My post where I highlight bits and bobs that happened to me throughout last week.
Tuesday I needed to leave my car at the dealer all day so they could do a recall. The dealer is not far from my place and even closer to the bus stop near my place. Every night when I go to bed I promise myself that I am going to take the bus to save gas/money. I never do take the bus. After they checked my car in I was told I could wait for the shuttle. I had other plans. It was raining. This may be the first time I have ever mentioned this on the, which frankly would shock me, but I love love love walking in the rain. Give me anything from a mist to a shower and I'll be out in that for hours. I knew a bus would be coming in a about ten minutes so I slowly walked to the bus stop. I did forget that the bus took an extra 15 minutes to get to work so I was later than I should have been. Hope my boss doesn't read this.
When I took the car in they gave me to possibilities. It would be an easy fix and only take an hour or they would need to have the car all day. I waited all day but never did get a call from them saying it was ready. When I left work I still hand't heard from them. So I hoped on the bus going the other way and went to the dealer since it's on the way. If nothing else I thought I could get an update. Maybe I should have called. When I got there the guy gave me the keys. Not sure why they never called and I didn't asked.
On Wednesday I read the very sad news of a death. I didn't know Lisa in real life. I had only been reading her blog since 2012. She died after a short battle with an aggressive cancer. After the initial wave of sadness, two thoughts kept going through my head. Way too young and way to fast. She was only 54 and she had only been diagnosed about 7 months earlier. I never doubted that she would beat it. From reading her blog I got the impression of someone who just conquered life and got what they set out to get. I was certain that I would be reading about her life in Paris for years to come.
As a kind of tribute I have been going back and reading some of her older posts. I knew the basics of her story but more has been filled in. She found herself at 43 with no marriage and no kids. So she decided to work toward her dream of living and writing in Paris. She moved so she could save money and starting working up the type of career that could be done in Paris. It took almost 2 years but in late 2006 she was living in Paris. In what seems like no time at all she met the man of her dreams and was married into a pre-made French family.
I found some great quotes from the post in 2005 where she announced her plan to live in Paris:
She could change her life after 40 so why can't I.. or you.
Usually Saturday, or as it more correctly known around my place Caturday, is one of Jobu's favorites. If I am around I open up the balcony door and let him just hang out out there. He loves it. He sits out among the plants and sleeps. He basks in the sun and watches people go by. But sometimes we get Mr Grumpy Meow like last Saturday. He just moped around. He would whine at me to let him out on the balcony then he would come back in a minute later to whine some more. He actually can be pretty good at communicating what he wants. If it's food he will run over to his food dish. If he is having his poopy trouble he'll run over by the liter box. I think he wants me to squeeze it out or something. Silly cat. For four hours he moped and whined. I thought maybe something was wrong with him but how do you tell. Finally he went to sleep and the rest of the day was happy and playful.
Car Dealers, rain and buses:
Tuesday I needed to leave my car at the dealer all day so they could do a recall. The dealer is not far from my place and even closer to the bus stop near my place. Every night when I go to bed I promise myself that I am going to take the bus to save gas/money. I never do take the bus. After they checked my car in I was told I could wait for the shuttle. I had other plans. It was raining. This may be the first time I have ever mentioned this on the, which frankly would shock me, but I love love love walking in the rain. Give me anything from a mist to a shower and I'll be out in that for hours. I knew a bus would be coming in a about ten minutes so I slowly walked to the bus stop. I did forget that the bus took an extra 15 minutes to get to work so I was later than I should have been. Hope my boss doesn't read this.
When I took the car in they gave me to possibilities. It would be an easy fix and only take an hour or they would need to have the car all day. I waited all day but never did get a call from them saying it was ready. When I left work I still hand't heard from them. So I hoped on the bus going the other way and went to the dealer since it's on the way. If nothing else I thought I could get an update. Maybe I should have called. When I got there the guy gave me the keys. Not sure why they never called and I didn't asked.
Goodbye to an inspiring internet friend
On Wednesday I read the very sad news of a death. I didn't know Lisa in real life. I had only been reading her blog since 2012. She died after a short battle with an aggressive cancer. After the initial wave of sadness, two thoughts kept going through my head. Way too young and way to fast. She was only 54 and she had only been diagnosed about 7 months earlier. I never doubted that she would beat it. From reading her blog I got the impression of someone who just conquered life and got what they set out to get. I was certain that I would be reading about her life in Paris for years to come.
As a kind of tribute I have been going back and reading some of her older posts. I knew the basics of her story but more has been filled in. She found herself at 43 with no marriage and no kids. So she decided to work toward her dream of living and writing in Paris. She moved so she could save money and starting working up the type of career that could be done in Paris. It took almost 2 years but in late 2006 she was living in Paris. In what seems like no time at all she met the man of her dreams and was married into a pre-made French family.
I found some great quotes from the post in 2005 where she announced her plan to live in Paris:
What I want more than anything is to EXPERIENCE more of life, more of the world. I want to create a life that is BIGGER than the norm, where I have the opportunity to meet people and go places and experience things that will take me beyond my own back yard. As I near the end of my years, I want to be able to look back and have no significant regrets about not having done things that were really important to me. I want to be someone who is bold, who is able to take chances and willing to experience new things. I want to broaden the scope of my horizons.And:
It's not that I want to run AWAY from my life -- it's not a bad life at all and I'm very blessed in many ways. It's that I am now running TOWARDS my life. I think we all have to decide what our lives are about... and I think mine is about a JOURNEY, both in the literal and figurative senses. I am more into the process than the outcome now.She accomplished her goal. She lived her dream. It may have only been a for a too short 8 years but how many of us live our dream for 8 minutes let alone 8 years. Just imagine if she had taken the easy road and just kept putting of attaining her goal.
She could change her life after 40 so why can't I.. or you.
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