This morning I left the flat on rue Saint Jacques at about 10. It is hard leaving the apartament in the morning very early, I guess it has to do somewhat with being in love. I wanted to get an early start because I was going to go to Leroy Merlin a huge do it yourself store and then to the Carrefour. I think that is spelled wrongly.
I am not checking my spelling anyway because I am writing and publishing live and with the general confusion in my mind between French and the nasal pronunciation, speaking in English and thinking more in Italian with its beautiful round sound who cares about spelling.
So I went to Ivry on the Metro instead ofon my bicycle because it looked like it was going to rain and was pretty bitter cold. I walk to Les Goblins down boulevard Port Royal and then it is 15 minutes to my stop at Pierre Curie. The atelier is just outside the metro stop. Once I arrived I called one of my studio mates, Jerome, that thought might accompany me because he wanted me to get him a container of essence to run his heater. He felt obliged to come and carry it for me. I told him that afterwards I was going to the grocery store Carrefour and would probably be back not earlier thatn 13.00. So he decided not to come, smart for him.
I have been several times to Leroy Merlin in Ivry and it is easy to find but the Carrefour was another story. I got on the peripherique Exterier and missed the exit in Bercy 2 then got lost at bois du Vincennes. Driving around there was kind of interesting there are some beutiful houses and I finally realized what that giant strange thing I see from my studio is, a fake rock in an amusement park. That isvmy guess. I know that it is a giant fake rock, I don't know if it in an amusement park but it is near bois du Vincennes. But when I saw it right next to me I realized how far I had gone because from my studio it is on the Horizon. I managed to get back on to the peripherique interieur and decided to head back to Ivry because it was taking too much of my time and I only had today to finish another painting that needs to dry before I go to my art dealer Mario Cappelletti in Castellina in Chianti next weekend. I can't wait to go to Italy. It has been over 2 months since I have been in Paris.
Next weekend I will drive to Nice with my beau and we will stay at his brother's house. His brother planned a party because a friend of mine is coming to Nice to drive the rest of the way with me to Florence. His parties are notarious for finishing at 10.30 AM. Yes it is not a typo. "AM". I hope i get some sleep.
Back to today.
After getting lost again looking for the Carrefour I decided to give it one more try and found it. It is a giant grocery store in a giant mall. I walked down almost every isle looking for the things that I wanted and after about 2 hours got agitated. Finally I left with all the things I need before the vernissage on Saturday and before I return the car to Florence where my ex and Lira my Jack Russell will enjoy using it.
I did some U turns to get back to the atelier but with the Italian liscence plate I hope that the French police may have some pity on me for being lost in the banlieue. It might make matters worse though. So far so good.
Back at the atelier my studio mates Eva and Jerome helped me carry up the 20 liter fuel containers and the groceries then they came to have coffee in my place.
Yesterday Eva and her studio mate whose name I cannot remember even if she told me 15 times gave me a coffee maker that makes 10 cups. When I told my mother she said, "oh it sounds like they are planning to visit you." she was right. so at about 15.00 my work day started. I didn't do any painting but finally organized my stuff which was a good thing.
Tomorrow my best friends from Italy arrive for the weekend.
What is the banlieue? I thought it was a train station then I looked in the dictionary. You can too.
