France and I, we have a relationship!

             Dreams Come True

               At age 8, I had a dream 

           I was living on the Left Bank 

          looking across La Seine 

       at the back side of Notre-Dame. 

             Nobody in my family 

             had yet traveled to Paris ~ 

      but I did ~ in my night travels.

            Years later, 

      I lived next to Notre-Dame 

and was awakened daily by her bells. 

                     My favorite

                swimming pool

      was on the Left Bank.

          Crossing the bridge,

                        I observed

                 numerous

                             artists

                   and wished

              I could be doing

what they were doing...

  that would come later.

         The daily routine included

                  breakfast at Laduree

      and a leisurely read of the 

     International Herald Tribune

 My best site-seeing took place from this cafe.

             Let us never forget,  

                   "Le Chef"

             is the high priest

                 of the 

          Religion of Food

      he is benevolent and well-loved.

           On the other hand,

       "Le Monsieur" (waiter)

         will always 'think'

          he is in charge - 

      no matter his profession.

Since New Year's Eve 2000, the Eiffel Tower

twinkles at two minute intervals on the hour 

from dusk to midnight.  In this City of Light, 

 it creates one more reason to pause and appreciate 

this landmark - relationship that will last forever. jb

Jill Butler

Author Rendez-Vous with France, Wandering Paris

Designer, Souvenirs de Paris, tabletop collection

www.JillButler.com