I LOVE LUCY! Lucy turns 10 years old.

This past week on August 6, my mini-poodle (caniche in French) had her 10th birthday. For her it was an uneventful day. She didn't know why she got the extra treats. For me it sort of marked another landmark for my life here in Paris. She is also the very first dog I have ever owned. I grew up in a house with cats. Lucy only came into my Paris apartment and life a year after moving to the city. When she was bought we were told that she should have a name that begins with the letter "P". I think this had something to do with the year her breed was born. This shop on the quai de la Magisserie, where she was found was calling her "Princesse". She can sometimes act a little like a princess, but she didn't deserve the title. Since she is a redhead giving her the name Lucy seemed perfect. Well technically, her color is listed as "abricot". What I thought was a bit amazing was finding out that she shares her birthday with Lucille Ball. I only just discovered this last week when checking IMDB.

My Lucy was born in France though her French language skills are nearly as bad as my own. Our neighbors will try to give her commands in French. Lucy loves the attention, but only react to the French with a wag of her tail. It always seems such a shock to my neighbors kids when she performs the commands when given in English. Her "passport" lists her birthplace as Montaigu de Quercy, which is in the Midi-Pyrenees. A little girl from the country. I remember her fears of the city noise when she first roamed the sidewalks of Paris. She has gotten over these fears. Lucy now only fears a visit to the groomer. Her greatest fear is any visit to her veterinarian, Marie-Laure Camus. The vet's office is just down the street from our apartment. Lucy's daily walks take her down this street towards the office. If we should cross the street at the end of this daily path she suspects a visit with Dr.Camus and will pull in the other direction. The only thing she likes about visiting the vet's office are the many cats that the doctor has wandering her office. Lucy doesn't know that Dr.Camus helped save her life when she had a serious bladder infection. Since her operation, Lucy has gotten out of the habit of wandering Paris as she did in the past. She does love her life staying close to home.

Happy Birthday Lucy and thank you for making my life in Paris even more memorable.

Another new beginning

I keep trying hard to operate a blog here. Since the arrival of a new president in American speaks of great changes in the world today, I thought I could work to change my lazy ways and start writing on a more regular basis here.

It was great to see the new year arrive after a personally not so pleasant 2008. I was still very lucky to tour the city in 2008 with many new Paris visitors. It was especially fun to see many returning faces as well. I feel so lucky making so many new friends each year, and 2008 was no exception. The city is always more fun when one gets to share all it has to offer.

We are keeping positive thoughts as we move through this first month of 2009. There have only been positive feelings expressed to me here in Paris by my French friends and neighbors with the arrival of President Obama.

Here's to a new and historic era in the world!