Paris Journal 2009 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com

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It must have been hot and dry during the five days we were away from Paris. Yesterday morning I had to water the many balcony plants and remove lots of dead flower heads. I had watered the plants on the Saturday before we left, plus it rained right after that. But the heat and dry air took all the moisture away. Sundays are for walking along the Seine, so that’s what we did in the afternoon. We had a leisurely, long stroll in the warm air, starting with a saunter through the Champ de Mars past the Eiffel Tower and then a shortcut to the Seine through that swampy lovely garden at the Musée du Quai Branly. When we reached the end of the Musée D’Orsay, we followed the rue de Lille once more to the tiny rue Allent and the rue de Verneuil where the piano shop of the left bank is hidden. Taking the rue Saint Peres then the rue Jacob, we at last were on the rue Bonaparte where, by the Saint Germain church, we caught the end of the Sunday performance of the group La Planche a Dixie once more. Once more, Tom bought a CD from them. He had a pleasant chat with the musicians. Of course we ended up at the apartment in the 6^th arrondissement. There we discovered yet more plants to be watered in the courtyard because Madame Z is on vacation (in the U.S. of all places!) and the literary critic cannot be bothered with such things. Isabelle the movie star with the baby has far too much to do. The mad woman from Spain who is just a lousy renter would probably rather the plants die. That leaves us to rescue droopy plants. Tom had checked on that apartment before we left, and he said it looked okay to him. But he did not gauge the amount of laundry to be done, and while the floors looked okay, as soon as I’d gone barefoot for five minutes I realized the floors were not okay at all. The soles of my feet were brown and dustballs were clinging to them. I detected sticky spots on the kitchen floor with wooly dust clinging to them. I ran the swifter and found many, many tumbleweeds of dust. I think the floors must be washed with a damp towel. Tom says I have higher standards. I replied that my standards are NOT higher than Wendy’s and Carol’s, the next occupants of the apartment. Who’s right? I say in a case like this, one must go with the highest common denominator. Laundry takes forever with these European washing machines. So that means we will be over there in the 6^th every evening from now until the 13^th getting all the laundry done. Next year, Dan and Mary must do their own laundry except for one towel each and the one set of sheets on the bed – the only laundry you just cannot do if you’re catching a morning flight home. After these mundane and annoying chores, we walked through the majestic Luxembourg Gardens to go to dinner at Le Select on the boulevard Montparnasse. We ate in the covered solarium which was completely open in front to the terrace. This gave us the advantages of eating outside, without the disadvantage of putting up with smokers while we were trying to actually taste the food we were eating. We were seated at two little round tables, with our backs to the wall and our faces pointed at the elegant brasserie La Coupole across the street. I ordered a kir royal to soothe my feelings about having to do too much housework. It was the best kir royal I’d ever tasted. Later, I learned that it was 11 euros. I never would have ordered it had I known that’s what it would cost, so I’m glad I didn’t know until after the fact. For fine champagne, one must pay a not-so-small price. Dinner was good. I ate the sole meuniere, which was prepared in a spartan but correct manner. Tom had a veal chop which was a little tough, but it came with a very good creamy sauce. I petted the handsome cat at the end of the bar. One very fine animal. We walked all the way home to the upper 15^th after dinner. Those who know Paris will realize that we covered a lot of pavement on foot yesterday, making a huge circle through the left bank side of the city. The Eiffel Tower is a gorgeous sight at night. At home, we relaxed and listened to the new CD from La Planche a Dixie. Another annoying and wonderful day in Paris ended softly. ← Previous Next → Sign my guestbook. View my guestbook.

Monday, August 10, 2009 An interesting creature flanking the doorway of the Baptist church on the rue de Lille. The tiny rue Allent connecting the rue de Lille and the rue de Verneuil in the 7^th arrondissement.