La vie quotidienne

Everyday life is the subject matter for my photos. Where the ordinary meets with the unexpected to produce humour, beauty, irony... Pictured left is Victor, Vicky and Pascal's eldest son (who speaks with my accent in English better than I do).

I went shopping with Vicky. Ordinary, everyday grocery shopping for her. Vernissage shopping for me. And then I realised I did not have any bags to carry the 6 bottles of wine, 4 bottles of water (I am guessing what people will be drinking!!!) and foil piles of yet more salty snacks that I had just purchased. "Pas de problème", said Vicky. "Tu prends le chariot!" And so for four blocks I pushed the shopping cart along the sloping sidewalks, in the rain, partially covered by a small black umbrella.

Ile St Louis is a special place and is home to a gallerist - Jaqueline Lemoine. I called in on the off-chance she might be willing to display a poster for me. The question formed and reformed in my mind; I asked if she could offer suggestions as to where I might display posters to encourage a decent audience to attend. She shook her head gently and remarked I should try the local cafés and restaurants in the Montparnasse area. The message was clear - "not here honey". I kept my posters rolled and hidden in my bag and headed out of the gallery for a mouth-cleansing ice-cream (rose-flavoured raspberry) followed by a visit to friends on Boulevard St Germain.

I arrived some time around 3pm as Margaretha was cooking blinis and smoked salmon for brunch. Preparing to leave to meet Tom (the director) for dinner Margaretha asked what I was going to wear. I looked myself up and down - summer skirt, light weight grey top, summer ankle boots - and replied "ce que je porte maintenant". Cries of outrage ensued. I was to call Tom, invent an excuse for being late, go back home, change into high heels and get it right. With honorary Parisienne status I must not let the side down! I acquiesced. In the RER my excuse arrived serendipitously - a fault on the line meant the trains were not running. I phoned Tom to discover he had got embroiled in other activities and would love to delay our dinner date for half an hour. I ran home, changed into a dress and high heels and flew up to rue de l'Université to meet the man who has paid me the biggest compliment in choosing to feature my photographs in his film.