With all the time I have on my hands since letting my emails go unanswered, you may wonder what I'm up to? Netting figs! And on a less glamorous note, I am caring more for my home and family (this last one is a "sentimental" note). Read on.
courriel (kohr-ee-el)
courriel = le courrier électronique
Le courrier électronique existait avant Internet et fut un outil précieux lors de la création de celui-ci. Email existed before internet and was a useful tool when creating it (internet).
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
In France, a translation for electronic mail exists (for the record it's "courriel") though the majority of French people I know use the English term. French or English, email is a force that rules our our emotions, which can go up and down like a mail-truck on a montagne russe.
Apart from our heartstrings, email sometimes rules our lives. After beginning this blog in October of 2002, I had the privilege and honor of hearing from people from all over the world. My inbox grew by the year and I answered every single letter, interacting with a rainbow of readers. From a retired artist in Australia to a 12-year-old in my home town of Phoenix, I got to know complete strangers endearingly. Births, marriages, retirements, illnesses, deaths–times a hundred, two hundred. Meantime, in the background, loomed my close-knit family. And then a string came undone. And another….
Sitting here now, as upright as a half-knit sock, I am trying to mend loose ends after an ambitious decade of electronic correspondence. I am trying to re-prioritise. To remember my father's birthday this year.
Please excuse this erratic story. I meant to post a rerun–then make lunch, take my daughter back-to-school shopping, and prepare for a family dinner tonight (with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, we're going to talk about my belle-mère's situation.)
As for email, I'm signing off for good–unless your name is Mom or Dad or Best Friend or "State Lottery Official." (Just kidding! …about the State Lottery Official.)
Love,
Kristi
(Writing today's letter was as hard as saying "no." If you do reply to this post, via the link at the end, please do so with support. I need it, just as you do.)
French Vocab
montagne russe = roller coaster
la belle-mère = mother-in-law
That pomegranate tree I told you about. The fruit needs more time to ripen, so we took my mother-in-law a hand-picked bouquet of flowers instead (bougainvillea and sunflowers. It was sweet!)
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K ~
I’m so glad you’re taking care of yourself.
Love,
g
K ~
I’m so glad you’re taking care of yourself.
Love,
g
We have never met. I’ve known Heidi since we were both married to our now former husbands and we traveled to Sonoma Cutrer for the Annual Croquet fundraiser and absolutely crazy fun weekend. Last year when I was considering a major life change, Heidi suggested your blog, and you have been a sweet light in a sometimes very dark year. Thank you. Your post today touched my heart. I have admired your talent, your loving references to your family and your life style. I hope and pray you and your family stay well and happy, and that you stay true to your heart. MJ
We have never met. I’ve known Heidi since we were both married to our now former husbands and we traveled to Sonoma Cutrer for the Annual Croquet fundraiser and absolutely crazy fun weekend. Last year when I was considering a major life change, Heidi suggested your blog, and you have been a sweet light in a sometimes very dark year. Thank you. Your post today touched my heart. I have admired your talent, your loving references to your family and your life style. I hope and pray you and your family stay well and happy, and that you stay true to your heart. MJ
Kristy, seems to me that all the loving thoughts, wishes, and prayers are working, don’t U think?!! Bon chance avec tout! Cont’d. prayers pour la belle mere.
Kristy, seems to me that all the loving thoughts, wishes, and prayers are working, don’t U think?!! Bon chance avec tout! Cont’d. prayers pour la belle mere.
Support all the good wishes expressed above.
A quote from C.G. Jung that I find helpful and hope you do too. “Where we stumble and fall is where we find pure gold.” None of us need to feel judged, by ourself or anyone else.
Steep yourself in family and find your pure gold.
Karen
Support all the good wishes expressed above.
A quote from C.G. Jung that I find helpful and hope you do too. “Where we stumble and fall is where we find pure gold.” None of us need to feel judged, by ourself or anyone else.
Steep yourself in family and find your pure gold.
Karen
Good move, my dear. I’m sure we all understand the need, both to whittle the email, and spend time with family. Just retired so that I could spend time with the family (and work at hoeing out the collections of crud – “maybe we’d have a use for this sometime” type of stuff – that has accumulated over the last 14 years, if not the last 47!). Even just to have time with husband Jack seems important now. We got to have a whole month with daughter Kymberly in FL and hope to spend a bit more time with daughter Cyndi here in Utah – she’s just an hour+ away. Please know I’m sending positive thoughts and love while you make decisions about care for the mother-in-law. Jack’s mother ended up living with us for over 6 years, but had to go to a nursing home after we moved to France, as her level of care had increased. It’s never easy. So hard when the body or the mind begins to fail and lets one down.
Good move, my dear. I’m sure we all understand the need, both to whittle the email, and spend time with family. Just retired so that I could spend time with the family (and work at hoeing out the collections of crud – “maybe we’d have a use for this sometime” type of stuff – that has accumulated over the last 14 years, if not the last 47!). Even just to have time with husband Jack seems important now. We got to have a whole month with daughter Kymberly in FL and hope to spend a bit more time with daughter Cyndi here in Utah – she’s just an hour+ away. Please know I’m sending positive thoughts and love while you make decisions about care for the mother-in-law. Jack’s mother ended up living with us for over 6 years, but had to go to a nursing home after we moved to France, as her level of care had increased. It’s never easy. So hard when the body or the mind begins to fail and lets one down.
Kristin – I first learned of your blog from my local community college French teacher back in 2004. I love your heartfelt sharing of stories about life and family, especially the pictures of all.
Good for you in prioritizing (near impossible for some) and I hope it will allow you more time to be with your family. As always, I will continue to look for your posts in my in-box – they brighten my day.
Kristin – I first learned of your blog from my local community college French teacher back in 2004. I love your heartfelt sharing of stories about life and family, especially the pictures of all.
Good for you in prioritizing (near impossible for some) and I hope it will allow you more time to be with your family. As always, I will continue to look for your posts in my in-box – they brighten my day.
Good decision. Blessings to you!
Good decision. Blessings to you!
I agree with everyone else, you and your family come first. I feel fortunate to have been able to see you on a couple of occasions. You were extremely welcoming. I , along with others, will enjoy the correspondence
we do get with you, via your blog, and know thoughts are with you during your ups and downs of life. And you are definitely and up in ours.
I agree with everyone else, you and your family come first. I feel fortunate to have been able to see you on a couple of occasions. You were extremely welcoming. I , along with others, will enjoy the correspondence
we do get with you, via your blog, and know thoughts are with you during your ups and downs of life. And you are definitely and up in ours.
Dear Kristin, Thank you for continually sharing your life in Provence
I was there for a couple of weeks this summer, so I really do appreciate your photos ETC.
Re not answering emails: the only question is:
WHAT REALLY MATTERS ? That question has an easy answer and you are setting a great example for the rest of us.
Félicitations ! Margot de Maine
Dear Kristin, Thank you for continually sharing your life in Provence
I was there for a couple of weeks this summer, so I really do appreciate your photos ETC.
Re not answering emails: the only question is:
WHAT REALLY MATTERS ? That question has an easy answer and you are setting a great example for the rest of us.
Félicitations ! Margot de Maine
We understand, we love you. Maybe not having to answer emails will make you enjoy doing the postings even more. I look forward to them.
Debby Howell, Oregon
We understand, we love you. Maybe not having to answer emails will make you enjoy doing the postings even more. I look forward to them.
Debby Howell, Oregon
You are amazing with all you do, nurturing your beautiful home and family. I hope I will meet you one day in France. For now you have so much support, you may not be able to take it all in. What a Blessing!
Debra from Palm Desert
You are amazing with all you do, nurturing your beautiful home and family. I hope I will meet you one day in France. For now you have so much support, you may not be able to take it all in. What a Blessing!
Debra from Palm Desert
Good for you!!! I don’t know how you did it for this long….I was just in rural NW Ct. for a couple of weeks and did nothing electronically, pure heaven !!!
Keeping up with the blog is hard enough!! Congratulations on taking care of yourself and your family !!!
Bises,
Suzanne
Good for you!!! I don’t know how you did it for this long….I was just in rural NW Ct. for a couple of weeks and did nothing electronically, pure heaven !!!
Keeping up with the blog is hard enough!! Congratulations on taking care of yourself and your family !!!
Bises,
Suzanne
Hi Kristin. Just to check. I would have thought the pronunciation of courriel would be koor-ee-el (instead of kohr-ee-el).
Love, love, love your emails and website.
You are one of the wonders of the world!
Much love.
David (& Susan)
Hi Kristin. Just to check. I would have thought the pronunciation of courriel would be koor-ee-el (instead of kohr-ee-el).
Love, love, love your emails and website.
You are one of the wonders of the world!
Much love.
David (& Susan)
Kristi, grand merci for all the smiles, sighs, heartstring-pulls and laughs, not to mention the learning that you’ve brought me/all of us over the years and the regularly dished-up delicious tastes of Provence. Sounds like it’s time to put the blog to bed and give it a well-earned rest. I understand the need to focus on family and admire your decision to do that. I only want to add that I hope you will be taking very good care of your own loving, generous self!
Kristi, grand merci for all the smiles, sighs, heartstring-pulls and laughs, not to mention the learning that you’ve brought me/all of us over the years and the regularly dished-up delicious tastes of Provence. Sounds like it’s time to put the blog to bed and give it a well-earned rest. I understand the need to focus on family and admire your decision to do that. I only want to add that I hope you will be taking very good care of your own loving, generous self!
Oops, re-read your misunderstood post – so you are only giving up email, not the blog? Yippee!
Oops, re-read your misunderstood post – so you are only giving up email, not the blog? Yippee!
Fait attention a toi et ton famille. Merci pour tout Kristin. Yes, we all need to keep healthy boundaries, especially at challenging times. Our hearts and thoughts are with you and your belle mere and family. Bisous.
Fait attention a toi et ton famille. Merci pour tout Kristin. Yes, we all need to keep healthy boundaries, especially at challenging times. Our hearts and thoughts are with you and your belle mere and family. Bisous.
Brava! Your blog is wonderful. That is all we need. You have your priorities in order and I applaud your decision heartily. A very sane and healthy decision.
Brava! Your blog is wonderful. That is all we need. You have your priorities in order and I applaud your decision heartily. A very sane and healthy decision.
Its wonderful to see you put your family first. There is nothing more important in this world than them. We are all way to connected to our phones and the net. Be at peace, we all love and enjoy your blog. If you wish to connect with us you still can,but it has never been the reason we love your blog.
Its wonderful to see you put your family first. There is nothing more important in this world than them. We are all way to connected to our phones and the net. Be at peace, we all love and enjoy your blog. If you wish to connect with us you still can,but it has never been the reason we love your blog.
Brava, Our Kristi! A sensible, smart and sensitive decision in every way. Besides, you now know full well that we, your ‘world family’ are simply connected with you anyway, no matter what. Though I echo every word above, the comment from Kerry is the one that absolutely speaks for me as well. Now, onwards with those generational nurturings that both tax and regenerate your own remarkable spirit, Dear You.
Brava, Our Kristi! A sensible, smart and sensitive decision in every way. Besides, you now know full well that we, your ‘world family’ are simply connected with you anyway, no matter what. Though I echo every word above, the comment from Kerry is the one that absolutely speaks for me as well. Now, onwards with those generational nurturings that both tax and regenerate your own remarkable spirit, Dear You.
Our dear Kristi,
Another wonderful,pertinent post–an awesome decision!– and one which we all admire and would like to follow your example.
Tempura mutantur,nos et mutamur in illis!
How fortunate we are to share in your life and enjoy all of your beautifully written words!
Thank You!
Blessings and prayers
to you and your wonderful family.
Love
Natalia XO
Our dear Kristi,
Another wonderful,pertinent post–an awesome decision!– and one which we all admire and would like to follow your example.
Tempura mutantur,nos et mutamur in illis!
How fortunate we are to share in your life and enjoy all of your beautifully written words!
Thank You!
Blessings and prayers
to you and your wonderful family.
Love
Natalia XO
Hi Kristin, on your last blog for your information and your numerous readers:
roller coaster is “les montagnes russes” (word to word) Russian mountains and it’s always plural.
Best regards
Hi Kristin, on your last blog for your information and your numerous readers:
roller coaster is “les montagnes russes” (word to word) Russian mountains and it’s always plural.
Best regards
Hi Kristen,
Good decision! I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet you and Jackie in Paris. Will look forward to your blog whenever you write it. All the best to you and your family.
Carol from Los Angeles
Hi Kristen,
Good decision! I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet you and Jackie in Paris. Will look forward to your blog whenever you write it. All the best to you and your family.
Carol from Los Angeles
I will miss you! The decision you’ve made was a wrenching but good one. Loved ones are only with us for so long. Those of us who have come to love you, your adventures, struggles(Brava!) and beautiful family congratulate you! We always have your books to continue to cherish you!
Courage!
With admiration and love,
Alice Glasser
aliceglasser@comcast.net
I will miss you! The decision you’ve made was a wrenching but good one. Loved ones are only with us for so long. Those of us who have come to love you, your adventures, struggles(Brava!) and beautiful family congratulate you! We always have your books to continue to cherish you!
Courage!
With admiration and love,
Alice Glasser
aliceglasser@comcast.net
Hi Kristin,
What a great decision! I don’t know how you manage everything, email not withstanding. I can barely make it through my email each day and I’m retired, don’t write a blog, nor have children at home, nor a vineyard, nor a huge potager, nor any doggies! I’ve often wondered when you could possibly be sleeping! Email just drains the heart and soul and yet it is so addictive, the desire to try to ‘clean it out’ each day. I am going to be thinking about your idea – to do a thorough deep filter on what I process. It has invaded my life, but without much pleasure or benefit! I think it’s a hard habit to break – I’m very proud of you!!! Just keep writing your wonderful life stories, because ‘your blog email’ WILL be one I will always open!! Bisous, Judi
Hi Kristin,
What a great decision! I don’t know how you manage everything, email not withstanding. I can barely make it through my email each day and I’m retired, don’t write a blog, nor have children at home, nor a vineyard, nor a huge potager, nor any doggies! I’ve often wondered when you could possibly be sleeping! Email just drains the heart and soul and yet it is so addictive, the desire to try to ‘clean it out’ each day. I am going to be thinking about your idea – to do a thorough deep filter on what I process. It has invaded my life, but without much pleasure or benefit! I think it’s a hard habit to break – I’m very proud of you!!! Just keep writing your wonderful life stories, because ‘your blog email’ WILL be one I will always open!! Bisous, Judi
I have loved your stories, giving me a glimpse into your surroundings and your life. Please do not feel badly if you are unable to continue. We all understand, and your family and your health must be your priorities 🙂
I have loved your stories, giving me a glimpse into your surroundings and your life. Please do not feel badly if you are unable to continue. We all understand, and your family and your health must be your priorities 🙂