Salut! Enjoy today’s story by my youngest, Jackie—and thank you, as always, for reading. I’ll be back next week with an exciting update from us both, something we’ve been working toward for a long time. Profitez de l’histoire d’aujourd’hui, écrite par ma benjamine, Jackie, et merci, comme toujours, de nous lire. Je serai de retour la semaine prochaine avec une belle nouvelle de notre part à toutes les deux, un projet sur lequel nous travaillons depuis longtemps. –Kristi
TODAY’S WORD: la valeur fondamentale : core value
PRONUNCIATION: [lah vah-luhr fon-dah-mahn-tal]
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Même au cœur d’une tempête, garder son calme peut devenir une valeur fondamentale.
Even in the middle of a storm, staying calm can become a core value.
LA TEMPÊTE by Jacqueline Espinasse
You’ve probably heard about the snowstorm going on in New York. Well, it’s Monday now. The storm has passed and the temperature is civil enough for me to break out of my cozy nest, hop between piles of snow to finally sit down at a café window and write my story.
Avant la tempête de neige, before Vin left for his two-week shift on the tugboat, I made it a goal to walk as many steps as possible before holing up inside our apartment. While power-walking my way out, I noticed an immense queue in front of Trader Joe’s. At that very moment, I could feel people’s concern just by looking at their faces. It said: “I have to buy as much food and toilet paper as possible or else my family will die.”
Meanwhile, I was just annoyed that I couldn’t buy my favorite dried strawberries from that store. I love sprinkling them on my Cheerios in the morning—they’re as close as I can get to those sweet garriguettes sold each spring in Provence.
We were a long way now from Provence and from le printemps. Passing the long line of panic shoppers, I wondered: Was I the only one who wasn’t worried? I had planned on making a big pot of chili, filling up the Brita in the fridge, and charging my power banks, following my worried grandparents’ advice, C’est tout.
I’d like to pause this story for a second to write about a special moment I witnessed at work that day, take it as an entr’acte.
I’ve mentioned in a few posts that I work for a French kindergarten in Brooklyn. That afternoon, I was feeding a one-and-a-half-year-old some compote de pomme. The toddler started shaking her head, clearly meaning, “Please don’t feed me, Jackie, I’ve had enough.”
Okay then.
I squatted down to put her snack back in her bag, but suddenly she started crying while looking at me. I was surprised, so I sat back next to her and tried again, airplaning the spoon toward her. Still, I got a firm “NO, JACKIE,” with the same head-shaking.
What was she trying to tell me? And then it dawned on me. This school is built on core values. One of them is teaching children to clean up after themselves. No matter their age, walking or not, children are encouraged, after lunch and snacks, to put their utensils and leftovers into their backpack.
So there we were, a one-year-old who had started walking just a few days earlier, and me. She was begging me, in baby language, to let her do it herself. I extended my hand. She pulled herself up, grabbed her spoon, and walked toward her backpack. Isn’t that something? Je suis restée bouche bée.
And back to the snowstorm. So it’s Sunday, and we’re at peak weather. I promised myself I’d go outside to take pictures for mom’s blog and, you know, experience this so-called “Code Rouge” situation. So, I put on my snow bunny outfit et je me chausse.
Here I am. Snow is hitting my face so hard it blurs fifty percent of my vision. Finally, I reach un abri and stand there for a brief moment, pausing to look around. Oh! I notice my favorite bakery is open. To my right, a man is shoveling in front of my local supermarket in the middle of chaotic weather. In front of me, a mother and her two children are sledding on the sidewalk, laughing. People are giving each other friendly looks, smiling in a way that says, “We’re all in this together, and by the way, it’s surprisingly kind of fun.”
I think the lesson here is that we get so scared before a big event, but once we’re in it, it’s not as bad as we thought it would be. Especially if we make it into something fun. And fun–or l’art de s’amuser–is a core value in my book.
FRENCH VOCABULARY & SOUND FILE
la tempête de neige = snowstorm
une queue = line
la garriguette = French strawberry variety (sweet spring strawberry)
c’est tout = that’s all
l’entr’acte = intermission
je suis restée bouche bée = I was left speechless
les valeurs fondamentales (f) = core values
le Code Rouge = Code Red
se chausser = to put on one’s shoes
un abri = shelter
le printemps = spring
l’art de s’amuser = the art of having fun
EDITS WELCOME
If you spot a typo, mistake, or ambiguity, thank you for letting me know at Kristin.espinasse@gmail.com
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Oh, wow, that is SNOW! I’m a warm-weather woman but thanks so much for your views and the lovely incedent with the one-year-old! ONE is certainly different from when WE oldies were one, I think. What a great kindergarten to teach self-reliance and manners and more, I’m sure.
Hi Jackie,
Hope you are staying warm and cozy! I loved your story today! We are iced in where we live and we have about 3-5 inches of ice. We made an ice block Stonehenge. I love this new phrase I learned from you……l’art de s’amuser
It is so much fun for me to see the familiar photos of Brooklyn Heights. I was born and raised there, as were my parents and their parents. My grandfather was born the week the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. He lived to celebrate his and the bridge’s 100th birthday. If there had been a French school when I was growing up, I’m sure I would have gone there. My French grandmother was from Richelieu, near Tours.
What nice memories! And a beautiful and historical place to grow up.
Ah! Brooklyn Heights in snow. I think some of your photos were taken on Montague Street one of my favorite haunts while working at Brooklyn Law School, n’est pas? My favorite Italian restaurant is on that street as well as Quotidien which their lovely bread and croissants. Not to mention Monty’s.
Speaking of Vin, on last night’s news we saw a tugboat navigating a path through the ice on the Hudson for one of the commuter ferries. I think most ferry service was closing down today because of the extreme cold. Vin will want some nice hot meals when his two-week shift is over.
Ola Jackie,
Here in New Mexico, where the storm began, there’s much snow also. No tall buildings or stairs…a natural winter wonderland.
Betsy
Jackie:
You’ve become a true New Yorker. As a former one I know that we are tough people.
I truly enjoyed your story. Stay warm!
Our dear Jackie,
Ekphrasis! That is what you again gifted us with today! This is how I described your your dear mom’s words ,and now I want to say it to you! ( you both paint pictures with your descriptions !)
At my stage of life,I have found that one( of many) encouraging traits of the human race is that when things are looking bleak, people will band together with encouragement and hope.
Thank you for reminding us of this! What a wonderful way to start the day!
Always very much enjoy your pictures,vocabulary and thoughts!
Blessings to you and your family.
Arms around you tight.
Love
Natalia xo
Merci de partager votre expérience au coeur de la tempête de neige à New York, Jackie! Merci aussi de vocabulaire pour apprendre. J’en apprécie beaucoup.
It is so nice you’re able to savor both sides of the Big Pond, Jackie. And we all can, now, through you. I was born and raised in New York and my great great Grandfather was a French sea captain from Brooklyn. You make my day with your vivid, wonderful writing, with glimpses of humanity sprinkled in. Brava! Your sensibilities are sharp. Your pedigree, undeniable. Kudos to you, your beautiful Mentor Mom, and your whole lovely Family.
do your fellow humans a favor and stop shopping at Trader Joe’s. They are anti-union .you cannot believe some of the stuff they are doing to people who are trying to have unions around the country..
bonjour, Jackie: Merci por vous story; seeing those photos of Brooklyn bring back many memories; sledding, heavy jackets, boots, hats, mittens. Lots of fun memories; here in NC, we don’t get much of all that; however, today, we are expected to receive 7 inches of snow & freezing weather, ice. Not used to it anymore. But, perhaps if we get all the snow that is promised, we might see some snowmen/women, sleds & certainly, hot chocolate!!! A biento. ann
Greetings from Arctic South. Vin gonna need an ice breaker. Big decision: turn up the thermostat or have cold hands. So very, very grateful the next winter storm is going to miss me. That one would have truly been Code Red. It had Power Out all over it. Love the baby eager to “do it myself”. Now I shed a tear when my snow movers save me from having to “do it myself”. Hearts out to anyone who has not lucked out with winter weather this year. Four weeks to March.
Poor Jackie!! But she does not seem to mind the terrible weather. For me, I’m happy to be in San Diego where the temperature was 80 degrees yesterday.😊 Somewhat above average but a welcome delight.
80° you say? 80°? Midsummer dreams of sandals and t-shirts. Thank you for reminding me there’s human weather somewhere. Yes, I’m a little cranky.
Thanks for the lovely moments of Brooklyn in the snow. I love the story of the baby and wish they raised children like that everywhere. I also feel quite sorry for Vinnie working on a tugboat in this weather!
I’ve been reading Kristi’s journey for about 15 years. Jacqueline is now in the same zip code as my twin sons: Benjamin and Thibaut(born in Pithiviers in 1978). She will be parfaitement bilingue á la fin de son séjour, si ce n’est pas déjà fait!
I read this quote recently “If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life, but still the same amount of snow.”