FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

PS thought Smokey might be interested in my Molly's blog......www.barkinprovence.blogspot.com
its all about the life and times of a scotty dog living in Provence!

Du livre, "Ourika," Je vis qu'en effect je n'avais point connu mes devoirs: Dieu en a prescrit aux personnes isolées comme à celles qui tiennent au mode; s'il les a privées des liens du sang, il leur a donné l'humanité tout entière pour famille. La soeur de la charité, me disais-je, n'est point seule dans la vie, quoiqu'elle ait renouncé à tout; elle s'est créé une famille de choix, elle est la mère de tous les orphelins, la fille de tous les pauvres vielillards, la soeur de tous les malheureux.

Interesting about Josephine Baker. I seem to recall reading somewhere that she preferred living in France because there was little or no racial discrimination there.

Have you noticed that the French are not as preoccupied with "celebrity" as Americans? Indeed, the first time I heard "celebrity" used as a noun for a well-known person, it sounded really strange.

Thanks for the Tarte a la Tomate recipe. I'll try it. I plan to include some crushed, diced olives, but at some point, if you can post a recipe for Tapenade, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you for this beautiful post about "your Josey." It seems that she must have loved you deeply to have entrusted you with her memories of a dear friend. Braise and Sam seem to be very much the happy couple-although Braise is more of a "ham"--love the hat. Happy New Year.

Hi Eileen, Actually I think I was the one who first met Josey. I was living with Kristi & Jean-Marc in St. Maximin for a few months in the summer of 1997. This was when I was going through a very difficult time and unfortunately I was a little over the top with my drinking. (I VERY SELDOM DRINK ALCOHOL OR WINE ANYMORE - I finally got away from tiquilla (sp?) and martini's two years after I moved to Yelapa, Mexico.

I would wake up really early (5:00 a.m.) and it was easy to vacate Kristi's house because I lived in a seperate guest quarter across the courtyard. The little guestroom had a big sliding glass door that looked out into a park in the village. Naturally I would pull on my cowboy boots and English riding pants (at that time I had
a horse and had been jumping my horses for years). Just before the sun came up I felt the most alive - didn't like to miss a sunrise. I would wander down to the mainstreet of this wonderful little village and join all of the farmers in the cafe's that were setting up their stalls for their famous market days. As soon as their booths were organized they would retire to the cafe's to warm up on Pastis. Being a rebellious lady that lived in a cabin in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona I would clink my glass of tiquilla to their pastis. I had never really lived in a small community before so I had yet to experience
the true meaning of "It takes a village".

The entire village straighted me out in those few months, and Josey was one of my first friends. She gently informed me that the French way was to wait til lunch and then enjoy a couple of glasses of local wine in the cafe's.

John-Marc used to complain that his Mother-in-Law was running for Mayor. The stories I have - priceless.

I hope to somehow, someday, figure out how to use spellcheck on this #@$%! computer...maybe Kristi can show me soon.

XOXO

JULES

Kristen, What a wonderful anecdote today and what marvelous memories Josephine clearly has. I bet you miss her little pizzas, I get biscuits off my neighbour but pizza only for dinatoire. It's a pity your friend moved away.
I hope you find the photograph although some souvenirs see determined to hide themselves away until 'they decide' it's time to be found. I saw Josephine Baker on stage at the Moulin Rouge or the Follies Bergere in the early 1960s and still have the program somewhere in my house, but like your photograph it's determined not to be found. Looking at today's prices I'm amazed that I could afford to go, they must have increased by more than inflation.
Mike.

Hi Kristen: I loved your story about your frienship with Josey and her friendship with the famous Josephine. Every now and then you will read a sentence that gives you chills because it is so deliciously descriptive and right on target. Your sentence about a fragile bird leaving leopard footprints was just one of those chill giving, perfect sentences. I just lost a dear friend that was elderly in body, but young in spirit. Another perfect line in a recently read novel was that we can be "related by affection" and that must be what you felt for Josey. Thanks so much for the story. Cathleen

Some years back, friends came to visit me in New York City and took me out to a French restaurant on theatre row. The owner spent the evening working the dining room, and he chatted with us for 10 or 15 minutes. He made several references to "my mother," and my friends nodded as if they knew who he was talking about.

After he'd moved on, I told my friends I hadn't realized they knew the owner. They said they didn't. "Then why was he telling you about his mother?" I asked.

One of my friends picked up a menu and showed me the cover again. It had a drawing of a slim, black woman, and the name of the restaurant: Chez Josephine. Turns out the owner (who is white, which may be why I didn't make the connection right away) is one of the many children of all races and ethnicities whom Josephine Baker adopted. I'm told he wrote a fairly thorough biography of her as well.

Not enough people take the time to sit and listen to our older folk; such stories they have to share if we only would wait a moment while they collect their thoughts.

Thank you for sharing your moments with Josie, Kristen. May we all find it in our hearts to embrace those older than we for, one day, we shall become them.

Enchanting, Kristi! As your story warms me, little snow flurries drift through the air and my Mom is en route home to Seattle, I raise my mug to you and all the people who enrich our lives and touch our hearts so dearly. Many of which are part of the FWAD family. What a wonderful world….

I would sure like to see that photo of Josie and Josephine. I'm a fan of you all.

Kristen, today I enjoyed reading the comments almost as much as your story of Josey. Your readers really express what they receive from your writings.I have reread the story of Josey several times now.Each time I feel a little more insight to her. Love it when Jules chimes in. I agree with Herm in Phoenix. I would read
Jules for sure.
Happy New Year to All !

Loved the story--proofed as well --it's a show stopper. You will make Wed.--keep asking for help. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I would put a comma after pizzas to separate the two complete phrases:
The last time Josephine showed up at my door with one of her trademark mini pizzas[,] she was carrying a black-and-white photograph.

This is what happens when you retire and don't get up at 4:30am anymore: you can only comment on the other comments! I agree with the suggested changes by Sandra and Marcia. You leave us hanging, however, wondering whatever happened to Josey and where she went to live.

What an amazing and beautiful story! I hope you print the photo in your book.

LOL! Jules, the problem is that I have/had been getting up at 4:30am for so long that I'm having trouble getting my body to "sleep in".

I love the last line, but get lost in it. Perhaps a comma after "seemed" and just "leopard print tracks" without the hyphen.

Inspired by your lovely story,I just had to play a Josephine Baker song to write to: "C'est Si Facile de Vous Aimer." It is so easy to love your stories--merci beaucoup!

Now the picky part of my comment: Unlike a few other readers, I wasn't sure whether you did finally accept Josey's gift. For clarity, the beginning of the penultimate paragraph could be "she" or "Josey"

Hey, Kristin –

The colon after “viande” doesn’t really make sense; a comma would work just fine.

Consider a comma after “buckled shoes.”

The apostrophe in “50’s” is completely optional — it’s correct with or without it — but I seem to remember in one of the earlier pieces you had a number followed by “s” without an apostrophe. How concerned are you about consistency?

Technically, you need a comma after “épicerie,” because what follows “and” is an independent clause. That said, I think the sentence flows better as is.

You need another “I” between “mostly” and “Josey.”

Do you know that’s how your Josephine spelled “Josey”? Because I’m much more used to seeing “Josie.”

“black and white” is a compound adjective that modifies “photograph,” so you’re right, it needs the hyphens.

The double-hyphen after “Josephine Baker” should be an em dash.

“Just when you meet someone” is the start of a new sentence, so it should be “…bitterly. Just when…”

Two more double-hyphens that should be em dashes.

“…the kind that makes a little…” should be “…the kind who makes a little…”

You don’t need the comma between “she said” and “in her soft voice.”

Two more double-hyphens that should be em dashes.

Another one of my favorites, this is. I just reread it aloud to my wife.

Please tell me you still have the photo. I’m not sure if it would be appropriate in the book (it might; I just don’t know), but I sure would love to see it.

Wow, I'm so impressed with all of you wordsmiths (is that one word?). And that is a really lovely story Kristi!

I wondered if it should be "me in" instead of "I in my"??
Not sure but sounds better to my ears
Jeanine