Panne D'inspiration... (Lacking Inspiration...)

Petite fille, Rueil Malmaison

Ah, the places I've been. The stories I could tell. The photos I could post.Dommage. Panne d'inspiration. Lacking inspiration. We returned from our most excellent adventure a week ago. I have thought several times about writing a new story. The poor blog has been a tad neglected on this trip...Thank goodness for Facebook: I would not have been able to stay in touch, otherwise.I could use the standard excuse: I have been busy. And it is true, I have.Junior if off sailing with his Dad on the Puget Sound, a summer tradition. This means I have the house to myself for 13 days. Youpie! (that's "Ya-hoo," in French, folks!) What have I been doing?Catching up with mes amies, of course. You may remember the cowgirl. She has adopted a new furry friend. Sweet *little* thing, all 400 pounds of her. She has just arrived at the ranch, and she already follows the cowgirl around like a dog... A bit shy still, but she will get better. Naturally, I had to go over and meet her! 

Peeps, meet Calliope, the "mini-cow..." 

I have met other friends, too, and - as you might expect - there has been plenty of...

Is that an uplifting sight, or is that an uplifting sight?

I have also been re-engineering my house. From top to bottom. Room after room. Pulling out unused, unwanted items, and preparing two huge piles: One for Goodwill. One for the dumping station (I love taking stuff to the dumping station, don't you? So liberating...)

Once a Type A, always a Type A. Who says all big house cleaning has to be done in the spring? I say: "Why spend time outside baking in the sun like the rest of Seattle? I am being productive while protecting my baby skin."

Au revoir, la sorcière. So long, witch.
Hope you find a good home to park that broom!

Talking about which (no pun intended,) there are so many stories I could tell you about the trip... if I wasn't lacking inspiration.There was the day I left the muggle world behind and visited my friend Harry Potter outside of London... I still haven't recovered. 

Recognize this neighborhood?

I always knew I would attend Hogwarts one day...

There was the day Junior and I drove around Paris in a refurbished "Deuche" (2 CV.) I can confirm: Everything looks much, much better through the window (or the convertible top) of a Deuche. That is a fact. 
There was the day I arrived at Marie-Antoinette's domain, in Versailles. I fell in love with the domain. Again. Later, I fell in love with the Sun King's Orangerie, a part of the castle I had somehow missed over the years, when I visited with my relatives as a child. Have you ever taken a walk in a beautiful garden, with endless vistas, surrounded by a hundred different types of orange trees, all in bloom? C'était quelque chose... It was something... Thank goodness, no tourists were picnicking there. Tourists can be so tacky and disrespectful... 

Wearing my nicest t-shirt in case I bump into royalty...

What a big ego, a lot of money and an awful lot of taste can do...

Have them (and their sandwiches) removed and sent to la Bastille!

There was the day I visited the lively, colorful, crazy world of London's Camden Markets... and went on a shopping spree at the cute Lily J. store. I even invested in a dress and a skirt. And my girlfriends know this French Girl does NOT do dresses! Wait until they see me wearing that lacy number...

Horse Tunnel Market: Best section!
Spooky. Choke-full of vintage clothing and accessory stores.

Chez Lily J.: Bad, Bad, French Girl!!!

Local fast food joint: Cooler sits than chez McDo!

There was the week I returned to my favorite spots in beautiful Nice, over and over again... 

Favorite breakfast place,
a hidden spot a few feet away from bustling Cours Saleya... 

Favorite dinner spot: Le Gésu, Old Town...

Favorite market: Cours Saleya

Finally, there was the week we remembered why Spain remains one of the most popular destinations in Southern Europe...

Dalí Museum, Figueras 

Senor Pepé's Paella: A family tradition
La Escala, Costa Brava

Two grand-parents and their grandson looking at the "Big Blue"
Empurias, Costa Brava

Ah, the places I've been. The stories I could tell. The photos I could post. Dommage. Panne d'inspiration. Lacking inspiration. La prochaine fois. Next time. A bientôt.All photos by French Girl in SeattlePlease do not use, reprint, or Pin without permission.Thank you.