j'ai le cafard

When the French are depressed, they don't say, "I have the blues." They say, "J'ai le cafard," which means "I have the cockroach." Strange, but true. Don't ask me to explain the origin of the term, because it's way too complicated.

As it happens, I do have the blues. As some of you know, I recently lost a sweet black cat to cancer. But spring is helping...

Cut-paper collage postcard. Blue face and hands from a painting by Sarah Joncas. Abandoned sofas and chairs from Bill Keaggy's book, 50 Sad Chairs. Ocean (next to face) by Edward Gorey.