HELLO EVERYONE!!!
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal last evening, thanks to Susan, Shelly and Tom. I cooked for over 5 hours and finished just in time to change clothes and start greeting the guests. We had a huge spread of food and others who came contributed as well. It was all so beautiful and as I sat there, at the wonder of it all and missing Tom, I couldn’t help but think of the three people who made this possible and what efforts they took to make this happen. I want you three to know you touched a lot of French and two other Americans. We were all blessed by your generosity and help!!! It was also GREAT to taste American food and products. I was really amazed and how much tastier the food was, compared to what I’ve been eating, even though French food has been great.
We sat, held hands, had a blessing from Annie, another American and went around the room giving thanks for things in our lives. This was a very moving experience in France and interpretations were given as each of us spoke respectively from English to French and French to English. This alone was touching to me, that we can go to another country and be embraced by each other realizing we are so connected and in need of each other. My thanks was to Tom for supporting me in this journey I’m on and them finding a little about my precious husband and his generosity toward me as well as them. Then, to meeting Michel and Kyoko this past February and following them to France and how the students and some of their spouses and the neighbors of Michel and Kyoko and her daughter and son in law have become surrogate family to me while I’m here. I’m feeling deep feelings for all of them and love them in a special way.
Mary Rose and Serge, their neighbors helped to delight the guests by providing the tables, chairs, table cloths, decorations on the table and the best Tiramasu I’ve had. I don’t typically like it, but hers was FAB!! I love Mary Rose and Serge and they have become very special people to me. You can see us all light up when we see each other, but we still cannot communicate without the aid of Kyoko translating. Mary Rose’s son in law told me she’s frustrated because she wants to talk to me about sewing, but cannot get around to it. I told her through Kyoko that we would take some time for us to do just that with Kyoko by our side. She says she has a lot of questions for me and there was such delight as she came in while I was preparing things and started looking at the American products and asking me what they were for and why. SO many things you cannot find here. She loved the Durkee Fried Onions LOL.
I have to share something funny here about Tom. This past week, when the care package arrived from the States, my sweet husband had put me some chocolates in there again. He also sent some peanut butter, which I typically don’t eat, but had been craving, probably because I cannot find it here in France. SO, the next day at class, I presented the peanut butter and the chocolate. Patrick said, after we’d partaken of it and enjoyed it immensely, “Tammy is good, but Tom is better.” They all toasted Tom for being so generous to send us chocolates each time a care package arrives LOL.
I’ll tell you a little about the people who came to this feast. Annie, who I mentioned above, is a 65 year old lady who is a wonder in herself. She applied to come to Michel’s school 6 years ago and when Michel received her application, he didn’t know quite how to handle it. He thought the class would be much too intensive for her at her age and with great distress, wrote her, Dear Annie . . . I don’t know if this class would be a good fit for you, as it is a very intensive course and . . . He bit his nails waiting on a response and looked at his E-mails everyday for two months waiting on her. She finally responded and said, Dear Michel Nadai, at first, I was angry at you, then I’m laughing at your ignorance. How many homes have you built with your two hands? I’ve built 14 and even the table I’m typing this message on my computer to you; I cut down the tree and made the table myself. A quick response was sent back from Michel, Dear Annie, please come to class. ROFL.
This woman travels around the world and spends at least two months per year in France in small villages with friends she’s collected over the past six years. She was a joy to be around and very down to earth.
Jean, was another American who I had the pleasure of sitting beside all evening. She and her husband moved here two years ago and they love the little village they live in called Penn. (Hope I’m spelling that correctly). She was a decorative painter and we enjoyed each other’s company. She kept mentioning my homemade pie crusts and finally I figured out she had been a pastry chef for years, a few of them being with the Ritz Carlton LOL. She and her husband have retired here and she’s painting for friends, family and her own personal enjoyment.
Mary Rose and Serge, obviously were there, their daughter Melinda and son in law and their two children. Nikola (SP?) speaks English very well and is one of the most charming men. He’s a pilot with Ryan Airways and was so sweet and kind to Marina and I, and has been each time we’ve been around. He’s very thoughtful and asks me constantly what it’s like to be in a foreign country not speaking their language and being away from my husband and family. He also brought me some white dessert wine because he found out during the Light of the Canvas ceremony that I’m partial to them.
Patrick and Cathy were there as well as Brigette (little Crevette), Michel (the new Frenchman in class) and his wife. Marina and I enjoyed getting to speak English to the two Americans and Nikola.
Interesting things about the French: Again, some of these things are NOT my opinions, but things they have said about themselves. When you go to the grocery store, from what I understand, they don’t trust the French to return the buggies, so they charge one euro. You put the euro into the buggy itself and when you return, you click the chain from the previous buggy into yours and your coin pops out enough for you to grip it and take it with you. They are really into recycling and you have to purchase your plastic bags or bring your own method of carrying your groceries home. I like this concept and think more American stores should do this.
There is dog poop ALL OVER the ground. They are supposed to pick up after their dogs, but don’t. You literally have to watch where you place your feet no matter where you are in France, including Paris.
It is nothing unusual to see men with men purses, where they carry their essentials and a lot of them have pouches for their cell phones.
Their grocery stores include an entire menagerie of other stores, such as clothing, dry cleaners, shoe repair, jewelry stores, etc. Like this concept as well. You don’t have to get in and out of your car so much to get something done.
One of the things that’s been the most difficult for me is not knowing when you enter a restroom if it is just going to be women in there or men. EVEN if it’s got a women’s sign on it, the men will just walk in and do their business and be done with it and we are all washing our hands together. The first time I experienced this, I literally freaked out. I was in a store in Bordeaux, where they make you pay in some restrooms to get in. Kyoko and I were inside and she was waiting outside my stall and I heard this man beside me. I almost screamed. Now, it’s common place and I have to tell you that there are times I won’t go into restrooms and will wait because of this, as there are small shields in some of them where the men are visible, but using a urinal. OH MY GOSH!!!!
Because they are charged 20% taxes on everything, you get a discount for carry out in restaurants up to 12% because they aren’t charged as much for customer who take out. The French don't do doggy bags. They deny themselves nothing and typically finish everything, including the women. Kyoko literally has to explain to them that the fact that I didn't finish my meal, is not offensive, but that I have a petite stomach as she calls it LOL. Then, they realize I'm appeased and they will try to find things to give me to take home.
TV – well, this has been an experience. I decided to watch some French TV not long after arriving here, so I could get acclimated to their language and maybe pick up on some. There’s one show similar to our Wheel of Fortune. I’ve been shocked to see what transpires on this show. There is this beautifully sculptured (and I mean plastic surgery all over) blonde who is toying and being very flirtatious with the game show host. So much so, it’s way over the top. One day, while flipping through the channels, I saw him actually unzipping her dress and them playing with this. I also saw a show where it was the same as our America’s Got Talent, a group of women came out and were naked, except for these tiny G-strings LOL. They are much more open about women’s bodies here than we are in regulated TV in America.
The French pay 4,000 euros for babies here. We don’t know if it’s just the first born or all of them. They are trying to populate their country. This is with full payment of the birth of the child, as they have healthcare included in their taxes. Wonder why they pay 20%, on top of the taxes in their salaries? This is my main concern about Americans wanting a total healthcare system.
Guess what the weathermen tell you every weekend? That it’s going to be beautiful and sunny LOL. Word is, they don’t want to discourage you from going places, so they don’t tell you what the weather is actually going to be if it’s not the best of weather. To be honest, it’s cold here. It was below zero this week in the a.m. It rains more than I can explain and it’s a drizzly cold rain. It’s cloudy most of the time and that has been painful for me at times. I NEED some SUN!!! We have been blessed, however, lately, with some sun actually coming out and each time it does, I get so excited and just look at it. I MISS our winters LOL.
You all take care of yourself. Know that Christmas, as you are preparing for it, is about caring for others, and not the stress we put on ourselves to get the perfect gift. When you are in a position such as I, presents seem so superficial in so many ways. The gifts I relish are E-mails and cards from friends. The things that touch the heart are the best gifts. Please keep this in mind as you busy yourself during this season. People REALLY just need you. Figure out ways to give of yourself . . . that’s what we need and is more expressive of love.
I’ll be home three weeks from tomorrow and am rejoicing in knowing this!!!! Know you are loved in France. Love knows no boundaries!!!!!
Tammy
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Paris, New Studio
Hey there, sounds Southern doesn’t it??? LOL. I’m trying to find things here in France to remind me of my Southern heritage. I am remembering old recipes from my childhood and cooking them at night some. They bring such comfort and I just smile as I remember all sorts of scenes of these times and how much they mean to me while here.
There is so much to share with all of you about what has been happening. We finished up our wood graining and marbling module – all eight weeks – this past Friday. Our last project was a marquetry project and it was not easy, but beautiful and we enjoyed it. I’ll put pictures on the blog in the next couple of days, when I remember to take this particular panel.
There are so many things I want to share with all of you regarding what I’m learning about the French while here. Even though they are a Capitalist government, they have so many rules and regulations you cannot imagine. For instance, they regulate how many sales you can have as a retailer per year. Only two and even at that, they regulate how much you can mark your merchandise down. If you are going out of business and don’t sell all of your items, you just have to give them up and allow someone else to take them over. It is illegal to sell something lower than what the government says you can offer it. I’m amazed by this. I told Kyoko and Michel I’d be upset if I had to pay full price for things all year long, because the government says I have to.
They also have interesting laws such as, it is illegal for you to see someone hurt and not stop to help them. I wonder how they would feel about having their motorist help those of us who take our lives into our own hands while crossing the crosswalks. I actually had a man run into my legs last evening while I was trying to pass in front of him. He was in the round about and was at a complete stop. I walked in front of him (pedestrians are SUPPOSED to have the right of way when at a crosswalk), was in the middle of his car when he decided he didn’t like me passing in front of him and proceeded to move forward and hit my legs and my hand landed on his hood. I yelled “Excuse me”. I think I’m going to have to fight one of these French drivers before it’s over here LOL.
They have round abouts; instead of traffic lights. As I’ve said before, this particular round about is located right next to Appart Valley and is very dangerous in a car, much less walking.
The French have a Saint’s Day to celebrate EVERYDAY of the year. Amazing.
The French I’ve met who speak English are so wonderful and as a rule, most French will stare and say “she’s American” when I’m around. They are very curious about me, as I’m an anomaly to them. I guess they don’t get many Americans around Agen and Le Passage. Too far south from Paris.
We had an official “Lighting of the Canvas” ceremony this past Tuesday evening for the new studio and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The canvas, Michel painted on a small scale and they hired a company to blow it up, is at least 12’ high and over 60’ wide. It had more than 360 fluorescent lights behind the screen and we were amazed at how beautiful it was lit. The Mayor, who I’ve become somewhat friends with was there and asked me to move to France and to bring my husband with me. LOL. I told him, I’m going home when this is done!! We also met a lot of the City of Le Passage workers who came to give their support. We are having a lot of people just drop by out of curiosity and our school, as well as yours truly made it in the local paper. I’ll be bringing one home, albeit all in French.
I also went to Paris this past weekend with Michel and Kyoko. It was a long drive, but a beautiful one. While in Paris, I visited the famous IPIDAC School. There are some great people working there and I enjoyed meeting them, the Director of the school who invited me to come back to see them anytime I wished, as well as other artists and instructors. The famous Pierre was there and I got to watch him do a marble display, as well as speak to the instructors. Michel is very admired and respected among these artisans who have been teaching for years. I enjoyed hearing these comments and finding other people in France who could speak English LOL. There were three instructors who came to get Michel to sign his book for them and all three of them said this is their new bible. It was a successful day for Michel and while he was there signing his book, Kyoko and I escaped and went on the Metro and tooled around Paris.
We ate lunch on the Champs Elysees and had a great cappuccino and then went on a search for shoes LOL. I found some and asked Kyoko if people in France negotiated. She said “no, but I’ll ask if you like.” She did and they accepted my offer and there you go. I found some BD gifts for my friends and sisters and the cutest little T-shirt (finally) for my little grandson, Grae. There aren’t tourist things here in Agen.
Got to meet and have dinner with the publisher of Michel’s book and his assistant and husband this past Saturday evening and enjoyed it immensely. It was such a privilege to meet the people who are significant in Michel and Kyoko’s lives and talk to them. It is a small world when you get to talk to others. Found out the assistant’s husband is working for a company called Precision Valve. When I told him I’d called on them in the Greenville area when I was in sales, he exclaimed that they were planning on moving all their manufacturing to Greenville, SC, we all just smiled. They live just south of Paris.
I also have a great opportunity from one of the artists I met while in the school to be taken around in an old Citron car with two women when I return for three nights in December. They are talking about taking me around to wherever I want to go on Saturday the 20th. Classes finish in this particular module on the 19th and I don’t fly out until the 22nd to come home for Christmas. I’m SO looking forward to being with them and having that local connection to Paris. One of them doesn’t speak any English and she’s the one who made the initial offer, then solicited a friend who does speak English to help with this venture. I’m so grateful to both of them and look forward to this.
I also got to see the famous Notre Dam. Walking in that cathedral and knowing there was such history there and seeing the statues and stained glass windows were breathtaking. Mass was starting as well.
I am thinking of you all during this Thanksgiving season and am longing for some American food. Two of my best friends, Susan and Shelly are sending me a care package so I can get just that. I am cooking all the veges and pies for our Thanksgiving dinner here in Agen this coming Saturday evening. I’ll be in class during the actual day we celebrate it, but am thankful I get celebrate it in France at all. There are at least 17 people invited. I’m looking forward to receiving the package and making some of my favorite things from America. You cannot find so many basic items here in France. One of which surprised me most was cream cheese.
The French do not have a word for hug in the French language and that astounds me. I want you all to know though, that some of them are beginning to understand what hug means in American style and they are loving it.
We started a new module this week, one that I’m most excited about. It’s the trompe l’oeil module and when I see the panels we are already working on and will be completing, I’m so thrilled to be here during this time. Michel is very generous in wanting to give us as many things to do and learn as he can possibly fit into the schedule, so we are staying later this week, just to draw the designs on the panels so we can finish them. I’ll be sending pics of these as we complete them.
Just less than four weeks now, and I’ll be home. I’m so grateful to all of you who keep in touch with me. Your E-mails and comments touch me deeply. The cards and things you write about your daily lives helps me to feel connected to my home and I am thankful for everyone who is participating in this with me.
I’m growing in more ways than I could imagine and my sweet husband and I were just speaking about this last evening. We both agree that there are things happening with the two of us and our growth, individually as well as our closeness that we wouldn’t have experienced otherwise in any other way. We are thankful for these things we are both learning and are so looking forward to having time together at Christmas. Tom is just as wonderful as ever and as I've said before, the pain never goes away from being apart from him. Absence is making the heart fonder though and we are grateful for that.
You guys have a GREAT Thanksgiving; know this little lady in France has you in my mind and on my heart. That I’m smiling as I know you are enjoying a great meal with people you love and that I will be with you soon.
Take care and look around you, pay attention to what you feel and what makes you laugh and feel good about life. Run to those things and breathe in the moments . . .
There is so much to share with all of you about what has been happening. We finished up our wood graining and marbling module – all eight weeks – this past Friday. Our last project was a marquetry project and it was not easy, but beautiful and we enjoyed it. I’ll put pictures on the blog in the next couple of days, when I remember to take this particular panel.
There are so many things I want to share with all of you regarding what I’m learning about the French while here. Even though they are a Capitalist government, they have so many rules and regulations you cannot imagine. For instance, they regulate how many sales you can have as a retailer per year. Only two and even at that, they regulate how much you can mark your merchandise down. If you are going out of business and don’t sell all of your items, you just have to give them up and allow someone else to take them over. It is illegal to sell something lower than what the government says you can offer it. I’m amazed by this. I told Kyoko and Michel I’d be upset if I had to pay full price for things all year long, because the government says I have to.
They also have interesting laws such as, it is illegal for you to see someone hurt and not stop to help them. I wonder how they would feel about having their motorist help those of us who take our lives into our own hands while crossing the crosswalks. I actually had a man run into my legs last evening while I was trying to pass in front of him. He was in the round about and was at a complete stop. I walked in front of him (pedestrians are SUPPOSED to have the right of way when at a crosswalk), was in the middle of his car when he decided he didn’t like me passing in front of him and proceeded to move forward and hit my legs and my hand landed on his hood. I yelled “Excuse me”. I think I’m going to have to fight one of these French drivers before it’s over here LOL.
They have round abouts; instead of traffic lights. As I’ve said before, this particular round about is located right next to Appart Valley and is very dangerous in a car, much less walking.
The French have a Saint’s Day to celebrate EVERYDAY of the year. Amazing.
The French I’ve met who speak English are so wonderful and as a rule, most French will stare and say “she’s American” when I’m around. They are very curious about me, as I’m an anomaly to them. I guess they don’t get many Americans around Agen and Le Passage. Too far south from Paris.
We had an official “Lighting of the Canvas” ceremony this past Tuesday evening for the new studio and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The canvas, Michel painted on a small scale and they hired a company to blow it up, is at least 12’ high and over 60’ wide. It had more than 360 fluorescent lights behind the screen and we were amazed at how beautiful it was lit. The Mayor, who I’ve become somewhat friends with was there and asked me to move to France and to bring my husband with me. LOL. I told him, I’m going home when this is done!! We also met a lot of the City of Le Passage workers who came to give their support. We are having a lot of people just drop by out of curiosity and our school, as well as yours truly made it in the local paper. I’ll be bringing one home, albeit all in French.
I also went to Paris this past weekend with Michel and Kyoko. It was a long drive, but a beautiful one. While in Paris, I visited the famous IPIDAC School. There are some great people working there and I enjoyed meeting them, the Director of the school who invited me to come back to see them anytime I wished, as well as other artists and instructors. The famous Pierre was there and I got to watch him do a marble display, as well as speak to the instructors. Michel is very admired and respected among these artisans who have been teaching for years. I enjoyed hearing these comments and finding other people in France who could speak English LOL. There were three instructors who came to get Michel to sign his book for them and all three of them said this is their new bible. It was a successful day for Michel and while he was there signing his book, Kyoko and I escaped and went on the Metro and tooled around Paris.
We ate lunch on the Champs Elysees and had a great cappuccino and then went on a search for shoes LOL. I found some and asked Kyoko if people in France negotiated. She said “no, but I’ll ask if you like.” She did and they accepted my offer and there you go. I found some BD gifts for my friends and sisters and the cutest little T-shirt (finally) for my little grandson, Grae. There aren’t tourist things here in Agen.
Got to meet and have dinner with the publisher of Michel’s book and his assistant and husband this past Saturday evening and enjoyed it immensely. It was such a privilege to meet the people who are significant in Michel and Kyoko’s lives and talk to them. It is a small world when you get to talk to others. Found out the assistant’s husband is working for a company called Precision Valve. When I told him I’d called on them in the Greenville area when I was in sales, he exclaimed that they were planning on moving all their manufacturing to Greenville, SC, we all just smiled. They live just south of Paris.
I also have a great opportunity from one of the artists I met while in the school to be taken around in an old Citron car with two women when I return for three nights in December. They are talking about taking me around to wherever I want to go on Saturday the 20th. Classes finish in this particular module on the 19th and I don’t fly out until the 22nd to come home for Christmas. I’m SO looking forward to being with them and having that local connection to Paris. One of them doesn’t speak any English and she’s the one who made the initial offer, then solicited a friend who does speak English to help with this venture. I’m so grateful to both of them and look forward to this.
I also got to see the famous Notre Dam. Walking in that cathedral and knowing there was such history there and seeing the statues and stained glass windows were breathtaking. Mass was starting as well.
I am thinking of you all during this Thanksgiving season and am longing for some American food. Two of my best friends, Susan and Shelly are sending me a care package so I can get just that. I am cooking all the veges and pies for our Thanksgiving dinner here in Agen this coming Saturday evening. I’ll be in class during the actual day we celebrate it, but am thankful I get celebrate it in France at all. There are at least 17 people invited. I’m looking forward to receiving the package and making some of my favorite things from America. You cannot find so many basic items here in France. One of which surprised me most was cream cheese.
The French do not have a word for hug in the French language and that astounds me. I want you all to know though, that some of them are beginning to understand what hug means in American style and they are loving it.
We started a new module this week, one that I’m most excited about. It’s the trompe l’oeil module and when I see the panels we are already working on and will be completing, I’m so thrilled to be here during this time. Michel is very generous in wanting to give us as many things to do and learn as he can possibly fit into the schedule, so we are staying later this week, just to draw the designs on the panels so we can finish them. I’ll be sending pics of these as we complete them.
Just less than four weeks now, and I’ll be home. I’m so grateful to all of you who keep in touch with me. Your E-mails and comments touch me deeply. The cards and things you write about your daily lives helps me to feel connected to my home and I am thankful for everyone who is participating in this with me.
I’m growing in more ways than I could imagine and my sweet husband and I were just speaking about this last evening. We both agree that there are things happening with the two of us and our growth, individually as well as our closeness that we wouldn’t have experienced otherwise in any other way. We are thankful for these things we are both learning and are so looking forward to having time together at Christmas. Tom is just as wonderful as ever and as I've said before, the pain never goes away from being apart from him. Absence is making the heart fonder though and we are grateful for that.
You guys have a GREAT Thanksgiving; know this little lady in France has you in my mind and on my heart. That I’m smiling as I know you are enjoying a great meal with people you love and that I will be with you soon.
Take care and look around you, pay attention to what you feel and what makes you laugh and feel good about life. Run to those things and breathe in the moments . . .
Sunday, November 16, 2008
West Coast of France!
BONJOUR MON AMIS!
Sorry I haven’t written in my blog in the past two weeks, especially since the last tough E-mail, but I’ve been very busy and gone last weekend to the West Coast of France with Patrick, his lovely wife and daughter and Marina.
I am going to share a lot with you about this past weekend and let you know and see on my Picasa web album some very interesting things I saw, touched and experienced.
First of all, let me say that Patrick and Cathy were the most gracious hosts and I’m so thankful to have spent the weekend with them. They were so kind and thoughtful the entire weekend and took care of Marina and I in ways that made me think of how gracious I’ll be with my next guests. Patrick even delivered fresh chocolate croissants to Marina and me on Sunday morning LOL.
We left school on Friday and drove the two and a half hours to the coast. It’s on the Atlantic, so Patrick was kidding me about America being his neighbors LOL. The waves are much larger on this side however and I was surprised by that.
On the way there, Patrick and I were discussing me being away from Tom, family and friends and I explained to him that I’ve come to understand and accept that the pain doesn’t go away or even subside. Its there, will be there until the void is filled. He told me he couldn’t do what I’m doing and I smiled over this. This is the hardest part of this journey, but as I’ve said before, the sweetest pain to know there are people who incite this kind of pain in one. You realize just how much you love people and miss them in your everyday life. I also explained to Patrick how Tom and I have to do more open conversations and how that communication helps us to grow closer to each other and that’s another blessing. It warmed my heart that Patrick was thoughtful enough to even think of me being here without my family and to think of what that must be like and to admit he couldn’t do this was big, for me at least. I told him all of the other Americans before me had their family with them and that made me separate from them in so many ways.
We arrived Friday evening to meet the lovely Cathy. She’s naturally pretty and was so nice and we immediately felt comfort in her presence and started telling stories about school, our fun times, the laughter, the joking and kidding we do to relieve some of the intenseness of the class. Cathy understands English very well and it was great for Marina and me to be able to relate to someone who could understand what we were trying to say. There were only a few times, we had to find creative ways to express things so they could understand.
We had dinner at what they call “The Smurf Village”. They own a holiday chalet and Marina and I both got to stay in a private chalet for the weekend. I was staying in Patrick and Cathy’s place. It’s adorable and you’ll see pics on the web album. We had a great dinner.
The following day, we went to the beach and ate a great lunch at an outdoor café. Ate dinner at a restaurant and another great meal where we were serenaded by the choir of Mimizan. Turns out the French go into restaurants and when there’s a group of them like this, they constantly sing LOL. It was fun and loud. I’d say there were at least 40 of them.
Cathy was gracious enough to take us around town Saturday afternoon and while in one store, I heard this commotion going on outside, horns blowing, people yelling. I found Marina and we stood outside and watched this scene unfolding. In France, when they marry, they ride around town on motorcycles; this specific one was a three wheeler. The groom was up front and the bride in the back, with fabric flowing in the wind, riding around town parading themselves, attracting attention. This specific bride had tattoos all over her back and arms and we were laughing at this. We asked Cathy if she and Patrick did this ritual when they married and she laughed and said yes.
On Sunday, we ate this feast of froi gras, duck heart, duck something else, I can’t remember the name of LOL and roasted duck, with oysters fresh from the ocean as our appetizer. Cathy can cook!!!!! We ate for two hours and enjoyed the company of other neighbors and friends who came over. We also, got to spend some time with Audrey, their daughter. We had a good time, laughing and telling stories again.
Marina and I were told stories by Patrick all weekend of special interest to us. He told us on the way to Mimizan about his family being very old, older than the US and how they were royals and how he has documents and various things from his family. As the weekend unfolded, we found out more and more about this and I have to tell you that on Sunday morning, Marina and I were almost yelling at Patrick because in the closet right next to where I slept was a framed letter from Louis XIV. I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears when he brought this out of the closet, as well as a letter from the King of Poland with his stamp on the last page of the document, as well as a painting that is over 500 years old of Mary and Jesus painted on copper. He brought out swords and official documents to family members.
We were also introduced to books before books were bound, as well as very, very old books, which had personal notes written to family members. Turns out, Patrick is quite the collector of old books and admitted that a lot of them were worth a lot of money. Marina and I were constantly in awe and kept telling him these things should be in a museum or something. That these artifacts were too precious to keep in a closet. You’ll also see a pic of swords Patrick was showing us where they were engraved with all kinds of family information on them. The details on even the handles were astounding. They are more like fencing swords, and Patrick and his brother broke them playing as kids. Also, notice in the pic, the smaller sword Patrick is holding in his left hand. This small sword has the original leather piece to protect the knuckles on the hand for the one carrying this sword. I asked Patrick permission to photograph all these things so you could see history. I still can hardly believe I got to see one of Louis XIV’s original documents. This specific document is talking about a piece of property that was given to an Abbey where the monks lived and the King was requesting documentation of this gift. It was given in the year 1393. You’ll see signed Versailles, Louis XIV and at the bottom, is the Prime Minister’s signature as well. The document is signed on the 4th of May or March (translation was difficult because of the time period), in 1701.
We don’t know how Patrick’s family survived the murders that occurred so many years ago when people decided to kill off the royal families in France, but are thankful their blood line was preserved. Patrick is an Earle and his brother is a Barron because he’s the first born. Since France is democratic, these blood lines are not as important as they once were. This was such an amazing experience to get to see historical documents and artifacts such as these. Marina and I begged him to get these things appraised to see what they are worth.
We had a fabulous time and getting to experience some of France in this way was a gift. My kudos and thanks goes out to Cathy and Patrick who made these foreigners feel so welcomed!!!!
We also celebrated Marina's 40th BD this past week and Little Crevette invited us to a dance place her Mom loves to go to. We walked into Caesar's Palace (Vegas it WAS NOT LOL), and it was filled at 5:00 p.m. with 70 to 90 year olds dancing something like the polka, twirling around and around and around. We had great fun laughing and watching and me turning down old, old men to dance saying I was sorry, I didn't speak French ROFL. I was really scared I'd get dizzy trying to keep up with them LOL. I would say this in French and send them to Brigette and she would tell them in English, she didn't speak French ROFL. Too much fun!!!!
We moved into the new studio this weekend and it is magnificent. We are so thankful for this large of a space and it’s so nice. There will be three events coming up in the City of Le Passage for this new school/studio. There is a lighting ceremony of the sign happening this coming Tuesday evening, then an Open House and an Inauguration Event happening in January. A press guy is coming this Monday afternoon to talk to us students and get our input. I’ll have all of this on my blog.
Next weekend, I’m off to Paris in a famous school who is hosting an Open House. Michel is going to be signing his book published this year. I’ll get to meet famous artists and see illustrations of them doing their craft. I’ll also share details about this as well.
I’m doing well, am enjoying the experience of all of this, learning so much that I cannot write in words on this blog and growing. I’m so thankful for everything involved in this journey, for the love I see and feel from those of you at home who are keeping in touch, to the pain I experience, to the frustrations of not being able to communicate sometimes with the French. It’s all appreciated by me and I relish all of it. Not counting the wealth of information and training I'm receiving, as well as the blessing of spending so much quality time with Michel and Kyoko!!!
I’m also looking forward to the next two modules. We are finishing the wood graining and marbling this coming week and are working on a marquetry panel. I’m so thrilled about that and then we go into the trompe l’oeil where another Frenchman will join us and in January, an AMERICAN, YEAH, and a Japanese guy will join us as well, for the mural and landscaping module.
All is well here, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, for partaking in this experience with me in this regard. For those of you who are keeping in close contact, thank you and God bless you for the little gifts you give me each day and Tom, honey, what can I say, you are the most awesome and loving man in the world and I’m so honored to be your wife.
Take care and breathe in the moments, they pass too quickly . . . Tammy
Sorry I haven’t written in my blog in the past two weeks, especially since the last tough E-mail, but I’ve been very busy and gone last weekend to the West Coast of France with Patrick, his lovely wife and daughter and Marina.
I am going to share a lot with you about this past weekend and let you know and see on my Picasa web album some very interesting things I saw, touched and experienced.
First of all, let me say that Patrick and Cathy were the most gracious hosts and I’m so thankful to have spent the weekend with them. They were so kind and thoughtful the entire weekend and took care of Marina and I in ways that made me think of how gracious I’ll be with my next guests. Patrick even delivered fresh chocolate croissants to Marina and me on Sunday morning LOL.
We left school on Friday and drove the two and a half hours to the coast. It’s on the Atlantic, so Patrick was kidding me about America being his neighbors LOL. The waves are much larger on this side however and I was surprised by that.
On the way there, Patrick and I were discussing me being away from Tom, family and friends and I explained to him that I’ve come to understand and accept that the pain doesn’t go away or even subside. Its there, will be there until the void is filled. He told me he couldn’t do what I’m doing and I smiled over this. This is the hardest part of this journey, but as I’ve said before, the sweetest pain to know there are people who incite this kind of pain in one. You realize just how much you love people and miss them in your everyday life. I also explained to Patrick how Tom and I have to do more open conversations and how that communication helps us to grow closer to each other and that’s another blessing. It warmed my heart that Patrick was thoughtful enough to even think of me being here without my family and to think of what that must be like and to admit he couldn’t do this was big, for me at least. I told him all of the other Americans before me had their family with them and that made me separate from them in so many ways.
We arrived Friday evening to meet the lovely Cathy. She’s naturally pretty and was so nice and we immediately felt comfort in her presence and started telling stories about school, our fun times, the laughter, the joking and kidding we do to relieve some of the intenseness of the class. Cathy understands English very well and it was great for Marina and me to be able to relate to someone who could understand what we were trying to say. There were only a few times, we had to find creative ways to express things so they could understand.
We had dinner at what they call “The Smurf Village”. They own a holiday chalet and Marina and I both got to stay in a private chalet for the weekend. I was staying in Patrick and Cathy’s place. It’s adorable and you’ll see pics on the web album. We had a great dinner.
The following day, we went to the beach and ate a great lunch at an outdoor café. Ate dinner at a restaurant and another great meal where we were serenaded by the choir of Mimizan. Turns out the French go into restaurants and when there’s a group of them like this, they constantly sing LOL. It was fun and loud. I’d say there were at least 40 of them.
Cathy was gracious enough to take us around town Saturday afternoon and while in one store, I heard this commotion going on outside, horns blowing, people yelling. I found Marina and we stood outside and watched this scene unfolding. In France, when they marry, they ride around town on motorcycles; this specific one was a three wheeler. The groom was up front and the bride in the back, with fabric flowing in the wind, riding around town parading themselves, attracting attention. This specific bride had tattoos all over her back and arms and we were laughing at this. We asked Cathy if she and Patrick did this ritual when they married and she laughed and said yes.
On Sunday, we ate this feast of froi gras, duck heart, duck something else, I can’t remember the name of LOL and roasted duck, with oysters fresh from the ocean as our appetizer. Cathy can cook!!!!! We ate for two hours and enjoyed the company of other neighbors and friends who came over. We also, got to spend some time with Audrey, their daughter. We had a good time, laughing and telling stories again.
Marina and I were told stories by Patrick all weekend of special interest to us. He told us on the way to Mimizan about his family being very old, older than the US and how they were royals and how he has documents and various things from his family. As the weekend unfolded, we found out more and more about this and I have to tell you that on Sunday morning, Marina and I were almost yelling at Patrick because in the closet right next to where I slept was a framed letter from Louis XIV. I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears when he brought this out of the closet, as well as a letter from the King of Poland with his stamp on the last page of the document, as well as a painting that is over 500 years old of Mary and Jesus painted on copper. He brought out swords and official documents to family members.
We were also introduced to books before books were bound, as well as very, very old books, which had personal notes written to family members. Turns out, Patrick is quite the collector of old books and admitted that a lot of them were worth a lot of money. Marina and I were constantly in awe and kept telling him these things should be in a museum or something. That these artifacts were too precious to keep in a closet. You’ll also see a pic of swords Patrick was showing us where they were engraved with all kinds of family information on them. The details on even the handles were astounding. They are more like fencing swords, and Patrick and his brother broke them playing as kids. Also, notice in the pic, the smaller sword Patrick is holding in his left hand. This small sword has the original leather piece to protect the knuckles on the hand for the one carrying this sword. I asked Patrick permission to photograph all these things so you could see history. I still can hardly believe I got to see one of Louis XIV’s original documents. This specific document is talking about a piece of property that was given to an Abbey where the monks lived and the King was requesting documentation of this gift. It was given in the year 1393. You’ll see signed Versailles, Louis XIV and at the bottom, is the Prime Minister’s signature as well. The document is signed on the 4th of May or March (translation was difficult because of the time period), in 1701.
We don’t know how Patrick’s family survived the murders that occurred so many years ago when people decided to kill off the royal families in France, but are thankful their blood line was preserved. Patrick is an Earle and his brother is a Barron because he’s the first born. Since France is democratic, these blood lines are not as important as they once were. This was such an amazing experience to get to see historical documents and artifacts such as these. Marina and I begged him to get these things appraised to see what they are worth.
We had a fabulous time and getting to experience some of France in this way was a gift. My kudos and thanks goes out to Cathy and Patrick who made these foreigners feel so welcomed!!!!
We also celebrated Marina's 40th BD this past week and Little Crevette invited us to a dance place her Mom loves to go to. We walked into Caesar's Palace (Vegas it WAS NOT LOL), and it was filled at 5:00 p.m. with 70 to 90 year olds dancing something like the polka, twirling around and around and around. We had great fun laughing and watching and me turning down old, old men to dance saying I was sorry, I didn't speak French ROFL. I was really scared I'd get dizzy trying to keep up with them LOL. I would say this in French and send them to Brigette and she would tell them in English, she didn't speak French ROFL. Too much fun!!!!
We moved into the new studio this weekend and it is magnificent. We are so thankful for this large of a space and it’s so nice. There will be three events coming up in the City of Le Passage for this new school/studio. There is a lighting ceremony of the sign happening this coming Tuesday evening, then an Open House and an Inauguration Event happening in January. A press guy is coming this Monday afternoon to talk to us students and get our input. I’ll have all of this on my blog.
Next weekend, I’m off to Paris in a famous school who is hosting an Open House. Michel is going to be signing his book published this year. I’ll get to meet famous artists and see illustrations of them doing their craft. I’ll also share details about this as well.
I’m doing well, am enjoying the experience of all of this, learning so much that I cannot write in words on this blog and growing. I’m so thankful for everything involved in this journey, for the love I see and feel from those of you at home who are keeping in touch, to the pain I experience, to the frustrations of not being able to communicate sometimes with the French. It’s all appreciated by me and I relish all of it. Not counting the wealth of information and training I'm receiving, as well as the blessing of spending so much quality time with Michel and Kyoko!!!
I’m also looking forward to the next two modules. We are finishing the wood graining and marbling this coming week and are working on a marquetry panel. I’m so thrilled about that and then we go into the trompe l’oeil where another Frenchman will join us and in January, an AMERICAN, YEAH, and a Japanese guy will join us as well, for the mural and landscaping module.
All is well here, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, for partaking in this experience with me in this regard. For those of you who are keeping in close contact, thank you and God bless you for the little gifts you give me each day and Tom, honey, what can I say, you are the most awesome and loving man in the world and I’m so honored to be your wife.
Take care and breathe in the moments, they pass too quickly . . . Tammy
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Growth is Painful!!!!
What I’m about to write is of a very personal nature and if you are not up to it, please stop and don’t read this specific blog. I am pouring my heart out and just telling you how it is being here, experiencing this and what it’s like to be in the midst of it.
This week has been a struggle for me in so many ways and on so many levels. I struggled with learning the Silver Grain, which, until I came to France and Michel told us about it, don’t recall ever seeing it in America or anywhere else. We are working on oak and in France, this is THE premier wood used and painted. I explained to the class how Americans don’t use oak for much decorative use anymore and we lean towards Cherry and Mahogany.
It turns out that this Silver Oak is the most difficult thing you can do in the decorative art field. WOW. That’s huge!!! I found out why when I struggled to wrap my mind around how it is formed and thus, make it into a beautiful piece painted. We worked on it for quite a few days and it brought me to tears Monday evening.
I was soaked in frustrations, in realizing how difficult it is to be away from home in a land you don’t speak their language and missing my family and friends. Sleepless nights and wrestling with “am I going to get this?” were flooding my mind and heart. I was feeling the pressure I put myself under to do it so well and to make the most of this time in France.
Up to this point in opening myself to art, which is only been in the past two and a half years, everything came seamlessly easy for me. I had hit a wall and knew it. I wasn’t able to replicate the work and knew it wasn’t coming from within. I didn’t trust myself all of a sudden and wondered about so many things.
I cried and my sweet husband called me when I E-mailed him at 1:15 a.m. my time telling him I couldn’t sleep and was in trouble. He talked to me and helped me to see things differently. Said things that could only come from him to calm my heart and spirit and the pressure I was putting on myself. Told me how proud he was of me just being here and that I was jumping from Kindergarten to College in a very short period of time.
I went to school the following day and Michel, not missing anything, knew I’d been upset and asked me how I was. I told him I’d been crying overnight and had a difficult time. He then told me and the entire class that what we don’t understand is that art brings out emotions when you are into it and he expects everyone who takes his class to go through this or he worries about their involvement in the class and by that I assume how engaged we are. He explained that art brings out emotions regardless. When you put yourself into a situation like this, where the classes are so intensive and you are building one concept learned immediately into a more intense and difficult concept, then you are bound to experience all kinds of emotions.
I made it through finally getting the oak panel completed except for the top coat on Thursday. I did the heart grain on one side and struggled with completing the silver grain. Michel, picking up on this, came and helped guide me through the rest of that particular piece.
On Friday, we proceeded in the afternoon to do the Sea Green Marbling. This is the marble you see most on American counter tops in kitchens. A beautiful green with meandering breaks in the marble.
I struggled. There were times I thought about just walking around the neighborhood. I actually started cleaning off my board at one point to hear gasps in the class as they saw that I was starting over LOL. The more upset I got, the more frustrated, the worse I did on the panel and thus, the more I’d get upset. I knew my panel looked terrible and needed some major help. It was a beautiful piece of veined marble, but this particular marble is breche (broken and fragmented). I kept looking at it and the more I looked it, I knew in my heart, I HAD to do this without Michel’s help. What you are feeling in art, translates onto the piece you are working on. I’ve always heard this, but saw it in action for myself as I struggled.
Once again, Michel read this in me and kept bypassing my panel and helping the others, with the exception of Patrick who is “nailing it” with the oak and the marbling techniques lately. I’m so proud of him!!!
Michel didn’t try once to come to my aid and I was actually hoping he wouldn’t, but I could see the distress on his face, as he knew of my struggles and wanted to help.
At one point, most of the class had finished and had walked outside for some air and to smoke. Marina and I were the two left in the class and I took all the pressure off of myself and said “girl, you cannot do any worse and Michel says it needs more work.” I let go and within minutes had the panel looking so much better and the reactions from the other fellow class members was “wow” when they returned, even telling me it didn’t even look like the same piece.
Michel came inside and said “Tammy, I knew you could and needed to do this”, hugged me and gave me a "high five" and kept commenting about how good it looked and that he wouldn’t change a thing. That’s HUGE LOL.
I am proud of this moment, but it has stirred something major in me this weekend. I’m realizing that art doesn’t come from something controlled and made or even learned. It can be enhanced by instruction and studying, but cannot be made that way. It is surrendered to, given over to, letting go and letting it flow and not having an attachment to the outcome that you can truly be free to paint and express in this way.
Funny, when you are growing in life, how many things you can find to cry over. I even cried over not having my own coffee from America today LOL. I cried and was touched deeply over a card Susan, Victoria, Shelly and Kym sent with a picture of them smiling at me and holding a picture of the Eiffel Tower with a note saying "Tammy, we love you and miss you." I cried over not having my bed at home and having my husband's arms around me. I cried over the weather being cold and nasty outside, need I go on? LOL.
I have remembered today what a precious friend said to me just before I left. I went by to see Ric Standridge who explained to me how proud of me he was and that what I was going to do and embark on, he needed to discuss with me. He told me that even though I was going on this fantastic journey and was going to learn from one of the best, that I would go through such immense pain and suffering because of it, probably more than I'd ever known before. That most artists don’t discuss things like this, but it happens. It’s when we let go and allow that we can truly do art. He said if I came through this, I’d be a much better artist than I could imagine and allowing the inside of me to be expressed on a piece, is the gift to others. He warned me about how intense the pain would be and I found it today.
He also presented me with a card of a painting he’d previously done entitled “Love of Self”. It’s when you surrender that love comes out, it’s in letting go of what you can and cannot do that you find it. We are taught in our daily lives to go after things, to control, to make things happen. This concept is not infallible and cannot be done with all things. Inside the card says simply “Peace”. I am finding that there is peace, but only through letting things go.
As I thought of these kind words, I’m grateful he cared enough to warn me of this time on this journey and it was a solace to me. Thank you so much Ric!!!! You were a blessing in France today with a little lady who felt lost.
I’m learning that growing is painful, that it costs you something. That moving forward is not that easy and requires everything you have to get there. That anything worthwhile has personal sacrifices, but the rewards are going to be grand when you get through it. I already had learned much of this but with this particular time in my life, the lessons are totally different.
I’m learning a lot about myself, as well as my children, friends, family and especially my mate for life. I don’t want to embarrass Tom, but he’s been the most wonderful and understanding and supportive man alive. Not once has he been selfish in his talks with me. Not once has he asked me to come home and stop this or give up this dream.
I’m learning that you can feel empathy for each other in class when you are struggling, because you know that you either have, or your number will soon be up and you will.
I’m learning a lot about grace through Michel and Kyoko both and to what extent they are willing to go to help you through this learning experience both personally and professionally. They are beautiful people and know of the struggles we go through.
I’m learning just how much you can suffer without the love of your life in your daily life and the others who so surround your existence in the small world in which we all live.
I had no intentions of writing this to you all, but felt that I had to share this with you. I hope it touches something inside of you as well as it is me. What I was going to write was some fun things about the French and some very interesting facts about living here and the French. I will do this next time, along with an account of going to the Coast with Patrick, Marina and Patrick’s wife and daughter this coming weekend. YEAH!!!!
I will post pictures of the oak graining this evening and will be posting the Sea Green Marble as soon as we get the top coat on it for you to see.
Take care, and until next time . . . . GROW, have the courage to do that which you have been postponing and know you can!!!!!
In loving gratitude for all things - Tammy
This week has been a struggle for me in so many ways and on so many levels. I struggled with learning the Silver Grain, which, until I came to France and Michel told us about it, don’t recall ever seeing it in America or anywhere else. We are working on oak and in France, this is THE premier wood used and painted. I explained to the class how Americans don’t use oak for much decorative use anymore and we lean towards Cherry and Mahogany.
It turns out that this Silver Oak is the most difficult thing you can do in the decorative art field. WOW. That’s huge!!! I found out why when I struggled to wrap my mind around how it is formed and thus, make it into a beautiful piece painted. We worked on it for quite a few days and it brought me to tears Monday evening.
I was soaked in frustrations, in realizing how difficult it is to be away from home in a land you don’t speak their language and missing my family and friends. Sleepless nights and wrestling with “am I going to get this?” were flooding my mind and heart. I was feeling the pressure I put myself under to do it so well and to make the most of this time in France.
Up to this point in opening myself to art, which is only been in the past two and a half years, everything came seamlessly easy for me. I had hit a wall and knew it. I wasn’t able to replicate the work and knew it wasn’t coming from within. I didn’t trust myself all of a sudden and wondered about so many things.
I cried and my sweet husband called me when I E-mailed him at 1:15 a.m. my time telling him I couldn’t sleep and was in trouble. He talked to me and helped me to see things differently. Said things that could only come from him to calm my heart and spirit and the pressure I was putting on myself. Told me how proud he was of me just being here and that I was jumping from Kindergarten to College in a very short period of time.
I went to school the following day and Michel, not missing anything, knew I’d been upset and asked me how I was. I told him I’d been crying overnight and had a difficult time. He then told me and the entire class that what we don’t understand is that art brings out emotions when you are into it and he expects everyone who takes his class to go through this or he worries about their involvement in the class and by that I assume how engaged we are. He explained that art brings out emotions regardless. When you put yourself into a situation like this, where the classes are so intensive and you are building one concept learned immediately into a more intense and difficult concept, then you are bound to experience all kinds of emotions.
I made it through finally getting the oak panel completed except for the top coat on Thursday. I did the heart grain on one side and struggled with completing the silver grain. Michel, picking up on this, came and helped guide me through the rest of that particular piece.
On Friday, we proceeded in the afternoon to do the Sea Green Marbling. This is the marble you see most on American counter tops in kitchens. A beautiful green with meandering breaks in the marble.
I struggled. There were times I thought about just walking around the neighborhood. I actually started cleaning off my board at one point to hear gasps in the class as they saw that I was starting over LOL. The more upset I got, the more frustrated, the worse I did on the panel and thus, the more I’d get upset. I knew my panel looked terrible and needed some major help. It was a beautiful piece of veined marble, but this particular marble is breche (broken and fragmented). I kept looking at it and the more I looked it, I knew in my heart, I HAD to do this without Michel’s help. What you are feeling in art, translates onto the piece you are working on. I’ve always heard this, but saw it in action for myself as I struggled.
Once again, Michel read this in me and kept bypassing my panel and helping the others, with the exception of Patrick who is “nailing it” with the oak and the marbling techniques lately. I’m so proud of him!!!
Michel didn’t try once to come to my aid and I was actually hoping he wouldn’t, but I could see the distress on his face, as he knew of my struggles and wanted to help.
At one point, most of the class had finished and had walked outside for some air and to smoke. Marina and I were the two left in the class and I took all the pressure off of myself and said “girl, you cannot do any worse and Michel says it needs more work.” I let go and within minutes had the panel looking so much better and the reactions from the other fellow class members was “wow” when they returned, even telling me it didn’t even look like the same piece.
Michel came inside and said “Tammy, I knew you could and needed to do this”, hugged me and gave me a "high five" and kept commenting about how good it looked and that he wouldn’t change a thing. That’s HUGE LOL.
I am proud of this moment, but it has stirred something major in me this weekend. I’m realizing that art doesn’t come from something controlled and made or even learned. It can be enhanced by instruction and studying, but cannot be made that way. It is surrendered to, given over to, letting go and letting it flow and not having an attachment to the outcome that you can truly be free to paint and express in this way.
Funny, when you are growing in life, how many things you can find to cry over. I even cried over not having my own coffee from America today LOL. I cried and was touched deeply over a card Susan, Victoria, Shelly and Kym sent with a picture of them smiling at me and holding a picture of the Eiffel Tower with a note saying "Tammy, we love you and miss you." I cried over not having my bed at home and having my husband's arms around me. I cried over the weather being cold and nasty outside, need I go on? LOL.
I have remembered today what a precious friend said to me just before I left. I went by to see Ric Standridge who explained to me how proud of me he was and that what I was going to do and embark on, he needed to discuss with me. He told me that even though I was going on this fantastic journey and was going to learn from one of the best, that I would go through such immense pain and suffering because of it, probably more than I'd ever known before. That most artists don’t discuss things like this, but it happens. It’s when we let go and allow that we can truly do art. He said if I came through this, I’d be a much better artist than I could imagine and allowing the inside of me to be expressed on a piece, is the gift to others. He warned me about how intense the pain would be and I found it today.
He also presented me with a card of a painting he’d previously done entitled “Love of Self”. It’s when you surrender that love comes out, it’s in letting go of what you can and cannot do that you find it. We are taught in our daily lives to go after things, to control, to make things happen. This concept is not infallible and cannot be done with all things. Inside the card says simply “Peace”. I am finding that there is peace, but only through letting things go.
As I thought of these kind words, I’m grateful he cared enough to warn me of this time on this journey and it was a solace to me. Thank you so much Ric!!!! You were a blessing in France today with a little lady who felt lost.
I’m learning that growing is painful, that it costs you something. That moving forward is not that easy and requires everything you have to get there. That anything worthwhile has personal sacrifices, but the rewards are going to be grand when you get through it. I already had learned much of this but with this particular time in my life, the lessons are totally different.
I’m learning a lot about myself, as well as my children, friends, family and especially my mate for life. I don’t want to embarrass Tom, but he’s been the most wonderful and understanding and supportive man alive. Not once has he been selfish in his talks with me. Not once has he asked me to come home and stop this or give up this dream.
I’m learning that you can feel empathy for each other in class when you are struggling, because you know that you either have, or your number will soon be up and you will.
I’m learning a lot about grace through Michel and Kyoko both and to what extent they are willing to go to help you through this learning experience both personally and professionally. They are beautiful people and know of the struggles we go through.
I’m learning just how much you can suffer without the love of your life in your daily life and the others who so surround your existence in the small world in which we all live.
I had no intentions of writing this to you all, but felt that I had to share this with you. I hope it touches something inside of you as well as it is me. What I was going to write was some fun things about the French and some very interesting facts about living here and the French. I will do this next time, along with an account of going to the Coast with Patrick, Marina and Patrick’s wife and daughter this coming weekend. YEAH!!!!
I will post pictures of the oak graining this evening and will be posting the Sea Green Marble as soon as we get the top coat on it for you to see.
Take care, and until next time . . . . GROW, have the courage to do that which you have been postponing and know you can!!!!!
In loving gratitude for all things - Tammy
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