FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Escaped parakeets, a boycott, and le rhume des foins in today's update. Don't miss a word!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: POSSIBLE BLOG MOVE
Due to technical issues with my current blog, I may be switching to a new platform in the coming months (this is not yet certain). 

Please consider following me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com so we can stay connected. I’ll share updates there about where to find my latest posts.

Thank you for your support and patience! --Kristi

TODAY'S WORD: lessivé : worn out, exhausted

PRONUNCIATION: [leh-see-vay]

In French, lessivé describes someone who is completely drained—whether physically, mentally, or even financially. The word comes from lessive (laundry), evoking the image of being washed out or wrung dry. After a whirlwind book launch, a boycott, and a storm of pollen in the air, I’m feeling completely lessivée…

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE...by Kristi Espinasse

ACHOUM! ACHOUM! Pardon me for sneezing, but all this pollen is getting to me. This second week of March it’s everywhere. Partout! You can even see clouds of yellow dust coming from the pine trees in our neighborhood, drifting off alongside those pesky caterpillars. My family is exhausted from les éternuements. Everyone thinks they have le rhume when hayfever is to blame.

“It’s allergies!” I inform Mom, delivering her a fresh bouquet of flowers. I set them down beside a copy of my new book, which is prominently on display on Jules’s desk (where I’ve all but nailed it to the table). She assures me she’s proud of me and has asked for copies for les infirmières whose names appear in the chapter “Reconnaissance.” Ever since they helped nurse Jules back from a severe eye condition, the trio has become a sweet presence in Mom’s life, offering gifts, câlins and I love yous in thick French accents.

Feeling lethargic, I wave goodbye to Mom. “See you for dinner. Jackie is making Spaghetti Bolognese!” Ricci hops off Mom’s bed to follow me home under this floating yellow cloud that’s settled over our town. I make my way back around the house, via the gravel path, taking extra precautions not to step on any lurking chenilles processionaires.

Inside, Jackie is conked out on the couch. “C’est le rhume des foins,” I explain to my daughter. On est tous lessivés! “Come on, let’s take Ricci for a walk…”

These aren’t ideal conditions for going outside, what with strong winds stirring up so many allergens (mimosa? cypress? les platanes?), but our energetic shepherd needs her daily walk—or she’ll be stirring all day long!

Bundled up, we head down to the beach, following the cobbled street lined with plane trees. A pair of rose-winged parakeets flutters above, their feathers catching the wind as they grip the branches. Years ago, like me, they escaped from the Paris airport—one bound for l’animalerie, the other for freezing cold Lille. But, given a window of opportunity, we both flew south. It’s warmer here along the littoral, but we get strong winds and a fair share of critters that slither, bite, and sting.

Jackie and I reach a colorful waterfront, where the sea is alive with movement. I’ve never seen so many windsurfers on the horizon! And higher up, in the sky—kitesurfers galore. We advance along the crowded boardwalk, past the cafés and The Neptune sailing club—all the way down to les roches plates, where I ask my daughter for a small favor—help with some book marketing.

“Can you sit on that rock over there?” I begin. “Here. Take Ricci and read this,” I say, reaching into mon sac à dos and handing Jackie a paperback. With the deep blue water, crashing waves, and that dreamy coastline, it’s the perfect setting for a little guerrilla marketing.

“That’s a wrap,” I say to two very patient models. Normally, we’d stay a while—unpack towels, goggles, put on non-slip plastic shoes, and walk to the edge of the flat rocks to enter the sea. But with this wind and chill, it’s too cold, and the shores are filling up with stinging méduses! Besides, we’ve got to hurry back. Jackie has a 5:15 appointment to teach a free Pilates class to Fiona, and I’m in the middle of a nerve-racking book launch…

Self-publishing is not for the faint-hearted. Just as I reached the final step in the process, my long-awaited publication day was bookended by a passionate consumer boycott!

Ding. Messages poured in from every direction—email, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp—all with the same request—'Can you ship me a copy directly?' I was deeply touched…but also paralyzed. How could I, one person, possibly fulfill a thousand personal orders? My mind raced: envelopes, postage, customs forms and the mounting pressure of deadlines…I hadn’t anticipated this logistical puzzle and wasn’t sure how I could manage it alongside more urgent needs at home—my mom’s health issues are acting up again, and I need to focus on that.

Je suis complètement lessivée. This week feels like walking through giant clouds of yellow powder, with my dog running circles around me—and all the local critters biting and stinging. Blindsided by the unexpected economic blackout, I just want to crawl under the covers until it all blows over.

But writing and publishing are all about perseverance. As this challenging week nears its end, I have a bold request: If you enjoy my stories, please buy my books.

Boycott the megastores for toothpaste and la lessive—but don’t inadvertently lessiver writers by boycotting books in the process. More than ever the world needs stories of love, hope, and joy, of families overcoming obstacles, putting aside their differences to aid and support one another. From here we can go out and help our friends and neighbors, our country, and, with peace in our hearts, le monde.

Take a Literary Escape to France! 🇫🇷📖

Wherever you are—at home, in a café, or curled up on the couch—let A Year in a French Life transport you to the heart of France.

📚 Order your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/dp/295989930X

Merci for reading and supporting my writing! 💙

Our dear friends Charles and Martha. It is so heartwarming to receive photos from readers holding my book. If you have a photo, too, let me know if I have permission to post it.

Reader Reviews: It’s so heartwarming to hear how A Year in a French Life is resonating with readers! Here’s a glimpse of what they’re saying:

• "A beautiful and inspiring book from cover to cover!" – Sweet Life Farm
• "A delight to read, and to look at!" – Lynn McBride
• "A lovely memoir from the South of France!" – RB

Thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts! Your kind words fuel my passion for writing.

Karen, who I had the chance to meet last summer, sent me this one 💕. To order your copy, click here.

FRENCH VOCABULARY

Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the French terms

achoum = achoo

partout = everywhere

l’éternuement = sneeze

le rhume = cold

l’infirmière = nurse

la reconnaissance = gratitude, appreciation

le câlin = hug

la chenille processionnaire = pine processionary caterpillar

le rhume des foins = hay fever

on est tous lessivés = we are all worn out

le platane = plane tree

les roches plates = flat rocks

le sac à dos = backpack

la méduse = jellyfish

la lessive = laundry detergent

lessiver = wear out

le monde = the world 

REMERCIEMENTS
Sincere thanks for your donations in support of my French word journal! 

Mike P.
Betsy F.
Karen B.
Patricia N.
Michèle C.

For the many years reading/dreaming with FWAD. Merci. —Betsy 

Kristen Have just bought your new book. Really looking forward to reading it. Best wishes. —Patricia 

Bonne chance, Kristi! J'ai commande exemplaires et je le recommande a mes amies pour leurs clubs de lecture. —Mike 

The eBook came out nicely. Please check it out if you enjoy reading on your Kindle. Click here to order.


INTERVIEW WITH MARGARET from WRITING AND BREATHING
I was delighted to be interviewed by Margaret, a passionate writer and word enthusiast whose blog is a treasure trove of insights into language, storytelling, and the writing life. With three novels, a short story collection, and plays performed by professional actors, Margaret generously shares her experiences while spotlighting fellow writers. It was an honor to chat with her—here’s the link to our conversation!

Interview here: https://writingandbreathing.wordpress.com/2025/03/06/meet-author-kristin-espinasse/

I leave you with a colorful march captured here in La Ciotat on Saturday, International Women's Day.

SOUVENEZ-VOUS/REMEMBER TO:

➡️ Leave a rating or a review of A Year in a French Life, if you enjoy my book. 

➡️ Stay connected with me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com 

COMMENTS
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