At the historic Mère Germaine restaurant/hotel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
le déjeuner (day-zhun-ay) noun, masculine
: lunch
Déjeuner is also a verb: to lunch
A Day in a Dog's Life…
by Smokey and Braise
This column is dedicated to my nephew and his sister, 8 and 6 years old, respectively. If you know of a child who might enjoy these stories (while falling a little bit in love with the French language, as if by accident…) then please forward this post!
Smokey says: Hey, Ma, wake up! Where has everybody gone?
Braise (BREZ): To Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Ils sont partis déjeuner. Go back to sleep now, mon chou.
Smokey: You mean to tell me they're off, wining and dining while we're left here sekestrated?
Braise: "That'd be 'sequestered,' Son." Better watch your tongue. This is a WORD journal après tout!
Smokey: Sowkwester'd? Like 'pestered'? Do they see us pooches as pests? Is that what you're implying, Ma?
Braise: No, Son. Je te corrige, tout simplement–and you said 'SKWEStered'.
Smokey: Did not!
Braise: Did too! Er… look, Boy. Just say "stuck".
Smokey: Stuck, like out of "luck"! We are stuck here again! I'll bet I'm missing les jolies filles, just like the last time.
(Les jolies filles of Mère Germaine)
Braise: Son, indeed. You are! Now go back to sleep and dream about them.
Smokey: D'accord.
Smokey: Ma.
Braise: What's that, Son?
Smokey: Skwistered isn't such a bad thing after all! Zzzzz….
Smokey: Ma.
Braise: Quoi encore? What is it this time, Fiston?
Smokey: I'm having a cauchemar!
Smokey: They've eaten all the food and forgotten to ask for doggy bags!
Braise: Oh, dear. That is a nightmare!
***
Thanks for leaving Braise and Smokey a comment, here!
Photo, left to right: Kristin, Jean-Marc, Tim & Phyllis (French Country Wines) and Uncle Jean-Claude (Domaine du Banneret).
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Listen to the day's word and this vocabulary list: Download Wav or Download MP3
ils sont partis déjeuner = they have gone to lunch
mon chou = my darling
après tout = after all
je te corrige tout simplement = I am simply correcting you
les jolies filles = the pretty girls
d'accord = okay
quoi encore = what's it this time?
le fiston = my son
le cauchemar (m) = nightmare
Note: a few words were left out of this vocabulary section. I'll update it, along with the sound file, later today!
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Poor Braise. At least you are SKWISTERED with your Mamon. When we go out to eat, our golden, Crosby, is sekestrated all by himself.
He likes the gardienne in our building as much as you like les jolies filles. But I’m not sure she likes him back as much!
It’s a dog’s life, eh Smokey?
Ah, it’s great to see Smokey looking so healthy and growing so much. Kristin, have you seen any behaviors of Smokey’s that would indicate that he remembers his attack or attackers?
(To Karen from Phoenix, I think I’m doing OK, I cleaned out about 100 travel magazines last night, at least one from 1998, but thanks for the offer of more tips.)
Dear Kristin,
It is so good to see Smokey looking so good and so BIG! I love to see him and Braise cuddle seems Braise seemed a bit distant after the “event.” I am in the process of booking a house in Vaison for the last week of September. We can’t wait to get back to Provence and see you and the family again. Provence sounds really good from where I am sitting is still very, very cold Durham, NC!
Applause, Applause!!
What a wonderful blog you have. I learn something and you make it so interesting ..God Bless you Darling.
Yvonne
You are such a clever storyteller. The Mere Germaine is so charming and I get the biggest grin on my face whenever I see pictures of your
canine crew. Before my crew wakes up each morning I escape for a few minutes to read up on your latest adventure.
Ah, Smokey! When we return to Provence in late September 2010 you will be a fully grown dog. I can’t wait to see you and Braise as well as the entire Espinasse family.
Kristin,
Portia was thrilled when she opened the Christmas gift that was your new book! She had been jealously looking through my copy on Christmas Eve and having received her very own autographed by you made her Christmas.
We are still in the deep freeze her in New Jersey which makes my commute each day into NYC challenging with train signal problems, draw bridges stuck in the open position, and tangled overhead wires. But planning our next trip to Provence makes the trip fly by.
I will go back and read the whole post a little later but I just HAD to tell you that I immediatly recognized the photo of Mere Germaine and took in all the rest of your photos from one of my all time FAVORITE restaurants in La Belle France!
We ate there on the day after the U.S. election day in 2008 with much talk of our new American President amongst ourselves and the charming staff. J’adore La Mere Germaine and have a framed mat from there with The Ballad of La Mere Germaine. I will copy the ballad out and send it along soon!
xo Nancy L.
Smokey is growing so fast! No longer looks like a squishy, wriggly little puppy but nevertheless you just want to jump through the monitor & wrap him up in hugs n’ kisses.
What a nice picture of all of you at the restaurant! And how delightful to see you with Tim. He is my one-stop shopping source for all things Domaine Rouge-Bleu. Bonjour, Tim and Phyllis from Diane in Tallahassee where it is FINALLY not too hot to ship wine (17 degrees this cool morn)!
Ah, Smokey, it could be worse . . . it could be SNOWING outside like it is at my home in KY. All I want to do is put on my sweater and go out and run and play in it, but I, too, am ‘swkestered’ in the bathroom – by myself! – while my ‘mama’ goes off to work and play, too. Not even a chance of a doggie bag either . . . here’s to ‘sweet dreams’ 🙂
“Sophie”
Kristi, have you considered writing a book for children featuring Braise and Smokey?
The restaurant (and the company)look very charming.
42 degrees,sunrise now is light orangey pink and the sky is cloudy here in Seattle.
Kristin: Thanks for writing much of the conversation in French – I love that! Re Smokey: Looks like he’s healed well. Does his tongue still stick out?
Margaret or anyone else who has a suggestion: It appears that many of you go to France often. We are hoping to get there this year. Can you recommend a website to find houses for rent?
35 degrees and hazy/overcast in SLC today.
Thank you for continuing to help me with my french! I love the stories. Would you ever consider including the pronunciation of the “bonus” words at the end of your post?
Oh those pups are so cute! Love the post today. I just want to curl up with them.
Bill from St. Paul- your welcome!
Bonjour Smokey ! Tu as l’air si confortable couché sur le flanc de ta maman ! Et comme tu respires la santé ! les tracas du passé sont oubliés et tant mieux ! Tu ne me parais pas malheureux d’être “séquestré” dans ton cocon en rassurante compagnie… Ne t’en fais pas, Kristin & Jean-marc vous rapporteront de délicieuses victuailles, j’en mettrais ma main dans le feu…
À bientôt
Clo de Sutton, Qc
Love today’s histoire, and many thanks for the photos of Braise and Smoky. It is so dear to see him sleeping piled up against Maman and to know he is recovered, apparently fully, from that “bad business” of last fall. Best to you from a a cold (32 deg) but sunny Roanoke. I will share your “stories in the lives of Smokey and Braise” with my two great-neices, Mollie (9) and Ava (7). There dear dog, Buster, had a terrible mishap and is recovering now.
Clo de Sutton, does “j’en mettrais ma main dans le feu…” mean “you can be sure” or “I’d bet on it”?
Chere Kristin,
It is wonderful to see all of you, perhaps most importantly Smokey and Braise even though I love all of you. I am impressed with your animal mind reading abilities : )
Anyhow, just as you were explaining dejeuner, it occurred to me that le mot beaucoup ressemble l’espagnol, desayunar, in spanish meaning to break the fast, and in french also to break the jeune (sp) even though here it is to lunch. Did that make any sense?
We are having nice weather here…I will direct your website to the Alliance Francaise de Pasadena. We have a couple of French schools in the area, I think students would love your column.
xox
Mona
For children only? I think not! I follow this website more for Smokey & Braise than the french which I cannot seem to master. Love these two lovely creatures!
xo
Victoria
Bill, re any unusual behaviour resulting from Smokey’s attack. No. (Not unless his late potty training counts? Or his destructive tendancies (Braise never tore up the couch or knocked over vases… or shredded household plants…)
Martina, I have never thought about writing children’s books–but with the encouragement of readers, we’ll see what happens. What with Braise and Smokey writing… it is a little less daunting!
Christine: Yes, Smokey’s tongue still sticks out. I hope he never changes, except to continue feeling better and better!
Blair, I will try to keep up the sound files for all French vocab (a new year’s goal of mine!) However, the sound guides are difficult for me to write (witness the last word “nous”–a disaster at /NEW/!
Clo, love the French words and phrases in your comment. I need to look up “victuailles”…
Mona, mille mercis for sharing my site with the AF and the schools in your area. I really appreciate that!
Thanks, everyone, for such kind words and encouragement. Every “mot” of yours helps and delights.
Mais oui, Kristin. You must write the adventures (or misadventures) of Braise and Smokey. I loved this little detour from your already amusing entries for the grownups. As for the “doggy bags.” I don’t think I ever saw anyone leave a French restaurant with one. My husband and I just assumed it wasn’t the French way. Do they or don’t they do it?
Smokey is the cutest little adolescent pup I’ve ever seen!
Great stuff….and really love the dog blogs.
C’est fantastique. Merci for your wonderful promotion of the language and all things French.
Hi Braise and Smokey…..I must admit that I look for your pictures first with every French-word of the Day. I’m so glad you are doing well, Smokey, and love to see how you are growing. Keep getting better and smarter. You are lucky dogs!!!
Hi Kristin, Smokey, and Braise – What a joy to see your “herd” (that’s what we call our special dogs) doing so well.
The restaurant looked lovely and has been added to our “bucket list” for our trip to Paris and Provence in March. We are also hoping to find our way to your place in the world. I have been enjoying the copy of your new book which my friend picked up for me at your “signing” and “tasting” in Scottsdale on 12/26. We continue to visit your sight regularly in the hopes that the language will rub off on us just a little bit!! (and that we will continue to find intriguing spots to add to our “bucket list”) Merci, beaucoup, Kristin
Hi Kristin,
I love the post today. The restaurant looks great and Smokey looks so cute cuddling up to Braise.
Merci beaucoup!
Eileen
Les chiens sont tres drole. Thanks for letting us listen and look in.
Love the colorful cafe photo! Those wonderful old photos on the wall of the restaurant are interesting – I’ll have to visit and get the stories that MUST company them.
I was thinking of the word “restaurant”. With that “au” in the middle it must be a French word?? We Americans come sooooo close to pronouncing it correctly when we say it – if it is French. If only we pronounced it more slowly we might naturally say that “o” sound in the middle. (Never mind the nasal ending though.)
I had missed this post. What a treat to find it and the wonderful pictures of my two favorite Golden chiens. Love you two!