Bisous from Beaune

Is not that word Bisous wonderful....my landlady Laura who is young and beautiful ..and smart to boot, so her husband tells me..introduced me to that word the other day when she sent me an e-mail. I put my sleuthing abilities to work and came up with the meaning without needing to ask...kisses on the cheek...two kisses here in Beaune with nice big kissing sounds! So" bisous" to all you out there who read this blog. Today was my loneliest day for lots of reasons.. I have been away a month..and also Bruce's Aunt Trudy died...she was about 85 had developed leukemia in the last year and bravely fought it...but I guess being over here by myself you just feel the loss a little more strongly with no one to talk with. Bruce is also away and "incommunicado" All these deaths have greater significance as the Torch is being passed slowly but surely! I just came back from my before dinner walk -about where I had started stalking anyone I heard speaking English...how desperate is that.
Well, other than feeling sad today I did have a good one having gone for my first haircut in France. It was a huge challenge picking a "coiffure"..there must be 2 for every person! Oh I exaggerate but you get the idea that there are lots out there..and what wonderful factors determined which salon got to cut my white locks??? nothing more than stumbling upon a place I had not noticed before and saying this must be a sign...the gods of beautiful haircuts sent me up this alley so it must be the place for me.. So the first mistake was that I should have studied the French words associated with haircuts a little more diligently before I started out on this adventure as no one in the shop spoke much more English than I did French. The forty year old chic lady who I had initially thought would cut my hair turned me over to the lovely Jennifer who was about 20. She gave me such a beautiful wash and head massage I thought well this must be her speciality and the other dame would eventually take her place at the cutting station. But, no, Jennifer was going to see me through this ordeal..and so began the hand signals etc as to how I wanted my hair cut and what products I would want on it! Well young Jennifer could use those sissors..and away went my hair. I had always thought the French preferred razor cuts. Anyway, we understood soft on the side and back, and just a "leetle" off all round...with a medium puffiness when she blowed it dry. I have never been asked how much "puffiness" I wanted and medium sounded safe. Well I want you to know that I have the best...no the BEST haircut Ihave ever had and I should be going to Napoleon's Ball tonight. They all watched me as I left the salon...three (3) coiffurees but I was Jennifers product...actually I think it was the white hair..they were all staring in disbelief that I had not asked for the Cleopatra red dye job!!!Anyway, I have been strutting my stuff all day inspite of a few tears of lonliness here and there. In fact I went shopping afterwards and bought one of these very chic French suits that everyone is wearing...capri pants with matching jacket...this is so chic Iam not sure where I will wear it in Union Square but I love it.Mybe that little Italian restaurant just over the bridge. giggle giggle
Now shopping in French clothing stores is a very pleasurable thing...once you get over the fact that us North Americans are just much bigger than the French women and who cares...that was my attitude today anyway. French sales people do not like you to handle the clothing...they like to show it to you...they will abide just so much of you pawing through their merchandise...and will definately not let you attempt to try on anything they think will not fit you! They must size you up as soon as you walk into the store...no no no she shakes her head and shows me how if you measure across my back this definately will NOT fit. So she gives me sizes that will and since I am the only one in the store for a good hour I have a ball! And I will wear this outfit on my 60th birthday when I will know for sure that I can do ANYTHING because I will be home from this trip... Anyway I had put dinner in the oven before I started this blog and so will take it out and enjoy! I am having"roti poulet" what else, with a very nice Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse 2005...not that expensive here even though for some Louis latour conjures up gobs of money. I am getting in as many whites as I can before the testosterone-laden Wildsmith's arrive..the ones who drink only red/rouge!..Bisous and more bisous