girl at large

I like to write about life when you have a job, some kids, a fixer upper and a fatal disease.

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Category: domestic bliss

  • doing it properly

    Duncan is instructing me on the finer points of English cuisine. apparently, i've been doing it all wrong all these years–ROASTING carrots and BOILING potatos when in fact i should have been BOILING carrots and ROASTING potatoes. who knew?

  • Thanksgiving shindig

    <img sweet potatoes…gone.

  • Happy Tuber Day

    Mom, preparing twin turkeys, Thanksgiving circa 1980 Thanksgiving–the national American celebration of the insulating properties of Turkey ,Tubers, Butter and Brown Sugar when consumed in combination and quantity. ah, my favorite holiday. our festivities will be taking place on Sunday rather than the usual Thursday because my sister Margaret and her hubby Ryan are flying…

  • twister

    Mom turned her ankle and fell yesterday. no panic, but her ankle is in sad shape. note: when living in the south of France, where folks (and pharmacies) take their siesta seriously, never injure yourself between noon and 2:30. funny pharmacy anecdote: me, in fairly decent french: "Excusez moi Madame, blah blah….I'm looking for something…

  • momma got me a brand-new bag

    Mom misses me! i didn't see her at all this week, nary a phone call as she pointed out..in an effort to force myself to adjust to Cannes, to get out there and find things to love about it like i did in Antibes. and it was successful..i've been out and about much more this…

  • desperately seeking blinds

    roomie Duncan has discovered that when one glances out the kitchen window, say while having the morning coffee, one can see, quite plainly in the window of the nieghboring apartment building..an Ugly Naked Man. regularly. this has proven to be endlessly amusing; "Come quick, Ugly Naked Man is back!" "What's he doing now?". last night,…

  • if it’s on a spoon and no one sees you, it doesn’t count

    am pining for boy. have consumed far too much of Burgandy-in-a-Box (can you believe it's appellation controlee?) and all manner of chocolate, including but not limited to: liquid, cake, bar and Nutella-on-a-spoon. when not eating chocolate or fumbling with wine box nozzle, am smoking like cliche chimney (or standard frenchie). congenial roomie Duncan is also…

  • she can’t even pronounce the guy’s name

    mom just stumbled in the door, in her words, "funking druk". and mumbling something about wanted to let a salty sea dog put his greasy paws all over her. when she left, only a few hours ago, she was off to an innocent dinner on somebody's boat. hmm, something in the air this month?

  • what day is this? what’s this flight number? where am i now?

    a technical malfunction diversion to La Guardia (rather than the planned JFK), a missed connection, a number of hours waiting for a new flight to Paris instead and then another connection to Nice..oh, and then, the lovely last-leg bus ride into town. but i'm back! in one piece, a little groggy but glad to be…

  • some things never change

    Mr. Grant Nelson still has an endless supply of enthusiasm and energy…when he wears green, like he did last night, i am always reminded of that hyperactive Lucky Charms leprachaun bouncing and leapy about, tossing little bits of colored marshmellow happiness over the world. Miss Dawn, with that sweet exterior, can still knock you flat…