Joanna here, celebrating the holidays in Paris.
This means cooking filets of duck, new potatoes, and little bitty baby cauliflowers 'au fromage' on a tiny two-burner stove on Christmas Eve. I had just about forgotten how to cook with this sorta minimum equipment.
We ate quite lovely Chinese food in the Chinatown o
f Paris on Christmas Day.
Ultimate yummy.
Many presents were sent by mail. They all arrived in time -- isn't that amazing?
Then there was the technical feat of an international video conference call. Two countries. Four locations. Times zones all the way round the world. And toddlers.
It all worked, somehow. I am in awe of myself.
No tree though. So I'm giving myself a 'book tree'.
food cc attrib mbrochh
Oooh, I like the book tree! I also like the sound of that Christmas Eve dinner. *G*
Is everything more glamorous if it happens in Paris??? Probably!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Love the book tree, Joanna! What a wonderfully international Christmas—sounds like you are having a great time in Paris. Safe travels home.
Posted by: Cara Elliott/Andrea Penrose | Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 08:43 PM
I'm sorry, but I am suffering for those poor books' spines.
Posted by: Ludo | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 02:36 AM
Happy New Year, Joanna. Christmas in Paris sounds fabulous, and I'd love to see the New Year's Eve celebrations there. One day, perhaps.
In the mean time it's great to have another wench there, and the kind of wordsmith who can bring it to life!
Posted by: Anne Gracie | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 05:04 AM
How lucky that an essential research trip (?!) should include Paris and coincide with Christmas. Love the book tree. Enjoy!
Posted by: HJ | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 05:08 AM
Great book tree. Lucky uou to be in Paris. enjoy and savour every moment and meal.
Posted by: Anne | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 08:26 AM
Love the book tree. My idea of exactly what a Christmas tree should be.
Posted by: Linda Banche | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 11:02 AM
That's a very lovely tree!!
and glad that your Christmas was a happy one!!
Posted by: Suzy | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 05:01 PM
i think i will give my self a book tree too
Happy New Year Joanna, enjoy Paris, what a lovely place ;)
Posted by: eli yanti | Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 08:55 AM
I'm sorry not to have gotten back to everybody in a timely manner. My French service provider hates the word wenches and will not connect to this site.
I'm sitting in a cafe across the street from a McDonalds, piggybacking on their internet service.
I am so happy to have had this holiday in Paris. I'm in the border between the 11eme and the 20eme. This is a densely settled residential neighborhood, full of students, with nothing to attract tourists. I love it.
New Years was the street full of amateur fireworks and people dancing and singing, and the church bells rang.
Posted by: joanna bourne | Thursday, January 05, 2012 at 07:24 AM