The Sunday Salon: Off to Celebrate Our 45th Anniversary in a Cabin on the Gulf This Weekend

  

I've been enjoying my time in Paris this month. I've read four Paris in July books and I've watched two movies and I've made one batch of gougères and I've practiced my French (almost) every day on Duolingo. 

What have I read that I'd recommend? I actually finished The Count of Monte Cristo in June, but once I got to reading that book, I found I couldn't stop. Yes, it's long, but the story of the man's desire for revenge and how he goes about it is a story you should not miss. There are two storylines in An Astronomer in Love and the plot includes a telescope and pirates and longing for love and Paris, so you probably want to look for this one, too, if you are in the mood for something that manages to be both hopeful and truthful. I was surprised to discover how crazy I am about Down and Out in Paris and London. George Orwell goes to live among the destitute in those two big cities. I expected it to be bleak and sad, but instead, I was astonished to discover the fascinating characters he meets and to hear the great stories the people tell.

Movies? A big thumbs down to The Count of Monte Cristo movie (2002) we watched. I expected it to be condensed, and that always hurts, but changing the story completely, especially the ending? Not acceptable. The Maigret episode with Rowan Atkinson? Exceptionally good. I'm eager to watch the other three episodes that have been filmed and I hope the producers will get busy and make more.

I almost can't believe how well my gougères turned out. I recount the experience in my blog post here.

If you are doing French or Italian Duolingo, I'd love to befriend you on the app. Let me know your name there and I will look for you.

Last week, I posted:
Paris in July: Baking Gougères from the Classic French Pâte à Choux (The Cook's Atellier)
Eleven French Classics I Have Not Read Yet, But Hope to Read One Day

The Sunday Salon: 2,408 Pages

Good Thing #1

Good Thing #2

Good Thing #3

Yes, I'm enjoying Paris in July, but

today is our 45th wedding anniversary,

and we are celebrating by taking a weekend trip

to a cabin on the Gulf of Mexico.

I'm happy you joined us here at the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

• What was your week like?
• Read any good books? Tell us about them.
• What other bookish things did you do? 
• What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below.