Today's snapshot was taken during our mother-daughter trip to Milan. The modern sculpture wonderfully illustrates today's verb! Also, help me answer the question "Should this journal go out once or twice per week?" Comment here, and enter to win today's giveaway, details below.
Beautifully renovated and decorated home in the Luberon. 4 bedrooms and a study with a sofa bed, each with ensuite (full) bath. This villa comfortably sleeps 7-9 adults.
TODAY'S WORD:
tordre
: to twist, to wring, to contort
se tordre = to sprain
se tordre de rire = to laugh so hard your stomach hurts
se tordre la cheville = to twist one's ankle
se tordre de douleur = to writhe in pain
AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc
Download MP3 or listen to Wav
Deux fois par semaine, Kristi va chez le kiné qui lui tord le bras afin qu'il revienne droit.
Twice a week, Kristi goes to the physical therapist who twists her arm so that it will straighten.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
"Twist My Arm"
Two days a week the local kiné tortures me. "Aïe!"
"Ça fait mal?" The young, bearded man says, more as a distraction than a question. And, as I respond, he gains more ground–twisting my arm a few more centimeters. Le diable! Aïe! Aïe! Aïe
It's been two months since the freak accident I had, hours before boarding my flight. I still shake my head at how a ten-second mishap can lead to a season of rehabilitation. Even more amazing is how lucky I was to s'en sortir with no more than a dislocated coude instead of broken bones.
My elbow is back in place, but things are still crooked when the kiné releases his grip during our third séance. Pushing both arms before me, level with my shoulders, one arm meets the horizon in a straight line while the other, held parallel to the first, is still bent.
"Do you think this will ever straighten out?" I ask Vincent The Torturer.
"It will never be as it was before," he says. "But only you will notice any difference."
Different? Will it be off by half an inch? An inch? Forever slightly akimbo? The kiné's next question hushes my mind.
"Is there anything you cannot do with your arm now?"
True! There is nothing I can't do now that I could do before! Looking down at my bare arm it was no worse for the wear… if a little puny. Time to lift some weights, or I'm headed for bingo wings!
Which reminds me. Yes! There is still something I cannot do…
Fly!
BOOK GIVEAWAY
Benjamin Houy of FrenchTogether.com, is giving away a copy of his book! He writes:
I am passionate about learning languages and wrote a guide to help French learners learn French in a fun and effective way. It's called Upgrade Your French: The Ultimate Guide to Learning French on Your Own, and I believe it could be useful for your readers.
ENTER TO WIN: Help me to answer a question that's been on my mind lately: Should I send out this French word journal once or twice per week?
COMMENT HERE and help Kristi decide how often to write!
The backyard kitchen garden in January. It looks sleepy but it's rumbling underneath (I've been planting seeds!). In the foreground, out of frame, is the permaculture garden, as wild as a jungle. Smokey thinks he's Tarzan. And, when I'm done with these rehabilitation sessons, I'll fly beside him like Jane!
See Tarzan and Jane's Make a French Yogurt Cake video
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If you have the time to post twice a week, I will make the time to read it! Of course, it is up to you and your schedule, I would understand if it were only once…but I vote for two!
Kristen – I love your blog! Do what is best for you!
Twice! Twice! Twice!
I’d like to see you go back to thrice a week. It doesn’t have to be a long post each time. Maybe 1 in depth piece per week and 2 quick posts.
Of course I think it should be twice a week – you are a writer, cherie, so you must write, even a small paragraph twice a week is very meaningful to us. You have a gift and you need to use it to keep it nourished. You can do it. The children are away more and will be living on their own some day and you’ll be thankful for the writing time. Nurture your gift.
For purely selfish reasons, I’d love to continue receiving your blog twice a week. It’s my vicarious way of living in France. It makes me feel as if I’m actually there! But if you’re asking the question, you’re probably feeling the need to cut back to once a week. That would be okay if it keeps you blogging!
Kristin, you could write every day, and I would not feel that there was too much…however, I am sure that a severe case of burnout would occur, and NOBODY wants that. So once a week will be looked forward to, read, listened to, looked at, and enjoyed.
Bon chance
Robin
Once a week please, as a newish reader there are lots of previos posts to enjoy and read if i need/can squeeze in more.
J’aime bien votre blog Kristin et j’ai appris beaucoup pendant les années que j’ai été le lire. ( that’s probably wrong!)
Continuez le bon travail. Je suis contente n’importe que vous faites. ( that’s probably wrong too!)
Best wishes from Australia.
Hi Kristin!
I look forward eagerly to your post as it is wonderfully written. Twice a week would be fine, but to keep the quality alive of the contents, even once a week, would do,if you have other priorities.
What really matters to us is that , all that you write flows from your heart to ours, so we can connect truly anytime, anywhere and any number of times.
Hi, Kristin!
I enjoy reading your E-mails with info about the French language and sites. I do believe once a week is plenty for me to read since I have a busy schedule myself.
Take care and enjoy life!
Monika
I’m just beginning to keep a daily journal, and I realize only now what a time commitment it becomes. In my journal, I simply write what happened each day. My journal is not for public consumption, nor does it have to be creative and educational.
Since so many of your readers, including myself, love learning French, why not once a week, write your standard blog, but then in a second one, just grace us, your loyal readers, with a new French word or expression. It could be a word that a neighbor used, or some French expression you heard on the daily news. How about a French gardening term? By adding this second post, you could be teaching us more French, but not be so involved with the full creative process. Another possibility would be to expose common errors that Americans make when they are learning and speaking French. Your readers would eat that up!
Love to you from Oak Ridge, New Jersey, where it is REALLY cold right now.
Diane Stanley
Hi Kristin,
I love reading your blog and just go with what your heart tells you. Whatever fits in best with your life! You don’t want it to become a chore or something you have to rack your brain over. I think once a week is great because it gives you time to live your life and concentrate on one good story with photos (love those pics) to share with your readers! Whatever you decide to do, everyone will love!
Have a great weekend!
Hi Kristin,
I just thought of something, if you decide on once a week….what if you posted up a beautiful photo with a French word once in awhile. No story just a word that goes along with the photo? 🙂
I’m currently studying french and your blog is really helping me pick up words every now and then, not to mention the way you also inspire me through your journey. Though personally, twice a week would be awesome as it excites me waiting for your next posts. But, as a loving reader I value what (you) the writer’s heart says. Either way, I love your blog and will always look forward on what you are to post in the future.
We can never know what may happen tomorrow or in the next days so might as well spend every moment we can with our loved ones 🙂
I think one per week is just right. As much as I enjoy reading your blog and learning new words, I admit to skipping due to life’s threadmill.
Deux fois par semaine s’il vouz plait. Reading your articles and stories is the highlight of my “French day”.
Thank you for all your hard work.
Its a consumer vs. provider point-of-view. We all like to eat on a regular basis but we forget the chef gets tired and requires time to work on new recipes…..as well as needing to find inspiration.
I look forward to checking this site to see what’s new…..to consume what’s the author has cooked up. Maybe if you don’t feel like cooking up a story from scratch, you could serve up some leftover pictures. They are like dessert anyway.
Deux fois par semaine s.v.p!
once a week is fine if that makes it more pleasurable/manageable for you! you can always throw in an extra here and there to make us doubly happy! always love seeing “you” in my inbox <3
I say once a week. Gives us something to look forward to !
Once is plenty. Then if you ever feel like tossing in an extra we’d all think we’d struck it rich!
I will read it however many times you post–so do what works best for you! I KNOW it’s a lot of work and SO Ppreciate you!
Une fois par semaine avec l’opportunite ou la liberte d’enajouter les autres.
I think that once a week would be ok. That gives you more time for your own projects and family. If something important or earth shattering occurs maybe an additional post would be welcome. It is your decision and I will continue to look forward to your stories and pics. I still love all your pics of the dogs and your gardens. It has been close to -40F in Winnipeg and you are starting to grow things.
I love reading your posts, Kristin, and seeing your beautiful photographs, once a week or twice a week, whatever you decide. If you are considering once a week, I like Rosalyn’s suggestion of once a week with a bonus issue every once in a while. Thank you for opening a door for us into your world in the beautiful south of France.
Twice is nice. Ditto to Fe’s post: love to see it twice a week–but rather see it in its current form and quality once a week than something smaller or less well done, but more frequently. That said, only you know what you can handle and we will all support whatever you must do.
I love your spirit, your heart, your knowledge and your stories, so selfishly hope for twice a week. I read everything you post and buy your books. But I also concur with those above who say you must decide for yourself. You best know your stresses and schedule and the personal cost of each post. You have to take care of yourself and your family and face-to-face relationships. I echo Linda R. above.
I love your blog, Kristi, and enjoy reminiscing over my student days in Aix-en-Provence and how my life could possibly have evolved had I not returned to UW where my father so wanted me to complete a degree. A piece of my heart is still in Provence, where I came to love the provencal lifestyle: a slower pace and savoring of life and all of life’s experiences. Some of your blogs have been so vivid and touching that I felt like I was indeed there in your shoes.
So my answer to your question might surprise you – I vote for you writing once a week. That would give me the reader more time to bask in your story and you more time to reflect on your life. I so admire the openness and humor with which you expose your thoughts, struggles, joys, fears, challenges and aspirations! I feel like I know you personally, like a friend.
I enjoy it twice a week but will be happy with just once, if that’s your wish. What a non-answer!
Your posts always bring a smile to my heart and take me on a ‘mini-trip’ to the country I consider my ‘2nd home’ 🙂 So, of course, I’d love to hear from you as often as you’d like to write! But writing well is definitely a time commitment and you know what is best in this season of your life. Thanks so much for being willing to share your French life with us!
Dear Kristi,
Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I hope you will consider writing at least twice a week. I’ve been a subscriber to your blog for about 4 or 5 years, and it’s always a treat for me to read about your latest “adventures!” You’re so kind to invite strangers into your life and share so much of yourself without asking anything in return.
I think you’re a very courageous person to do what few Americans do, move AWAY from the United States and live in a country where English is not the primary language. Not only that, but you have married someone who is not American and are raising a family in completely different circumstances than what you grew up with. You are living your dream, and to me it’s encouraging to read about what is possible in life if you put your mind to it. Sure, it’s not easy and you may not think your life is worth writing about, but believe me it is.
Thank you for sharing everything — photos, yourself, your family, your pets, French vocabulary, France, vacations, etc. This is one reader who will never be bored with anything you choose to share!
All the best to you, whatever you decide,
Julie
Why even put yourself on that strict of a schedule like some kind of chore? Only write a blog entry when you want to. If that is twice a week-great. If it’s twice a month-great. Take time to concentrate on yourself or your writing.
I love the quality of your blog and feel as if I’ve visited France every time I read it and see the beautiful photos. I think once a week is great. The weeks go by so quickly it might be too much pressure to maintain twice a week. And anytime you want to add an extra one go for it. Cheers-Darlene
Yes, once a week is most certainly beast for you….so you can attend to other writing, as well as your life! Thanks for the gift of your blog.
Dear Kristin, This should go out as often as you like. If you are writing daily, you needn’t feel pressured to publish. Take a break. Try once a week, see how you feel. My dad and I are enjoying your books very much. He is in rehab once again and sharing both books with the French receptionist. We are both well and are both enjoying your nooks. Love to your mother-in-law. Eileen Burns
Both your books, not nooks! My father says: Comme vous voulez. We have been chatting about your trip to Milan. LOVE, Eileen Burns
once per week, for a longer story
As time permits for you, but it would be lovely to have two short posts, rather than one long one. Sometimes, when one is in a hurry, one tends to dash through a long one and not really absorb as one should!!
Moi, je dis deux fois par semaine car vous me manqueriez.
I’ve subscribed to your blog since 8-9-04, when it was daily, so my personal wish would be the more, the better! But in this case, the ‘better’ may be what works best for you. And that translates into what’s best for the audience. Maybe not much useful input here with this going-in-circles, but it looks like everyone is of the same mind.
I vote 2 if you have the time
I love your incredible photographs in addition to your writing. However, je suis d’accord avec Olaf Proan qui a dit, “Moi, je préfère une fois par semaine. J’ai besoin d’une semaine afin de pouvoir bien apprendre les mots, toutes les nuances y comprises.” My thoughts exactly! (Thank you, Olaf, for teaching me some more French.)
Once a week would be just fine wth me. Give yourself a break and focus on your craft without being stressed out about two deadlines.
as an avid student of the language, I would always prefer more to less….
At least twice a week if you can manage it without stress Kristine – I think the choice should be yours though we are just needy and greedy for your super journalism and all the help and confidence we get from your blogs.
Merci beaucoup.
Twice, please! But that is for me.
If your season of life will be better served by just once a week, then that should be your choice. You brighten and enlarge my world.
Kristin,
We are being selfish in asking for twice a week, but I fear that you need the time for yourself and family, therefore I would say once a week but not less. We would miss you so much.
Thank you for sharing your life, your family and Braise and Smokey with us.
Kathleen
Bonjour Kristi,I love reading your blog and post as often as you wish for the right reason and not to keep us happy.
Dear Kristi, I so look forward to your posts, you truly speak from your heart and it shows in your writing. I think just one post a week would enable you to write easily without having the pressure of trying to find something interesting to write about and it would give you time to spend with your wonderful family.