Chère Aunt Liddy,
I saw your email this morning and was saddened to learn that you needed to sign off from French Word-A-Day, due to difficulty seeing the words. Smokey and I have made you this video, in hopes of being able to read you a story or two, so that you may continue to enjoy this column—even if you can no longer see it.
Update: Sadly, the story was cut off after the video recorder ran out of room! But you will still see the two minute introduction. (The story transcript is here)
Love,
Kristi
P.S. For those who are unable to see the video (in your newsletter), click over to the website, here.
To comment on the video, thanks for clicking here. Would you like to see more videos? Thanks for the encouragment and feedback on this project.
Regarding the video backdrop: The scene was filmed at home, with the cabanon in the background and the olive orchard just beyond. Enjoy. (language tip: at the end of the video, before it cuts off, I am telling Smokey to "Sit down!" (Assis!) and when that doesn't work, I insist he lie down (the command is Couché!). After that the video cuts off….
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My oh my. No comments posted yet. I was able to watch this video, but my internet isn’t fast enough for many of them posted these days, so I’m reluctant to click on most of them, only to get frustrated. I would not like to see video replacing the writing.
I loved your reading of how to mourn a cat. Your experience with Smokey is a lot like trying to write with cats wandering through the keyboard. 🙂
Love the video Kristin! How fun to see your surroundings and famous Smokey. Happy Saturday to all!
I love Smokey —-is that a tongue? I didn’t get to see/hear How to mourn a cat—–
Thanks for your effort. I think you need to do longer videos and tell a story.
Be well!
Had you read about dogs, Smokey would have surely given respect .. I mean, really! 🙂
Aloha, Bill
Kristi, I only heard the beginning of the video. But it ended when you started to read the cat story. How can I listen to the rest of it???
I loved the video. Now we will be spoiled and expect more and more! I’m curious now about how it is done. You are the belle of the bloggers!
Thanks from Alabama,
Debbie Ambrous
http://www.AFrenchOpportunity.com
Very cute! Smokey just wants to be the star. I think these videos are a great idea! Looking forward to seeing more.
Hail to both Smokey and Kristi! Didn’t get to hear the Cat story, but think you absolutely must continue doing videos! You will be a fine reader!
Kristi, We love your video! Please keep them coming 😉
You did great!
Kristin you are even prettier on video than in your photos! It was wonderful to hear you speaking English and French. Your dog is so sweet. I hope you continue to make videos and also invite your family to be in them sometimes too. Keep practicing on us!
I think Smokey should get his own blog, he is hogging yours!! Cute – good try, but do try again. I love hearing your voice.
If today’s video is any indication of things to come, we are in for a treat!!!I would enjoy your videos very much!!! You have a very pleasant voice, Kristi, and seeing Smokey in person was a big plus.
oh, so charming! please continue, Kristin! love monsieur smokey.
VIVE LA COMEDIE!
You’re brave to try the video. I was thinking I need to add video to my blog, but if I wanted to be in front of the camera and hear myself speaking, I wouldn’t try to be a writer. I certainly would love to see more videos, perhaps once a month like your very labor-intensive cinema verite used to be. I love the idea of hearing all the French vocabl you’re trying to teach us. And Smokey can come in at the beginning to say hi, but then I think the little wiggle worm has to go.
That’s my beautiful wife !
Loved the video, your dog is too much. He really had me laughing. Would love to see more when you have the time. Thanks for the giggles.
Kristin, I loved your video with Smokey. Made my day. I live with a Golden Retriever Mickey. Smokey and Mickey are both naughty but lovable representatives of the breed! Loved hearing you speak to him in French. Perhaps you could do a video on how to train a dog using French words if English ones don’t work (or vice versa!) :O)
Loved the video, Kristin; you should do more — I think Smokey wants his own, though! The story on mourning a cat hit home with me — I’ve been through that too many times and felt every word. Judy L.
I am releived to see golden retrievers do not obey in French either! Though perhaps I will try using Couchez and Assis with my golden.
Kristin, Re Aunt Liddy and her eyesight. I too am having trouble reading the tiny print. Is there any way to enlarge or make it darker? I do enjoy the painless review of French words as well as your interesting life.
Absolutely soulfully eloquent story (completely recognize every deep feeling -having had pets) and beautiful video, yes more videos please, have Braise & Smokey on all ~ be ‘Les Trois Mousquetaires’. The spiritual essence of your being shines through exquisitely.
Oh those goldens! If you sit on the ground, you will sooner or later have a golden trying to crawl onto your lap. This is a given! They all think they’re lap dogs. And they don’t know they’ve grown too big.
I loved the video and your easy manor, and “the little wiggle worm” is welcome for the whole of your videos, IMO. I loved his part in your first video, too, when you were making the salmon and lentil dish. Sent it to all my friends with goldens. They all laughed and suspected the video cut off before Smokes tried to jump onto the table. Oh, and we all made the salmon too!
What a great idea to post a video. Thank you Kristen. Wonderful to see Smokey in action too.
🙂
OH KRISTI – YOU ARE SO FUNNY !!!
IT’S ABOUT TIME THAT I FINALLY GET TO SEE YOU ON VIDEO.
I HAVE BEEN BEGGING FOR THIS FOR YEARS.
KEEP PRACTICING – I AM JUST HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR VOICE.
XOXO
MOM
I am so LOL! Kristen, How brave you are to try and make a video with a scene stealer such as Smokey.
Love the videos! Re: the kitten…Having mourned many a beloved pet as well as human loved one, I know guilt is the companion to grief. But think of the love and life we have given them and they, us…loved unconditionally no matter their or our bad habits. In the end, I am comforted to know I did the best I could at the time and in the circumstances for four- or many-legged, or two legged, loved ones.
Bonjour Kristi,
You are so kind to always think of others and this way (by video)to help Aunt Liddy and others with failing eyesight to continue to enjoy French Word a Day. Your presentation was parfait, and Smokey Dokie added a flair!
I will continue to be a faithful follower of your written word and now of your video and hopefully more to come.
And, merci for today’s email. It was a wonderful surprise when I opened my email this evening!
Emailing from Powhatan VA where it was a beautiful day but chilly!
Loved the video. But if Smokey wants to mourn a cat, he could do with a little more tongue in cheek! Perhaps he is wanting to get English Word a Day, for example, ‘Go lie down!’
i hope you will continue making videos with subjects that please you, whether complicated or simple, n’importe quoi.
best, Martha
Smokey does not WANT you to read a story about a damn cat!
I love your video! I could only get two minutes of it and I think both you and Smokey are stars…….please keep making videos. PS I liked the background very much also.
Love the video. Smokey is so sweet, just wants to be loved and loved and loved. Hope you continue making videos, what a great idea.
xoxo
Bravo on the video! Even my “old” PowerBook G4 could play it, and we enjoyed all 120 seconds. It’s amazing that hearing and seeing you and Smokey in action adds so much to your already-vivid writing and photographs. Please include Smokey (and Braise) in all your videos…they are so much fun! Do you always speak to them in French? (My Golden, Henry, and long-haired dachshund, Bob, seem to respond best to commands in Russian and to particularly relish words of love in French!)
You are not alone with your tender heart. Thank you for “How to Mourn a Cat.” XOXO
Yes, more videos, s’il vous plait! I know they’re a ton of work, but what fun for us greedy readers. And on the bad-hair days (hey, even a glamorous French blogger must have a few?) the occasional audio version might be nice, too. If only as an aid to any of us whose spoken French may be … less than parfait at this point.
But yes, your showboat chien may need his own blog soon. Thanks again!
Brilliant idea. Can’t wait for ALL the future video’s to come. I think the learning curve is over, as you already have so many adoring readers, as I (and my hubby). Thank you for cheering us up and keeping us close to France, one word at a time.
God bless. OH…check out my Chateau Blog when you have a free second. Still making additions, and correcting spacing on some of the pages but you inspired me to work on something I truly love. Thank you.
http://chateau-travel.blogspot.com/
Love it! your voice lends itself well to story telling. you are, comme d’habitude, so thoughtful of your readers. Smokey is a ham!
Encore!
How sweet to be able to see you live. Poor Smokey wanted to be the center of attention, didn’t he? But it was fun and I hope we get to see more (and hear the story, too)!
I loved your video. You are a natural, as is Smokey.i
Love everything you do. Would ALSO love to have an adoring French Jean-Marc! (a rather old one, what is)
Y’all have what seems to me such a wonderful life, in a place -now – where I would absolutely LOVE to be…gotta have the coast…and love Bandol.
From the time he was a puppy my beautiful little black and tan long-haired dachshund would simply parade with pride when I would say, “Tu es le meilleur, meilleur chien du monde.” And when he became almost totally deaf and blind….he still perked up to my falsetto French praise.
Thank you for always something warm and wonderful…
xo
s.
Oh yes, more videos would be so much fun! I could share them with my grandboys! They would love how helpful Smokey was reading the story! Tee hee!
Well, my sis has a 7 month old golden labrador with connoisseur tastes, it seems! We went out for Thanksgiving dinner and when we returned, there was a huge red stain on their light colored carpet! It appears she went counter surfing while we were gone, managed to chew on the screw top enough to make the wine leak out big time. Well, she wasn’t staggering when we arrived home, but it was reported that dear Lucy slept well through the night!!! You never know what creativity our other human-like creatures will produce when their peps are out of sight (or right in front of you like Smokey was)! Bonsoir, Kristi!
I loved your video , although you weren’t able to start the story … it would be nice to have some videos once in a while…helps to learn ! xoxo from Montreal ! =)
Loved the short video, hope you get the videos working better. Smokey, I see, wants to be a Star! lol
Merci beaucoup Kristi…please do post more. Lovely pooch!!
How to make the print bigger, on this or most any page: Simply press the CONTROL key (lower left) and at the same time the + key. It’s at the upper right, two to the right of the zero on my keyboard. Do it as many times as you need. CONTROL – will make it a step smaller again if you overdo it. There are ways to make larger print the default setting too, but they vary with browser, etc. Hope this helps Aunt Liddy and others continue reading.
I wrote before watching the video, and I heard Kristen explain the same method. Oops! But perhaps for some it will be easier to have the written instructions.
As I’ve suspected for a long time, even with all the self doubts you claim, it appears you do most of the things you set out to do very well! You seem to be a natural. Keep it up.
Thank you for the laugh. I loved it! 🙂 Bonne chance on your next video venture!
CONTINUEZ, SVP!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 It will be so nice to have a mix of text and video to learn new French words/expressions.
Kristin: I loved the video. It’s great seeing Smokey and you in “actions”. You’re so pretty and Smokey, a natural.
Thank you for the video. Smokey is such a ham…he just wants to be in the middle of everything.
Now if Aunt Liddy has a Mac (or maybe a PC will do the same) with a touch pad she can just expand the text with 2 fingers moving in an outward fashion.
Kathleen