thinking

since last november life was moving so fast it felt suffocating. the scales were just tipping far too much. not in the way of having to work the odd extra hour, but in the sense of an all-encompassing state of working, where there was no time to even leave the house when the sun was - so rarely - shining, or to see a friend for a chat. occasionally there were precious hour-long breaks to meet someone, or chances to cycle to the garden, but even that was mostly impossible by the time june and july came around.

being away from it all for two weeks, staying in the south of france, two long weeks of hot summer days, days that were finally entirely unplanned and truly free, gave me time to think.

i don't want a life that feels like a race i can't win. time is a precious gift, not a string of numbered days. i will make space for shared hours, shared thoughts and ideas. because as much as i love my work, living and creating, and caring and be cared about, are infinitely closer to my heart. first things first.

going for a stroll

going for a stroll in marseille. what a fascinating city. and i've only seen a tiny fraction of it in 1 1/2 short days.

what you can't see is how hot it was. we simply had to go inside the shops because they were air-conditioned, you see. no other reason, of course.

of friends and places

it may not be the best way of travelling to marseille, on a very hot day in august on just 3 and 1/2 hours of sleep. but then there was marion, who met me at the station and took me to la caravelle for lunch. she is the best city guide, and it was so good seeing her again. the food was delicious - even though i couldn't eat the snails - the tender fish and soft boiled egg with new potatoes, haricots verts and aioli were wonderful. afterwards we went to the corbusier house, but that's another story...

p.s.: when looking at the old port, i can't get this reference out of my head. give me seventies movies any day.

de retour

je suis de retour, mes amis, i'm back home again. i'm full of memories and sunshine, and feel incrediby energised.

more images to follow. how have you been?

p.s.: you may have noticed: doing a marion in the second frame.

**

i'm on bach rescue drops and arvo pärt. less than a week to go.

p.s.: i know i haven't been reading/commenting much of late - please don't feel i've lost interest, i simply don't manage at the moment.

stormy summer

just leaving you with two images today.

p.s.: new post here.

counting down

only two weeks to go, and i'll be on holiday!
!!!
(not best pleased with the bikini test this morning. harumph. but what the heck.)

my reading list is almost complete (thanks again for all recommendations!). any suggestions for a playlist?