Booze and bald face

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Lyon, France

Tuesday, November 5, 2019



A new day, a new feeling, even a new look!



Spurred by a semi-miraculous recovery from illness – see below - I have shaved off my beard. Doesn’t seem to be much of an improvement but it’s different!

Geez, at least I hope it’s different. Sure had to shave in a lot of unfamiliar places to achieve it. I don’t remember my face having that many nooks, crannies and odd, unreachable bits last time I did this!



Please forgive the absence of an entry yesterday. It was my day to come down with a travelling cold. I have been fighting it ever since we got off the plane in Zurich. I thought I had it licked but it got up off the mat and pinned me night before last. Although I did manage to do to stagger out for food when Susan insisted.

N.B. Practically every restaurant in Lyon is closed on Sunday evening. Despairing of finding anything good, we settled for an East Indian restaurant on the tourist trap drag. Oh, dear. Although Susan did have a delicious South Indian lobster soup which must have been made somewhere else because it actually had flavour. I guess they were saving money by not adding spices to their dishes because, and I did not think this was possible, the rest of the food was BLAND.



As for Monday, I lay on the couch and read between mandatory intervals of feeling sorry for myself, wondering why I ever left home, and beating myself up for getting sick. Fortunately, that form of depression is well known to me. It happens at the beginning of every cold and most vacations. So I do whatever I feel up to, fall asleep a lot, and wait for it to bugger off. I also had to cancel the tour we had booked with the nice lady from Lyon City Greeters.



Susan, of course, being a bundle of domestic energy, took advantage of my weakened state to finish her preliminary clean and edit of our place. All dishes and all kitchen cupboards have now been scoured, bits have been rearranged to her satisfaction, new water glasses purchased, and gorgeous artificial peonies purchased to add a splash of colour to the living room. It has taken her spare time for three days. It is what she does when cooped up indoors with me feeling sorry for myself. It provides an incentive to me to get off the couch so I can distract her with taking a walk to look at people, fashions, dogs, and window displays of purses or jewelry until we stumble across the next restaurant.



BUT cold and I seemed to reach an accommodation about 5 this morning. After a late breakfast, aided by coffee, and spurred on by the crew jackhammering up the sidewalk just outside our front window, we staggered out into the noonday sun.



And, wonder of wonder, marvel of marvels, I felt fine! Better than I have for weeks. I even enjoyed accompanying Susan while she shopped for clothes. I am even hopeful that I will continue to feel fine. But there is a price to pay.

I have a confession to make: since we have been on holidays, I have allowed myself alcohol for the first time in months. It just doesn’t seem possible or rational that two glasses of wine on a Sunday should leave me dragging for a week. Heck, I’m on VACATION! Don’t I have a right to have a beer or two? Even an obligation?!!

The answer to that question is a great big NO. So I’m dry again, ‘cuz it seems to work. It’s just so WRONG. I mean, seriously?! In FRANCE!!?? Great. Sigh. Think of the money we’ll save. (Is this dry humour?)

Huh. Sooo, to make it up to myself, there will be no more cruddy tourist restaurants. Armed with all kinds of websites and some recommendations from a truly lovely young woman at the Max Mara store with whom I chatted while Susan tried things on, we will now spend my future booze budget on good restaurants. Giving up my beard and liquor in the same day? I believe I have earned it!

Cheers (in a sort of post-ironic sort of way)

Tim

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Photos

Oh, my God, what is that?
Hm. Was this a mistake?

Well, you might as well laugh.
Better with the grin, I think.

Lyon, sunshine and dramatic clouds
Looking north up the Presqu'ile

Comments

[Paul Solotki]

Bald Face
Looking at your photo, I thought I was looking in the mirror. My condolences.