Sospel, France. February 2021. What with La Crise Sanitaire, it has been over a year since Jean-Marc and I traveled and courted adventure. Recently, we hit the road in our electric blue ZOE and were pleasantly surprised at how far it took us–all the way to the Italian border from La Ciotat–on one full "tank". (Jean-Marc had une borne de recharge installed at his wine … Continue reading Kicked out of Monaco + On the road to the Riviera in our electric car + 22, v’là les flics + pictures from Sospel, Menton, Nice

I have something to share with you–entirely in French–at the end of the online post: click here for the full edition. Today's Word: quinzomadaire    : fortnightly, every two weeks, bi-monthly Audio File: Click here to listen to the following sentenceQuinzomadaire: mot-valise et monstre lexical formé sur quinze et hebdomadaire, était censé se substituer à bimensuel. -Alain ReyQuinzomadaire: portmanteau word and lexical monster formed by … Continue reading Quinzomadaire (our secret to finishing a book) + Some news to share–all in French!

Ahoy! Ohé! Participants (or pirates…) at Sunday's mischievous marmalade contest. Notice the historic grue, or crane, in upper left. Today's "words of the day" are submerged in the following story. Hunt for them like a deepsea treasure–or walk the plank! se faire jeter par-dessus bord! Mille mercis to Christiane, from La Ciotadenne, for the pictures that illustrate this post. A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristin … Continue reading A French wine and jam contest (with a nautical theme and a seaworthy crew…)

Let's jump right into today's narrative and improve our French! The audio and vocabulary list follow… When I am old and wrinkled—well into the troisième âge—I want to race along the shores of Brittany on my Mobylette, that most groovy of French bikes with an engine! I want to be an eccentric vieille dame. I don't want to care about what anyone thinks, as long … Continue reading Seaside in La Ciotat + learn a dozen useful words (and hear some drunk French) in today’s edition

As upsetting as it is to wake up to news of an insurrection, most concerning is the effect it could have on our personal relationships. That is, at least, the biggest thing on my mind this morning. The following thoughts began as a pep talk to myself.  Firstly, hang in there! Tenir bon = tenir le coupWhat if the antidote to un coup is to … Continue reading To Cope in French + Waking up in France to an attempted coup d’état back home