JUNE 2020 BEGINS…….Jay speaks, Fresh Air, Flowers, PARIS………(sigh)

STATUS UPDATE!!   It has been a very busy week!   A good week.  I am beginning to come alive again.  (Sigh)  Finally!   I got a good knee doctor who is going to help me, and he has started the left knee shots that are already helping me walk better.  I bought a red dress!!!!!! That is important. Now, I need the shoes.  (All I have are pants suits for court.  Haha.  And walking clothes and Asics!)   Also, I now have a housekeeper.   My landlord got me a new refrigerator (the one that was here was freezing all of my food.)   

These may seem like small things but getting settled is important.  And, I started a difficult French class to prepare me to take residency exams.  I am determined to get better at comprehending French.  I MUST be able to understand it.  I can speak it so that I can be understood, and I have been able to read it for a long time.   BuT I CANNOT understand it when someone tells me something.  That makes all phone calls difficult.  And, most things here require a phone call or three.  And, it is wonderful having the cafes and restaurants open on the patios.  I have not eaten out a lot because I don’t want to spend the money, but I have enjoyed some breakfasts.  And, they are wonderful!  All in good time. 

So those are big things.  Walks, breakfasts, photos, classes, challenges, and new people.  I am now in a conversation group with a couple of other women in Paris as a support group.  I volunteered to run as a delegate for the European Democrats Abroad, but I decided not to do that.  It is all too upsetting.  And, right now, I want to work on my French. 

MONDAY was a holiday and my grandson Tyler’s birthday.  And, I had some nice exchanges with him.  He is now 22. I was happy and thankful about that.  

A loud shout out to all of you who read my blog and a big thank-you from me.  I now have 8, 400 visitors and 38,700 views, as of today.  That is wonderful.  I will be trying to find ways to make my thoughts and photos more interesting at a time when we all need a breath of fresh air.  We ALL need to breathe.

Bottom line, I am beginning to “get a grip”.  It has taken 4 months and has been quite an adjustment for me.  I am not sure why it has been so difficult.  But it has.  I think I was fighting everything.  I have a tendency to do that.  Not cooperate.   Not sure why.  Stubborn.  I am now trying to be nicer person.  Ugh.  Sorta.  Haha.  And, I had had several zoom meetings with SAG events, other French expat events, and a writer who is doing a book about Georgia and including information about my father in it. 

I have begun to make choices about everything.  It is interesting because I am beginning to know what I want to spend time on.  And, things are beginning to get clear.  Sorta.  It is easy to throw things away.  It is easy to say no.  It Is easy to unfriend.  It is easy to eat alone.  You get my point.   I have confidence in my choices.  That’s a biggie.  And, I am not afraid of losing friends. 

I don’t know. It feels different.  Everything feels different.  I took some favorite photos this week that I want you to see.  Some flower photos are great!  And, I have walked through the Jardins de Luxembourg almost every day.  I have a LOT of things I want to do, but I will do them ALL in good time.  And, if I don’t, so be it. 

I am sorry that Donald Trump is president of the United States.  I am sorry that there is a fence around the white house.  I am sorry that people are so mean to each other.  And, there is a long list of things for which I am sorry.  But there are at the same time, there is a long list of things for which I am happy and thankful.  Yes, BLACK LIVES MATTER.  They always did to me when I lived in Georgia (growing up) and still do.  I fought for their civil rights as an attorney and have left behind me in Los Angeles some outstanding attorneys are carrying the torch for me fighting for justice and civil rights!

So here are some favorite photos for the first week in June 2020.  What a year so far!!! Ouch!

GORGEOUS FLOWERS!!!

 

 

FYI, I am going to start signing off with Helena’s headshots from 2017.  They are still my favorites and I like the looks.  You may have seen some of them, but I shall use the favorites of mine. I need to find a good photographer in Paris.  Or maybe get Helena again.  Her boyfriend lives near me.  That works!!!  Thanks.

Best, Jay,