 

The yearning has not gone away.

But now in 2010 things look bleak as I am about to go into battle with my Ex and travelling to Paris just would not look good.  Never mind that I worked hard and saved over the last 3 years since he walked away.  The money to go to France is there.  Just doesn't look good.  Besides my fear at my unemployment state that I currently reside.

The summer is not over.  As of now I listen to Paris cafe music, studying at Stanford a Paris history class, and doing "French" things.  One of the things is going to the de Young museum with my daughter and her friend to see the Birth of Impressionism ~ Masterpieces from the Musee D'Orsay.

My daughter is drawn to Edgar Degas who draws many ballet scenes.  The painting above is The Dancing Lesson. 1873-1876. 

This Degas guy was a character.  When his Father estate was settled they found out that his Brother was in debt and in order to save family name Degas sold everything he had.  Only later to be recognized as an impressionist which was insulting to him.  The name was made up to describe this new modern way of painting and to make fun of it.  As the established art at the time was classical renaissance.  Art of mythology and religious subjects was considered art, not paintings of ordinary people and ordinary activities!  Turbulent times were not isolated to just the art world as Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War was a part of life with Degas and his friends serving, many friends not returning.  In 1870 Paris was under siege and famine and disease ran rampant.  There were shops selling rat and dog meat - disgusting but when you are starving...Sadly the arguementative Degas pushed away his friends, ending up going blind, and wandering the streets of Paris.

So fasinating is history...I love reading and learning other's stories.  Because humans are basically similar, facing challenges, enjoying life, living in times of war, friends, friend's problems, surviving issues, craving expression - much the same issues.  

Okay got to go, my strategy of sleepover/playdate backfired into more work as my daughter's once clean room looks like a bomb hit it. LOL