Friday, September 2, 2011

Paris

I am planning a whole novella about Paris, or my imagined Paris. Fictionalizing it will be fun. Before I left, I read French Lessons, about love among language teachers in the city and while there I reread A Moveable Feast, which helped me enjoy a platter of oysters I had difficulty warming up to.

Our trip was spectacular. E treated me and his daughter to the getaway; the three of us walked the city, stopping at all the major attractions and galleries, until we were hungry and tired, at which point we showered, dressed, and walked to local brasseries for dinner. We ate beautifully, the most delicious dishes imaginable, before enjoying the warm nights as we wandered back to the hotel.

I'll hold on to our lovely Paris idyll forever; it was a perfect escape from my ordinary life.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

September

Here it is . . . the end of summer, and I am somewhat sad, because I realize, once again, that I let summer slide by without savouring it sufficiently.

I didn't write. I killed my lawn. My plans to travel north often to see my family never materialized. My cherry tomatoes split and rotted on the vine.

However, I did do some things besides grieve the progressive loss of time with my daughter, which I have to admit, seemed to make everything feel somewhat sombre.

I spent a lot of time playing with A. I did read (most recently The Happiness Project, which inspired this return to blogging). I went to cottages (my cousin's, A's friend's). I discovered The Pond in Rockcliffe (a beautiful spot to spend a morning). I worked on a play (on now at Arts Court). I went to Paris!

These next few days are the first span of 5 days without A that I've had without diversion. I am still disoriented without her and have trouble even contemplating how this will continue to play out . . .

I will try to write in order to cope, which has always been my best way of processing difficult situations and striving for perspective and a measure of happiness.