Last month's sabbatical began in Paris… More in today's letter.
We will be back to the regular format of French Word-A-Day soon. Meantime, there's a letter waiting for you, just below, and a few ways to say 'hello.'
You know the word for "hi" in French. Here are some other oft-heard salutations. Have fun changing up your greetings next time you see a friend.
- salut (hi!)
- coucou (hey there!)
Bonjour! When last we spoke I talked about a one-month sabbatical. What I didn't tell you was how nervous I was about taking it. There was that risk of never coming back….
For decades (since young adulthood) I've lived with this belief that I am an all or nothing person. That, for example, if I dared keep this gig as a writer, I'd better keep on track–or veer off to The Land of Flake forever. (Flake–flakiness…).
But I have also secretly suspected that, deep down, I'm NOT an all or nothing person. That there is a resilient, flexible, can stop and start again soul at the helm of my personcraft, or being. Sometimes we just have to throw off our life jackets and test the waters. Thank you, dear reader, for waiting there on the raft for me! You promised to be there when I swam back. If you are reading now you can see my outstretched hand. I'm ready to get back on dry ground. Are you still ready?
One, two, three… heave!
Before setting off for a new season of writing, I'd like to take a moment to thank those readers who joined me on the one week AmaWaterways Paris to Normandy cruise last month. What a warm-hearted and fascinating group you were.
Thank you Joan and Glenn, Jean-Marie and Mark, Chris and George, Celia and Martha, Julie and Brad, and last but not least, thank you Nan and Tom and Charles and Martha (these two showed up for a surprise visit when we docked outside of Paris!). Thanks also to readers Julie and John (who were on the cruise just before us, and who took the time to leave a message in my room. I was delighted to read it!).
I would also like to thank my best friend Susan Boehnstedt (aka "Rouge-Bleu") of Critics Choice Vacations. Susan invited Jean-Marc and me to host the cruise, after highly suggesting our candidature to AMAWaterways! (Thank you Denise, at AMA, for making this possible!)
Going on this cruise was the best chance to see a beautiful part of France. And while it is hard to pinpoint a favorite endroit, or place–or a favorite thing about the cruise–I will share a comment by Jean-Marc, one that wonderfully captures the gift of cruising with AMAWaterways:
C'est bien reposant! How restful this is! (This, coming from an overworked winemaker and business man, is the best compliment one could give. So thanks to the hard workers at AMAWaterways for keeping an impeccably run boat. We enjoyed our chance to travel with you!
I leave you now with a few pictures from our cruise along the river (more photos to come). I hope these images will inspire you to travel the waterways of France. For more information, contact Susan at Critics Choice Vacations: Susan@CriticsChoiceVacations.com Phone: 480-831-9076
There were so many breathtaking landscapes along the waterways. We stopped in Les Andelys for a view from above.
In Rouen we stood where crowds witnessed the demise of Joan of Arc (flames once went up where now you see the plaque on a bed of flowers.)
I didn't get a picture of the irises that grown on these traditional rooftops. But I did get a snapshot of this little Norman boy as our tour bus cruised past.
Taken with Susan's camera (that's her, left, me, right). I think Linda took this photo. Linda is Susan's longtime friend from their days in Douglas, Arizona. It was a pleasure to meet Linda and spend pre-cruise time together in Paris. I especially enjoyed our lunch together in Île Saint-Louis where we chatted about Susan (were your ears burning, Rouge-Bleu?). The picture was taken in Honfleur, where we froze. Thankfully Celia (mentioned in the Thank you section, above) had this handmade bonnet on hand.
Here's Linda with Susan, in Honfleur.
The most touching moment of the trip was our visit to Omaha beach. I leave you with this image (more to come). This is Janet, whom I met on the cruise. I found her all alone. Lowering her umbrella, she spoke to the lost heros. Her gesture puts words to the gratitude in all our hearts.
Everyone loves this holiday CD! Listen to A French Christmas and "Mon Beau Sapin", "Saint Nuit", "La Marche des Rois", "Petite Ville Bethléem", "Il est né Le Divin Enfant". Order CD here.
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Absolutely thrilled to have you back! YAY! **jumping up and down and clapping** 🙂 Glad you had such a great time! I so wish I could have been one of the lucky ones to have joined you!
I know everyone has already said it, but . . . you and your lovely posts were greatly missed! Welcome back, m’lady! ! !
Absolutely thrilled to have you back! YAY! **jumping up and down and clapping** 🙂 Glad you had such a great time! I so wish I could have been one of the lucky ones to have joined you!
I know everyone has already said it, but . . . you and your lovely posts were greatly missed! Welcome back, m’lady! ! !
Chere Kristin,
I was very ill all through the night. When I finally woke up this morning, I found your long awaited email. It was the best dose of medicine for me and now I’m feeling much better! All is right with the world, Kristin is back! I’m very glad you had such a wonderful voyage and a bit of ‘down-time’ – I’m sure the time away went very quickly! I’m very happy you’re back – I can once again allow myself to look for your wonderful posts and photos, and being excited whenever one pops up in my inbox!
Welcome home!
Chere Kristin,
I was very ill all through the night. When I finally woke up this morning, I found your long awaited email. It was the best dose of medicine for me and now I’m feeling much better! All is right with the world, Kristin is back! I’m very glad you had such a wonderful voyage and a bit of ‘down-time’ – I’m sure the time away went very quickly! I’m very happy you’re back – I can once again allow myself to look for your wonderful posts and photos, and being excited whenever one pops up in my inbox!
Welcome home!
I stood in this very long line to add my “Welcome back.”
🙂
GL in Arizona
I stood in this very long line to add my “Welcome back.”
🙂
GL in Arizona
Looks like you had a fabulous time. Missed your stories so much looking forward to hearing about those adventures.
Looks like you had a fabulous time. Missed your stories so much looking forward to hearing about those adventures.
Dear Kristin:
It was so nice to see your French Word-A-Day site in my ‘in’ box today. What a breath of fresh air you are. Your site takes us all to the heart of whatever place of France you are in. I love your family and all of your adventures. You give us a taste of what it is like to live in France and your readers live there through your adventures. You share thoughts, insights, fears, strengths, home and family with us all and it makes us feel as though we are your close friends. It is special and brave. Also, some sites have just become buying excursions and all about consuming product instead of the sights, sounds, and adventures of living in a new place. Your site is special. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures and family with us. So happy your back.
Cathi Hoffman
Dear Kristin:
It was so nice to see your French Word-A-Day site in my ‘in’ box today. What a breath of fresh air you are. Your site takes us all to the heart of whatever place of France you are in. I love your family and all of your adventures. You give us a taste of what it is like to live in France and your readers live there through your adventures. You share thoughts, insights, fears, strengths, home and family with us all and it makes us feel as though we are your close friends. It is special and brave. Also, some sites have just become buying excursions and all about consuming product instead of the sights, sounds, and adventures of living in a new place. Your site is special. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures and family with us. So happy your back.
Cathi Hoffman
Welcome back. I have missed your words and photos. It’s good to have you back
Welcome back. I have missed your words and photos. It’s good to have you back
The last picture is especially meaningful to me as it is one of the very first places my French husband ever took me and my Daddy, a WW Two…army soldier/doctor died this Thanksgiving..his best friend, at that time in his life died there and Daddy always wanted to go and pay his respects….I was there for the 50th anniversary and I was so deeply moved.
The last picture is especially meaningful to me as it is one of the very first places my French husband ever took me and my Daddy, a WW Two…army soldier/doctor died this Thanksgiving..his best friend, at that time in his life died there and Daddy always wanted to go and pay his respects….I was there for the 50th anniversary and I was so deeply moved.
Salut, Kristin, so good to have you back, we missed you
Salut, Kristin, so good to have you back, we missed you
So glad you are back. Thanks for the lovely photos of many places I have been. Now I long to return.
So glad you are back. Thanks for the lovely photos of many places I have been. Now I long to return.
Welcome Back! So glad you had a wonderful cruise —- I love the photos.
Thanks & stay well!
Welcome Back! So glad you had a wonderful cruise —- I love the photos.
Thanks & stay well!
Just in time for the holidays! You’re back. but you were never really gone … not from my thoughts and memories. Looking forward to your posts. Thank you so much for letting me know about Ann Mah’s book Mastering the Art of French Eating. I thoroughly enjoyed it. That’s part of what your blog is all about … making connections for people and you do it so well. Trois bisous for you and Jean-Marc.
Just in time for the holidays! You’re back. but you were never really gone … not from my thoughts and memories. Looking forward to your posts. Thank you so much for letting me know about Ann Mah’s book Mastering the Art of French Eating. I thoroughly enjoyed it. That’s part of what your blog is all about … making connections for people and you do it so well. Trois bisous for you and Jean-Marc.
Our dear Kristi,
So wonderful to have you back!Though we missed you dearly,we were really happy that you were finally taking a well deserved break!And,needless to say,you have inded shown that you are a most gifted(and enchanting!) writer,who can start and stop at will,and get only better each time you do!
Thanks to these gorgeous pictures,we are enjoying your cruise with you today.I was especially moved at Omaha Beach;my dad made the first eye witness radio broadcast from there,
and later was lucky to keep his life when his vehicle was blown up with him in it.
There could be no better way to celebrate our holidays than to share them with you and the FWAD family.
Thank you!
Love
Natalia. xo
Our dear Kristi,
So wonderful to have you back!Though we missed you dearly,we were really happy that you were finally taking a well deserved break!And,needless to say,you have inded shown that you are a most gifted(and enchanting!) writer,who can start and stop at will,and get only better each time you do!
Thanks to these gorgeous pictures,we are enjoying your cruise with you today.I was especially moved at Omaha Beach;my dad made the first eye witness radio broadcast from there,
and later was lucky to keep his life when his vehicle was blown up with him in it.
There could be no better way to celebrate our holidays than to share them with you and the FWAD family.
Thank you!
Love
Natalia. xo
Welcome back. I enjoyed your photo’s, they brought back good memories of a similiar trip I took a few years ago. Am looking forward to seeing more of them.
Irene
Welcome back. I enjoyed your photo’s, they brought back good memories of a similiar trip I took a few years ago. Am looking forward to seeing more of them.
Irene
Hooray, you’re back! I’ve missed you!
Hooray, you’re back! I’ve missed you!
Welcome back. I don’t think you’re a flake at all, or if you are, you’re a good flake.
Joan L
Welcome back. I don’t think you’re a flake at all, or if you are, you’re a good flake.
Joan L
Kristen, what joy you bring to all of us and welcome home. I feel I was on vacation with you. You are a beautiful inside and out.
I was at the 50th anniversary of D-Day at Omaha beach singing with my church choir. One of our choir member’s father died on that beach and he was given the honor of raising our flag. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about those brave souls. Peace to all. May we never forget. Mary-Audrey from Arizona
Kristen, what joy you bring to all of us and welcome home. I feel I was on vacation with you. You are a beautiful inside and out.
I was at the 50th anniversary of D-Day at Omaha beach singing with my church choir. One of our choir member’s father died on that beach and he was given the honor of raising our flag. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about those brave souls. Peace to all. May we never forget. Mary-Audrey from Arizona
Hello Kristin, So glad to have you back. Your time off was well deserved…It helps to refuel those creative brain cells, rejuvenate relationships, and creates a momentary Zen existence. I am envious…I would be painting up a storm trying to capture all those moments. Alas, the ship has returned and now you can rely upon that marvellous memory of yours as you change gears an return to life as the author, mother and wife oh, and wayward traveller!
(: BJ
Hello Kristin, So glad to have you back. Your time off was well deserved…It helps to refuel those creative brain cells, rejuvenate relationships, and creates a momentary Zen existence. I am envious…I would be painting up a storm trying to capture all those moments. Alas, the ship has returned and now you can rely upon that marvellous memory of yours as you change gears an return to life as the author, mother and wife oh, and wayward traveller!
(: BJ
Welcome back!
Welcome back!
Thank you for sharing your time away through pictures. Welcome back. You were missed.
Thank you for sharing your time away through pictures. Welcome back. You were missed.
Chere Kristin,
How wonderful it is to see again your beautiful words, evocative photographs, and deeply personal perspective coming from France! My husband Mark and I, long time readers and fans, were thrilled to be able to join the marvelous cruise along the Seine from Paris to Normandy hosted by you and Jean-Marc, AND to meet you both. Your presence and interactions with all travelers made this beautiful autumn voyage to historic and scenic French locales really unforgettable. What a treat, to have you sign one of your books onboard and… to hear an enticing chapter from the new book on-the-way. Jean-Marc’s deep knowledge and love of les vignes, le terroir, and of course le vin, inspired and enchanted all the lucky passengers–including a couple of grape growers from Napa Valley. Merci beaucoup!
Chere Kristin,
How wonderful it is to see again your beautiful words, evocative photographs, and deeply personal perspective coming from France! My husband Mark and I, long time readers and fans, were thrilled to be able to join the marvelous cruise along the Seine from Paris to Normandy hosted by you and Jean-Marc, AND to meet you both. Your presence and interactions with all travelers made this beautiful autumn voyage to historic and scenic French locales really unforgettable. What a treat, to have you sign one of your books onboard and… to hear an enticing chapter from the new book on-the-way. Jean-Marc’s deep knowledge and love of les vignes, le terroir, and of course le vin, inspired and enchanted all the lucky passengers–including a couple of grape growers from Napa Valley. Merci beaucoup!
I missed your return on the 4th, but I have been checking since the end of November! I, too, have missed learning new insights that you are so good in sharing.
My father landed on Utah beach, but 6 days after D-Day. We visited there and my husband kissed the beach (as my father told us he did) and our daughter collected stones from the beach to take back to Grandpa! There was a musée at the entrance to the beach that offered me a french document of thanks that had blanks for me to fill in my father’s name and where he was from. He cherished that and so did I.
Welcome back.
I missed your return on the 4th, but I have been checking since the end of November! I, too, have missed learning new insights that you are so good in sharing.
My father landed on Utah beach, but 6 days after D-Day. We visited there and my husband kissed the beach (as my father told us he did) and our daughter collected stones from the beach to take back to Grandpa! There was a musée at the entrance to the beach that offered me a french document of thanks that had blanks for me to fill in my father’s name and where he was from. He cherished that and so did I.
Welcome back.
Chere Kristi,k
Think my first Comments got lost in cyberspace.
Anyhow, welcome back – you were greatly mmissed but we all wanted you to have a fun a relaxing break. Looking forward to your activities in preparation for Noel. Great pictures from your trip and more to come. Merci, chere amie.
Chere Kristi,k
Think my first Comments got lost in cyberspace.
Anyhow, welcome back – you were greatly mmissed but we all wanted you to have a fun a relaxing break. Looking forward to your activities in preparation for Noel. Great pictures from your trip and more to come. Merci, chere amie.
Les photos sont belles
Les photos sont belles
How lovely to have you back! I missed your stories, pictures and generally your presence. Hope you missed us too 😉
How lovely to have you back! I missed your stories, pictures and generally your presence. Hope you missed us too 😉
Welcome back, and thank you for your wonderful site.
My husband and I have visited Normandy & Rouen, & we loved both. We are huge francophiles, and have stayed in Paris for trips that amount to years.
Merci encore pour tout ton travail et les photos merveilleux!
Je te prie de bien noter mon adresse email:
meowciao831@gmail.com et annuler l’autre.
meowciao831@gmail.com et annuler l’autre; merci, Paulette
Welcome back, and thank you for your wonderful site.
My husband and I have visited Normandy & Rouen, & we loved both. We are huge francophiles, and have stayed in Paris for trips that amount to years.
Merci encore pour tout ton travail et les photos merveilleux!
Je te prie de bien noter mon adresse email:
meowciao831@gmail.com et annuler l’autre.
meowciao831@gmail.com et annuler l’autre; merci, Paulette