Latest Posts
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becoming a nose…
Monday, we covered 5 new synthetic raw materials, quite normal, but one of them, isocyclocitral, was particularly intense. Almost everyone, including the teacher had a headache. Only the Japanese students and I were not effected until one day later, yesterday. In the afternoon, after the class with synthetics, I continued working, but with the naturals, all in 10% dilution in alcohol
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au Printemps
The last few days have felt like Summer here in the south of France. Today was upwards of 25 degrees C and this evening is lovely and balmy. Finally the palm trees that dot the region actually seem appropriate! It has been so cold until recently- still winter really; just like other parts of the Northern
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the birthday and the resurrection
I began my 38th year by dancing all night in a packed club in Monaco. Earlier in the week I had managed to find and book a room in a hotel in Beausoleil, which technically is in France although it is only 5 minutes walk up the hill from the huge ornate Casino in Monte
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this is my haven….
Here is a photo of my little home- tucked into the honey comb of the old city- on the third floor above the narrow little stone street. Sunday is the anniversary of my birth, 37 years ago, and two dear friends from school and I are going to Monaco to eat good food, and dance the
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fairy-tale evenings
A quick little hello to say that I am once again immersed in a busy week of school- the chemistry studies have begun and we are still managing to memorize more raw materials. We are now covering about 3 new ones per day bringing the total as of today to about 300. We are being tested
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how to contact Jessica!
Ok this is a test…..if there is anyone out there besides my Mom reading this blog- I invite you to stop being shy, get off your butts and get involved- write me a note, ask me a question, tell me what you’re up to. Let’s make this site a bit more interactive. And, just so
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doing laundry in the sub-Alps
Yesterday afternoon I made my first visit to a Laverie. So far, since I’ve been in France (74 days already!), I’ve done all my laundry by hand. Thankfully there was another customer there who showed me how the system works, otherwise I would have had to haul everything home again, defeated by the puzzle. The
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olfactory development
Here I sit eating the most robust salad imaginable. Today is Saturday and with the slow arrival of Spring, the market up in the Place Aux Aires is starting to look more like a market in the south of France should with a number of local small farmers displaying their beautiful produce. I brought home
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Fete des Violettes
Today is Sunday, and I am sitting at my new pine table that I set up this morning. It is lightly perfumed with the oil that I treated it with- organic local olive oil blended with high altitude lavender (also local and organic), thyme and Italian blood orange oil. I have papers spread out everywhere
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delivering to a medieval city
The complications of setting up in France, hopefully, as of this morning, are over! Two days ago, with the help of school-mates, we got the fridge home, barely, begrudgingly (sometimes people say yes and mean no). Then yesterday, the delivery company from Ikea called to ask if I had gone to the police to get the permit
A Perfumed Pilgrimage 