In Denver, I got to meet "Sunny", my sister's 5th chien de berger anglais ancestral, and enjoy a longawaited reunion with family. Read on and bienvenue to new subscribers. Delighted to have you with us!
Today's Word: redémarrer
: to restart, start again, to get moving
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click the following link to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in today's post. Then scroll down to the vocabulary section to check your French comprehension.
Have you read The Eight? It takes place in France, is loaded with history, and Mom loved it! Order it here.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Et hop-and just like that-summer is over. The French call this time of year la rentrée, "the start of the school year" or simply the return from vacation for those of us heading back to work. It is time to redémarrer or restart this blog with a quick update from our home in La Ciotat.
From the Rocky Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea…
It feels good to come home to France after a solo, three-week visit to Colorado. And like anyone returning from a getaway I have a lot to catch up on including, apparently les mites! Hungover from jetlag I stood in our kitchen pointing to le plafond as my husband balanced himself atop our wobbly dining table, a sharp wooden stick in his hand. You need such weapons to scratch the buggers loose from from their encrusted nests. Allez! Oust! Begone unwelcome weevils! Get out of my oatmeal, get out of my rice, get out of my life!
It is time to calm down and focus on writing and it doesn't come easy after a two-month pause. Writing for a living means the brain is constantly churning. Everything is grist for the mill! The mind chatters possible sentences, edits phrases, rearranges ideas and words only to scatter when facing a blank page. All that brain sweat for nothing. Two summers ago I decided to go on summer break "just like teachers do," and rest my head. I still don't know whether that's a good idea or not. I think this summer taught me that writing regularly is more than a healthy discipline–it is an anchor.
There, I've said everything but what I came here to tell you. Let those previous paragraphs be a warm up and now let's sprint to the finish with a recap of my time in Denver: After 3-and-a-half years apart from my family, I had the chance to see my sisters, Heidi and Kelley, and our Dad for a belated 80th birthday celebration. While this was the highlight of my trip, so were the many hugs from my niece and nephew, and seeing the two off to college at CU in Boulder. I also got to experience a “Tailgate party” before the CU football game, and, back in Denver, savored enough Mexican food and pastrami sandwiches and Triscuits to hold me over until the next time. Oh, and we discovered Elk burgers (thanks Rondo and Tom!) and Colorado corn so good it makes organic French maïs taste like cardboard. I will need to better explore the French farmers markets during corn season–and update you.
My sisters Kelley and Heidi, our Dad, and me in Boulder.
Other highlights included a special gift delivery from a reader (see painting below), keeping up with my sister on daily walks with sheepdog Sunny (Heidi is a jet plane while I'm a hangglider) and a sober dance in the rain at a biker bar! But I'll save that one for now. A writer must always have a story up her sleeve and the option to leave it there!
Now, back to those pesky pantry invaders and to other areas needing attention and care here at home. Tell me, how are you and how was your summer? I would love to hear about it in the comments. And thank you so very much for reading these French-infused updates, moths and all!
Amicalement,
Kristi
Edits to this post are welcome and appreciated. Merci beaucoup!
FRENCH VOCABULARY
Are any of the following words new to you? Which is your favorite term and which is hardest to pronounce?
le chien de berger anglais ancestral = old English sheepdog
bienvenue = welcome
redémarrer = to restart
et hop! = and that's it! and just like that!
la mite = moth
le plafond = ceiling
allez! = go on!
oust! = get outta here!
le maïs = corn
amicalement = yours
Thanks, artist Judy Feldman, for this precious rendition of our dearly departed dog. Those eyes! That tongue! That soft, silky, golden hair… That's our Smokey! Hard to believe he's been gone two months.
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Bienvenue – Welcome back home Kristin! Looking forward to your new blog posts! The gifted painting of Smokey is a treasure capturing his sweet essence!
welcome home, Kristi: So happy you were able to spend time with your very lovely family; love the painting of your pup! Glad that you are back to your writing; I so enjoy your stories! Amicalmente, Ann
Our dear Kristi,
Ma chere, you were missed,wished an extremely happy bonne vacance, and now welcomed back with hugs and laughter!
What a beautiful family and no mistaking you are lovingly related!!
Thank you for sharing this with us!
For certain your heart still aches for your beloved Smokey(lovely painting!)
As I was told and now accept: you never get over loosing them, you only learn to live with it.
Arms around you all.
Love
Natalia
Welcome back!
Welcome back! Everyone needs to get recharged with a relaxing break from time to time. How nice that you were able to get together with your Dad and sisters. I look forward to your resumption of your weekly musings. That portrait of Smokey is quite a lovely reminder of your beloved pet. Fondly, Susan
It’s good to hear from you, Kristi. I’m glad you had a sojourn with your Colorado family. How is your mother?
Bonjour et bon retour, Kristi!
I have worked at the CU Boulder Library for 50 years (!). Please tell your nieces that the library and librarians are available for any help they may need with research and more. Also, I have lived in Boulder for 50 years and am very curious about the biker bar. Possibly Rocky Flats?
Amicalement,
Meredith
Niece and nephew, I mean!
Missed you, Kristi! Especially since Covid began we could not visit France, and now at age 89, my husband says we are too old to do any traveling! Your blog is my life line to France so please keep writing!
Missed you, Kristi! Especially since Covid began we could not visit France, and now at age 89, my husband says we are too old to do any traveling! Your blog is my life line to France so please keep writing!
Bienvenue! It’s a breath of fresh air to have you back here on your page, Kristi!
Your dad is 80? Wow! He looks about 50 in that photograph. Lovely that you had time with family.
Kristi–great to have you back!
Be sure to get rid of the moth/insect eggs. Tiny black things that hide on shelves under clothes (or kitchenware, in your case). That will go a long way towards solving the problem.
What a treat to see this in my email today. You were missed – his painting is perfect. So glad you were able to travel to see your state side family. Hugs to all, Nancy. Considering a new friend for your family??
Great to have you back. You all look great!
Bienvenue!!! What a sweet time with your sisters and family. So glad you got to get away and take a break. . Now I am looking forward to hearing about all your next adventures.
Welcome back, Kristi!
Your trip sounds delightful and I am glad you got to celebrate with family.
I think you are going to need pantry moth traps. There are non-toxic ones available. We keep one in the pantry all the time, just in case.
Best wishes!
So happy you had such a nice trip with family just north of us! Some day we will get you to Santa Fe. We are off to Holland and France in two weeks! Been waiting 3 years to get back there.
So sorry to hear about your beloved dog, Smoky. Great painting! Glad you had a nice time with your family. Missed reading your weekly writings. Welcome back!
Best wishes to you and Jean-Marc, Elaine
I understand how precious those times together with family are – simply being together, doing ordinary things. Plus the reminiscing and dreaming, time to let go of the frantic greeting, and time before the dreaded goodbyes.
I’m sure it was hard to come back to the house without Smokey to greet you – those goodbyes are the most difficult.
Bienvenue chez vous, chère Kristi! So happy for your holiday back in the States (Love the photo — Y’all share those fresh rosy cheeks, I see with delight. And now the battle with evil weevils — been there; not fun. What a charming Smoky-portrait from Judy F, you lucky people.
Yep, we missed you, yet also wished you a re:energising break with time to grieve your loss of Mr. Wondrous Furball Smoky. Looking forward to hearing your tales and thoughts as autumn glows onward.
Hugs to each and all of our cherished la Famille Espinasse, including Mme Jules of course. 💖
Since you asked for edits, here’s a gentle edit of an English word—niece not neice. The spelling is the same in French except for the addition of the accent! Maybe it was just a typo.
My spirit was with your family as they welcomed you home. I have missed you! However, I’m glad you had a fine visit with your family in Colorado and maybe other states, too.
What a loving and thoughtful gesture by Judy Feldman to paint a wonderful portrait of “Smokey”; it will be given a very special place in your home.
Always, my best wishes,
Cynthia
So happy that you had a wonderful visit with your family. . I can’t believe that your Dad is 80!!!
I’m also so happy that you’re back! Missed you this summer.
Now on to the moth problem. I had pantry moths a few years ago and once I had thrown out everything that they were in 🥲 I put basil leaves on the pantry shelves and they never returned. I don’t know if that was an old wives tale or not but it worked! Good luck!
Kristi, I thought I posted before, but apparently, forgot to send. So glad you had such a lovely family reunion! And, thank you for posting and commenting on my painting of Smokey. It was a pleasure to paint him, and so happy I could send it to you while you were in Denver! As your other readers said, we are all happy that you’re back to writing, and look forward to more wonderful stories!
Welcome back Kristi ! I’ve missed your writing and familiar energy and heartfelt words!
I went to the UK ~ London, Bath, Stonehenge, Swansea and Cardiff Wales an unexpected detour solo as my hostess had COVID) 36 hrs in Blois, France and then Edinburg Scotland. It was the trip from hell with moments of bliss, covered in grace! Everything that could go wrong did but also much kindness from strangers. Oh and did I learn so much!
Gratitude helps!
Welcome back. How nice to find something not political in my email today. The painting of Smokey is beautiful. Looking forward to hearing about the biker bar!
Looking forward to more histoires à la Kristi!
Thank you, Lois. It is so helpful to have this edit. Much appreciated!
Bienvenue. You can get rid of those animals with a stickum thingy by ORPHEA, on Amazon, that you stick on your pantry walls (I use scotch tape to make sure it stays there and don’t put it near anything that might stick to it as it will be hall to get loose!). Just stick them to the pantry walls or cabinet doors that close off your flour, cornmeal or whatever, and the little bugs will be attracted to the natural sex hormones for bugs on the sticky part. They work wonders. Keep flour and corn meal and oats, etc. in tight bags with a rubber band around them.
ORPHEA won’t kill anything. It’s a mix of plant fragrances and extracts that deter insects. Geraniums have the same effect. I grow them near plants that get attacked by insects. You can probably use geranium leaves to get the same effect inside a wardrobe. Certainly won’t do any harm
Bob, Great tip regarding geranium leaves. Thank you! We have a variety of geraniums that wards off mosquitos. Do you think these leaves will work? It is worth a try!
Thanks, Suzanne. I keep most of our flour, oats, rice… in giant sealed jars, and use a lot of ziploc bags (inserting a bay leaf repellent inside) for the rest.
Linda, So brave of you to go ahead and travel solo. I enjoyed what you said about grace, gratitude, kindness of strangers and learning. This, and a positive attitude, are a travelers best friend. Thank you for your thoughtful words.
Merci, Judy! Your painting traveled safely home with me and Jackie placed it here in our living room. We will treasure it, always.
Joyce, Thank you for the tip about using basil leaves in the pantry. We have some in our garden, so this is an immediate help.
Thanks, Cynthia. Thankfully, my Dad and my sister, Kelley, flew in from Seattle. I would have loved to visit other states, including Washington, but this was convenient having family fly in.
Thanks, Kitty. I will be happy to give Mme Jules your hug.
Carolyn, My sister asked, while driving me to the airport: what is the first thing you want to do when you return home? My thought was: enjoy a furry, slobbery greeting from my dog, just as you mentioned. Alas, no Smokey, but plenty of kisses and hugs from family. And a sweet portrait of Smokey to unpack.
Joanne, Enjoy Holland and we hope to see you in France! xoxo
Nancy, yes, indeed! I would love to have another dog when the time is right. Hoping and praying for The One.
Thank you Passante! I hope Dad is reading your message. The photo was taken two weeks ago, and he does look and feel amazing. He does Pilates, loves to Kayak, golf, tennis, and walk daily. Above all it is his sunny attitude!
Thank you for reading, Geraldine. Your notes are my lifeline. They keep me on track with my posts and deadlines and make everything worthwhile.
Gabrielle, thanks for mentioning the non-toxic option. I will look for them in our quincaillerie!
Bienvenue, Kristi. I missed you but am glad you had a chance to recharge. Redémarrer is new to me and will take some practice. I always think La rentrée is a good time to Tavel in France. There are new museum expos, the marches are filled with autumnal produce and the weather is lovely. Love the portrait of sweet Smokey.
Welcome back! It was a pleasant surprise to see you back today. We are south of Denver in Taos, NM ( I see there is someone in Santa Fe) and had a spectacular summer- while the West has been scorched with record temperatures ( glad we moved from California). Heavy monsoon rains brought spectacular fields of Cowpen flowers blanketing fields of normally vacant lands. It has been artists’ dream and we have enjoyed a perfect summer. Now off to Budapest in a few weeks and of course 5 days in Paris after our Danube River cruise. I miss France!
How fortunate you got to meet up with family again. And yes, your father, looks 50!
Hi Kristi,
Welcome back and love the photo of you with your sisters and dad!
Glad you had a wonderful summer together! I bet the weather was cooler than in France too!
Eileen
Norma, Taos sounds beautiful. Would love to visit (after seeing Joanne in Santa Fe 🙂 Have a lovely trip in Budapest and Paris, and enjoy cruising the Danube.
Welcome back Kristi. What a lovely picture of you, your sisters and dad (young looking, I might add :)). Rejuvenation is a healthy thing, for the body and the brain, and I’m so glad you made the time for it. I loved today’s post- la rentrée is a new term and so appropriate as we get back to reality et pour redémarrer!
Sorry with your family schedule you didn’t have time for dinner on the deck at Chez Mac. In addition to the corn you touted (although I’m betting our supplier has better corn than you experienced), we also would have introduced you to Palisade Peaches from Colorado’s Western Slope and melons from Rocky Ford. Next time! Glad you had a great trip, got to see Boulder and CU, and especially got to celebrate your father’s birthday with your sisters. And I sincerely hope the mites are under control and that JM didn’t fall off the table!