Read about "Josey" (from our former stomping grounds of St. Maximin) in today's story… and don't miss a photo of Smokey's Ma and Pa at the end of this edition. s'occuper (so-kew-pay) verbto keep oneself busy Italian Josephine made homemade pizza the size of a hamburger patty, only there wasn't any viande, just a bony anchovy and a meaty olive or two. When she had … Continue reading s’occuper
Calico cat in a window Louper (loo pay) verbto miss (a class…) After his hearty lunch of poulet rôti, spicy eggplant ratatouille, and rosemary potatoes (and seconds of all three!), I suspect that my son is brimming with health and not at all as sick as he claimed to be when the alarm clock rang this morning. ("Aïe! J'ai mal au ventre!" he … Continue reading How to say “to miss a class” in French
Rue de la Paix (Peace Street) in Les Arcs-sur-Argens. More about war and peace in today's story column. Guerre (gair) noun, feminine war, warfare At Cafe de la Tour I found a seat close to the porte-fenêtre for a nice view of the village square on market day. The serveuse cleared away the dirty ashtray and demitasses before I set down three baguettes, my purse and … Continue reading guerre
A little bar/restaurant in the bay of Locmaria, on the island of Groix. Conjoint (kon-zhwan) noun, masculine spouse Just off the coast of Brittany, on a small island habitée by Groisillons and teeming with French tourists on wobbly bicyclettes, there is a quaint port called Locmaria, where The Drunk Boat overlooks the bay at high tide (and low, for that matter, but for the purpose of this … Continue reading conjoint
This week we reunite with three characters from the archives, French personnages who have touched me in one way or another. I hope they will touch you, too. Note: a sound file for today's word, and more, can be found at the end of this letter. * * * Pantoufle (pahn-too-fle) noun, feminine : slipper The man in line in front of me wore … Continue reading une pantoufle
Cruisin' through the Tuscan Vauclusian countryside yesterday… My husband still gives me driving lessons (from the passenger seat). I tell him I've been behind the wheel for 23 years. Apparently, says he, it's time to learn to shift gears. Conduire (kohn-dweer) verb to drive. In the winter of 2001, I left work at the vineyard each night to drive myself to driving school, careful … Continue reading conduire
A cat in the china closet (the bowls think it absurd). Shop window in Brittany. Sosieso-see noun, masculinelook alike The man approaching me said, "In Hollywood, women pay good money to learn to walk like that!" I remember being a little confused by my neighbor's greeting, as we crossed each other while out for a Sunday walk. Was I to take that as a compliment? It … Continue reading sosie
Without a modicum of foi, life can be a three-ring circus. Foi (fwa) noun, feminine faith My daughter says that books are like cigarettes, une mauvaise habitude, and would I please put the reading aside for one night? "Of course, Sweetheart," I promise, returning the book to its shelf. Is that a tremble in my arm? Sweat on my brow? "And the cahiers and the … Continue reading foi
Church in Cairanne. In today's story: a tart, a church, and a twist in this tale…. Petite Amie (peuh-teet-ah-me) noun, feminine girlfriend On Friday, the lendemain of Jean-Marc's fortieth birthday, a florist's van pulled up to our front gate. I watched as the driver handed over a lipstick-red ceramic vase with a single orchid inside. Halfway up the exotic flower a hummingbird clung, its delicate wings … Continue reading petite amie
Photo taken in Serre Chevalier, near Briançon Sapin (sah-pahn) noun, masculine fir tree. When Max came into the kitchen announcing, "Papa a acheté un sapin," I folded the dishtowel, set it down and took a deep breath. I knew the Christmas tree would be trunk-size—all the better to fit into the back of an economy car—and not tall, like the spruce my mom … Continue reading le sapin
