Celebrating the season

It truly is spring at last. I've been lucky enough to have a variety of little errands to run over the last few days that have taken me out and about in the Possum Kingdom. If you take the same road, two days in a row, it's amazing to see how much change occurs overnight.

One of the great things of this time of year is seeing how all the different bits of the countryside have their own unique colors. You see bands of still brown fields, bands of new green grass and crops, trees that are bare, but starting to get their soft green buds, trees that are covered in pink, white or yellow blossoms, and flowers of all colors, white, yellow, purple, blue. And, of course, the snow covered mountains still towering over all. It's a bit like living inside a painting.

While it has been sunny and warm during the day, we had a bit of rain last night. But this wasn't the cold, biting rain of winter. This was the soft rain of spring, scented with that special odor that you only seem to find in the spring; a blend of new earth, flowers and moisture. It's an odor that leaves you feeling in no hurry to get back inside.

In our little corner of the world, all this newness makes you forget the outside world. But, sadly, it's still there. And, in France it continues to be an unrestful world. The strikes and demonstrations continue, while the government seems to be holding fast to its resolve to keep the new employment law in place. We're awaiting a speech by President Chirac this evening to see what he plans to do.

And, while we feel removed from it a bit here, it has consequences that ripple outward. People are talking about the kind of unrest that was last seen in 1968 and which brought down the government. Another general strike is planned for next Tuesday; we were supposed to go to Pennautier for JM to give comic book workshop, but that's been rescheduled. Anyone traveling finds him or herself in a web of uncertainty: will the trains, planes and ferries be running? It's anyone's guess.

Ciao for now!

Randy

Happy Strike Day

Yes, that's right, today was the day of the national general strike. For those who haven't been following it, this is all because the government came up with a clever plan. Unfortunately, like many clever plans, this one is blowing up in their faces.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin thought that making it easier for employers to fire young employees would create more jobs. I don't know enough about the law to know if it will do that or not, but it certainly has created more anger! The youth who were supposed to be helped by it felt they were instead being treated unjustly and that they would become "kleenex" employees: usable and tossable.

The protest grew from the kids to the unions and now over 70% of the French population is against it. A general strike was called to make their voices heard. Over a million of them joined protests today so they were loud and clear. M. de Villepin seems to be holding to his resolve, so I don't know where this will go; but one thing is clear, it ain't gonna help him become president next year!

Normally, these kinds of strikes pass unnoticed in the Possum Kingdom, but we even felt this one here. The middle school (or "college") only had two teachers show up today, so most of the kids didn't bother to go. The primary school didn't seem to have a problem though, which I thought was interesting. And, the library was closed! I must remember to ask Noëlle about that tomorrow.

JM and I had wanted to go to Carcassonne to drop off some copies of my book, which is going to be carried in the Cultura bookstore (FABULOUS bookstore! I'm afraid to go in there, to be perfectly honest), and also to pick up the copy we'd left for "consideration" at the airport. My guess would have been that Cultura wouldn't take them and the airport would, but it has turned out to be the other way around. At any rate, there was no way I wanted to go anywhere near Carcassonne today, as I assume they had demonstrations there. And, the airport was shut down anyway. Glad we hadn't planned on flying anywhere today!

Tomorrow, all should get back to normal. But this is an issue that isn't going to go away. When I read letters in the press, the thing that frightens most people about this new law is that they don't want to start being treated like American employees. Now, that's food for thought.

Ciao for now!

Randy

Is it really that time of year again?

Why, yes, I do believe it's CHOCOLATE SEASON!!

When I went next door to the bakery this morning, I noticed that the table of Easter Chocolates is already up! I was quickly reminded that Easter is only three weeks away.

That started me thinking about how all new this seemed to us last year at this time. As we took a morning walk around town to soak up the sunshine and see all the spring plants starting to bloom, JM and I had trouble remembering what it was like to feel as if we were strangers here. It seems so odd that that was only a little over a year ago.

For example, on our walk yesterday, we saw at least a dozen people who have become our friends; we stopped to chat with each of them and hear the latest news. Then, last night after dinner, we walked around and saw another half-dozen friends and acquaintances. We capped off the evening by stopping to visit Yves and Hélène and play a few rounds of tarot. It all seems so natural.

I've been corresponding with people on a forum where many of the posters are in other parts of France, and I have come to the conclusion that our experience is not at all the same as what others go through. And, I'm grateful for what we have here. Clearly, things could have been very different. I don't really know why Chalabre is the way that it is; but I'm certainly aware that we are lucky to have found it.

JM and I also reflected on how different things might have been had we chosen a house on the outskirts of a village, or even one with its own garden. For example, if we'd had a garden like we did in L.A., we would certainly have been less inclined to take Maggie on walks, she could have just gone in and out at will. But our walks with Maggie have been good for all of us, thus a "negative," no garden, became a "positive," more social interraction.

It's good to remember these things periodically so we don't become too complacent in our new lives.

Ciao for now -- And don't forget to SPRING FORWARD!

Randy