I spent a wonderful few days in Paris, staying with our children, dining with mon cheri at Atelier Maitre Albert for Valentines day and meeting up with a friend for a day’s browsing and lunching.

Paris Fevrier

Unfortunately I am presently struck down with an excruciating painful tennis elbow..can’t lift a glass, can’t brush my teeth, can’t sketch, can’t cook, can’t paint,  changing the gears when driving is a huge challenge, working on the computer is impossible.. the slightest twist of my wrist shoots up an incredible pain into my arm… I have to depend on my other clumsy arm to help with my daily tasks, which loads quite a bit of stress on that arm too. I do get this tennis elbow from time to time and the only real solution is..REST. So I am taking a few weeks break, especially from the computer, to rest my arm.

Keep an eye out though, because when I get back, it will be in full spring swing..with some posts on my growing garden with my new olive trees, my masses of lavenders and santolines, the planting of the potager, the plans for my “serre” (greenhouse), the new staircases built from stone in the garden, the olive terrace and barbeque terrace, the kitchen terrace and the walnut terrace. I will also show the beauty of our region exploding with spring fever. I will take up my plein air painting again, work on some shows hopefully and I will share some new recipes, where I focus more on recipes from the south of France, which is after all, my favorite foods.

Even though I enjoy a trip to Paris, I have to admit that the campagne and especially the campagne du sud  stays my ultimate favorite place, which is why I adore our little forgotten corner here in the south west, Coin Perdu. For that reason, mon cheri is taking me to Provence in  June and to Toscane for August, so I can touch up on my Mediterranean garden and cooking skills.  Any suggestions for these two upcoming trips????

So you see..a busy, busy spring is awaiting me..tune in in a few weeks to roller coaster along!

But first..PARIS..

To quote Edith Piaf in her song, Les amants de Paris

….A Paris, les amants s’aiment à leur façon.
Donnez-moi des chansons
Pour qu’on s’aime à Paris…

Paris Fevrier-001

 …la musee Jacquemart-Andre..

Paris Fevrier-002

..l’interieur: Le jardin d’hiver, la chambre de Madame, le salon..

collage paris fevrier 2

…la femme q’u a l’sac..

Paris Fevrier-006

I also went to see the 9 new cloches awaiting to be hung, each named after a saint. It made me a little sad to see thse new onesI couldn’t help but think of victor Hugo’s Quasimodo; what would he think of the new bells? Emmanuel was the big bourdon, which was originally Jacqueline, but renamed  Emmanuel by Louis XIV..I suppose it was quasimodo’s favorite bell..and now the big bourdon is called Marie(bottom right). the other bells are named Marcel, Etienne, Gabriel, Jean-Marie, Maurice, Denis,Anne-Geneviéve

collage les cloches

I always play a game when I go to Paris…I don’t feel truly at home before having said salut to the Eiffel and I can’t leave without saying à la prochaine fois!

Paris Fevrier-010

and so to all my virtual friends here, I also say for the time being

..a la prochaine fois, très bientôt!

Ronelle

15 thoughts on ““Un bon séjour” in Paris and a tennis elbow..”

  1. Ma chère Ronelle ..prends bien soin de toi..
    Le repos et ..phyiso? Kiné?
    Il faut que tu sois en forme pour le printemps:)

    Je sais que je vais aimer Paris..mais pour moi aussi la campagne sera toujours mon lieu de choix.
    Nous sommes des gens tranquilles..aimant la nature et les vues imprenables de végétature 🙂

    Mais..un jour Paris..pour voir ce que l’on me montre 🙂

    Tu as fait un beau voyage..
    You made me smile when you wrote Olive Trees..I fell in love with them in Europe..so much so my friend Nancy gifted me with an indoor one..that is doing very well..a little flopsy..but evergrowing..:)
    I just love it..and my indoor lavender:)
    You will have miles of it I can just imagine.
    We have a ton of snow and more falling as I type..
    It’s lovely to see you and your photos again.
    x

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  3. Oh, Ronelle take care, I have been there where I could not even put on my coat. It will take rest and it always makes us humble to see home dependent we can become.

    Eileen

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  4. Sorry to hear about the elbow. Me? Beginning to feel the pangs of getting older. Most unfair!
    As for tips and suggestions…I don’t think a lady of your accomplishments needs any! 🙂
    Bon voyage!

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  5. I hope you are better soon Ronelle. Having to suffer with pain is awful, as I fully understand because I’m going through it myself. But not being to lift anything must also be frustrating. I will be thinking of you and crossing fingers and toes you are fully recovered soon.
    Sam

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  6. I’m so sorry to hear that you are in pain. We don’t realize how important our elbow and wrist are until we have to limit their use. I will of course miss your posts but look forward to your return this spring. It sounds like you have so much to share with us.

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  7. I get a very painful RSI so can sympathise completely and appreciate how frustrating having to rest must be for you. I have loved getting your posts by email, they brighten up my day, and very much look forward to hearing about your visits to the south. The last couple of times we were there we fell in love with a rather sleepy town of great charm called Fontvielle, which is near the smarter upmarket St Remy, not to mention spending many happy hours exploring Arles and Les Baux de Provence. Reading your post makes me long to return there! Wishing you a very happy break and a full recovery from your painful elbow XX

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  9. I’m so sorry you are suffering, Ronelle! So interesting, because I have some similar issues in my right elbow and also right shoulder. I think my desk adds to my discomfort with the mouse and my right arm.

    Wishing you (and me) a speedy recovery 🙂

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  10. How wonderful Ronelle, loved seeing the bells and would love to visit Paris someday.

    Eileen

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  11. I love seeing life through your eyes. The photos are so welcoming. Take care and relax. Hoping you are drawing soon though.

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  12. Pingback: The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start

  13. Thank you everybody!
    thank you also to everybody who sent emails with tips on treating my elbow..i appreciate it.
    It is already much better and I will soon be back.
    A bientôt
    Ronelle

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  14. Cela semble magnifique ce séjour. Désolée d’apprendre pour le ‘tennis elbow’. Je planifie un voyage à Paris d’ici un an. Est-ce possible de savoir dans quel quartier louer mon hôtel? Merci en avance.

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  15. Helene…normalement on reste avec nos enfants dans leur apart. Mais si besoin, je prefer les quartiers 6, autouur du jardin de Luxembourg, ou le 8 derriere le champs Elysees(qui est tout tranquil et hors des lignes populaires qui me rends dingue a Paris!). L’arrondissement 5 n’est pas mal non plus avec des petits hotels charmants. Donc, entre les 3 quartiers au dessus, je trouve toujours mon bonheur.
    Par conbtre, ca depend a ce que tu a envie de faire a Paris..routes touristiques, achats, promenades, cuisines, restos, musees…
    De tout facon, on a le metro et le bus(et surtout 2 jambes en bonnes formes) pour y aller partout a Paris!
    Je te souhaite les bons reves de ton voyage a Paris…!
    Bises
    ronelle

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