Peuchère or What Not to Say to a Disabled Person
How to say lawn chair in French

bavarder

How to learn a new language with a used brainHello faithful readers--and a warm bonjour to those who have recently signed up to this free word journal. This blog usually goes out three times a week, but we are on a new schedule since the arrival of my mom. For the past three weeks Mom and I have been digging in the garden, enjoying walks by the seaside... braiding wild rosemary through our hair... and making plans for the future--while reminding each other to "be here now" in the present moment, or l'ici et maintenant. (Photos at the end of this post.)




Mas de la Perdrix - visit this charming rental in the south of FranceProvence Villa Rental Luberon luxury home; 4 bedrooms, 5 baths; gourmet kitchen, covered terrace & pool. Views of Roussillon. Click here. 

Keeping, now, to the theme of this blog--language learning--today's update is to tell you about a wonderful new educational tool brought to you by my friend Lynn, who has written today's column, below. Lynn McBride of the Southern Fried French blog has a new eBook out this week:  How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain  (at Amazon.com, and available at other Amazon sites). It’s a short eBook for students of any language who want an update on the best techniques for learning, plus reviews of the latest online or traditional resources, and tips from and teachers and other students.  Lynn would like to invite all French-Word-A-Day readers to join the virtual book release party over at Southern Fried French - just after you read her How to Chit-Chat in French tips, below....

Paris Monaco Rentals

France and Monaco Rentals: short-term holiday rental properties throughout France and Monaco. Photos here.

 
bavarder, (bah var day)
 
    :to chat, chatter, blab

Lynn-mcBrideLearning to Chit-Chat in French... by Lynn McBride

Here’s a common dilemma for French learners, maybe it’s happened to you. You brush up on your grammar and vocabulary  and you’re feeling pretty good about your spoken French. Then you encounter a real live French person. Oops! They talk BACK! And expect you to understand them!
Typically the hardest part of language study is to find enough opportunities to bavarder with a native. And to do what all students of French at any level need to do over and over in order to learn: get out there and make mistakes!
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We expats know a lot about that. Take, for example, my British friend Pete who meant to ask at the hardware store for 10 meters of chêne (oak), but instead asked for 10 meters of chien (dog). Then there was the time I needed 3 kilos of salmon for a big party (6.6 pounds) and instead asked Monsieur le poissonierfor 3 kilometres of salmon (1.6  MILES). “Madame,” he said, “just what sort of party are you having?”
Learning to actually converse is the main reason most of us study a language. So what’s an armchair Anglo to do? In researching my book, How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain, I found lots of new options for talking with NATIVE speakers, which is the very best way to learn.
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My favorite solution is one you may know about: Join the Alliance Française. They have chapters in cities all over the world, and they offer language lessons, conversation groups, and social events with native speakers. Americans can also go to to Meetup.com, where you can look for a French conversation group in your area, or easily start one. The French department at your local university is a great place to find native speaking tutors or conversation groups.
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Remember when you were a kid and had a pen pal? You can now have a French pen pal, in a whole new way.  Same concept, but you use Skype, Facetime, email, live chat, or the phone to bavarder. You will be both teacher and student; the French speakers want to learn English, so you alternate languages. My Language Exchange is an example of a site where you can find partners. View their photos, read their stories, and pick a partner who interests you. I’ve got many more such sites listed in my book, plus reviews of packaged programs that feature all kids of interactive learning on the internet.
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The coolest idea for live talking practice is one that’s taking France and England by a storm, and I hope it will come to the states. It’s called Franglish, and it uses the “speed dating” model for language learning. Franglish events are held regularly at cafés or bars.  You sit down with a French person and chat in French 7 minutes, then in English for 7 minutes, then you rotate to a new partner.  What fun! If you’re traveling to Europe and want to try it, be sure to book in advance.  And I hope you’ll check out my new book, which has MANY more ideas for you on learning French as an adult, from beginners on up to advanced students.  Bon courage, and I hope to see you at the book release party!
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PS  If you have any famous language bloopers, please add them to the COMMENTS today, to make us all feel a little better about our own! Click here to comment.

***

Thanks, Lynn, for this fun and helpful post on chatting in French. Reading your book How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain was a wonderful refreshment for me. After writing about French words for ten years, I sometimes experience the "shoemaker's children syndrome" wherein my own French is lacking while I'm teaching others vocabulary! I would highly recommend your book to anyone wanting to recapture the fun and excitement of language learning. Best wishes to you on this, your book launch day! --Kristin

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  Mom cape
A favorite photo of my Mom, who I'll have the chance to spend French Mother's Day with, on Sunday!

DSC_0475
Are you noticing a "cape" theme? That's because my Mom yearns to fly....

Jacques and Mom
 Uncle Jacques came over to help clear the olive orchard of its felled branches. It was a massive two-day job. After, Jacques relaxed with Mom, enjoying photos of her home and her animals in Mexico.

friends on the beach (c) Kristin Espinasse

Mom, making friends on the beach. To leave a comment, click here.

 

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.

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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety

Comments

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Jens from Copenhagen

More than 30 years ago I stayed in a friend's studio in Paris for a week and one day on the local open-air market I asked the vegetable seller for "deux ivrognes rouges" meaning "deux poivrons rouges"...!

There was much laughter among the other vendors when he shared my blooper.

P.S. Ivrogne is a drunkard, poivron is a (red) pebber!

Margaret

Wonderful photos. Love the one at the beach and am quite envious! I can see you are having a wonderful visit.

Mark Hanson

No worries about the three-a-weeks!
Enjoy your time. It sounds golden!
Bonne journee!

Cheryl

my husband and I purchased our appartamento in Italy five years ago. He asked our agente where we would purchase a bomba. He meant a bombola - the propane tank for cooking. Not even close!!! We still tell that story to friends!

Cathy Toner

Lovely to see your Mom! I see where you get your beauty, Kristin!

John lockwood

Years ago I took exchange trips between Liverpool and the Pyrenees...at the end of one trip I was attaching luggage to the roof of the mini bus assisted by my friend Loulou. He asked me where I wanted something fixed and searching for the word for "wherever" (knowing quelconque as whatever)....I invented "ouconque". Loulou fell off the roof with laughter, but on my next visit I was surprised to find ouconque jokingly adopted in the village.

Judy Harris

French couple visiting our town came for visit and brought their toddler daughter. I offered to find her a "bijou" to play with meaning of course "un jouet" .

Bill in St. Paul

Lynn's ebook sounds like what I need. Thinking my French had improved, we headed off to 18 days in the Languedoc. I tried my French several times, but as Lynn said, they responded! I couldn't understand a word they said, until I was able to get them to slow down so I could slowly parse out their response (plus I'm not sure that they were always speaking Paris French down there in the southwest France).

janet

such sensitive, colorful and moving photos of your beautiful mom. thank you for sharing these sweet photos, and glimpses into your visit.

Jan in Monument, Colorado

Bonne Fetes des Meres to you and Jules! You are both such role models. I enjoyed Lynn's blog immensely and got a chuckle out of the language mistakes. It took me back to when I first arrived in France to tackle a new job decades ago. I was staying in a hotel and wasn't crazy about the French style of pillow (long, round and hard!), so I asked one of the maids for another oreillon (mump) instead of oreiller (pillow). I'm sure she and her coworkers got a laugh at my expense!

Christine

A Frenchman asked me if there was a lot of "chômage" in the USA. I said, "Oui, mais seulement en été quand il fait chaud." I thought he had said "chauffage" meaning heat. "Chômage" means unemployment.

Marika

No matter what Jules does, it is always done with such joy and elegance. She is such a class act!!!

Betty Tuininga

Beautiful pictures...So glad that you are enjoying your time together and by all means to be stingy about it. This mother-daughter time is oh so precious...

dave

My sister was visiting back when I lived in France, and remarked to my neighbor that the town was the "poubelle village de France", instead of the "plus belle village". Poubelle is a trash can. Funniest thing was, the neighbor agreed.

Bill Facker

Kristin and JULES - this post couldn't have come at a better time for me. I'm sitting in Colorado, where I've been reuniting with my Son .. After 30 years. It's a delicate dance and I hope to have even half the relationship you two enjoy as we move forward . For any other men who may be reading this and who also "lost" their children for one reason or another .. Please know there is hope and Never stop trying. JULES, you are a lucky woman, et Kristin I applaud your relationship with your Mother .. It is a joy to read. Rave on, Ladies, Rave on!

Passante

There was the time in an Italian conversation class many years ago when the verb "to iron" (stirare) completely escaped me. When in doubt invent, so since I could remember the French verb, I tried "repassare". The conversation teacher thought it very amusing and said to me, "Qui si parla fritaliano" (Fritalian spoken here).

Belinda

As an exchange student many years ago, I came home very eager to tell my host family that I had spent biology class doing experiments avec "les seins" (breasts) instead of "le sang" (blood). I also told my French class that Vegemite was made from "preservatives" et "lapins" - couldn't understand why the words preservative and yeast were so funny until I got hold of a dictionary later that day and discovered my mistake!

Nicole

On day one of a six month séjour in France I walked right into this common blunder... When asked if I would like some more food, I replied "Non merci. Je suis pleine." For those who are not familiar, this is a derogatory French idiomatic expression alluding to a pregnant animal.... "Nicole, on dirait plutôt 'Je suis repue' ou 'J'ai bien mangé'." oops!

Tobi-Velicia

While taking classes at L'Alliance Française Chicago a few years ago, during one particular class we had to discuss what we did at work. I work for a local health department, so I was describing the interview that I had to do for patients to ellicit their partner (spouse, boyfriend, etc.) information. Well, I knew that 'un baiser' meant 'a kiss', so I decided I would be euphemistic by saying I asked my patients, "How many partners did you kiss?" My teacher turned red and started laughing. The class laughed as well, and I thought they were laughing because they knew that I was using 'kissed' in place of 'had sex with'. A few months later I was out for coffee with a couple of my French class friends and one friend says, "Remember that time in French class when you talked about work and you said you asked your patients 'How many people had they f--ked?'" I had NO IDEA that while 'un baiser' is a kiss, using baiser as a verb is quite vulgar!

Doug babkirk

I was on sabbatical in France years ago and met with the director if adult education for UNESCO in Paris.

I was doing ok with my rudimentary French until I tried to communicate that I teach leadership development in context rather than in a vacuum .

You can see where this is going!

I had just walked past a vacuum cleaner storefront and remembered the word for vacuum - aspirateur- so inserted that in my sentence in the meeting. His face went blank until I realized
my faux pas and regrouped with the word vide and we continued our conversation .

A story I will Never forget; it keeps me humble.
Doug

Jeanne Gover

I was living in France with my husband and after a year my best place to speak French was in restaurants - I had not progressed to other people just yet. So I had practiced what I wanted to order and out came "Je suis un polet roti, s'il vous plait!" The waiter simply nodded and asked, in English, "And what would you like sir?" So while my husband said I was a hot chick, he really didn't think I was a "roasted chicken"!! Guess I wasn't all that good in restaurants yet either.

Jeanne Govert

I just ordered the book for my Kindle - only $2.99! Hope is helps! It's hot in that oven.

Jan greene

Just to wish you and your Mother, Happy Mother's Day! This is a special and blessed time indeed with your mother! Enjoy each moment together!
Your sunny photos give hope to cold rainy Cape Cod dwellers!

Peter

"Learning to actually converse is the main reason most of us study a language."

To ACTUALLY converse is your own massive blooper......a split infinitive! How could you ??

Julie Farrar

Well, Lynn, I'm heading off to download this because my French is still suffering and I head over to Burgundy in three weeks. I already have an idea for a sequel for you -- how to hold a casual conversation with the average French person. With an American or Brit we can be talking about what we hate at work, or problems with our children, or anything under the sun in ten minutes. However, with the French (who keep so much close to their chests) I can't think of what to say to have a conversation so I can practice my French.

My French faux pas -- last fall I was talking with my French banker about insurance business when he and his young assistant (neither spoke much English) started laughing as I talked. I had been trying to say something about doing something when my husband and I return in June. Apparently my French is so bad I was saying something about making a drug deal. Their English was not good enough to make me understand how I got myself in that predicament.

Audrey Wilson

One from an English neighbour . We had been to Austria in our caravan & her neighbour (whom we also knew ) asked her where we had gone . 'Oh to Australie' she replied . 'COMMENT!', was the astounded reply !!

Marilyn Pocius

In the Montparnasse cemetery I was searching for the grave of Degas. I went to the office and asked (several times)for the "carte" (menu) rather than the "plan" map. Needless to say the attendant looked at me with some horror.

Barbara Artson

When living in Paris for a 3 month sabbatical, my husband (non-French speaking) and I came to the end of our dinner and I, speaking quite confidently, asked our waiter for "la poubelle." [garbage] He looked quite quizzically at me and asked if I "meant the pourboire?"[dinner check] As he walked into the kitchen, I heard peals of laughter and as he returned from the kitchen with the check in hand, he burst out laughing once more.

Katherine

At my very first dinner during my first year in France living with a count and countess in Paris, I remarked as the hostess tried to offer me more of the sumptuous meal "Non merci, je suis tellement pleine!" I thought I was letting them know how full I was and that I couldn't possibly eat another morsel. Little did I know I was insinuating that I was pregnant. Needless to say my hosts were momentarily taken aback ... fortunately they had a good sense of humor and delighted in correcting my mistake!

Gwyneth Perrier

I was speaking with my French friend, Anne. I told her that I saw a movie and that I was alone. "J'étais saoule." She started laughing because it meant that I was drunk! I should have said "J'étais seule." She told me that she was learning English and German and got mixed up when she went to Germany. Instead of asking for a sandwich "mit Käse" she asked for a sandwich "mit Scheiße". Not a sandwich with cheese, but a sandwich with sh*t. I told her that I hoped they didn't give that to her!

Arthur Boothroyd

At l'ecole de Lange in Sancerre. I explained to our teacher that I had had an interesting conversation with a middle aged man. "A man from the middle ages? " she replied.

Dave Navarrre

While in Pamplona, speaking to the bartender en espanol, I tried to explain a volunteer event I had directed. I told him there were "tres mil voluntarios". He asked "tres milliones?" and I was so eager to please, I agreed that I'd actually directed 3 million volunteers instead of the actual 3,000.

Diane Young

Thanks for some great laughs. We all have had the blooper experience but the worst thing is, as Lynn said, when the foreign language person starts talking back. Most of the time they understand me but I can't begin to follow them. Perhaps the scariest is the telephone call. At least in person you can gesture or draw a picture or something. I asked someone speaking another language why they talked so fast and he said that English speakers seem to be talking fast to him. I pass people in stores who are rattling away in Spanish or Arabic and I have no idea what they're talking about. They say that English is one of the hardest languages to learn. Spanish and German seem easier to learn than French. I think it's partly because pronunciation is so hard in French.
So great to see Jules, who always looks tres jolie. Happy Mother's Day to you both.

Kathleene

I dated a French man here in the US for some time and became close to his family. I started studying French and one year I sent his mother a Christmas card. In it I thought I wrote "I hope you are well." It apparently translated to something like "I hope you are in your well", which was funny because she had an old well in her backyard. Her son explained what I really meant, and we laughed about it for a long time.

Faye Stampe, Gleneden Beach, OR

Your mom looks wonderful --- she looks so happy! Have fun together.

I just bought the e-book --- thanks!

When I lived in Germany, I took some German classes. At a local gasthaus I thought I would order in German. I asked for the menu, which is "speisenkarte" but did not say that ---- I ordered a "bustenhalter" a bra!!! Ha! The waiter said: please speak English.

Happy French Mother's day to you both! Stay well!

Kelly in Chicago

I love your photos. Thanks for sharing them. And Happy Mothers Day to you and your mom.

Nicole

P.S. I love your mom's wardrobe (from this and previous posts) !

joie

First, do Braise and Smokey get to go to the beach and fetch balls?
On my last visit to France we were in I think Clermont and looking for a place to stay. We stopped at what appeared to be an information place. My sister went in and I asked about a small place to stay in my broken French. The woman was very kind, and asked me if I spoke French as she didn't speak English. I said "une petite peu". So she started in: took me to a big wall map and said "ici" (where we were at that moment), then went on at an unbelievable pace. I caught the words "eglise" "rue" "a droite" and many more. All the while she is sort of writing something down and I am nodding my head and saying "oui" every so often. When she was done I thanked her so very much,took the piece of paper and we went outside. My sister looked at me and said "I want to know how much of that you really understood" My comment "I want to know what she didn't understand about 'Une petite peu'"? Needless to say we didn't even look for the place because I did figure out it was somewhere in the woods on top of a mountain and she said it would take about an hour. It was getting late so we just stayed at the Ibis down the road and went into the town for a good dinner.

Frederick Scheeren

As a young Officer in France in the early '60's my friend, from the Deep South, and I frequented sandwich bars where one could get a hot or cold sandwich. My friend, in his best French, ordered a "jambon et fromage sandwich". The server inquired, "chaud"? My friend answered, "Sho'nuff".

joie

hmm I thought I just posted something? Oh, well.
Do Braise and Smokey get to go to the beach and fetch the ball?

Joan Simon

Your mom oozes elegance! Happy Mother's Day to both of you.

Susan Naperville, IL USA

Many years ago, at the end of dinner at a restaurant in Monaco the waiter asked me "Terminez?" I responded "Oui, je SUIS terminee" At which point the waiter and my dinner companion both burst out laughing. The waiter made a motion with his index finger across his neck, miming slitting his throat, and winked. My friend explained that I hadn't said "Yes, I'm done" as I'd intended (j'AI termine') I'd said "Yes, I'm done for"

Karin Morgan

A second grader was learning about taking care of his teeth. We talked about brushing and flossing. At the end of class, the teacher asked,"What is one important thing you can do?" The child answered, It's important to flush." I had to agree, flushing is important. We all had a god natured laugh.

Who could forget Peter Sellers (Pink Panther movies) in a hotel asking for a 'rhume' to give a French ring to 'room'!

Karen from Phoenix

Happy Mother's Day to two beautiful women.

xxoxo

suzanne dunaway

I arrived in Collioue, very little French, went down to the beach to get chaises for our family and asked, in my perfect French (I thought) "Je voudrais louer trois matelos, s'il vous plait." To which Pierre (the owner of the beach establishment, with whom I was to become great friends, replied, "Madame est-ce-que touts pour vous?" And I said, "Oui, bien sur!" And he, twinkling, said, "I think you meant 'trois matelas', no?" So with my order for four sailors on my first day in France, I looked forward to more bloopers that topped that one!

Sharon

Happy Mother's Day to both of you! I love the new pictures of Jules and as much as I miss checking in on you, it is even more heart warming to watch the two of you catch-up.
I will be extremely busy the next four months and will not have a lot of time to check in. I am taking care of our two grandchildren,(3 months and 3 years old) in addition to working at our weekend business and setting up my future tutoring business. I do hope to at least read the posts weekly, hope you miss me as much as I will miss you!

Nancy from Stockton, CA USA

We had settled in at our hotel in Paris one afternoon when the house-keeper came to clean the room. I went to the door and asked for "seulement les assiettes" two or three times instead of "les serviettes"! The housekeeper had a blank look on her face but finally figured out my meaning and handed me a stack of towels. "Serviettes" must have been one of the words I learned in French 101, but I was easily flustered in those days if there was no chance to rehearse my sentence mentally ahead of time!

Natalia

Our dear Kristi,
What beautiful pictures!
Jules is gorgeous and you are so very much her daughter!
Have a wonderful Mom's Day together!
Hugs to you both!
Natalia
PS Ordered Lynn's book and looking forward to enjoying it!

Janet MacKenzie

Wonderful linguistic faux pas! We've all been there.
I had arrived in Florence and eager to have a light meal I asked the waiter for
insalata del pomeriggio( mistaking the word " afternoon " for pomodori, which is tomatoes.)
The waiter winked and responded: "How many minutes would you like?"

Eileen deCamp

Thanks Lynn for the great post! Fun ways to learn French! I love the photos too Kristi! Enjoy Mother's Day together!

Heather Beaman

I lived in South Korea for a year, where my husband Brian and I taught English. One time Brian and I were at dinner with a Korean friend and I asked him for chopsticks. It turns out that the way I stressed the first syllable of the word, it sounded like I was asking for the slang word for a certain part of the male anatomy! Korea is a very conservative culture compared to the US and he thought this was both hilarious yet embarrassing at the same time. I was very careful about saying this word after that!

Berenice Stewart

Many years ago in Dakar, Senegal, my English speaking mother asked a French butcher for some Queue de Boeuf (oxtail). When he returned with an ox heart (Coeur de Boeuf)my mother reiterated that she wanted Queue de Boeuf whereupon, he pointed to the Ox heart and said Oui, Coeur de Boeuf! So, my theatrically inclined mother then shook her head vigorously and said "Non, non je ne veut pas un Coeur de Boeuf, je veut un... then pointed to her behind and gestured a tail.
The butcher finally got the message and a good laugh was had by all in the butcher shop. Oxtail is not a French delicacy!
Posted by Berenice Stewart, South Africa

Wells Edmundson

My blooper was manifest at a wine estate, asking the salesman in their shop if they could store all harvested wine in their 'casques'...in North Carolina we have large oak casques for such purposes, but in France I don't think they use 'helmets' for such purpose!

Leisa Smith

Beautiful photos, thank you for sharing and enjoy this precious time with your mother. xx

Elayne Molbreak

Your mom and I are of the same spirit. I have been in France 42 times in 6 years. Yes, I know I am addicted. But I love France and the people. I know your mom would have been right there with me when a french waiter offered to take me on a midnight ride on his bike through Paris. It was one of the most delightful times of my life. And yes I am probably your mothers age but we are young in spirit. Thank you Kristen for your efforts and your art in what you do.

Jan  Hersh

My eyes are wet from laughing at these comments. Joyeux jour de la mere!

Robin

Not me, but my sister who was studying French in Besancon. At the time she was 19 and her professor was over 60. She was falling behind with her studies and felt she could use some extra tuition. So she sent this SMS message

"Si c'est possible je voudrais pratiquer plus que mon francais avec vous."

She never did tell me his reply!

Wanda Mogzec

I love the photos of your mom. It is so nice you get to spend time with her. Cherish that time while you have it.
I lost my mom and best friend almost 10 years ago and I miss her. Enjoy yours xo

Carolyn  Dahm,  Sharon, MA

Thank you everyone for such hilarious faux pas-I really needed to laugh! When I was studying in France during college, I also made the mistake of asking my French family if there were "preservatifs" in the wine! Everyone laughed and one of the other students gently told me of my mistake. I was embarrassed but had to laugh as well. Something I'll never forget!

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day Kristin and Jules-BEAUTIFUL photos....So happy you're enjoying life together.

Carolyn  Dahm,  Sharon, MA

I forgot....I just wanted to say to Bill Facker that I think it's wonderful you've reunited with your son. What courage you both have and how blessed you are to still have the opportunity to be together. I will try to remember your words whenever I take my Dad for granted (my Mom is no longer with us). Best of luck to both of you. Also Bill-I always love your comments so keep them coming! :)

Claire

I told a shopkeeper her black cat seemed very yellow instead of very young....
'tres jaune' instead of 'tres jeune'
LOL!

Betsy Livingstone

I think you said once that your beautiful mom lives in Yelapa. I will be visiting Yelapa soon ... at la Casa de los Suenos there, hosted by Jesse Rose and Mateo Roberts who grew up in Yelapa with with their mom, my friend Mary Beth Roberts. We're celebrating our soixante-dixieme on June 19.

Kristin Espinasse


Happy birthday, Betsy! Mom now lives in Puerta Vallarta. Maybe she will recognize your friends names :-) Enjoy your celebration.

Arzani Burman

Regarding your comment on your Mom telling you there's a crumb on your mouth, I really appreciate that from friends, and do it myself. When it comes from a Mom, however, it can be read as that she is always watching and assessing you, and could she please leave you alone. I can understand how the boundary line can blur. Regarding comments about what is appropriate to do in a restaurant etc. it struck me that it is the parent's role to teach the child appropriateness, and mothers cringe when their children turn the tables on them. I can't even imagine raising a child in France, where appropriateness is so very, very important, and sometimes they do need to tell you, since they're French and you're not. How strange and uncomfortable I'm sure that can be.
That's my observation for today. It's great we're imperfect. If we were perfect, I'd really miss reading your blogs. Much love, Arzani

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