Turning 70: Day 256
Hello, Saturday. This morning, I got out my sewing machine and began making a nice cushion for Mr. T’s bony butt. Because when your adopted country is taken over by fascist kleptomaniacs, it's nice to have something soft to sit on. As I worked, I listened to Bernie’s speech on the Senate floor earlier this week, which begins with a quote from Lincoln and ends with a call for all Americans to “come together." Now I am listening to Spanish guitar music on YouTube.
Here was our week at 3 rue des Hêtres, as well as I can remember:
Sunday: I'm not sure we had Sunday this week.
Monday: A blur.
Tuesday: I went for a walk. I know because I took a picture of a duck.
Wednesday. Yoga with Romain. We focused on breathing. Because of the coup and all.
Thursday. The new foot guy came to do Mr. T’s feet. Foot Guy was young and stocky, very fit, very pleasant. We liked him. Plus, he knew how to do a pedicure without tickling, which is always Mr. T’s big fear and probably why he put off the pedicure for something like six months. Bonus: Foot Guy spontaneously complimented us on our living-room décor.
Friday: I was supposed to go to Caroline’s for French, but since I spent most of Thursday hyperventilating (because of the fascist takeover) I was obliged to stay home and prepare for a writing workshop. Caroline was very gracious about it, bless her heart.
The Friday writing group was the high point of my week. For two hours, 10 human beings listened, intently, to each other. We shared stories, laughs, and life experiences, big and small. We were kind to each other, supportive, encouraging. We behaved like decent human beings. It was awesome.
In summary: Mr. T. is doing well, and so are his feet. We have food, shelter, medical care. Peace of mind is another matter, but what the hell. I’ll have peace of mind after I’m dead.
And that's the news from 3 rue des Hêtres. How was your week?
PS About the photo: I bought this chair online because it LOOKED comfortable, it's lightweight, and it folds up. It came without cushions, and it turned out to be very UNcomfortable because of the hard seat. So I, Cushion Lady, got to work. This is the chair that the new pedicurist, who is not a small person, selected as "his" chair. He found it to be "very comfortable." He liked it. This made me absurdly happy. Sometimes you just have to grasp at the little things and hug them for all they are worth.
The chair is so beautiful and it is sometimes these small things that bring us joy. I try to read at least two poems every week and it is Saturday and I had not found time to read any so I found these two that reminds me that while I am so worried about the our political situation I try not to despair and as Elizabeth Bishop says in her poem "One Art" ..."the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (write it! )disaster!"
The other poem is "Nothing Is Lost "by Noel Coward
We have lost so much in these past weeks and I am trying not to see it as a "disaster".