retrouvailles
Monday, March 05, 2012
Hats off to readers! Each chapeau represents the original character of those who read this blog-newsletter. Which hat are you? (I think I'm that gray one, upper right. Although, lately, I appreciate the two-tone blue one--needed sun protection!!--over there on the upper left). In today's story--meet a few of these unique personnages... and enjoy the unlikely story of their "retrouvailles"!
Meet with Jean-Marc this month--in Brooklyn or Manhattan-- during his 2012 USA wine tour: click here to see all the cities Chief Grape will be visiting
retrouvailles nfpl
: reunion, reunification
la retrouvaille = finding again, meeting again, getting back together
Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc read the following sentence: Download MP3 or Wav file
Aujourd'hui, lisons "Les Retrouvailles" une belle histoire de deux amies d'enfance qui se retrouvent en ligne, sur ce blog.... Today, let's read "Les Retrouvailles"--a beautiful story about two childhood friends who reunite online, on this blog...
"LES RETROUVAILLES"
This is the story of Julianna Palazzolo and Sandy Zeoli, the two friends who reconnected through "French Word-A-Day"....
__________________________________
Time: mid to late 1950's
Place: Northern New Jersey, not far from New York City
Dramatis personae: Sandy Y and Julie P
Things to keep in mind: both girls had unusual last names
Julie and Sandy were friends and classmates at the Thomas A. Edison school. Both liked to write short stories. Julie's were much better (Sandy thought that then and still thinks it now). We went to each other's houses all the time, went to each other's birthday parties, and were good friends.
Julie (pictured, left) moved away to Michigan. She and Sandy lost contact, although Sandy thought about her on and off and wondered where she was. Occasionally if she were traveling, she would check phone books for Julie's last name. Sometimes there was a name that was close, but not the same. Or, right last name, but father's first name didn't match.
Sandy (pictured, right) grew up and continued living in the same town. Got married, had a child, divorced, remarried, but lived in the same town.
From Michigan, Julie moved throughout the country, married and divorced twice but never had children, settling finally in the American Southwest.
One day in the summer of 2010, Sandy went to the local library and found a book called Words in a French Life. Having studied French in high school and college, she picked up the book and loved it. She saw the author had an email newsletter and signed up for it in July 2010 (Sandy checked her email file, as she has saved all the emails Kristin has sent since she signed up for it). As a bonus, she also searched and found other Foreign Language "Word-A-Day" emails, as Sandy loves learning new languages. Hoping someday to go to Greece and read and understand a little, she has taught herself some Greek and now receives a Greek Word A Day email.
But, back to our story. In late 2011 Kristin Espinasse, the American woman who fell in love with French, France, and stayed there to marry a French man and raise her children there, and who writes of her life in the "French Word A Day" email decided to take up the challenge to self-publish another collection of her letters on life in France.
Book is published. Sandy buys a copy. Reads through the various stories and then glances at the "thank you's" at the beginning of the book. One name immediately jumps off the page. There can't be 2 people called Julie P. The last name is just too unusual.
So, Sandy writes to Kristin, tells her that she thinks it might be her long lost friend, specifically mentions her (Sandy's) maiden name, and other info only Julie would know and asks if Kristin could pass on the info to Julie. A day passes and an email comes from Julie P entitled "C'est moi!"
We are now catching up on our separate lives and maybe one day soon we will be able to get together in person and share some stories.
Our thanks to Kristin for being the matchmaker. And, in a very modest way, to the Internet, which allows old friends to connect once again, but without the shared interest in French, etc. and Kristin, in particular, would never have happened.
Comments Corner
I would love to read your reaction to this wonderful "retrouvaille"--or maybe you have a story to share? You can leave a note in the comments box.
A note about the previous two photos: I had some technical difficulties uploading these images, which were also a bit small. (By the way, that's Sandy, upper right, and Julie, right). Perhaps we'll have the lucky chance to update this post... when Sandy and Julie finally meet up again in person! Fingers crossed.
***
French Vocabulary
le chapeau = hat
le chapeau de soleil = sunhat
le personnage = character (in play)
les retrouvailles = reunion
"Les Retrouvailles" (homecoming). Click to enlarge this jubilant image! This photo is two years old. It was taken when Smokey returned, supercharged and satisfied, from "Camp Sully" in Vaison-La-Romaine. Witness here Smokey and Chief Grape... and their joyful reunion! Mille mercis to Mark and Ellen for taking such good care of Smokey and Braise!
Reader Grammar Tips (gleaned from the comments box!)
I was grateful to learn a helpful French pronunciation tip... after reading the recent reader comments (about, of all things, How Not To Do Laundry like the French). Thanks, Jim, for the educational pause... during the heated debate about whether to include socks with bras. (Come to think of it, while some of us don't wash socks with bras, we might have worn them together at one point... Sorry for getting off topic again!)
"French: An Open-Syllable Language"
Jim writes:
I'd like to comment on the pronunciation given for "bâcler." You wrote it as "bak-lay." Please forgive me for my narrow focus, but the correct form is "ba-klay." Unlike English, French is an open-syllable language, where a syllable ends in a vowel whenever possible. Most Americans fail to pronounce "he is" correctly in French. A native speaker always says "ee-lay" but most Anglophones say "eel-ay" which is incorrect. I know I sound like a cranky retired French prof, but I do think the basic linguistic distinction is important.
Thanks, Jim Herlan
A Message from Kristi: Ongoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.
Ways to contribute:
1.Zelle®, The best way to donate and there are no transaction fees. Zelle to [email protected]
2.Paypal or credit card
Or purchase my book for a friend and so help them discover this free weekly journal.
For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety
Dear Kristin,
Your last story took me back to a similar situation. Once upon a time, two little girls lived across the street from one another. They were inseparable. Then, they grew up a bit... and they moved on, they got married; had children, not knowing where each was (one in Canada, one in Florida) Their children grew up, somehow became friends at the age of 11 and reunited the two childhood chums by running into each other at a school meeting. We have never let go of each other since...thanks to our sons, who by the way, are the best of friends, too.
Posted by: Partager Paris | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 11:40 AM
It just goes to show that sometimes you have to go round the World to re-unite with someone who lives next door! (virtually speaking of course!). My feeling is that if you share the same sensibilies with someone, the World becomes a smaller place and you are more likely to bump into each other again along the way....when I lived in L.A., I often bumped into people just after thinking about them....worked better than an address book, but then we would be drawn to the same sort of places......
Posted by: angela | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Oh! I love, love, love reconnecting stories. They are so joyful and heartwarming. You must be thrilled to be a catalyst.
I am also the blue banded hat, then noticed there were 2 alike, perfect for my twin sister & I. There must be more in the shop for all others who need broad brims.
Jim, we love cranky retired French profs. They give such significant pronunciation tips. Merci beaucoup!
Posted by: Betty Gleason in Hobe Sound, FL 52° at 6:13 AM | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Today you can correct my grammar.
Posted by: Betty Gleason | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 12:16 PM
DEAREST KRISTI,
I am always amazed how closely our lives parallel thanks to my dear and best childhood friend Susan Dayton she was able to connect me with a link regarding our high school classes in the past week. My eyes are all blurry from reading about all of those wonderful years this past weekend..
Then to see you have a post that regarding the same connections always amazes me that we are so connected with similar experiences.
I LOVE YOU HONEY,
XOXO
MOM
Posted by: JULES GREER - PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 01:26 PM
Dear Kristin,
My daughter, Kate Heath, lives in Alexandria, VA, so I quickly sent her the info re: Jean-Marc's visit there. She is anxious to attend. When she was studying in Paris, she went to see you at the Shakespere & Co. bookstore. She said it was so crowded that she couldn't get upstairs, so she found Jean-Marc downstairs, serving wine. She spent time there, and he took my book for you to sign. I wish I could be there with her, but not this time. I am down in Norfolk, VA. Thought you would enjoy this bit of coincidence. I have requested a bottle or two of Chateau-neuf du Pape.
Amicalement, Annette Heath
Posted by: Annette Heath | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 02:22 PM
Hi Kristin,
I love that these two friends reconnected through your blog!
I think I am the two-toned blue hat!
Have a great day!
Posted by: Eileen deCamp, Charlottesville, VA | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 02:23 PM
What a delightful story! Congratulations and best wishes to Julie and Sandy. And Kristin, I'll bet you never thought you'd accomplish something like this when you started this thrice-weekly slice of French life.
As for me, I guess I'm the greyish-brown snap brim near the center of the picture, next to the pink beret — not too colorful, been around the block a few times and a little worse for wear, but still hanging in there.
Posted by: Bruce in northwest Connecticut | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 02:30 PM
Oh, I love this story! I hope to read a follow up in the months to come describing a tearful full of hugs reunion of these two childhood friends.
My story is of finding my baby brother who was adopted out due to a "Sophie's Choice" time in my mother's life. He was in his 30's when I found him, and I arranged a lovely reunion with our mom just two months before her passing.
Love and hugs,
Jeanne
PS I'm the orange cloche -- so chic! ;-)
Posted by: Jeanne in Oregon | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 02:51 PM
I never realized that there were other Word-a-Day emails, but when I went to look for one for Japanese (which I have been studying for a number of years), I couldn't find one as charming as yours. It's not just the words that we want to learn; we also want to learn about the life that goes along with it.
Posted by: JolleyG | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 03:00 PM
Oh, forgot to say, the only kind of hat I can wear is a beret.
Posted by: JolleyG | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 03:01 PM
I was strolling up my street in Collioure and heard a young woman speaking English. I stopped to speak with her and found she was from New Orleans but had bought a small fisherman's cottage with her husband on my street. I told her my name, and she said, in shock, "OH, Suzanne Dunaway, I worked with you on an ad campaign for Ruths Chris Steak House 15 years ago! You did all of the art!" We did the job by fax and email from L.A. to New York, and never knew one another, and now we are fast friends in Collioure and Ports Vendre, where she live in a month. Small world!!!
Posted by: Suzanne Dunaway | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 03:26 PM
Great story! Thank you, Kristin, for being willing to share stories about what is happening among your readers.
Blessings, Mary in New Mexico, USA
Posted by: mhwebb in NM, USA | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 03:34 PM
Les retrouvailles is a charming story. Several years ago, my husband and I (after 20 plus years of visiting France as tourists) spent two weeks at L'Institut de Français. There I had a classmate, a lovely young Japanese woman named Akiko, with whom I discussed food and exchanged recipes. She was then engaged to a young chef. Two years later I read a letter to the editor in Gourmet Magazine by someone named Akiko living in San Francisco, but with a different last name. Of course, I wondered, and hoped, that she might be "my" Akiko, now married; so I found two addresses in the phone book with that last name and wrote, asking those people to please forward my letter to Akiko if she was the same one. Alas, my story did not end as happily as Sandy and Julie's. I never received a response.
Thank you, Kristin, for your Word A Day posts. They are always helpful and enjoyable.
And thanks to Jim for his pronunciation tips.
Janice, Bethesda, MD.
Posted by: Janice Poland | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 03:53 PM
Great story, love it!
Now on to pronunciation: Jim, sorry, i've been trying it, but I can't make bak-lay and ba-klay sound different, or ee-lay/eel-ay unless I change the emphasis on the syllables. Unless I say it very slowly of course, but the French NEVER do that! Need some clarification here, merci.
Posted by: Lynn at Southern Fried French | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 04:03 PM
What a lovely story you've been a part of! I love how the internet has re-established 3 important connections for me, too. The best is that (a very long story, so no details!) the man I dated (and fell in love with) when I lived in Paris and I are finally reconnected! He is Lebanese and the war in the 70's caused us to lose contact. For a long time I thought he was dead. All these years later, we are able to meet for lunch or coffee when I'm back in Paris!
That looks like a cream and black straw hat on the middle rack, bottom right--that would be me!
Posted by: Cheryl in STL | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 04:17 PM
such a lovely post...reunions. They always take you back in time.
as to the hat.... today I am the black band wit h (looks like) straw hat. Second rack from left...on the bottom right. It looks good for a sunny day and light in hot weather :)
the Chief Grape and puppy reunion photo is adorable....everyone was happy.
Sadly, I will not be near any of the cities where your wine will be highlighted. :( I wish I were though.
Be well, and thank you for you:)
Posted by: Debra Saturday | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 04:23 PM
Reconnecting with old friends is the best!
I am the pink beret only because my favorite color is pink.
xoxo
Posted by: Karen from Phoenix | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 04:35 PM
I too loved this story! It made me wonder once again what ever happened to my dear little girlfriend Sally Ann Vaughn, who was my best friend so many years ago. Sally if you read this, Cest Moi! your faithful donkey, Merchandise--as you had named me way back when.
of course I was Joy Tynell then. Thanks Kristin, and I have marked my calendar for Chief Grape's visit to Portland!
Posted by: Joy Bryden | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 04:42 PM
The story of les retrouvailles made me wonder if my office was especially dusty this morning, as I got all misty-eyed.
On my first trip to France, I took along a chapeau, but left it on the plane. It was replaced (a new one shipped from the US at our request) and THAT one got left behind in Paris two years later. Fortunately, there was un retrouvailles with that chapeau when we had the hotel send someone to the restuarant at which it was left and ship it back to the US for us! C'est un Kangol Herringbone 504 et je l'aime!
Posted by: David Navarre | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:06 PM
Somewhere I read, "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." What a lovely story and such heartwarming thoughts that they have re-connected after all these years.
Posted by: Ardi | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:14 PM
Well, I would call this one "kismet." How lovely that Julie and Sandy have found each other once again. All due to Kristin and her wonderful blog, of course. Happy for the reunited friends and for the warm feeling this news must bring to Kristin as well.
Oh, almost forgot, the hat...I'm going for the straw with blue trim. Having just had some pre-cancerous thingies removed, I need to stay undercover.
Posted by: Luci | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:23 PM
Wonderful! See how important your job is? What a beautiful difference you make in the lives of all of us who visit you? Wow. Good you!
Posted by: Amy Kortuem - Mankato, Minnesota | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:28 PM
Loved the Sandy-&-Julie retrouvaille story. Sweet how many similar stories it has prompted. I haven't 'commented' before but have been a French Word a Day "hatibue'" for years and find every single one charming, if not inspiring. Thank you, Kristin. Wish Chief Grape were coming to San Francisco; tant pis. And what a wonderful pronunciation tip from Jim Herlan! We struggle to make ourselves understood, or at least not embarrass ourselves too much, in any foreign language. (It really does make sense, Lynn; keep trying.) Good one!
Posted by: Susan from Sonoma Valley | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:31 PM
Love the reunion story. I reunited with a high school friend at our 50th h.s reunion 2 years ago. She and her husband live in Australia and we visited her there. This fall we will all meet again in Paris for a month long vacation in France and Italy. Of course, we will visit Domaine Rouge-Bleu!
Edie in Brunswick, Maine
Posted by: Edie Kilgour | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:59 PM
I love your Mom and was so tickled to catch up with her. I hunted down your Aunt Rita,we caught up for hours. The lord blessed me then because, the very next day I received an email from your mom.She found me. It is a small world of miracles, here on the net.
Posted by: Suzi Hodgson, Lima Mt | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 05:59 PM
Love the friends story, and all that people have shared in their comments here. I think there are many of us with childhood friend's we'd like to meet up with again. I'll live vicariously as I don't think I'll ever connect with mine. By the way, I'm the straw hat with the black edge and band, for sure.
Posted by: Mim (Richmond, VA) | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:16 PM
What a sweet "retrouvailles" story! And how nice that it occurred through you, Kristin.
I'm the light, broad-brimmed hat at the bottom of the second row from the right. A very wise woman in a hatshop some years ago told me that women with big heads (c'est moi) need big hats. I finally understood why I never looked good in those cute little numbers my friends could wear!
Posted by: Christine | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:33 PM
I loved the reunion story. It's amazing how time and distance doesn't change love of any kind. My chapeau: left hat rack, second to the left of the wide blue trimmed hat, barely visible and in the shadow. The part that I can see of it looks like it's a real character - wide brimmed and well used.
AND JIM....thanks for the guidance on the open-syllable language reference
I'm studying French on my own and could use any suggestions and help.
Merci.
Posted by: Sharon - Montague, Michigan | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:41 PM
Two years ago a sorority reunion from my university brought me back into contact with 5 wonderful women who I hadn't seen for about 43 years! We now meet every couple of months and call ourselves the "Sunday Sisters". We weren't all that active in the sorority but it filled a void at the time and brought us some wonderful times and now memories. We communicated almost daily and it has been a wonderful "Retrouvaille." I love your story of reuniting these two old friends! Love any/all pics of Smokey & Braise & you and Jean-Marc! My hat is the bluish-grey fedora - or, I really do need a new black beret!
Posted by: Judi Boeye Miller, Lake Balboa, CA | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:44 PM
That's my girl!
Posted by: Dad in Indian Wells, CA | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:44 PM
Retrouvailles! A wonderful word and it is so nice when we experience surprise reunions. This happened to me several years ago when my childhood friend, Debbie, found me through the internet. She still lives in California and I am in New Jersey. We started writing, had long telephone conversations, and like Julie and Sandy talked about seeing each other. Not long after that, Debbie and her second husband (I was in her first wedding) came East to see the autumn colors in New England. They ended their trip staying with me and we had a wonderful time catching up, telling stories, exchanging photos. We still are in touch. I hope Sandy and Julie can do the same.
Posted by: Suzanne, Monroe Twp., NJ | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:47 PM
Kristin & Jim - Thank you, THANK YOU!!! What an epiphany I had reading Jim's comments. I have been a student of the French language for many years and noticed the last time I did an audio course that the French kind of "ran their words together" whereas an American trying to speak French finishes one word before starting the next. Once you get the "ear" for it, it is a huge difference. NOW, I understand the real reason is the open-syllable! I am brushing up on my French again for an upcoming trip. Maybe this time, I will actually sound more French!
Posted by: Jacki | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:57 PM
Love the story, love the Internet and love your blog!
Posted by: Jeanne of Maumee, OH | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 06:57 PM
Allo, Kristin!
Loved the story about la retrouvaille - it is a small world, and your blog is helping to make it smaller! Regarding les chapeaux ... the one in TANGERINE orange is my favorite. Haven't you heard? This year, "tangerine is the new black"?
Posted by: Gabrielle Tsabag | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 07:20 PM
This is such a lovely story Krisitn, thanks for making it one of your posts.
Chris
Posted by: Christine Dashper | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 08:01 PM
Thank you for including the wonderful reunion story. Friends, old and new, are such a lovely gift.
Regarding the hats... I find myself drawn to the yellow cloche in the middle and on another day, the soft grey fedora in the upper right corner would be perfect.
I am practicing saying "ee-lay."
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Johnson | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 08:13 PM
Love the story . I too just found an old friend after 65 yrs!! (through the internet) We started school together and became best friends in Montreal Canada. After my family moved to the other side of Canada (when I was 7)we continued to write letters for 10 yrs and then lost touch. She travelled a lot before returning to Canada and I wound up in New Zealand, but thanks to the internet we are re connected again. I am the white cap..the bottom left.
Posted by: Anne | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 08:40 PM
Quelled heureuses retrouvailles pour Sandy et Julianna! Recently, I have helped reunite an exchange student from VietNam with his long lost US host family. Due to the war in VN, they lost contact of each other. I searched the US family's name online and went through several frustrating steps before I could find the correct family. They were separated after...almost fifty years, 48 years to be exact. Needless to say, they were so happy de se retrouver. I was equally elated to be part of their reunion.
J'adore le chapeau noir aux petits pois blancs. Sais pas pourquoi j'aime bien les vêtements et toute chose avec rayures et petits pois.
Posted by: Millie | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 08:40 PM
What a lovely story. I was very moved by it. I too have found people long lost (over 20 years had past) and many others have found me. But, it all took place on Facebook of all places. :) So, I have to say a huge Thank You! to the Internet for bringing so many people back together.
About the hats: I'm always in a baseball hat. I love to get a new hat from where I go on vacations. My "souvenir" that I actually will use. :) My last hat was from Oregon.
Posted by: Lisa A.,Los Angeles, CA | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 08:49 PM
Lynn, to hear the sound, it may help to do as my excellent professeur m'a dirigé il y a longtemps. Répétez, mademoiselle, dix-sept fois ! When I foundered, she said it again, and was counting ! At the end of dix-sept fois, I pronounced 'malheureux' comme une française.
Like you, I could not hear the difference at the start. Repetition transformed me, like magic. Perhaps not magic, but faith in my teacher and my vocal equipment learning how to avoid an h even when it is in the spelling.
One question to Kristin-- it is "deux amies d'enfance " not enface -- right?
It is delightful when friends meet after a long time, and in a common interest.
deux amies -- another example of la liaison, with an open vowel syllable?
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah LaBelle near Chicago | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 09:12 PM
I so enjoyed this sweet story of re-connection! My favorite use of the internet is connecting with friends, old and new. How delightful that I can sit in my office on a farm in Applegate and be abreast to Kristi’s life on the vineyard in Provence.
I would love the gray straw hat, upper right!
Posted by: Stacy ~ Sweet Life Farm ~ Applegate, Oregon | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 09:29 PM
Our dear Kristin,
Another wonderful story to bring smiles to our day!So enjoyed this!My oldest friend,Sally ,(from our ages of 5!) and I reconnected after 10 years,and it makes me even more aware of how life can be fleeting and special friends, and special moments are to be cherished.
As are you and your writing!
Each post is a gift! THANK YOU!!
Blessings always to you and your dear family
XO
Posted by: Natalia | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 10:01 PM
I was typing in a hurry, during break, this morning, at school and after clicking POST, oops, quelle horreur, j'ai fait une faute de frappe. Mais je n'avais plus de temps pour refaire. C'est "quelles heureuses retrouvailles pour Sandy et Julie."(Quelles, avec un S et pas un D). C'est ainsi quand on fait quelquechose à la hâte. Psst! Toi aussi, tu es ...comme moi, 2 typo mistakes dans ta phrase. C'est "deux amies d'enfaNce, qui se retrouvent en liGne...
Posted by: Millie | Monday, March 05, 2012 at 11:55 PM
A big thank you to Jim Herlan for his explanation of the French "open syllable". It was SO OBVIOUS when he spelled it out but I never would have realized it on my own! It's just those kinds of small but important details that make all the difference in fluency. Thanks Jim!!
Linda NYC
Posted by: Linda Patton | Tuesday, March 06, 2012 at 01:33 AM
Bonjour from another reader who has never before posted. Forty plus years ago when I was at the U. of Strasbourg, the French students and the American ones taught each other many folk songs. That's where I met the word retrouvaille. In this song, it's sweethearts who part. He goes off to war, and they each marry someone else. The part I recall:
Je n'ai pas écrit ces vingt années,
et toi aussi, t’est mariée
T’as trois enfants pour faire manger,
Moi j’ai cinq si ca peut te consoler;
Buvons encore une dernière fois
À l’amitié, l’amour, la joie
On a feté nos retrouvaille
Ca me fait de la peine, mais il faut que je m’en aille.
And it was a great lesson in the "il faut que" construction!
Mara in Wisconsin
Posted by: Mara | Tuesday, March 06, 2012 at 04:45 AM
Lynn, Like you, I did not get it the first time around. After repeating Jim's examples (à la Sarahs tip!) it became clear. (To think of the many corrections that I will now need to make in this blog... but it is worth Jim golden pronunciation tip!)
Sarah and Millie, thank you for the corrections. All in now!
And thanks, all of you, for these wonderful stories of reconnecting with friends!
P.S.: I found a cool site that gives many bilingual example sentences for any French word that you type into the program. Check out this one for retrouvailles:
http://www.linguee.fr/francais-anglais/search?source=autoquery=retrouvailles
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Tuesday, March 06, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Wow! What a wonderful experience. I know you must be very happy to be a part of this heart-warming story. They will remember you for a long time. This seems like a story that should be a news item for newspaper and television. I know I would prefer it to the news that I see most of the time.
Posted by: Debbie Ambrous | Wednesday, March 07, 2012 at 01:21 AM
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for sharing such a sweet reunion story. How lovely for long lost friends to find each other and connect.
Love the picture of Jean Marc-I remember it when you first posted it. Soooo cute!
I am a hat lover! I would definitely wear the large blue rimmed ones on the left and in the center to protect from the sun and look glam. My absolute favorite kind of hat is a cloche-love that chic look from the 20's and 30's. Speaking of hats, do any of your readers remember a hat company called "Petite Mode" that was in Boston from maybe the 40's until the 60's? It was my Italian family's company and I'm trying to find out more about it. Let me know if you have any info. Thanks!
Posted by: Carolyn Dahm, Sharon, MA | Thursday, March 08, 2012 at 12:00 AM
a perfectly wonderful ending!
Posted by: Linda R. | Friday, March 09, 2012 at 03:17 AM