Sickness, Health and Peonies

Last week, all alone, I had finished my open-air market shopping and was on the way home when I remembered that one of the flower stands I'd passed by had had huge bouquets of what were vaunted as "slow-blooming peonies" for fairly cheap. I turned around and went and bought a bundle.

Today, Thierry came home from the hospital. For a little over two weeks, he's been in what the French call "respiratory isolation" because he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Darrell sent each of us youtube footage from a sexy Australian man who's been quarantined in his hospital room for something crazy like a hundred and sixty three days. The Australian dude has been making videos to pass the time, and they're sorta fun to watch. Thierry was only cooped up for two weeks. I guess you have to take what you can get, or count your blessings where they fall. But it sure was annoying for one of us always to have to wear a mask when we were together. No meals together, no cup of coffee together, and, of course, no bisous. I did however establish the tradition of the nightly illicit kiss on the forehead or in the neck. There are reasons for protocol and there are reasons for breaking it every once in a while.

When I came back home last night after another day of work and one last visit to the hospital, the slow-blooming peonies had popped open. It's nice to have Thierry and their blooms around.