I haven’t made journaling a regular practice and I regret it. I guess that’s part of why I am making a more deliberate effort to write this blog now. I was looking through some old things and found this journal entry that I thought was worthy of sharing. This is from a trip to France Bryan and I took to meet my bonus parents, Francie and Gordon, who had flown in from Reno, and our dear friend, Sarah from Australia. The date is June 4, 2018. I hope you enjoy as much as I did rediscovering it:
Yesterday, Francie woke up sick. 😦 Sarah opted to go to the Louvre toute seule. Gordon did some venturing on his own. Bryan and I went to the Marché aux Pince, but I don’t think we hit the right section with vintage and antique items; instead we found dollar store central w/inexpensive clothes, housewares, accessories, a Les Halles grocery type environment and tons of Syrian refugees. It was incredibly overwhelming. [I want to make a note here–it’s one thing to read articles about people leaving an untenable situation at home and to see it face-to-face in the eyes of people striving to find a new way of living in a new space. Bryan and I discussed at length his travels and what seeing folks in Paris escaping a place he had found so beautiful and welcoming meant to him. He shared his grief unhesitatingly. Lots of feelings here that a couple sentences don’t adequately express.] Bryan gave all the coin he had to an older woman and her granddaughter. We walked around the area quite a bit, popped into a church mid-mass. It was a gritty industrial area N of the highway that circles the city. We got a metro to the Stalingrad station and found the Paname Brewery. Beer was so-so, but the space was very Portland, 30-somethings w/families, canal, picnic area.
When we headed home we got groceries and rested/visited for a bit enjoyed beer and conversation. Francie had found a Moroccan restaurant and made reservations. She and Gordon treated us to a wonderful dinner. So much delicious lamb! We ate until we were stuffed. Roasted lemon (already preserved) mixed w/potatoes and olives…WOW! Gordon had lamb chops, Bryan had a medley of delicious things of which he offered tastes. Francie & I had the same tagine and Sarah got a salad which was essentially salsa, but she enjoyed nibbles from around the table. On our way home we stopped at the Trocadero to see twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower, along with loads of other tourists. B
PS The selfie stick is a shit invention. That is all.
Feryl Files 