Those colorful tasseled linens on the ladder are called foutas (available here). You see them on the beach, beneath the very chic! The French adore them though they're not made in France (some come from Tunisia). They don't cost an arm and a leg–and for added value you can use them as a tablecloth or a bed runner or a body wrap. ORDER A TOWEL HERE
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE…
by Kristin Espinasse
This morning when my son walks up to the breakfast table I promise not to fire off 24 giddy questions like the last time. "There's a bag of sliced bread here and some Nutella over there," I say simply, smiling peacefully when he says he prefers baguettes (we're out.)
It is so rare these days to share a meal with Max that I don't want to ruin this opportunity. Especially, I don't want to scare him away–after all, he has two more options: he could eat in the dining room or he could eat outside on the patio. The weather's still nice, so this last possibility would be tempting.
"Look at the jellyfish stings I got! " I try distracting my 18-year-old before he even considers his options. Quickly, I offer my hand for Max's inspection. Pointing to my ankle, I show off a second prickly red patch. "Que ça gratte!"
While away with Jean-Marc this weekend, on a 3-day escapade amoureux, I tried to keep up with my adventurous husband. But I was reluctant to swim in the sea with him after I noticed all the jellyfish. Finally on day three I made up my mind to brave the salty waters (which had cleared, some, of the stinging monsters). I mimicked my husband, spitting several times in my face mask, using my thumbs to "shine" the goggles with the help of my salive. Next, I yanked on the mask and dove in before chickening out. Seconds later I was stunned back to my good senses. Zapped twice by jellyfish!
How ironic to have been so cautious only to double the odds! Or, as Jean-Marc said when later we laughed about my accidental run-in with the méduses: "Il fallait le faire express! You would have had to do that on purpose!" He's right–and fear is like a magnet… it seems to attract the very thing it hopes to avoid!
Max laughed hearing my story. "Maman," he said, dismissing my superstition, "t'es une catastrophe!" You are just clumsy.
"Oh, by the way," I said to Max, "When I tried to text you last night with my mobile phone, I got confused by your response, which didn't make any sense–until I realized I was reading a response you had sent me last month!"
Max smiled and shook his head in appreciation of another of his mom's ineptitudes.
"…So I decided to have your sister text you for me! Only, when I texted Jackie for an update, I received another strange response. It read 'C ki?' I quickly figured out that 'c ki' was a keyboard shortcut for "c'est qui?"
Having decripted the French SMS, or text, I still found the message strange. Perhaps Jackie couldn't see my name in the text box thing? So I texted right back with "c maman". (Though I struggled with the tiny keys on my non-smart phone, I felt smug using the SMS code I'd just learned, such as the "c" for "c'est". But any pride quickly dissipated when I couldn't figure out how to abbreviate "maman"… mmn? mn? ma? meh…
"Next I received this message: 'dsl vs fait erreur'." After unscrambling the second message ("dsl = désolé; vs = vous…) I realized I had just texted a complete stranger, one who was polite enough to inform me: "sorry you've made a mistake"!
I debated several minutes on whether or not to reply to the inconnu, deciding it was only right to acknowledge the error: "dsl je me suis trompe de no". So much for the brief foray into French texting (and what a relief it was when the stranger didn't write back. Ouf!)
Max, having heard me out, came back to his first conclusion: "T'es une catastrophe!" he snickered.
Well, Max may be clever, but can he say "clumsy" in textese? MDR! Meantime, to help you with your own speed-texting, I leave you with a list of French SMS lingo–compiled by our daughter and SMS specialist Jackie (she also recorded an audio file for you… just below). Please share this blog with a friend–or a class, if you are teaching French 🙂
Audio File: You can listen to the following list, here: Download MP3 or Wav file
Mdr = Mort de rire (lol).
Pk = Pourquoi (why)
Je c = Je sais (I know)
Stp = S'il te plait (please)
Tg = Ta gueule! (shut up! [written teasingly])
Tmtc = Toi même tu sais (and you know it)
Jtm = Je t'aime (I love you)
Slt = Salut (hi)
Cc = Coucou (hi)
Bjr = Bonjour (hi)
Bsr = Bonsoir (goodnight)
Dsl = Désolé (sorry)
Have some French SMS shorthand you'd like to add to this list? Click here to go to the comments box.
French Vocabulary
que ça gratte! = it itches so bad!
une escapade amoureuse = lovers' getaway
la salive = saliva
une méduse = jellyfish
la maman = mom
l'inconnu = stranger
ouf! = phew!
Please help answer Patty's adoption question:
Kristin
Thank you for your wonderful newsletter.. It inspires me…. Although, I do not read it as much as I would like to….it always amazes me…and brings me to my roots… You may have the information I am looking for…. What is the name of the French TV program that looks for relatives of adopted children…. I understand they are quite successful at finding families..
I was adopted at birth in Bordeaux by an American Military couple back in the 50’s and have tried to look, but I haven’t much info…. I was told about the show and that that might be a possibility…. Any information you might have would be great….
Patty
Comments
During our 3-day getaway, we visited a little island church. I noticed this statue of St. Antoine. Beneath it there was a prayer book where you could leave a request. I mispelled the first word of mine…
….Good thing you don't have to conjugate to get your point across to God.
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Hi Kristin,
Do you ever text your husband…..JtmJM?
I like all the foutas, but especially the raspberry colored one!
I haven’t mastered the texting lingo. My texts are always too long!
Hi Kristin,
Do you ever text your husband…..JtmJM?
I like all the foutas, but especially the raspberry colored one!
I haven’t mastered the texting lingo. My texts are always too long!
For the beach, I would choose for my special someone the fouta in the lower right.
and thanks for the French SMS. Can’t wait to try it out on a few French-speaking friends!
For the beach, I would choose for my special someone the fouta in the lower right.
and thanks for the French SMS. Can’t wait to try it out on a few French-speaking friends!
I can barely figure out the English ones, never mind the French ones!!!
xoxo
I can barely figure out the English ones, never mind the French ones!!!
xoxo
I love all the foutas but the orange and yellow one is calling my name the loudest.
I love all the foutas but the orange and yellow one is calling my name the loudest.
Kristin,
Merci mille fois pour ce poste! I teach French and I am so excited to share the text speak with my students tomorrow in class! It’s always fun to make it more interesting for them, especially when it’s something that they are interested in!
Kristin,
Merci mille fois pour ce poste! I teach French and I am so excited to share the text speak with my students tomorrow in class! It’s always fun to make it more interesting for them, especially when it’s something that they are interested in!
I agree w Karen. Special: Buy WIAFL get Fouta pkge special. I’ll take 2.
So mom’s away and she wants to see if Max is at play. Get better answer– ask the dogs. Happy Labor Day…
I agree w Karen. Special: Buy WIAFL get Fouta pkge special. I’ll take 2.
So mom’s away and she wants to see if Max is at play. Get better answer– ask the dogs. Happy Labor Day…
Our dear Kristi,
I always felt like an idiot trying to text anyway, and now seeing all the appropriate “lingo” in French,wow,I feel like even more of one.Thank goodness for the troisieme age;some stuff isn’t as important!
I loved your church of st.Antoine,and your beautiful prayer request.What a wonderful idea.
Thank you,dear Kristi,for always filling us with light and inspiration!
Love, Natalia xo
Our dear Kristi,
I always felt like an idiot trying to text anyway, and now seeing all the appropriate “lingo” in French,wow,I feel like even more of one.Thank goodness for the troisieme age;some stuff isn’t as important!
I loved your church of st.Antoine,and your beautiful prayer request.What a wonderful idea.
Thank you,dear Kristi,for always filling us with light and inspiration!
Love, Natalia xo
Definitely the dark red with some white stripes.
Definitely the dark red with some white stripes.
For your SMS abbrvs.
A+ = à plus tard
For your SMS abbrvs.
A+ = à plus tard
Thanks for the texting lingo, but what does SMS itself stand for?
Joan L.
Thanks for the texting lingo, but what does SMS itself stand for?
Joan L.
A year or two ago, Beatrice Schoenberg hosted a program (sorry, I can’t remember the title).One segment was about a woman who helps people find their relatives and birth parents. It was on France 2.
A year or two ago, Beatrice Schoenberg hosted a program (sorry, I can’t remember the title).One segment was about a woman who helps people find their relatives and birth parents. It was on France 2.
The colors are wonderful – happy !!! But I would buy the yellow and orange – it just says summer fun to me. Sorry – I have starting texting yet – when my great neices and nephew start then I will. Back to your story.
The colors are wonderful – happy !!! But I would buy the yellow and orange – it just says summer fun to me. Sorry – I have starting texting yet – when my great neices and nephew start then I will. Back to your story.
First off, I think I would choose the yellow runner….goes with the sunflowers I like to keep in the kitchen.
Second;I tried texting once on my sisters phone (I don’t have one of those “things”) and it was somewhat of a disaster. And actually for some very strange reason the SMS (whatever that is) in French made more sense to me than English.
Third;we have a new French bakery in town. C’est très authentique. They even have fresh baguettes every morning and twice on Sundays! The owner actually moved his entire family here from France.
Fourth;does one ever greet someone other than family with good morning,I would assume “bon matin” or is it always “bonjour” until “ce soir”.
Fifth;in the future something you might try on jellyfish stings. They say vinegar, but an ER physician once told me that any type of meat tenderizer is good for insect, bee stings and the like. There is some enzyme in it that helps extract and break down the poison.
First off, I think I would choose the yellow runner….goes with the sunflowers I like to keep in the kitchen.
Second;I tried texting once on my sisters phone (I don’t have one of those “things”) and it was somewhat of a disaster. And actually for some very strange reason the SMS (whatever that is) in French made more sense to me than English.
Third;we have a new French bakery in town. C’est très authentique. They even have fresh baguettes every morning and twice on Sundays! The owner actually moved his entire family here from France.
Fourth;does one ever greet someone other than family with good morning,I would assume “bon matin” or is it always “bonjour” until “ce soir”.
Fifth;in the future something you might try on jellyfish stings. They say vinegar, but an ER physician once told me that any type of meat tenderizer is good for insect, bee stings and the like. There is some enzyme in it that helps extract and break down the poison.
Ok read your story but first things first! What city is the French bakery in that Joie talks about? Anywhere in Texas?
LOVed your story as usual – but no info on the adoption TV show. You are not a “catastrophe” . You are brave considering your first posts about getting the boat. Bravo and wish I knew of something to make the itching go away. Cortizone cream? Sometimes I use toothpaste on mosquito bites – sounds odd but my sister-in-law from La. told me about it. Maybe it would help with the jelly fish. Happy evening!
Ok read your story but first things first! What city is the French bakery in that Joie talks about? Anywhere in Texas?
LOVed your story as usual – but no info on the adoption TV show. You are not a “catastrophe” . You are brave considering your first posts about getting the boat. Bravo and wish I knew of something to make the itching go away. Cortizone cream? Sometimes I use toothpaste on mosquito bites – sounds odd but my sister-in-law from La. told me about it. Maybe it would help with the jelly fish. Happy evening!
This is for Patty:
I am on my way Sunday to Paris for 4 days and then to Aix en Provence for 6 days. I will ask my friends if they recall the program you mentioned. I can post it here if I find out anything. Bon chance!
Sue
This is for Patty:
I am on my way Sunday to Paris for 4 days and then to Aix en Provence for 6 days. I will ask my friends if they recall the program you mentioned. I can post it here if I find out anything. Bon chance!
Sue
Ilike the Tuscan yellow…but what r this couple’s colors?
Ilike the Tuscan yellow…but what r this couple’s colors?
I think the one on the lower right as well. It looks like red and I think everyone needs a little red in their life or kitchen maybe, especially newly-weds! It says fu
n to me!
I think the one on the lower right as well. It looks like red and I think everyone needs a little red in their life or kitchen maybe, especially newly-weds! It says fu
n to me!
I like the pink/blue/green strip, and I would want to live in those wraps, cannot tell how thick they are, though.
And you are B R A V E, Kristen–in a gazillion years I would never have gotten into that water!
I like the pink/blue/green strip, and I would want to live in those wraps, cannot tell how thick they are, though.
And you are B R A V E, Kristen–in a gazillion years I would never have gotten into that water!
Dear Kristi! Your story made me smile and feel light-as-summer; buoyed by memories of swimming amongst the (non-stinging) jellyfish of Puget Sound summers at my grandparents’. I am sorry for your stings (plural — ouch!!) and would have wished for you a more pleasant reward for your esteemed bravery! Still, happy you got away for a few days with your beloved.
Though reluctantly at first, I do find texting convenient and most of the abbreviations are beyond my understanding, as are smart phones. The first time I attempted to text on my current dinosaur-era cell phone was hilarious. I think it was on auto-fill, still not sure!? All I could get across was “tut tut” which puzzled me as well as the friend who the message was sent to. I think you and I have more in common than we realize! 🙂
There has been a shift in the light, the air, the weather here in southern Oregon; it feels light on the skin and the soul. Beautiful, glorious fall is near!
Dear Kristi! Your story made me smile and feel light-as-summer; buoyed by memories of swimming amongst the (non-stinging) jellyfish of Puget Sound summers at my grandparents’. I am sorry for your stings (plural — ouch!!) and would have wished for you a more pleasant reward for your esteemed bravery! Still, happy you got away for a few days with your beloved.
Though reluctantly at first, I do find texting convenient and most of the abbreviations are beyond my understanding, as are smart phones. The first time I attempted to text on my current dinosaur-era cell phone was hilarious. I think it was on auto-fill, still not sure!? All I could get across was “tut tut” which puzzled me as well as the friend who the message was sent to. I think you and I have more in common than we realize! 🙂
There has been a shift in the light, the air, the weather here in southern Oregon; it feels light on the skin and the soul. Beautiful, glorious fall is near!
Bonjour,
Voila un autre SMS: A+
egal ‘A plus’ egal ‘A plus tard’ egal ‘TTFN’ egal ‘CUL8R’
egal See You Later/Ta Ta For Now/Til later
Bonjour,
Voila un autre SMS: A+
egal ‘A plus’ egal ‘A plus tard’ egal ‘TTFN’ egal ‘CUL8R’
egal See You Later/Ta Ta For Now/Til later
The Arizona-like heatwave finally broke here in Missouri, so it was a perfect summer Labor Day to lounge by the pool, sans foutas but avec margaritas. Thanks so much for the text lingo because I’ve had friends e-mail or Skype using the abbreviations and I can’t always find their meaning in a google search. I will paste all of these into a handy spot on my computer.
The Arizona-like heatwave finally broke here in Missouri, so it was a perfect summer Labor Day to lounge by the pool, sans foutas but avec margaritas. Thanks so much for the text lingo because I’ve had friends e-mail or Skype using the abbreviations and I can’t always find their meaning in a google search. I will paste all of these into a handy spot on my computer.
What my French friend uses all the time: CT = c’etait, kan = quand, bcp = beaucoup, tjs/tjrs = toujours. There’s more but I don’t always get it either 😀
What my French friend uses all the time: CT = c’etait, kan = quand, bcp = beaucoup, tjs/tjrs = toujours. There’s more but I don’t always get it either 😀
Loved this post. And I can definitely sympathize with your texting frustrations.
As for the for “blankets”–they would be fabulous to use in upholstering dining room parsons chairs. I saw that Lilly Pulitzer’s daughter used native American blankets on her dining chairs but I think these would even more lovely.
Loved this post. And I can definitely sympathize with your texting frustrations.
As for the for “blankets”–they would be fabulous to use in upholstering dining room parsons chairs. I saw that Lilly Pulitzer’s daughter used native American blankets on her dining chairs but I think these would even more lovely.
I’m thinking the brighter/darker orange and the stripes with pink and orange. Beautiful!
I’m thinking the brighter/darker orange and the stripes with pink and orange. Beautiful!
Kristi,
The foutas on the lower left. The yellow, blue and pink remind me of the beach – yellow for the sun, blue for the ocean, pink for a gorgeous sunrise or sunset!
Kristi,
The foutas on the lower left. The yellow, blue and pink remind me of the beach – yellow for the sun, blue for the ocean, pink for a gorgeous sunrise or sunset!