Snow (on)boarding

It has been snowing the entire day. This morning I was skyping with Singapore and I showed Jules and Lea the snow falling slowly… So, yes, I remember, it was snowing this morning and the snow was already covering the fields and houses around.

I went safely to work, the roads were quite ok, not very slipery. But tonight! Ohhhh! I was wondering why the lab was empty at 5 when I came back from my meeting… Everybody flew home before the night!

Too late for me to be home safely early, but I decided to go slowly before my usual hour, and maybe pass to buy some groceries before driving home.

It was so beautiful outside that I didn’t resist but took few pictures! Soon my hands were a bit cold. So when I reached the car and had to wipe the snow on it, my hands were already pretty frozen! Anyways, I had to wipe the entire car, its windows and the top, and the lights, and the windows again, and scratch a bit, before I could drive anywhere. It took me around 20min to remove the snow on it and decided it would be safe enough to go.

Well, no groceries tonight, I was really too ambitious!

It took me about 45 min to reach home instead of 20 min but I was fortunate enough to follow a snow plow for a while, so the ride was rather safe. I made a nice soup with sweet potatoes, potatoes, celery, zucchinis, tomatoes, spinach, onions, garlic, Provence herbs, salt and pepper, then I cooked the fresh mushrooms with garlic and salt and pepper in a pan, and pour a nice glas of red wine. Yes! Home! That was my real winter onboarding!

  • The parking lot
  • 5:30 pm – going out of my work

Bon Anniversaire!*

Tomorrow, heumm, today in Singapore, is a very special day: the birthday of Lea!

Bon anniversaire Lea!

I just talked to her together with Jules and Fidel as they were preparing to go to school. 11 years old, and her life ahead! Did I mention already that I have the most beautiful children in the world? No wonder, because their father is also an extraordinary person! It is not a secret if I tell you that I miss them all… Oh! I think I am going to retreat for some time… I’ll write tomorrow my thoughts and dreams. Good night.

*”Happy birthday” in french

Tropical

It was +6°C yesterday morning! When I went outside I thought I would almost go for a swim!!

The snow melted during the night, and although the sky was heavy and foggy, blue sky appeared and I thought I could go for a long run. I also decided recently that I should really try to run whenever it is possible instead of making a pre-programmed schedule. The weather is harsh and quite unpredictable. I listen to the radio and look at the temperatures but still, the day sometimes gives surprises.

I needed also to investigate the surrounding, because I am still lost and don’t know very much where to go around in my new place. So I went towards the sea-side. And again, it was so nice: stairway to heaven, frozen waterfalls, red carpet, I got everything! It was so warm that I even removed my second pair of gloves! So I run, walked, took pictures, and shouted (don’t think I am crazy, but I shout more and more to myself – but I realized that I was not alone for so long since more than 20 years! – no wonder!): “OMG! C’est si beau!!”*

The only thing that bothered me was that the sun finally decided to stay hidden…. so the pictures are not with the best light…

*”OMG! C’est si beau” is a mix of langage that may be translated by “Oh My God! It is so beautiful!”.

Bright nights

I was in bed. But of course, I had again thousand of thoughts and finally stood up to write my ideas, or 1 or 2 things that I should not forget tomorrow. I went to the living room: it was very bright!

It is the third one, maybe the third cycle?, that I realize how bright the nights could be. Full moon, so clear! I really can appreciate the weight of pure sky, as well as the dusty and dirtiness of the light pollution in big cities. If it wouldn’t be so cold outside…

Good night!

from the living room, through the window.

Asian craving

I run and walk quite long in the morning. And before beginning my shopping quest of bins and ladder and other housewares, I decided that I will do my first “restaurant”… why not testing the Asian restaurant? It had good reviews, a huge menu – as usual for an Asian restaurant I guess – , so I decided to try the “must-be-good” as test: Tom Yum soup and mango salad!!

There was a lot of people, families, couples, young people, it looked like a popular restaurant. Well, when the food came the plates ere nicely presented. But the taste…

Different…

It is like the cook came from another Asia. As if he came from another planet actually. An Asian fusion with I don’t know which influence.

The mango salad was “mayonnaisy” and sweet. The mango was shredded so small that it made a kind of a puree in my mouth. No trace of peanuts, lemon, coriander or fresh chili…. sad. Not very good.

The Tom Yum soup didn’t have the typical Tom Yum taste neither. It was not bad, but just not the Tom Yum soup taste. Disappointing. No lemongrass, no eggplants, no fresh red or green chili, very few coconut milk taste, no kaffir lime leaves, no galangal or ginger to replace, and way too much Western veggies: broccoli, green beans, even pineapple, mushroom as it should be (but not enoki). There was fortunately the fish and shrimps as in the normal recipe of “seafood Tom Yum soup”.

The most disappointing was that I was hungry, and usually if you are hungry the food taste ALWAYS good!! So was it sooo bad??

Next time I’ll ask about the background of the cook… or I’ll try directly the Chinese style, maybe I’ll be luckier? (stay positive!!)

An earnest day

It’s been a busy week. Lots of reports, summaries and data to analyse, but also lots of meetings, because people come back from the holidays, which holiday season lasted in fact more or less since Thanksgiving! But today was a bit special. I didn’t expect this day to be so special but it was very touching.

I had to give a presentation of my team and our services. It was the first time I presented my work since I arrived so I had to gather some slides about the center, rewamp some others and add on my personal touch. Quite a lot of work to do as compared to the last presentations I gave these years.

But the most curious is that I didn’t give a presentation at a conference. I did present our facility to 4 people: 3 persons from my workplace, with whom I collaborate often, and one customer. A special customer. A father of a little girl diagnosed with a rare genetic disease.

This client is CEO of a company, and I don’t know the details but I believe he is investing his savings in research as he wants to successfully develop a gene therapy for his daughter.

I really didn’t imagine I would interact so closely with someone like him. I met already people who have such serious family history, in particular members of Foundations, who are usually concerned by the disease that the Foundation supports. But I never discussed so deeply specific scientific projects with somebody like him; somebody who is trying to create an animal that will mimic his daughter’s symptoms in order to understand better the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms and eventually investigate the outcomes of therapeutic strategies. When we talked about human symptoms he could give details of situations that are not described in books or publications. It was more than real.

The second thing that struck me was the high level of expertise of this person, who, according to my knowledge, was not a scientist at all. I was (once more) astounded by our capacity to learn whenever we think it makes sense, whenever it is needed. This person was talking like a Professor, his knowledge was from scientific publications, not from Foundations newsletters. He was listening to us, trusting us but at the same time asking tons of challenging questions and providing additional comments for us to reflect on it and improve our service even better. Our discussion was very fruitful and led to big improvement in the development of the project.

Maybe I made it up about his background level, maybe it is not so extraordinary, maybe he is desperate, maybe this is not the drama movie with a happy end. But this was still a big lesson to me: never let go, instruct and educate yourself, find strength in serious problems, and play down other situations. And even if that sounds a little bit familiar, it is not too much to get some pinches of reminders sometimes, just to feel that again, take some distance, and remember that we should live our live the best we can, with what we go through…. This may be one of the most rewarding days I had at work, one of these days I’ll remember, one of these days when you think you may be participating to make a little but significant difference in this world.

On the road

There is not much happening these days. It was snowing, my work gets very busy, I arrive at home making list for the next shopping or trying to recall the passwords that would help me change my address or pay my yearly membership to scientific societies… in other words I am not very much inspired to tell stories today!

But I have this 21 min on the road which gives me a bit of time to listen to the radio. I discovered Maine Public Radio. It is rather democrate, with a friendly and relax tone, and interesting programs. Not bad at all!

There is a broadcast for classical music which I like very much. Last week I was listening in the morning to a wonderful Serenade for flute and piano from L. van Beethoven (opus 25 and 8). It gave me my energy for the day! And there is always a little story on the piece: when or how this piece has been composed, or the first time it has been revealed…it puts you really into the context and you let it go…

The other station is a “talk” station. In the morning I can listen to the News (every hour I guess); they broadcast the BBC World Service and this is followed by the national and state News. But I also listened already to other interesting programs. “Fresh Air” is scheduled in the evening when I drive back home, and where Terry Gross is presenting a guest. Yesterday it was about a book from Peggy Orenstein: “Boys & Sex: Young Men On Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, And Navigating The New Masculinity.” I couldn’t help but think about my son and how he will aprehend this new phase of his life as a teenager. Pretty scary to think about all the images, videos, programs our kids have access these days with internet, and the question on how they will be able to develop themselves.

The same host, Terry Gross, was talking today in her “Fresh Air” program about Andrea Bernstein’s book on the history of the Trump family (migrating from Germany, their jobs, and how they begun to be close to politicians and why…). That’s a good program for my initiation to American way of living!

Colorful

I got internet this weekend. So I can write here again.

I settled a bit more in my new home; enjoyed a couple of sunrises and sunsets; went for two runs in the surrounding in one and the other direction; but mostly moved all the boxes, suitcases, bike and clothes from one house to the other, clean and de-pack slowly…

I am still sleeping in a twin bed on the floor, but I finally found my bed sheet and the duvet and put aside the sleeping bag! I also found a nice table and 4 chairs in the local second hand exchange community, so I can sit sometimes on a chair, not only on the floor!

My next hunt will be few more kitchenware: a coffee machine, because I was borrowing the one from the old house and forgot to purchase a new one, a drainer, few pans, a ladder, and cleaning stuff to wipe the floor. That would be it, until I can find somebody who wants to sell a nice lamp, cabinet or shelves…

Actually I meant to go shopping yesterday, Sunday. But it snowed during the night, for real this time! Gorgous!! So I enjoyed the view, went carefully outside to hear the crunch of the snow under my shoes and feel the hardness of the ice that formed underneath…. It was great! – But I didn’t want to risk, I didn’t want to drive so I stayed around…. it was cold, but a nice feeling!

Strangely I had the impression that I had switched to a black and white world! Fortunately the sky was there to remind me of the blue, an apple tree showed me the dark red of its fruits, and a magic mail box of the Parady house splashed its colorful painted flowers. I was saved!

Today my hands quite hurt by the cold, I’ll put more magic cream tonight before sleeping!

7am Sunday morning, from the balcony
Echo lake, Ikes point, 11:30 am
On the way. A house named PARADY.
The “PARADY” house and its colorful mail box.

Flexitarianism

I learned a new word today: flexitarianism : the diet of people who try to eat less meat. To my understanding, but I didn’t read yet extensively on the subject, it is a plant based diet, with sometimes a bit of fish and meat, eggs and dairy products. That sounds a bit like my usual diet actually. At least the one I had these last months, which include Thanksgiving – Christmas – New Year …

I didn’t buy any meat, fish, eggs, or dairy (apart from cheese) since end of October… But I have enjoyed meat, fish and other non-vegan things during holidays, in restaurant, family and friends houses… I hate to impose myself (and my diet restrictions) when I am invited. I also would like to keep enjoying eating special dishes, tasting things that you usually don’t cook at home…

But that’s it, finished the holidays! So I came back to my “almost vegan”diet, i.e. “cheesy vegan” one. And here are the few dishes I’ve make so far for the week:

– braised fennel, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with garlic, white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper (excellent – I should make more next time!);

– spiced oven-roasted butternut squash (peeled and cut in dice), carrots (sliced), and sweet potatoes (sliced as well), roasted in the over after being glazed with a mix of olive oil, ground cumin, pepper, chili, and salt;

– spaghetti, boiled, then cooked with veggies in a wok; and later cooked with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, and a bunch of fresh basilicum which has survived surprinsingly the Christmas holidays;

– homemade pizza, with tomato paste, red capsicum, fresh tomato slices, brocoli flowers, onions, old cheddar cheese and a bit of blue cheese – hence flexiblabla – salt, pepper, herbs;

– bruxelles sprouts, cooked with onions, garlic and salt and pepper;

– I got some fresh green salad, celery and red and yellow capsicum to built the lunch salad bowl.

Bon appétit!