New Digs for Old Friends

My desk became the work bench

After so much adventure experienced in putting together the cart for the microwave, I took a little break on Sunday.  I played for church and puttered and napped away the afternoon.  I knew I had a box waiting for me, but I just didn't have the oomph to tackle it on Sunday.  The microwave cart nearly finished me.

Limoges berry dishes work great to hold the hardware!

I arose this morning, loins girded for battle, and opened the box containing the shelf unit.  I had planned to simply take out the pieces, look at the instructions and asses whether or not to call Yannick.  I decided that I could indeed put this together; it looked far simpler than the cart had proven to be.  The only obstacle was that this was going to be much heavier.

Instructions and the magnifying glass I need to actually see them

I used my desk and my bed as workbenches.  The finished unit was heavy,  as I expected, but I put it on a rug and dragged it from my bedroom to the office.  I am proud of myself for having done it, but I really do hope I am finished.  I simply don't want to do this again.

Pieces are un-boxed and in order

The postman arrived with what I think and hope are the final two boxes of my belongings. I wrestled them up the stairs, thanking the neighbors for not being at home to bear witness to my struggles.  But, the boxes are in the apartment now, and I will begin the task of the final unpack.  It's as if old friends have come home. 

More old friends arrived today

To be dealt with

I have the CD player I bought a couple of weeks ago up and running and am in bliss--listening to Bach.  Home is sweet, indeed.

Finished shelf unit

The Right to Assemble

Finally, my microwave, the cart on which to place it and the bookshelf unit that I purchased were delivered yesterday evening.  What I didn't fully understand was that I was going to have to assemble the cart and the bookshelf.  I thought I was thought with furniture assembly when I finished the last of my IKEA products.  I would have gladly paid the delivery people to assemble the pieces, but they were running behind schedule and could not spare the time. The "chef," Yannick, did leave me his phone number if I need help. 

Come on, Charlotte.  You can do this.  You've done it before.  All that is true, but now I am hampered by lack of good tools and lack of decent eyesight.  Even with, or maybe because of, these progressive lens  glasses, I simply cannot judge distances, and constantly am fighting to figure out just where the hole is that some screw or joinery is supposed to go.  Most of the time I have to resort to simply blind feeling about.  It really becomes apparent when I try to get a key in any door lock, especially mine, these days.  So, yes, I have done the assembly bit before, but am not as well equipped as I once was.  I also seem to be suffering from declining fine motor skills, as I can't seem to hold on to a nail or a bolt without dropping it several times.  And, oh yeah, I can't drive a nail straight, either.  So, the task that was to take two people an hour and a half took me about 8 altogether.  But hey, I am retired, so I have the time.

I used my kitchen table as a work bench.  The instructions are almost non-existent:  just a series of line drawings that I had to get out my magnifying glass to read.  Last night I managed to get the hardware installed in the sides and the drawer assembled before there simply was not light enough for me to work. 

Together enough to hold the microwave

This morning dawned cloudless and bright. Plentiful light streaming in the kitchen windows meant that  I was able to get the cart put together far enough to at least hold the microwave, which I tested.  It works beautifully--after all those years without one, I seem to have joined the ranks of those for whom it is a necessity. This one will also grill, so I will be able to cut down on the use of my big oven, which is an electricity hog.  My friends in the US might be interested to know that the instruction manual comes in 14 languages, including Greek, Polish, Czech and Portuguese...a fact of life for businesses wanting to market their products in the EU. 

Doors are on, but sans handles

The cart is assembled, and needs to be leveled--I think the fault lies with my floor, not my handiwork.  And I need to attach the handles to its doors and  drawer, but that part of the process requires a drill, which I do not own.  I may be handle-less for a bit, until I can locate one.  

Now , on to the bookshelf!  Or to the phone to call Yannick.

Next--the bookcase

Busy Week

My little "French" windmill, back in France at last

I have heard other retirees wonder aloud how they ever accomplished anything while they were working, and I now understand what they mean.  I always excuse the fact that the weeks pass by so quickly here by saying that the week really doesn't start until Tuesday.  So many shops and businesses here are closed on Mondays that we don't really rev up until Tuesday morning.  I sort of like that, but it makes Thursday's arrival come as a surprise more often than not.

My "essay" about retirement.  Hung by my desk

This past week's rain gave me an excuse to stay indoors and work on my nest.  I got lots of writing done and some significant time in piano practice as well.  My scatter rugs all got a bath and dried on the rack and were put back down on pristine floors.  Of course, defrosting the freezer always is accompanied by washing the kitchen floor.  Frost free seems to be an unknown concept here, at least for smaller fridge models.  My refrigerator came with a scraper.

Contents of the 48 Euro duty box.  Really?

I rearranged a few cupboards--actually I have only a few cupboards.  My last boxes of belongings are starting to arrive from the US and I now have to find places to put books and music.  I am furious with the French customs officials, as they are charging me exorbitant duty on my OWN belongings.  This has never happened before, so I am really flummoxed. They have me over a barrel--if I don't pay the duty I can't have the box.  If I send it back to Brookings for re-labeling, I will have to pay to ship it once again, which costs about the same as the duty they are charging me. My plan is to pay it, and then fight with them for a refund.  They are not supposed to be charging this on my personal household items, and believe you me, it did set my teeth on edge to be charged 48 Euros for a box containing a family photo and a 45 year old Joy of Cooking that's batter-spatterd!!!!

Family photo placed

I went to see the movie Silence.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.  It has made me think, almost non-stop, about the big issues it raised for me: the difference between religion and faith; how far to go in defending one's beliefs.  Do you have the right to cause other people to die for YOUR beliefs?  It's certainly not an evening of laughs, but is well done and gives you plenty to think about.  

I need to re-pot my plants, and found a gorgeous cachepot for at least one of them.  I spent more than I should have and certainly more than a plastic pot would have cost, but not THAT much more!  I bought a beautiful, uniquely colored primrose that the florist assured me would live very well in my windowsill.  

New pot for the jade plant

I am having some art framed, and will get my favorite watercolor re-framed.  Neither will be cheap, but you get what you pay for.  I've begun hanging some of my "art," and my home is actually starting to reflect my personality.  I like the way it feels!

Beautiful "striped" primrose

Settling--Round 2

I have been in my "new" apartment for almost 5 months now and am getting a real feel for my traffic patterns in this space.  When I moved in, I bought the necessities: a bed to sleep in, a refrigerator to keep my food from spoiling, a stove on which to cook , a table for eating and a desk on which to write.  I confess to buying things in a bit of a whirlwind visit to IKEA.  Jason so very kindly drove the truck I rented to Toulouse, but we were under a bit of a time crunch; there were not spare minutes to dally and dream.

Maybe that was a good thing, because it made decision making fast and clean.  And I have been remarkably pleased with that day's purchases and the frustration associated with assembling the "box springs" and the tedious chore of getting rid of all that cardboard is a distant memory.  I am happy with the rather Spartan way I live. 

Now I am in round 2.  I finally bit the bullet and ordered a microwave and a cart on which to place it.  It will look cute in the kitchen and will make heating leftovers more energy efficient (and result in lower electric bills). These two items are due to be delivered early this week.  I am looking for a coffee table, as people are coming to visit now, and I need a place for them to set their coffee cups or wineglasses as we indulge in conversation.  (I finally did get some real wineglasses and some water glasses that mat, so I can now offer refreshments.)  I picked up a great print for the kitchen while in a Montolieu book store two Sundays ago. The print is titled La Cantiniere (the uniformed woman who  provided refreshments to the French military.)  She carries a wine bottle and wears a little cask--brandy probably. 

Now where to place them?

My art has arrived.  I will need a new frame for my favorite watercolor landscape, but when I unpacked it and saw it intact, my heart went "thunk" just as it did on the day I bought it forty years ago.  Now I need to decide where things should hang.  My books and CD's are on their way here and I will need to get some bookcases to hold them.  (That's what the consignment shops are for!!!) Soon enough I will be so cozy in my nest that I will never want to leave it.  

I am looking for a little additional seating in the living room..  My heart went thunk when I viewed the pink loveseat.  Pink!!!??!! This is going to take some real thought.  My friend Shelley, who lives up the street, when her job allows her time to come to Carcassonne, agrees that it will work. It is  unlike the things I think I should buy.  But honestly, I have never been happier with purchases than I am when I listen to that "thunk":  a buttermint yellow recliner, a red refrigerator, a Dennis Frings watercolor I really couldn't afford....and maybe now, a pink sofa? 

Thunk!

Road Trip to Aragon

The bench invites one to sit and contemplate, but perhaps another, sunnier day

My friends John and Catherine were here recently.  They'd rented a car decided one day to have lunch after their morning appointments and then head out to explore some of the hamlets in our area. They graciously invited me to come along.  The prior Sunday we'd been to Montolieu (between here and Toulouse) --a lovely hamlet that is the home of book stores-----many, many book stores, for lunch at one of their favorite restaurants.  I'd not brought my camera with me that day, preferring using the time to catch up on the exciting events in their lives. 

Lunch in a cozy, warm La Cite restaurant

But I did manage to bring the camera with me on this road trip to Aragon.  Honestly, it felt like a step back in time.  The weather was not particularly pleasant, chilly and a bit raw up in la Cite, where we had lunch, and either spitting rain or threatening to spit rain most of the afternoon.  The weather added to the feeling of being out of modern times, the smell of wood smoke pungent in my nose, and the slick cobbled streets probably looked the same hundreds of years ago.

Neat little herb garden one terrace/level down

We set out to see Pennautier, but I guess we weren't impressed enough to stop the car and get out for a closer look around.  So, on we pressed to Aragon.  This hamlet has the feel of being lost in time.  My impression was that it is in the mountains, which is completely false.  (Funny, I thought the same thing about Termes and was equally wrong!!) The village is perched on terraces that cling to the side of a very steep hill, and that topography, combined with the weather made me think of mountains.  No wonder the old gentleman Catherine was conversing with looked at me strangely when I asked him if it got hot there in the summer. 

The smell of wood smoke drifted on the wind

The architecture is also atypical of the region, I think.  Lots of stone buildings, of course, but their shapes are different.  The priory has what we in the US would call a lawn, broad, flat and very green, upon which stand crosses that I have seen only in museums.  I have the impression that Aragon is very old. 

Crosses on the priory lawn

I think these are very old

Whimsical mosaic? designs in the street

The other impression I got is that today, Aragon has property owners who have plenty of money.  The custom here in Carcassonne is to not spend a great deal of time, money or attention on the exteriors of the buildings. (Much to the mayor's dismay)  I suspect this custom has something to do with taxes and having to comply with very strict rules from the Historic District Commission about what can and cannot be done to the outside of one's property, especially street-front facades.  So, in most places, peeling paint, deteriorating wood, rusty and broken ironwork are sort of the norm, even though inside the houses and apartments are bright and modern and updated-- elegant, even.  But in Aragon, the houses were spit shined and in great repair.  I am so delighted to have discovered this place and want to return one day, perhaps in the summer to see if it's as hot there as the old gentleman claimed.

The underside of the arch--there is a room on this "floor"

The chateau's coat of arms

Go under the arch and off the street to this hide-away

The Miracle of the Pot Lid

Together again

Some time ago, I wrote about the mysterious disappearance of my pot lid.  It caused no end of frustration, and even though I have another pot that uses the same sized lid, and therefore could press that remaining lid into service, one pot always had to remain "lidless." Finally I  bought one of those cheap universal lids with ridges on it, allowing it to work on different sized pots, but it just wasn't the same.

I have berated myself for months for being so careless as to have thrown it away.  I could come up with no other explanation for its disappearance.  All I could remember was:  I put it in the cupboard, and when I went to use it again, the pot came out in my hand with no lid.  I tore the house apart looking for that stray piece of stainless steel, but could not find it.  It's not as though I have lots of storage places where it could be.  I even went so far as to look in suitcases, not because I think my pot lid had travel yearnings, but because I have been known to get distracted and put things in odd places (like putting a purse in the fridge) and forget where I left them.

This morning, as I was putting away last night's dishes, which I'd left to dry overnight, I put away the soup pot with its lid, but the lid "fell."  When I reached in, feeling my way in the space  (the pots live in the back of a rather low to the ground cupboard) to retrieve it--no lid.  I bent down and looked in--a second lid had indeed gone missing.  I thought I might well be losing my mind.

Miracles do happen!

After taking all the contents of the cupboard from both shelves, leaving the cupboard completely empty, I realized that the second lid truly was not there!!!! What on Earth???!!  A closer inspection revealed a space between the back of the shelf and the very back of the cupboard--the pot lid had fallen from the top shelf to the bottom shelf, right?

But when I looked at the bottom shelf, it was completely bare.  No pot lid....so I leaned in for a closer look.  Voila--I discovered that the bottom shelf had a false back!  And when I was able to slide it up, behind it was pot lid #2, standing on its edge.  I retrieved it and bent even further down for a closer look.  And there I glimpsed a peek of pot lid #1, lying on it's face, and working its way underneath the cupboard bottom, on the floor.  I didn't dare try to grab it, because if I pushed it too hard, it would end up sandwiched in the center of underneath the cupboard bottom.  As the cupboard is caulked and attached to the side wall, there is absolutely no way to move it, nor does the bottom shelf come out to retrieve anything that ends up there?  Who designed such a thing?  

I tried, briefly to fish it our with tongs, but am completely hampered by the fact that I cannot kneel, at all, due to the injuries I sustained last spring to both knees when I fell at the Saturday market.  What to do? Fortunately, I was getting company.  My friends John and Catherine were due shortly, and I would have to swallow my pride and ask for help. 

Catherine, who is petite and has small, delicate hands, fished that pot lid out of its hiding place in 5 seconds.  We speculated on ways to prevent this from ever happening again.  I will rearrange the pots and their respective lids--all three of them. 

I had actually begun to believe I made up the existence of that pot lid. 

Spring Nest-Building

Brought some sunshine and glimpse of spring into my living room

Last week was devoted to nest-building.  Isn't that what creatures do when they sense spring isn't far away?  They work hard to make a place for themselves.  

Oh, make no mistake, I indulged in some other leisure activities--I saw Sunset Boulevard, in black and white on the big screen at the art house theater around the corner.  I met up with friends at Bar 98 for Irish music and conversation.  Sophie and I indulged in an "American" dinner, with a bucket of French KFC (it's really not the same) I made the cole slaw and mashed potatoes.  We had a baguette instead of biscuits--I am in France, after all.  Next time, however, if there is a next time, I am making the fried chicken!  (Has anybody seen Crisco in France?)  I  also met my UK friend Veronica for coffee and a catch up.  Today, my friends John and Catherine are in town and coming over for more of the same.

But the majority of the time last week was devoted to what I think of as round #2 of nest-building.  After several months in my living space I have a better idea of just what would make my life easier.  I needed patience and perseverance, as I set about the city, here in the Bastide and out at the "big box" stores, searching for the items on my to-purchase list.

New, kinder shower head on the right

I had a list of "little" items:  a box grater, a spray bottle, a new sink stopper, a new shower head, another doorstop, some regular wine glasses, and the holy grail--a hand held pastry blender.  Unlike many of the stores in the US, there's not really one-stop shopping here. OTC medications, like ibuprofen have are found only in pharmacies.   The sink stopper and door stops have to be purchased at a bricolage store, sort of like a Home Depot. 

On the "medium item" list: a kitchen step-stool, or something akin to it so I can finally reach the light bulbs and curtain rods.  And a hand truck to ferry the boxes of my belongings that are arriving soon from the US from the post office to my apartment.  They make these nifty ones here that sort of fold away and I can easily store it in my closet. 

And on the "big ticket" list: a microwave and a cart to hold it, a coffee table and maybe a PINK loveseat!  Still thinking about that last one.

New desk lamp for late night writing

The item that's been the most fun finding has been the hand held pastry blender--you know, that U-shaped device with either wires or blades designed for cutting fat, usually butter, into dry ingredients, usually flour.  This item is unknown here. Why on earth would the French make their own pie crusts?  There are boulangeries and patisseries here who do that better than anyone.  The ladies at the housewares store had never heard of one, much less had one in stock.  I ended up taking them a photoof said blender, and they are now in on the hunt.  Everyone is good-natured about it and they are expanding their knowledge of kitchen gadgets. 

Splash of color

Twigs and branckes--truly nest-building

I bought a couple of things not on the "needed" list--a splash of color for the living room, some red ramekins (on a great sale).  It's like having fresh flowers in the house--these things help make the quality of my life here in France, which is already wonderful, that much better!