Jonsing for Paris

[Jardin des Tuileries, October 2010]

Today I had a particularly difficult day at work - feeling a bit unappreciated.  A few days ago, Never fell off of mom's bed and badly broke his collar bone and his right elbow (he's okay, but it will take him at least one month to heal). Our family's weekdays and weekends are solidly booked with fun but frenetic kid stuff - leaving little time for family alone time. Pete's been so busy at work that we hardly see him (I totally need some qualtiy time with my man!). And when, oh when, is this damned midwest winter going to end?! And I think that I had a hotflash today. Whenever things get to be a bit too much here on the outskirts of Chi-Town, I long to return to the city of light and love. To a place that is not only precious to Peter and I, but our entire family now as well. I'm soooo jonsing for Paris. Yeah, I got it bad...

There is this je nais se quoi about Paris (a quality that is difficult to describe). Yeah, the age-old saying may be trite, but it is true. And while I find that quality Parisian difficult to describe, I think that the above picture expresses it perfectly. And that's what I'm jonsing for. Not delicious French cusine, fabulous shopping, sipping tres yummy champagne, and/or strolling through magnificant museums - although to do any and/or all of these is almost indescribably wonderful.  I long to again have the opportunity to just revel in that difficult to describe quality. I long to just...be. Just be with the most important and precious people in my life, in my favorite place in the world. I long to be in the place that makes me most happy. And when things get exceedingly 'here' here, and I'm suffering a severe case of cabin fever, I jones for Paris.

I find that, as I get older and more immured within the four walls of my mundane life, more and more I seriously consider my ultimate dream. My ultimate dream is to live in Paris - as an artist (more on that in a later, dedicated post). After Peter and I started our family, I thought that I would not be able to realize that particular dream until the kids were in college and Peter and I could semi-retire. As my jones for Paris quotient seems to exponentially grow, now I'm not sure how much longer I can wait...

Vivre, de rire, de l'amour,

Temple