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Monday, November 13, 2017

Patisseries... and loved ones on my mind.


Missing Paris today... and my in-laws. 
We spent this past weekend at my mother-in-love's 
cleaning out the last of her furniture
as the house has now sold.

A sad task and the final round
of dividing up her belongings,
deciding who keeps what 
and making the last painful trips to the donation center. 

Remembering their visit to Paris 
at the end of our year of living there,
I couldn't help but think of the bustling little boulangerie/patisserie
that sat just across the street from us on the corner. 

When my In-Love's had tired of trekking through the streets of Paris
or long drives and cathedral and chateau visits in the Loire,
they LOVED sitting on the blue couch in my dining room
staring out the French window
watching the people coming and going
through the doors of the boulangerie.
Something tickled them about the number of people
emerging with baguettes or pretty-ribboned pink boxes 
filled with pastries and chocolates. 
Often there was a line out the door and a dog or two 
also waiting with their owners on the end of a leash. 

My father-in-love had a healthy sweet tooth
and nearly daily made his own trek across the street
to come home with a pink box and his favorite gateau.
He started with the smallest one
and worked his way up to the largest. 
Some days he suggested we skip lunch
and just have gateau.

The sweet little boulangerie on that corner is gone now...
as are my in-laws. 
On that corner now sits a(nother) bank. 
And in my home here in the Pacific Northwest
sit a few items that remind me of my mother-in-love
who just left us this year. 

But in my heart is the sweetness of the memory
of the two of them together, enjoying the view out the window, 
chuckling as they pointed things out to each other while they held hands.



(Photo copyright: Kirsten Steen)

10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you, Grace. Have I ever told you how much I love your name?!

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  2. This is just the most glorious set of memories, so precious. And so beautifully written, I can actually "see" them there, looking out the window or your father in law coming home with his little gateau. I'm so glad you were able to share this experience together.

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  3. What a blessing Kirsten to have loved your MIL. And good memories. So sorry. My sister has found out she has a very bad cancer and I am bereft. I hope I can cope as well.

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  4. What lovely memories, and they are wonderfully sweet indeed. So glad you were able to share that special time together.

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  5. Jeanie,
    Precious is the perfect word for these memories!Thank you for your kind words and I agree, we are so thankful we have these images in our heads now that they are gone. Thank you for being here and leaving your sweet comment!

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  6. Donna,
    My MIL and I were not without our issues but I did love her and I miss her terribly, especially with the holidays coming up. And I'm so very sorry to hear about your sister! Sending hugs and strength. And I'm on my way over to your blog now.

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  7. Thank you, Anne! It was special and I have some wonderful photos to share with family and memories in my head that only seem to become more beautiful with time. Love you, Sister!

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  8. It must have been hard packing and sorting everything out. I glad that through the sadness it brought back some wonderful memories that you will treasure.

    Thank you for finding me and leaving a comment. I share your love your love of travel, photography and food. I have enjoyed looking through your lovely blog. Sarah x

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    1. Thanks for your visit, Sarah! Am looking forward to more wanderings through your blog photos.

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Hope to see you again!
Kirsten