The photo above has nothing to do with the word of the day, but it fits nicely with vacation....
Today's Words: ça tombe bien
: it's a good thing, it's good timing, the timing is right
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
by Kristi Espinasse
It was late at night when an alert flashed across the screen of my mobile phone, interrupting my mindless social media scrolling. The text (a prompting from our shared Google Agenda--my husband's and mine) read:
"Massage therapist in 15 minutes"
The words may as well have been in verlan for they meant nothing to drowsy me, initially, but on second glance I understood my husband had scheduled a late-night massage.
But he was away in the Alps... Alone in the Alps! Schedules a late-night massage?!
I automatically checked the time (it was after nine...). If I had begun smoldering at that moment, my homely mouthguard would have melted! I began to picture the not-so-homely masseuse... Thankfully my imagination didn't run off too far this time. Instead, it quickly dawned on me: my forgotten calendar entry! My friend Audrey had recently asked whether I knew of a local massage therapist, as she wanted to purchase un bon d'achat for her stepdaughter. I told her I did not know of anyone, but that I would think about it. And lest I forget, I decided to note it on my digital calendrier, which prompts me to remember things, such as:
"massage therapist for Audrey"
My husband should be laughing by now if he is reading this story. Jean-Marc always teases me about my digital calendar entries because I often neglect to log the hour (I simply write it in the subject line)...in which case the calendar defaults to some random time slot... usually a most-unlikely hour!
Like this, both my husband and I receive reminders of my 3 a.m. lunch appointment...or an alert that church is about to begin at 11p.m. or that I have a hair appointment at the crack of dawn.
"Chérie," my husband will say, as he shuts out the light at night, "Don't forget to take Smokey to the groomer's at midnight." With that he snickers and shuts out the light.
I'm glad we can both appreciate the humor there! We weren't always this quick to laugh at each other's idiosyncrasies (and we're still working on it),
as you will know if you've been reading our moody vineyard memoir....
* * *
Post note: Audrey, I found a massage therapist for your belle-fille. I think I'll schedule a session for myself. It may just help relax my overactive mind!
Bonnes Vacances!
See you in two weeks, as this journal is going on a little summer congé, or break et ça tombe bien! Thank you all for reading and for your thoughtful comments and support which mean a lot and keep me going....à bientôt!
I am headed to the Alps and hope to cross over the border and visit Italy, where this picture was taken years ago. Those little trucks ("triporteurs") always steal my heart!
FRENCH VOCABULARY
le verlan = a kind of French slang, or "backward slang" similar to pig latin
la masseuse = massage therapist
un bon d'achat = gift certificate
un calendrier = calendar
la belle-fille = step-daugther
le triporteur = three-wheeler
le congé = break, time off, leave
ça tombe bien = it comes at a good time
à bientôt! = see you soon!
Today's phrase "ça tombe bien" is found in the story Unlucky in French, read it in the archives, here
I use my digital calendar in exactly the same way. Time is just a notion. Bonnes vacances Kristi.
Posted by: Catherine Berry (But you are in France, Madame) | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 11:50 AM
Thank you for continuing to keep it real in life and love and work and parenting since 2002. I never fail to take comfort in the pleasures of your envious — I know it’s hard too at times — more rural French life in comparison to the hectic insanity of nyc! WG
Posted by: WG | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 11:53 AM
I always set reminders for 06:00!
Posted by: Muriel | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 12:51 PM
Hi Kristi:
I often get addressed on Facebook from "not-so-homely masseuse(s)..." who want to befriend me. I guess the same applies to Chief Grape! :-)
/Jens
Posted by: Jens Hork | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 01:08 PM
Hi Kristi,
I do the same thing so you're not alone. I actually will put appointments on dates in the previous or following year and then I wonder where it went! haha
Bonne vacances!
Posted by: Eileen deCamp | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 01:09 PM
Those little trucks in Italy are called api...a vespa is a wasp and a little truck is an ape, a bee! Love that.
Buon vacanze!
Posted by: Suzanne Dunaway | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 01:55 PM
Je te souhaite un très bon congé! :-)
Posted by: Patricia Sands | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 02:30 PM
May you relax and refresh! Enjoy time away from the everyday...
Posted by: Chris Allin | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 02:57 PM
Have a restful yet adventuresome vacation! ... will miss you. Best wishes.
Posted by: Cynthia Lewis | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 03:05 PM
On s'entend bien, toi et moi, n'est pas? We get along , you and I , don't we?
Posted by: gail bingenheimer | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 03:10 PM
Enjoy your holiday Kristie . Make that massage date for when you get back !
Posted by: Audrey | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 03:20 PM
Kristie, I am a recent member to your blog and just made a contribution in appreciation of your help with the French language. Thank you for communicating in such a useful manner and for taking me "Home" so frequently.
Posted by: Sandra | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 03:55 PM
Have a great vacation - I often forget to look at my digital calendar each morning and then I am surprised by my last minute reminders. Ha!
Posted by: Nancy | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 04:33 PM
I can relate so much to this post. I make physical notes to myself and can't decipher them later.
Bonnes vacances!
Posted by: Leslie NYC | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 04:45 PM
I got a mental picture of you going over the Alps on your triporteur and it made me smile.
Posted by: Joan | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 05:25 PM
Leslie, I do the same thing. I can't decipher my notes, or don't remember the context. I've also learned to add the year on doctor/ dentist appointment reminders for when I find them in my purse weeks later!
Posted by: Joan | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 05:29 PM
Bon vacance. Profitez-bien.
I also don't often bother noting the time.
Posted by: Sandy | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 05:48 PM
R & R will be so good for what may ail you! Bon vacances! Judi
Posted by: Judith Dunn | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 06:21 PM
Our dear Kristi,
How wise you are!One of the easiest things in the world is to let our imaginations run away with us!
You stopped it before things got out of hand,and,oh! how many times should I have done the same!
Those digital calendriers!My biggest problem is that I still haven't figured out how to delete the wrong time and put in the right one!!
Bonne vacances!Have fun!
We will be looking forward to your wonderful posts when you get back!!
Love
Natalia. xo
Posted by: Natalia | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 06:23 PM
Bonjour Kristy.........je vien de voir un filme sur TV5 Monde qui s'appelle "Meutres a La Ciotat"........et beaucoup de l'action était dans votre petit village de La Ciotat. Je crois qui vous l'aimerez beaucoup, si vous ne l'avez pas vu. Jed
Posted by: Jed Christensen | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 07:08 PM
Kristi,
I understand because many times I start to put in an appointment or task and hit add before I check the date and then I can’t find it. I search and search and then either it is found or will pop up on some unexpected date in the future.
What is nice is that my calendar syncs with my IPhone. iPad and Mac.
Bon vacances.
Kathleen
Posted by: Kathleen | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 07:55 PM
Hello, Kristi,
I just purchased your book-in-progress, The Lost Vineyard, and, now, am unable to find how to log into the book once I've exited it (I clicked on some photos and it wouldn't allow me to return to the book text). May I ask you to email the link for logging into the book, for intermittent reading?
Thank you so much!
Laurie
Posted by: Laurie Mann | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 08:43 PM
Bonjour, Kristi,
My calendar has the capacity to use an All Day function. So when I put a note on my calendar to do something on a
certain day it just shows the task at the top of the day and there is no specific time noted. This helps me distinguish
between appointments and To Dos.
Passez un bon vacance.
À bientôt,
Joanne
Posted by: Joanne | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 11:16 PM
I continue to use a good old paper calendar. I write everything down and rely on notes. With how fast my timetable changes these days, I would get completely overwhelmed if I were to rely on a digital calendar, and I'm certain I would schedule many a massage appointment and various errands at odd times. Have a great holiday, Kristi! :)
Posted by: Katia | Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 09:32 AM
Thank you for adding a gentle sparkle to my day! Bonnes vacances!
Posted by: Michael | Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 01:50 PM
I love this. Thank you, Michael, for the "gentle sparkle" 🌞
Et je profite pour remercier tous pour ces gentils commentaires, qui me touchent énormément. 💕
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 01:59 PM
Tres amusant! I wanted to share an article from today's Houston Chronicle. Although you no longer own the vineyard, I thought you would enjoy that Domaine Rouge-Bleu Mistral is the pick of the week.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/food/article/Wine-tasting-panel-s-pick-of-the-week-14298684.php?cmpid=gsa-chron-result
Jan G.
Posted by: Jan Goodloe | Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 08:25 PM
I use a pocket calendar which shows a year and a half of time interval - one full year and six months of the following one (good for when scheduling such things as dental appointments). If something is tentative, I write it in pencil; otherwise it is in pen. I have a wall calendar at home that mirrors the pocket calendar. Sometimes paper is easier, and I don't have to worry about dragging around a device. That said, folks are different, and you should use what works for you.
Posted by: Marianne Rankin | Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 05:34 AM