Written by It’s been wonderful to be back home again, although I’m still experiencing quite a bit of jet lag. So for today, we have just a little spoonful of pasta. Actually, it’s a good representation of the type of simpler food I’ll be enjoying this week as I go through my ritual Paris detox. I had so many wonderful things to eat on my trip there, but now comes the less enjoyable part where I switch to the simplest foods possible in order to deflate myself back to my normal size. But it’s totally worth it! The food is incredible there! Actually, it’s not all bad. Pasta is one of my favorite foods and I enjoy it rather plain with just a bit of olive oil and sea salt rather than with elaborate sauces. That said, I’m a sucker for mac & cheese so that’s the one exception I always allow.
Today, we picked out our Christmas tree for this year and it’s currently sitting naked in the corner waiting for us to get a second wind and decorate it this evening. Even with the jet lag, I’m sure that won’t be a problem. When it comes to the holidays, I become a little kid again, filled with wonder, energy and enthusiasm. Decorating a tree is so much fun, because each little ornament in the box is a memory of years past. They’re like discovering little presents, that you’ve certainly seen before, but feel new because it’s been a whole year since you’ve seen them last. I usually make egg nog or Philippe makes mulled wine, but since we’re in detox, that’s not going to happen this year. Instead, we’ll just be enjoying the evening by itself as we pick through the little memories on a string.
Though there’s merit to brand new, incredible experiences, I often find that my favorite parts of life are the little rituals. Amazing, not for their uniqueness, but for the simple comfort of their repetition. Something I can always count on, in a world that often seems to be changing faster than I can keep up with it. That time each year that we decorate a tree, or drive by the exact same lights that are installed each holiday season, make me happy. Sure, there are thousands of new things I’d love to try in life. But in the meantime, I’m happy to experience the things I love over and over again. Finding that magical sense of heartwarming comfort that you can sometimes only get from a little spoonful of pasta.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Quincridone Gold, Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Deep. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with black ink and second pen with sepia ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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Pasta is good and your elbows in a spoon remind me of childhood also. What French traditions do you and Phillipe observe here? Are tree ornaments the same or are there special ways of decorating a French tree? And, most important, what does Phineas think of all this?
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Most of our French traditions are around food… hehe… for instance we’ll be enjoying a Bûche de Noël this Christmas. Nothing different for the tree though, other than I used to use an artificial one and now we always get a real tree. Phineas is just happy to be home again… and soooo tired from being at “camp”! lol
It’s not nice having to detox, but at least you have something to look forward to at the end of it. And your pasta sounds delicious! You are early to decorate your tree, in the UK no-one seems to do it until much closer to Christmas.
Thanks so much, Georgie! 😃💕 I could never wait too close to Christmas… doesn’t feel like enough time to enjoy it! hehe
Yay! It’s always a good day for pasta! I enjoy it plain as you say, but I’m a sucker for the far-out and spicy sauces too. Detox or not, I hope you’ll be having more than just a spoonful! 😉 What a bummer about your mulled wine ban, though 😛 This must be a difficult time for you.
I’m sure it won’t be too long before the tree is looking fit to doodlewash! Your writing about it makes me want to get the box of decorations out extra early!
Thanks, Jacob! 😃 Yeah… I try to get as much tree time as humanly possible. Seems a waste to go to all that effort and take it down a week later! lol It’s up and sparkling now! Yay! And we’ll have time for mulled wine still… hehe… it’s not completely off the menu. I’m in detox but haven’t totally lost my mind! lol