Good Morning Paris

The sun has risen but has not shown its face from behind the clouds. It's just a mite chilly in Jillian's apartment but I have enough blankets to burrow in like a mole setting up for winter. Even the unexplicable construction occuring outside at 8 am is a pleasant change for my ears.

Last night I arrived after the world's most unnerving train ride (police men and drug dogs, I'll leave it at that)
and was greeted by a friendly and amusing Scotsman, who walked with me to await Jillian in her apartment. We were soon joined by Jillian and a cheerful Canadian and whiled away the evening hours with some pasta and copious amounts of tea. It was a pleasing introduction to what looks to be another fantastic weekend.

This random post is my excuse to say I wrote something this week. I'd say more but this French computer has the world's worst organized keyboard and I'm reduced to picking out the letters with two fingers like a sad overworked, underpaid 55 year old receptionist who never took a typing class. Also there is the promise of bagels if I venture outside today.

Until next time then. Start your weekend early today, I won't tell.

Things I Love This Week

My TILT basket is full to brimming of lovely things because it's been so long since I've done a regular post! So here we go, grab a sandwich, this might be awhile.

Getting Thanksgiving dinner after all- last week I had a nice little getaway on Lake Neuchatel. The Indermuhles invited me up to their gorgeous house for a Thanksgiving dinner on Friday with the family. Julie is from Canada so she cooked up all the traditional goodies (including my favorite: sweet potato casserole!) and it was like a plate full of home. I don't remember much of the conversation because I was at the end of the table sighing in happiness. It was a pleasant, relaxing weekend filled with sledding, cookie decorating and incredible views of the lake.

Images of America in the late '30s, early '40s - Incredible color photos of America emerging from the Great Depression.  I don't know if you thought life was lived in black and white until the '60s, but here's proof that it wasn't.  Color photos from this period are pretty rare but they exist, and thanks to our wonderful Library of Congress, we have access to them. These are not the world's most interesting photographs, but I love them for their honesty. There is no posing or Photoshop wizardry. This is an actual glimpse into life.

I swear these kids are the incarnation of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. 

Movember success - a big noisy CONGRATS to cousin George! He exceeded his goal by raising $1,107 in the name of mustaches and prostate cancer research. And a big digital hug to the Internet community, for proving that some good can come of all us and our excessive bandwidth usage. 

Facial hair and Scrabble tiles = ultimate hipster photograph nonsense.

ShortList

• Getting not one but TWO lovely silk/pashmina scarves as gifts. One from my mom and one from Spain from my host mom.
• Having hot chocolate in my marshmallows. Yes you read that right. 
• Being legit, letter writing pen pals with my favorite newly-minted Texan. You know, like stamps and smudged ink and jazz.
• Getting excited for round two of a weekend in Paris with the ever delightful and snarky Jillian.
• References to Switzerland in TV shows: "The chocolate! It's so milky!"
• The pure bliss of waking up whenever I want on a Saturday and doing absolutely nothing productive all day, guilt-free.  Well except update my blog. But one could argue about how "productive" that is...
• Spontaneous emails from my dad. He's hardly as garrulous as his daughter but it's always nice to hear from him.
• The book my sister is making for a class. Teaching the pythagorean theorem using sandcastles. It's very clever and expertly illustrated.  You read here first, kids. Consider this a review before it has even been published. Which reminds me, Eva: if you use that title I suggested, I want a cut of the royalties.
• Wintery floral arrangements with purple beautyberries. Which is a really "My Little Pony" kind of name but they are gorgeous.

Julie's centerpieces

What do you love this week?