les hauts et les bas
avoir tort

mieux vaut tard que jamais + audio story in French!

Melange to file 048
"Vignettes from the Var"? Such a book title might not win any awards, but it would clearly suggest the books content! All of the stories in this next collection are from 2006, when we lived in the Varois village of Les Arcs-sur-Argens (pictured).

mieux vaut tard que jamais (myeuh-voh-tarh-keuh-zha-may)

    : better late than never

Note: though I do not have a sound file of today's expression... I do finally have the recording you asked for for Jean-Marc's story. Click here for that text and for the story's recording.


A Day in a French Life... by Kristin Espinasse

The last time I was on Facebook I saw one of those bits of wisdom that friends post from time to time. This one read:

A year from now you will wish you had started today...

Regarding the current book project, I told myself last Friday "in one week, you will be a quarter of the way through..."

It is one week later now (oh, the ups and downs in between!) but I am one-quarter through!--thanks to the diligent "red penners" (as reader Linda Casey calls the voluntary editors). 

Moving right along... here are the next two chapters to proofread:

 Briller - her patent leather shoes tell a tale. Begin proofreading here.

Libellule = one abominable guest. Begin proofreading here.


Meantime, wishing everyone a relaxing weekend!

Amicalement,

Kristin
.
Comments Corner
To comment on something in this edition (a word, a picture, a statement) click here

 

  DSC_0002

Look who snuck upstairs... and into this office! Guilt is written all over your furry face, Little Mister Smokey!

DSC_0008
Gus Elison brought his key—and very special guest!—to yesterday's wine-tasting: 91-year-old Jeanne (a.k.a. "Charlotte"). Jeanne moved to the States in 1946. Though she visited France over the years, she only moved back recently, to be near her son.

We could have listened to Jeanne (and her lovely French accent) all day long! My favorite story was about Jeanne's mother, who spent the last 19 years of her life with Jeanne in the US. Jeanne shared about her mom's adventuresome spirit. During a cross-country road trip, in which wizened mother and daughter discovered the States, Jeanne explained, "Mom never needed to stop to eat or to go to the bathroom! She just wanted to get back into the car and take off!"

Jeanne's mom, who lived her life in France (minus the last nineteen years in the States, with Jeanne), answered her daughter's telephone with a polite, but question-stopping greeting: "I do not speak English," she said non-comitally.

Jeanne's mom wanted to join the French army... but just shy of 1 meter 50, she was not tall enough. In the picture, above, you can just spy Jeanne's lovely turquoise blue, brocaded jacket. Don't let her elegance intimidate you--she has a sense of humor that could relax a panel of politicians (which, by the way, is as much as I know to say about the current elections. I VOTE JEANNE!!!) Jeanne, come back and visit sometime!

And to anyone reading...the next wine-tastings are:

May 1st and 8th at 4pm. Let me know if you can make it and I'll reserve your seat under the Mulberry tree... unless it rains, and then we'd meet in our kitchen as pictured above.

HAPPY WEEKEND TO ALL!

A Message from KristiOngoing 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

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

JULES GREER - PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

KRISTI DARLING,

Your writing today triggered so many thoughts and memories. When I first looked at your feature photo my heart skipped a beat. As you already know if you count down about five houses on the left side of the photo, if you could stop at the end of those French houses and look up you would see my old studio on the fourth floor...where I lived in my little studio for over a year. Remember Lisa was the lovely lady I met in a little shop in a neighboring village, a few days later you and I were driving through our village and spotted her sitting in front of one of our favorite cafe's. You braked your car and instructed me to jump out and reconnect and this time to get her name and phone number. If you recall I was still recovering from my broken hip and jumping out of the car was not as easy as your order. I dragged my broken hip over to her table...gave her a big smile.

Lisa looked up at me - she was 80 years old and spoke perfect English.

"Jules my dear, I asked my companion Igor last night, where is that key to my studio? "

At that moment she retrieved a key from her purse and lifted it up to my hand.

"I would like to give you my studio - to use as a stepping-stone into your new life."

Two weeks later I moved into one of her other properties - you can see it also in the photo above, as it was on the right side of the street at street level. We found out I didn't have the strength at the time to manouver the 48 steps up to the studio so she put me in the other place until I gained more strength. A few weeks later I made the final move up to my studio. As you can see I had a panoramic view of the entire village. Oh the stories I could tell of that studio and all of the wonderful French neighbors that lived below my window. I remained there until I was deported on August 15, 2003.

So many stories. Thank you Kristi for the gift of this special photo in today's post.

I love you Honey,

XOXO

MOM

P.S. IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW - NONE OF THE PUNCUITATION KEYS ON MY COMPUTER ARE COORDINATED WITH THE CORRECT KEY - THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BUY A COMPUTER IN MEXICO - ALSO IT HAS A SPANISH KEYBOARD....ALL THIS TO SAY I HAVE LET GO OF THE GUILT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PRESENT A BEAUTIFUL AND CORRECT NOTE TO ALL OF YOU - I JUST WANT TO SIT DOWN AND TYPE OUT MY THOUGHTS AS BEST I CAN. PLEASE FORGIVE ALL MY MISTAKES. SPELLCHECK DOESN'T WORK HALF THE TIME EITHER.

XOXO

JULES

jacques M. morin

My namme is Jacques Morin and I am a French teacher at Blue Ridge Community College. I recently met Marc at a wine tasting/dinner at Bouchon in Asheville, North Carolina. I and three others have rented Marianne Houlihan apt. in Sablet. We will be there from the 19th to the 26th of May. Are you having a wine tasting during that period of time? Merci, Jacques

mhwebb in NM, USA

You may not know it, Kristin, but you make all of us feel at home when you include us in your life - dogs, wine, writer's block, teenagers, cancer, et al. Merci!

Blessings, Mary in New Mexico

Kristin Espinasse

Mom, I loved remembering this period in your -- and our! -- lives. Thanks.


Jacques, can you come to our May 16th wine tasting/meet-up at 3pm?


Thank you, Mary!

Blossoming in Provence:
http://www.amazon.com/o/asin/1467929794/mdj-20 

French Word-A-Day http://french-word-a-day.com

PIERRE

extremely dear Kristin
finally your letter arrived to-day
I am pretty busy pruning the olive trees and not much time nor energy to seat by the computer .HAVE YOU SEEN PIXES OR RED ARTICLES ABOUT THE TERRIBLE DAMAGE SUFFERED
BY OLIVE TREES IN PROVENCE THIS PAST FEBRUARY ; the oléiculteurs work with chain-saws they like burnt trees by the frost .We feel fortunate to not be too much concerned ...
i WAS AWFULLY SAD to not have your letter and I started worrying with hospital and stuff ...THANKS GOD QUEEN CHRISTINE IS ALIVE AND WELL !!!
A KISS FROM A FRENCHMAN .

lucky pierre

Lisa Hawkins

Kristen,
Americans won't know what or where the Var is, I think. So the proposed title is alliterative but won't clue the reader as to content. Suggest "French" or "Provence" be in the title. Thanks for the great photos and stories. Lisa Hawkins, Vienna, VA (wish it were Austria!)

EL

Thank you very much for posting the recording of Jean-Marc. He reads beautifully and it was a real treat to listen to him.

Judythe Sieck

I seriously love this as a title and good for you for meeting your goals, Kristen!

Julia

So many things about today's post have really made me smile... the beautiful photo, seeing Gus in your kitchen, learning Jeanne's story, the mention of wine tasting and your alluring Mulberry tree... and then reading Jules' account of her time in France. I just love it. Thanks, Ladies!

Sarah LaBelle near Chicago

My Varois Village
Our Varois Village

Living in Les Arcs
Living in Les Arcs-sur-Argens

Home in Les Arcs-sur-Argens


When I looked up Les Arcs-sur-Argens, it said the departement was Var, not Varois. Did I find the right place?

It is a really old place! With a very modern family.

Sarah LaBelle near Chicago

Thanks to you and Jean Marc for reading the story from April 4.
Much for me to learn from that.

Vicki, San Francisco Bay area

Loved hearing Jean-Marc's wonderful voice in the extended reading today. Thank you, Jean-Marc, for speaking slowly so those of us with untrained ears could understand you.

GUS ELISON

THURSDAYS VISIT WAS LIKE GOING HOME AGAIN.PAULETTE AND I HAVE LOOKED FORWARD TO THIS VISIT FOR MONTHS.THE KEY WAS MOST HAPPY TO VISIT FRANCE AND HOME AGAIN.THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY AND INTODUCTION TO JEAN MARKS GREAT WINES.PAULETTE AND GUS

richard pendell

MOM"CHARLOTTE"enjoyed very much meeting you both,will come for a visit soon,Richard

Nancy,                     Cambridge

The comments to this posting were (almost) as interesting as the posting itself! Ever think of doing a mother/daughter book? That subject is universal...maybe in the future.
I do like the Var, V alliteration, and I think that traveling Americans do not like to admit they do not know exactly where a place is, so if anyone does not know where the Vars is, they will pick up your book to find out, and then, it will already be in their hands! (ie, no problem about Vars being unknown).
I really meant to comment only on the motto, "One year from now you will be glad you started today" - thanks for that! I am sending it to my sister who is starting "retirement" today! Great inspiration!

Jan in Monument, Colorado

Jules, I can certainly empathize with your difficulties typing on the Spanish keyboard. I encountered the same frustration when I worked in France in the 60s and had to type on a French "azerty" keyboard rather than the American "qwerty". Just enough of the letters were rearranged to cause me to about tear my hair out! I don't think I ever really did get used to it.

Millie


Your photos are beautiful, Kristin. je les adore.
Gus, the ladies' man, where is Paulette? French ladies are elegant, even at 91. Jeanne or Charlotte looks lovely.

Sam

Bonjour Kristin,I will be back in Paris from May 19-Jun2 and wonder if there are any wine tastings scheduled during my stay?I would love to come to one, as Im a recent subscriber and love both France and wines! How far are you from Paris and is it an easy trip on the TGV? Merci, Sam

Kristin Espinasse

Hello Sam, There may be a tasting on May 31st (it is possible it will be cancelled, though). Could you check back the week before and I will let you know. We are 3 hours south of Paris. The problem is that we are not that close to the train station. Cab fare could be expensive.

Suzie and Rix Jennings

Kristen - We will in the French countryside near Beaune with a rental car May 17 to 21. And, of course, if there is anything is happening wine-tasting-wise, etc on your farm, we would so love to visit. I certainly understand if not. I know you can't be available to every Francophile that follows you.
All the best. Suzie Jennings (Houston, Texas)

Gail Wolstenholme

Hi Kristin, We would love to come to your wine tasting on the 8th May @ 4pm. Have you got room for 4 people? Gail & Mike Wolstenholme.

Hawi Moore

This is lovely

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)