End of the year To-Dos. This old photo reminds me–I need to fish out our santons and make a good-for-any-season French Yogurt Cake, (recipe here). I also want to update you on our move and the sale of our vineyard. Read on!
French Christmas Music: "Mon Beau Sapin", "Sainte Nuit", "La Marche des Rois"… Order CD here.
TODAY'S WORD: la promesse de vente
: promise to sell
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Le 2 décembre, nous avons signé la promesse de vente, et le 21 décembre nous devrions signé la promesse d'achat.
December 2nd we signed the commitment to sell, and December 21st we should sign the commitment to buy.
ECOUTEZ – Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the example sentence:
Download Promesse-de-vente
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
Hoops, Dots, and Holey Socks
When I spoke about Jean-Marc pruning his vines, last week, and when I write about our upcoming wine bottling, next month, maybe you were (or will be) a little confused. After all, weren't we supposed to sell our vineyard here in St. Cyr?
Yes, and we have! Or have promised to! Earlier this month we signed a promesse de vente!
That moment was surreal in the notaire's office, when before a lawyer we signed over our vineyard and our home. I could feel the jolt my husband took when the notary read a certain "non-compete" clause — effectively taking away the possibility for Jean-Marc to make wine in the near vicinity of his soon-to-be former vineyard–in his dream appellation of Bandol! I looked over at my husband, whose thoughts must have been as displaced as his chaussettes (for warmth he wore 4 old–and holed–socks, having come straight from working in the fields to this pivotal rendez-vous).
Though Jean-Marc did not flinch, a sense of loss, of no-turning-back-now, permeated the conference room, with its tangled cords and pile of presentation equipment which had been shoved to the end of a long table, making room for yet another transaction. It could have been any other day in the world of property sales. Business as usual. Just another dot on the face of the planet up for sale.
But what a wondrous dot is was!
This Wednesday, December 21st–a day before my 49th birthday–we will buy another dot (or promise to), and so continue to connect the dots of this French life. (This next move is to La Cadière d'Azur…make that LA CIOTAT) Wish us luck. In order for either sale to take place a list of contingencies must be met. So you see, there are still many hoops to jump through before either sale goes through. Hoops and dots and holey socks. Le cercle de vie continue.
Related story: Jean-Marc's Vineyard Dream and How We Came to Live in Jean-Marc's favorite southern French city
FRENCH VOCABULARY
la promesse de vente = promise to sell
le notaire = notary, attorney, solicitor, lawyer for real estate transactions
une appellation = designation of origin
la chaussette = sock
le rendez-vous (rdv) = meeting, appointment
le cercle de vie = circle of life
Shop for gifts using any of the following links to enter the store.
TABLECLOTH, Provence-themed linens for the house.
LAGUIOLE STEAK KNIVES are for sale in many of the local French market stands.
PARIS PEACE T-SHIRT – "so many people have stopped to ask me where I got it" -Betty.
Don't forget to try the French Yogurt Cake, (recipe here).
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You are moving to La Cadere!! My wife’s aunt lives there in the central village. I have told her about you and your family, I hope yo get to meet. I did ask her to give Smokey a pet for me. I love Golden’s, they are such sweet dogs.