It is not enough to have good ideas, you have to act. If you need milk, do not sit on a stool in the middle of a field in the hope that a cow will pass by. -Curtis Grant (don't miss the French translation below)
Today's word: un tabouret
: stool, footstool
un tabouret de bar = bar stool
un tabouret de cuisine = kitchen stool
un tabouret de piano = piano bench
Il ne suffit pas d'avoir de bonnes idées, il faut agir. Si vous avez besoin de lait, ne vous installez pas sur un tabouret au milieu d'un champs dans l'espoir qu'une vache y passe.
Hemingway's Paris: A Writer's City in Words and Images. Order it here.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
by Kristi Espinasse
The following paragraph was posted with the picture above at Instagram….
A bar stool with a lot of memories and, sur son dos, a backpack with a lot of souvenirs. It is comforting to have familiar things out. I wore that sac à dos on the plane, in '92, when I moved to France. It somehow got shoved in the back of the closet. Lately, now that I keep it on the chair by the kitchen, I've been taking it out with me, using it for shopping. Today it brought good luck via a touching and meaningful encounter with a stranger. I think that meeting must've swept all the energy out of me (in a good way) and I'm afraid I'll be lazy and not sit down and write about it all. At times like this is good to rest, let the doubts pass, and then exercise a bit of violence with yourself (French for "give yourself a kick in the butt"!). We all need a handy whip when it comes to realizing our dreams….
FRENCH VOCABULARY
sur son dos = on it's back
le sac à dos = backpack
un souvenir = memory
REVERSE DICTIONARY
closet = la penderie
to go shopping = faire les courses
lazy = parasseux (euse)
stranger = un inconnu
whip = un fouet
This is my writing desk. My computer and paperwork is hidden under that scarf–because this is also my bedroom and in order to sleep I don't want to be thinking about work. Yet, I think about work all the time. Because writing this blog is my life.
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I love that you kept that beautiful backpack! 🙂
Bonjour, Kristi,
Quel blog mystérieux! Qui est cet inconnu?
Just want to say “Good Morning Kristi”. (It’s still AM here!)
Good morning, Maryann. 🌞
Hi Kristi,
Love the last photo with the beautiful orchids and the morning/evening light streaming in! You know what’s under the scarf though, so does it help to get your mind off work? 🙂
Your backpack is like your Mrs. Sacs! hahahaha….so nice that you have it still and with so many memories!
I love your pack! I have a black nylon one which isn’t so pretty but boy is it light and handy whenever I travel. When I see it in my closet, I’m reminded that I need to get serious about taking a trip!! But seeing yours, I just might want to upgrade!!
I had a similar one that lasted about 25 years in constant use…..alas, it finally fell apart. However, about 19 yrs. ago my sister bought me a new one. I used it some and then got pushed to the back of the closet also….I think it is time to bring it out and start using it again.
oops…..Joie, not hoie!
Love that…Mrs Sacs. Imagine her side by side with Mr. Sacs! 💕
Our dear Kristi,
What a great idea(and a great comfort!) to not only have kept your pack,but to keep it in a place where you can enjoy it–
and use it!
Truly a gift in so many ways!
Beautiful post and pictures!
Love
Natalia. Xo
There weren’t backpacks in use when I went to college, but my friend from Denmark had a marvelous canvass bag, with wide heavy duty shoulder straps, and ordered one sent for me. (The flower children were using knitted ones but they were useless for all I carried.) The huge zipper notebook, a few spiral bound ones for the day’s classes, and maybe 4 textbooks would all fit in it, along with pockets for pens, etc. I still have it and it still is very serviceable.
I had forgotten, but as time passed, I started taking only a tablet with me, and then transferring the sheets of notes to loose leaf notebooks at home. Thanks for the flash of “memory lane”.
Hi, Kristie! I just love the cow-in-the-field (or not!) analogy. It’s one that I won’t forget! The backpack is beautiful!
Oops! Hi, “Kristi”!
This blog is so true. When I lost my dear wife 3 years ago I sat looking at photos with a tear in my eye then I gave myself a kick in the rear and though this is a recipe for depression, so I stopped waiting, in the field, for the cow and became close to old friends again and volunteered and joint things that would make me meet new friends too. Every morning, after my walk, I meet some friends at my wife’s favourite café. It’s like the old yankee tv show cheers, where everyone knows your name. My life comme la chanson c’est ma vie en rose.
Sometimes FWD is the place “where everybody knows your name…” Thanks for being that place.
💛💛💛
I have back pack envy – that is a beauty. Always enjoy your pictures and writing. Hope you are having a lovely evening.
Orchids brighten my days in the winter when it gets gloomy and cold outside. So glad to see that you have them too!
Hi Kristen,
I met you this year at Alliane Francais in Denver. I am trying to live up to your example in all ways. I look at your book all the time, but honestly I think I will get more out of reading this blog. I want to tell you that meeting you was quite an inspiration. People who look like you don’t need to try hard or talk about how they are not perfect.
I took up to going back to French as an intellecutual challenge. It turned out to be such a blessing as the people in my classes are sometimes travellers to France, relatives to people who speak French, and just general lifelong leaners like me.
Sorry I took so long to look at this, and hope to continue supporting a girl of the West (Arizona, right?).
Best regards,
Dixie Malone
Beautiful photo. I too love that you kept that beautiful backpack.
xoxo
Sometimes we put things away for a while, and when we take them out again, they seem new. I never had a backpack that I traveled much with (though I used one in Scouting), but I still have a roomy nylon bag with wide straps and a couple of pockets that I take to the swimming pool, after over 30 years. Such items become part of our lives.
Kristin, I hope that someday when the timing is right, you’ll tell us about the experience with the “inconnu” you met.
As always, thanks for your blog. Happy New Year to la famille Espinasse!
Bonjour, Kristen,
Is there a typo in “kitchen stool” at the top? You have “un taboret de cuisine.” Is it missing a “u” or is it different than the other instance of the word?
Thank you, Steve. I need to fix that…and add the “u”.
Bon jour, Kristin,
I have enjoyed your blog now for a great number of years, watching your children grow up, your moves from house to house, enjoying your stories and photos and your development as a writer. It’s way past time for me to say MERCI with a donation to your blog…which I’ve done today.
Bien amicalement!
Gabrielle
Many thanks, Gabrielle! Your words mean a lot and your donation is much appreciated. I am off, now, to write you a personal remerciement!
Hi Kristin,
Espinasse c’est bien un nom du sud, on ne fait pas plus provençal!!! I just love it !!!
Je regarde régulièrement votre blog depuis la rentrée. My name is Marie Charrel Ménard, I am from Marseille and I live right now,with all family in Florida, in Gainesville, an university town, for a fixed term. I lived in Texas for two years, there is a little while already, ” il y a un bail !”. Je suis plasticienne et professeur d’arts graphiques et plastiques (artist & teacher ingraphic designer – instagram @ mariecharrelmenard), je fais aussi beaucoup de cuisine française, etc… Si cela vous intéresse, j’aurai bien aimé vous rencontrer, to share our experiences, nos centres d’intérêts (car je pense que nous en avons quelques-uns en commun !). Je serai à Marseille en février, si vous avez des disponibilités.
Cordialement
Marie Charrel Menard
Joan, what is FWD?
I think Joan is referring to French Word-A-Day (FWD) and the community here 💛
Ha! I see your reference above. Thanks…
Hello again ~ everything is beautiful ~ Kisses & Hugs for you all & Smokey