The first miguet des bois of the season in pots at Montreuil-sur-mer, France. At the beginning of May, these are perennial favourites in France. I adore miguet des bois and wanted to carry a huge bouquet of them when David and I married nearly five years ago in Santa Fe. But the lily of the valley was $100 a stem(!) in Santa Fe, where apparently they're a rarity. In France, they're five euros per small plant or per small nosegay. A huge bouquet would cost maybe 25 euros. When I was a teenager, I was a fan of Coty's Miguet des Bois fragrance - long before I'd ever seen or smelled any actual flowers of the same name!
Just back from a lovely trip to Montreuil-sur-mer, only to find some unexpected challenges. The elevator or lift is out of order, supposedly for "modernisation." But is anyone working on the elevator to complete this "modernisation?" Of course not! So David and I had the joy of carrying luggage, seven cases of wine, a large piece of pottery and groceries up the stairs.
Then an email from the computer company which recently settled a claim said their cheque was sent to our London address. This in itself was a big error, considering we haven't lived in London in more than six years and all correspondence related to the claim lists our Paris address.
In London, the mail is dropped through a letterbox in the entryway, so only tenants of the two apartments inside the building can receive the mail. In February, someone apparently stole the cheque for nearly £1,000 (more than $2,000), forged my signature and cashed it! Now we begin the tedious process of filing police reports, new claims to replace the stolen cheque, etc. etc. Such joy!
Of course these are all annoying things that can be fixed - no serious problems. But it takes the edge off the holiday joy to come home to such dilemmas. In any event, enough moaning! Our good friends Ralf and Jutta are in town from Budapest, so we're looking forward to catching up with their news over dinner Saturday. And there's a brocante at Eglise d'Auteuil and horse races at Longchamp this weekend. I have several posts and photos to file, as well as reading your blogs. Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!
I remember a host of items, soaps, cologne, bath salts, etc., in Muguet des Bois in my mother's bathroom. I love the flower, but it's expensive here too!
Posted by: Colette | 30 April 2007 at 07:41
My grandmother used to wear Miguet des Bois! and I've been trying and trying to remember the name of it. Great wafts of memory are sweeping around me right now.
Posted by: tut-tut | 29 April 2007 at 15:15
I too wore Lily of the Valley when I was a girl, just loved it. Oh the memories of youth! I hope you got a reduction on your bill for the elevator in disrepair. That stolen check is quite the hassle. I once had a new credit card intercepted upon delivery, the thief racked up 2,000! Apparently it quite common, I had to sign an affidavit saying I hadn’t received it. I remember how shocking it was. The money was spent in another province, but many of the items on the bill were parallel things I had purchased for my daughter that Christmas. Heres to wishing you better days ahead!
Hugs Sherrie
Posted by: giggles | 28 April 2007 at 19:16
I love lily of the valley. They used to grow in my yard as a child and I would lay on the ground and just sniff for hours! Thanks for the memories Tara....
Posted by: MyMelange | 28 April 2007 at 17:40
Lilies of the Valley grow wild in my backyard and are more of a weed. Maybe I should start selling them in Santa Fe? Quit my day job that way.
Posted by: sarala | 28 April 2007 at 17:08
what a pain in the tush that is.....!
Enjoy your evening tonight......
ps. I love lily of the valley....the scent is one of my favourites. I have a whole little garden in my backyard filled with these gems.
Posted by: awareness | 28 April 2007 at 16:45
I love your happy go lucky attitude. So refreshing
Posted by: Di Overton | 28 April 2007 at 16:00
Good luck with your challenges Tara.
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | 28 April 2007 at 11:30
oh god you live the life! brocantes & lily of the valley ! welcome home Tara xo
my Nana wore lily of the valley - it is exquisite - I want to plant some in my garden and I will now, you inspired me :)
hope you had some of that wine after the long haul up those steps xo
ps- can you email me your postal details - I found something at our local 'brocante' otherwise know as the junk shop :)
Posted by: miss*R | 28 April 2007 at 09:45
Lovely T,
So sorry to hear about the lift and the forged cheque - that definitely is NOT a fun way to end a holiday. I hope that all gets sorted out soon & I hope you drank one of the boites du vin after hauling them up the stairs! Enjoy your friends, brocantes, and the races ... I will catch up with you via email tomorrow after I'm a bit more rested.
Bisous,
Deb
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 28 April 2007 at 06:40
What beautiful flowers - I can almost smell them - heavenly!
Posted by: chiefbiscuit | 28 April 2007 at 06:08
am so sorry - i had money knicked recently too, it sucks
sorry i have been quiet of late - am loving your posts tho - just wanted you to know
Posted by: paul | 28 April 2007 at 02:54
Oh MY! Okay, the only word for how all of that would make me feel. Annoyed and annoyed again. Once, only Once, I decided to go skiing in Lake Tahoe? Why, I do not ski. I do not have a desire to ski? What was I thinking? But, I did. And at the hotel in Reno where we were staying, the elevator was broken. I was in college there with a group. I had taken a huge suitcase. We were on the 13th floor. Of course! Luckily this big lovely strong boy, lifted my suitcase along with 4 twelve packs over his head, and carried it up for me! It didn't take away from the fact that for 4 days, we had to go up and down 13 flights of stairs. Only while at University, only while 18, only while in Reno Nevada would one put up with that.... ha. GoodLuck! Oh, the cheque!! Ayyeyeye! I would be angry. I must confess!!! xxo,V
Posted by: Vanessa V | 28 April 2007 at 02:46
I despise thieves - I hope karma gets people that steal like that. I feel the pain of no elevator and remember those days very well. Consider it your exercise for the day. (=
I adore Lily of the Valley and wanted those for my flowers as well - um, September is not the time of year for them so instead I had roses.
Posted by: kristen | 28 April 2007 at 00:08
Good to read your home safely, sad to read of the lift and losses.
Enjoy your friends this weekend :)
xo
Posted by: Di | 27 April 2007 at 23:57
Sorry the realities have come crashing in on you a bit...good luck in resolving these issues!
Love,
D.
Posted by: Delia | 27 April 2007 at 23:00
Oh I can smell them now. Lilly of the Valley is one of my favorites....reminds me of my childhood.
Posted by: Cammy | 27 April 2007 at 22:45
Oh, this takes me right back to our trip to Saint Raphael last year this time---where we were robbed of thousands of dollars of goods (computer, cameras, cash, etc) in the house we rented! But still... we managed to hang on and have a good week. Have you tried Guerlain's Muguet des Bois? It's in a beautiful bottle and is lovely. I think you can only get it at the Guerlain boutiques, but for you that's not a problem!
So sorry about your elevator and forged check, sweet friend. Hope you get all glitches worked out soon.
xoxo,
L
Posted by: Laura | 27 April 2007 at 21:40
I'm sorry about the annoyances when you returned home...I hope that everything clears up as easily as possible. Your weekend sounds wonderful to me! I hope that you enjoy it, and your visit with your friends.
Posted by: Southern Heart | 27 April 2007 at 21:30
Lily-of-the-valley is one of my favourite flowers. I planted dozens of them in my garden over the past couple of years and last year I had enough flowers to pick a couple of stems. I'm hoping there will be lots more this year. Sorry that your return home took a bit of the edge off your holiday. Perhaps the weekend will make up for it!
Posted by: Lynda | 27 April 2007 at 21:03
I'm a "May baby" and lily-of-the-valley is the May flower, and we used to have a patch of them growing in our back yard when I was growing up. Every year I was allowed to pick them for a little birthday bouquet! Seeing them in my local supermarket brought back some very sweet memories... I may have to go and buy a little plant!
Posted by: The Bold Soul | 27 April 2007 at 20:03
That stinks!
There is nothing better than coming home after a fun, relaxing trip to your own bed and home. I hope you got a good nights rest anyway. ;) XXOO
Posted by: Tammy | 27 April 2007 at 17:51