Tuesday, October 13, 2009

HEADLESS BISHOPS AT BREAKFAST



The tables and chairs in the breakfast room at my hotel are wearing skirts, long golden yellow brocaded skirts. It looks like a gathering of headless bishops, an ecclesiastical convention imagined by the Surrealists. Surveying the scene from above is the always open eye of a television, pouring out old Disney cartoons dubbed in French, which makes the quacking and barking and squealing even more hysterical than in the native version. Plastic flowers and candles adorn the skirted tables. Breakfast is good: crusty baguette, croissant, butter, jam, orange juice, coffee.

Taking a shower is a daunting tour de force: if you make the fatal mistake of turning the hot tap on first, boiling water sprays you and the room from cracks in the long black rubber hose attached to the bath. Today the cold water tap fell off. There are no hooks to hang anything. Maybe the French have not yet discovered hooks. But I saw some of those suction ones in the Super U yesterday and if I were staying longer I'd buy a sackful and stick them everywhere.

I love this hotel. The friendly Moroccans who appear to be running it are philosophical about Things That Don't Work As They Should (c'est la vie) and will fix them almost as soon as possible.

My sister is definitely better. Yesterday we went for a walk in the streets around the clinic and today we'll do a longer walk. Mood has improved along with la santé. Please may it continue to be so.









7 comments:

Dave said...

Great post, Natalie! I LOL'd.

Glad to hear your sister's doing so well.

leslee said...

Oh, Natalie, so glad to find you moved to more charming surroundings. And of course your mood has improved, how could it not? I'm glad to hear, again, that your sister is healing well. Her fighting spirit, however, difficult for others, will serve her well in healing no doubt. I hope all continues on the upswing.

20th Century Woman said...

Dear Natalie, I have been occupied with my own little dramas, not quite as dramatic as yours, and I am so happy to have caught up with your news. How good that your sister is progressing so well. Your new hotel looks yummy. I love places like that, though I would worry about that hot water. Enjoy your visit, now that the bad part is behind you. I like your mirror blog. Love, Anne

Natalie said...

Many thanks Dave, Leslee and Anne. Sorry for the collective reply but I'm rushing around attnding to Things.Looks like we're going to be moving again. Hope to report soon.

Jean said...

I'm so glad to learn that your sister is already up to a walk in the town - that's amazing; what Leslee said.

Love the headless bishops.

linda severn said...

Wonderful to read the good news and your observations of the funny things in life made me smile too.
Love and healing thoughts.

Natalie said...

Jean and Linda,so glad to see you here. Not a good day today, hopefully better tomorrow. Will post again later this week.