Correction (!) On Friday I noted "PQ" as "papier queue". "Q," it turns out, is the phonetic sound behind the French word that the "Q" in "PQ" represents. Thanks to those of you who wrote in to straighten things out!
les restes (lay rest) noun, masculine plural
: leftovers
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Après avoir fini les restes… j'ai mal au ventre.
After finishing the leftovers, I have a stomach ache.
.
A Day in a French Life…
by Kristin Espinasse
I was eating my way through the various compartments of our frigo—through the lettuce crisper, the butter bin and all shelves between and within…
…when I felt the weighty stare of a couple of Goldens—question marks on their furry faces, curiosity in the air.
That is when I remembered that there was no need to finir les restes before setting out on our two-week voyage west.
No need to empty the frigo, for nothing would perish—thanks to my brother-in-law, who'll be sitting our home and the dogs that we cherish.
And so, for Beau-Frère, I'm headed back to the superette… to replace les restes.
Bye for now, "see you" all in a fortnight…
Bonnes fêtes, bon appétit—as for me, I'll be eating light!
Am I the only one who has put on the pounds, before the holidays have even rolled around? Comment here.
le frigo (m) = fridge; finir les restes = to finish the leftovers; le beau-frère (m) = brother-in-law; bonne fête = enjoy the celebration (happy holidays); bon appétit = enjoy your meal
Exercises in French Phonics, bestseller by Francis W. Nachtman, on French pronunciation and how to pronounce correctly French words!
Mille Bornes (Card Game) (pronounced "meel born," French for "milestones") is an auto-racing
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La Bonne Cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange: The Original Companion for French Home Cooking.
A Day in a Dog's Life…
by Braise é Smokey
Kristin says: A story on these two whippersnappers is coming soon…
Smokey says: What's a whippersmacker?
"Not 'smacker'," Braise points out. "Snapper"!
Smokey: "Oh, like 'Snapper-dragons'!"
"No! 'Snapdragons'!"
Smokey: "Whipper snap dragons!"
No, "Whisper Smackers," Braise corrects. "Oh, now I'm confused."
"Here," Smokey says, "have a whisper smacker, instead."
Update: One of Smokeys wounds (beneath the jaw) is completely healed! The other (seen here, beneath his eye) is much better than it looks. It should be closed very soon! Comment here.
Check out the book Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs
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No. Me too, I have a couple of extra kilos as we roll into Christmas. Alas, the coming foie gras and gibassier is not going to help. Bon voyage to the states, how fun to be there for the holidays.
Meredith (ex poppy fields)
Hi Kristi,
Bon voyage to you and the rest of your family. Enjoy the vacation and have a Merry Christmas.
And BTW – Happy Birthday next Tuesday!
–Jens
Thanks, Meredith! Bonnes Fêtes!
Jens: Aw, merci! Happy holidays to you, and to Vanita and Rohan, too 🙂
Hello Kristin,
Have a great (and safe) trip to the USA and Bonnes Fetes to you and the family.I read that you have a birthday coming – a good excuse for a party,I hope.
Love Angela
P.S.
The weather here in Sussex is nippy and bright today but there are some grey clouds-we have colder weather coming.
I’m so glad that Smokey is almost all healed! Have a wonderful trip west. I’ll be looking forward to photos!
French has such great words for in-laws: beau-frère, belle-soeur, beau-fils, belle-mère, etc., but my favorite is for daughter-in-law because it’s how I think of my daughter-in-law: belle-fille.
Smokey is really starting to grow and is looking so healthy – good job, nurse Kristin!
Safe travels to you and your family, Kristin, but I don’t know how you can celebrate Christmas without snow. Two more inches last night, 8 degrees F, heading to 14 here in Minnesota.
Joyeux Noel to you, Kristin as well as to your family (pets included) and to all of your wonderful readers/commenters. You all bring me such joy on a daily basis that I feel that you are part of MY family.
Thanks for the PQ information. It’s all so amusing and interesting but I think I’ll stick to saying “papier hygenique”.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE listening in on those wonderful Day in a Dogs Life conversations. Braise & Smokey are two amazing souls and it’s a joy to see them enjoy life to the fullest.
Karen
35 degrees and partly sunny in Towson, Maryland
Have a wonderful trip and holiday! Best wishes for a prosperous new year, especially with your writings!
So very glad to see Smokey’s continued healing and growth.
AND…happy birthday!
From sunny and chilly north-western Virginia, Patricia
I have followed Smokey’s recovery often reading & weeping at the same time, Big kiss & cuddle to Smokey & Braise.
Joyeux Noel & Bonne Annee.
Luv Gillian
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON DECEMBER 22nd KRSITI !!!
The happiest day of my life was the day you arrived – seems like only yesterday the memory is so clear and brilliant in my mind.
The beginning of your life and the years that followed were the best – through all of our mountains and valley’s we were always together. I will celebrate the next nine days until your birthday – each day taking time to embrace a memory of you. I might even share a few of those stories here…especially since it looks like you are leaving us without our three days a week of your musings. What will I do…oh I know – I check in here each morning and see whats going on at the “Comment Cafe”.
Who knows what all of us will be talking about by the time you return.
I hope all of your friends will keep me company over the next fortnight.
I love you Honey – enjoy your visit with your beautiful Dad, and please think of me
on your birthday…I will be thinking of you.
XOXO
MOM
P.S.
I’ll be back later – enjoying all of your friends while you are away…
My pounds just keep coming as the years do!! Yikes!!
I am so happy to hear about Smokey’s wounds. What was finally the thing you think worked the best? The clay pack or what?
Dear Mom, I can’t wait to read your story-comments! Meantime, I’ll be calling you!
Elizabeth, re what worked: both! I continued to use the clay and kept the wound clean with the hydrogen peroxide. (Braise would not let up with her licking–I’d put the clay on, she’d lick it off… and on and on it went!)
Best wishes to everyone. Have a joy-filled new year!
Oh, thank GOODNESS about Smokey’s wounds! I have been eagerly anticipating an update, so thank you!
Have a safe trip, a wonderful visit, great memories. The precious furry ones have come a long way and I, like Karen, LOVE reading about their adventures. Even more reason to celebrate the season. All of those prayers and your hard work has really produced tremendous results. Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
PS: Looking forward to hearing from our Jules (aka Mom) on your stead.
that was a very cute story today about Braise and Smokey….it was an even cuter picture!!! It is wonderful that Smokey is so happy and healthy. So glad that they will be in good hands with your beau frere while you are away.
Have a great time in Arizona for the Holidays.
Marianne Giordano
Let’s see…you’re traveling to Arizona and you’re going to be eating light. Let me know how that works for you! Happy Birthday and a very Merry Christmas to your family and the extended blog family.
Jan from the Front Range of Colorado, where we’ve finally emerged from the deep freeze. Now if the darned wind would quit blowing…
Dearest Kristin, You will be missed! But how wonderful you can spend Christmas and your birthday with your dad. And how great that you have such a trustworthy dog-sitter. That is always a concern for me. so, I bid you Bon Voyage, Bon Anniversaire, Joyeux Noel and Bonne Annee. I look forward to hearing from Jules! And as always I so appreciate the update on Blaise and Smokey. I feel like all of you are a part of my family too and look forward to the day I can meet all of you! A beautiful sunny day in SW KS (but wishing I were in SW France!)
So happy to hear the good news re: Smokey! Let’s not even get started with the pounds. I can’t believe how hard it is to keep them off as I get older – sigh…
And Happy Birthday!
And Merry Christmas!
We will miss you Kristin -reading your blog has become the highlight of my week!
Yes, Jules, please keep us entertained for the next 2 weeks. I am counting on it! “Tales from the sunny coast of Mexico”???
Happy Holidays to all, from SLC where we are finally out of the arctic weather – it is 35 and sunny today.
Wonderful news that Smokey’s wounds are almost history. I know that is a special Christmas gift to your family. Have a wonderful trip and know that your beau frere will take good care of the dogs and your home. Annette
Dear Kristen,
I would love to know what that ‘clay’ was that drew out the infection so beautifully!
Would you find out the name and post it on your comment line? I would be most grateful! Kathy
Honestly, this year I have been trying really hard to fight the increase in lbs prior to the Holidays as well as be watchful throughout. I have lost 20lbs since last February and would like to keep that momentum going as opposed to the other way.
Such good news about Smokey!
Bon Voyage, Bon Anniversaire, Joyeux Noel and Bonne Annee!!
P.S. sunny and it will be a bit too warm today with a high of 68F!
Kristin:
I join in will all the well wishes to you and your family for safe travels and happy holidays. And especially I wish you a very happy birthday – from one Christmas baby to another!
Oh and about those pounds – that’s what January is for!
Since Bill already gave our weather report for the Twin Cities, I’ll just join in his sentiments about the snow. It’s lovely! It feels and looks like Christmas here!
Jules: We’d love to here from you while Kristin is on vacation – I’ll be joining you in Mexico for New Years – though on the Carribean side. Happy Holidays to you too!
Happy birthday Kristi!! Hope you have a Merry Christmas in Arizona. I’ve heard that temperatures are in the 60s in Mesa.Sounds wonderful. 39 degrees F, misty rain in Seattle.
Happy and Merry! Bon voyage! Enjoy it all. Let’s not talk about pounds, no, no…Chanukah starts it off with lots of parties and lots of food and it rolls right into Christmas with lots of parties and lots of food, aaagh. I already feel like a roly-poly, but as someone else noted: That’s what January is for, to exercise will power and lose the holiday gains.Best to you and your family.
Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and Bonne Annee 2010! Have fun with Mom and all your US friends and family.
Jeanne
Bon Voyage, Bonne Anniversaire, Joyeux Noel, et Bonne Annee, Kristin. I guess your vacation will give me time to catch up on the entries I might have missed and to peruse cinema verite more fully. As for packing on the pounds during the Christmas holidays, I’m determined to maintain some semblance of my régime this season, plus burn off the kilos hiking around Sedona on our Christmas trip that begins this weekend. So sorry I’ll have to miss your Phoenix appearance because that is when I head back to the frigid Midwest.
Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays! Just got your book, it is beautiful! I love the photos and the stories, Kristin.
Happy Journey Kristin and Family-Right now the weather here at Superstition Mt is sunny but clouds are predicted too. As you may well know there are oodles of hiking trails around the Valley of the Sun-aka-Phoenix area. So no excuse for all the good holiday fare you should enjoy during the holidays that are upon us. The Supers abound in hiking opportunities. Thank you Kristin for all your gifts all the year round. I feel as your dogs are mine as I look at their picts and antics during the week. I’ll be seeing you at Vincent’s on the 26th of Dec. This sign is on my frigo-Imagine waking up on New Year’s Day weighing less. Safe journey-Matilda at Superstition Mt.
So, Jules, is the plan to just hang out here until Kristin gets Back??
Dear Kristin,
I also wish you a wonderful,safe,fun journey back to AZ to see your Dad, sell your books and wine! Only wish we were joining you as well. That is always the case…whether you are in France or visiting abroad! Especially in France however…
We are so ready to move, at least part, if not full time, to France….The sun is shining and it will hit 50 today in Boulder, CO at least…. pretty snow in the mountains where it can stay until Christmas Eve if we get our choice!
Hope my sis in Chandler can make it to see you, for us, on the 26th.
So good to know Smokey is making such great progress,yeah! Hurrah to Braise and you! Two great moms..
Like everyone, Bon voyage, Bon Anniversaire on the 22nd. and Joyeux Noel to you and your entire family, dogs included! We will miss you.
Oh, at least eat some sugar and chocolate chip cookies while here! Though nothing compares to French gateaux and patisseries in our opinion now. Take care. Thanks for your cheer and lovely stories of your writing, your family, kids,including Braise and Smokey.
Look forward to notes from you Jules! Mexico sounds really good right now too.
Is it true if we brought a cat to France she would have to be quarantined for 6 months Kirstin? One reason we are wondering if we should wait and just buy/adopt a French kitten!? A bientot. Mille mercis. Sandy and Terry in Boulder.
Bon Voyage et Bonnes Fetes! I had to let you know how much I love your new book, the paper quality and the photoquality, not to mention the stories, of course. Mille mercis! And no, you are not the only one. I noticed this morning that i had gained weight and disappointedly was thinking how that could be possible (it may have something to do with all the desserts), who knows.
Happy holidays and see you soon!
xoxo
And so thrilled about Smokey…what wonderful news!
Yes! I’ve already put on weight before the sacred day. Mark and I are just returning from our two week visit to Lannion (we are sitting at the airport in Houston, as I write). I’ve indulged in too much bread and too much wine (Rouge Bleu) and am feeling very uncomfortable in my clothes at the moment. It’s back to work for me tomorrow and perhaps I can fly off some of this excess baggage that I’m currently toting around the world!
Hi Bill in St. Paul,
Yep – Bill – I’m just planning on hanging out here in the ‘comments box.’ What on earth will I have to look forward to on Wednesday if Kristi is off “holidaying’ (sp?) while I hang out in my hammock on the beach. This afternoon I will walk over to the beach and watch the sunset – meditate on what part of her past I should disclose to all of her friends. Or I could possibly tell a few tales of my own when I lived in France. Hopefully Kristi will call me tomorrow morning and coach me on ‘how to tell a story in the comments box. I don’t want to say too much today as I would rather see HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONGS to Kristi in the comments box. Kristi has always received a “short end of the deal’ because everyone was always so focused on Christmas.
It’s really kind of sad when I think about how little attention she received on many of her birthday’s.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY – we will all be thinking of you on the 22nd this year. I love you.
XOXO
JULES
To Sandra Vann, we just brought our golden retriever from the states to Paris for 6 months. Couldn’t bear to leave him home, even though we had several people offer to keep him. There are no quarantine requirements for pets coming into the EU from USA. Visit the French Embassy site on the internet for details of shots and forms the kitty will need.
Kristin, it seems like your best birthday present is the recovery of that darling Smokey. Enjoy.
From Paris, where it has turned colder this week–39 but sunny.
Bonnes fetes et bon voyage, Kristin! May you and your family all enjoy a safe trip and wonderful holiday season!
Christine
Et surtout un bon anniversaire!
Christine
Have a wonderful birthday next week and enjoy a happy and safe Christmas with your family full of fun and adventure!
Have a wonderful Safe, joyous trip– and you will miss your dogs even though they are in safe hands– glad that the ‘dear one’ Smokey has recovered– was it the clay mixture that worked? or a combination?
Oh the pounds — it seems I cook and gain weight — do not like getting older for the weight gain is much to easily put on.
Enjoy the season and the sunshine!
Joanny
The dowsers daughter
In Houston Texas the city water department adds extra chemicals to the water supplies beginning in November that causes clothes to shrink with each washing.
Simon
Happy Birthday Kristin! I hope everyone helps you celebrate. My husbands birthday is December 31st and most of the world celebrates with him. I have December 22 marked on my calendar to raise a toast to you (even though we don’t know each other)and wish you a very prosperous coming year. I will join your mother in checking in on things in the comment box. I would love some good stories. I just saw my daughter yesterday after several months, I miss her terribly so I understand how your mother is feeling. Have a wonderful time in Arizona.
HA HA HA to Simon loved the post.
Kristin, safe trip and I will see you on the 26th here in Phoenix.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE 22ND!
Jules, can’t wait to read your stories.
Love, Karen
Phoenix and 65
Joyeux Noel Kristin to you all. I hope your trip is wonderful. Thank you for all your writing throughout the year.
Amicalement
Chris
Oh and Happy Birthday!! Have a wonderful time.
xxx Chris
PS Melbourne is beautiful, 30 deg C and sunny today!
Bon anniversaire, Kristin ! Bon voyage, joyeux Noel, et bonne annee a toute la famille ! Et quelles bonnes nouvelles, la guerison de Smokey ! (Comme il est grand maintenant !) Que l’annee 2010 vous apporte tous beaucoup de joie et vous trouve tous en tres bonne sante et en de bons esprits ! Merci d’avoir tant enrichi nos vies en 2009 ! Meilleurs voeux, Heidi
If Jules posts stories in the Comments Box, how will we get to them if there is no FWAD to connect to the box?
Kristin, you don’t seem to have gained any weight that I can tell, from pictures and the video of your talk I watched a while back). It does get harder to control one’s weight as one gets older, but so far, you are doing fine. I also firmly believe that at least a few times a year, one should eat whatever one wants: special occasions (such as a wedding), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthday. You will have two of those to celebrate soon, so just relax and enjoy the food.
I have friends with December birthdays, including one on Dec. 22 like you. My mother-in-law, who will be 97 this year, has a birthay on Christmas Day! I suggest that you pick another date – maybe June 22 – and celebrate your half-birthday, complete with cake, etc. – and maybe a few people will give you presents. Years ago I knew a fellow at work whose birthday was Dec. 24, and he said it always got lost in the shuffle. So I organized a half-birthday party for him on June 24, with staffers bringing small gifts, and he was very touched.
Here in the Maryland suburbs, it’s close to 50 F right now, but will go down into the 20s tonight, with rain tomorrow.
You should have great weather in Arizona for your trip. Bon voyage, Joyeux Noel, Bon Anniversaire, et Bonne Annee!
Happy Holidays to you and family-
Sorry I’ll miss you in Phoenix-I’ll be in there on Feb 26th…….so sorry.
Hi Marianne,
I’ll be right here in this box – for todays
word, just like I am right now. Oooh, I’m
starting to feel pressure – oh well, I’ll just wing it as usual. I perdict we will run the number of comments here up to the 100’s. Kristi won’t be back with a formal post for a fortnight (where on earth did she pick up that word, how many days is that) so we’ll all be here. We can tell stories and make comments to Kristi, I’m sure she will be monitoring me, and won’t be
able not to comment. The good news is that we will all be together over the holidays.
XOXO
JULES
Well, a birthday surprise. I just posted a bday card to my daughter in Vermont. Yep. it is December 22nd just like yours. It is always a wonderful day to remember what a gift she is to us. We get to celebrate three times at this time of year. Hannukay, Jo’s Birthday and then Christmas. Makes us all joyful and thankful. Now we will add your name to the list too. Bon Anniversaire.!!
Hi Jules
“Fortnight” is a word commonly used in the UK, and means two weeks or fourteen nights. I believe there is a French word, une quinzaine, which must be similar – although more related to the number 15 – can anyone enlighten me?
I’d like to wish you, Kristin and family, and all the other 22903 subscribers a very happy, peaceful holiday period with your friends and family.
Best wishes from a cold and dreich Ecosse.