When an expat's expat parent comes to live with daughter in France: After 25 years in Mexico, Mom is moving in!
Friday, July 13, 2018
Au revoir Mexique. Our Mom is about to begin a new chapter in France!
On ne s'ennuie jamais
: never a dull moment
Click here to listen to on ne s'ennuie jamais
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
A blow to her wings, not to her spirit!
by Kristi Espinasse
My mom has been an expat in Mexico for 25 years (the same amount of time I've been in France). Now, following a recent coup dans l'aile, or blow to her wings, Jules will be moving into our nest and we are going to take things au jour le jour (just as the birds do!)
Petit à petit l'oiseau (re)fait son nid.
Jean-Marc and I will be researching the administrative side of when an expat's expat parent comes to live with American daughter and French son-in-law in France. (Kicking myself for not applying for French nationality after all these years. It would come in handy about now!). Meantime there are some non-administrative pépins, like where to put Mom...now that our two kidults have moved back in for the summer. As the French say: On ne s'ennuie jamais.
I'll be back with you later for an update. D'ici là, meantime, please send Jules and my sister, Heidi, (who just arrived in Puerto Vallarta) bon courage. They'll need it. They have two days to turn the page on a colorful chapter in Mom's life. On to the next!
We may need a second bagnole now. How about this Méhari? Perfect for a sunset drive here in La Ciotat...
FRENCH VOCABULARY
un coup dans l'aile = a blow to the wings
au jour le jour = day by day
Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid = little by little the bird makes its nest
le pépin = glitch, hitch, snag
on ne s'ennuie jamais = life's never boring
d'ici là = meantime
bon courage = good luck
la bagnole = car
la maman = mom, mother, mama...comme Mama Jules ♥
Surrounded by my sister, Heidi, and our Mom, Jules at my 1994 Wedding in Marseilles.
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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety