Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 15
September 16, 2022
Piquer: Guess who moved out of our house and stole away with our stuff?
Max, working from his new îlot central. After 8 months of renovation, our son is finally settled into his new appartement.
Visiting La Ciotat or a nearby town? Stop in and see us at Jean-Marc's wineshop. Call ahead and we'll set up a visit.
Today's Word: piquer
: prick, bite, sting
: to steal, nab, nick
In books: Thieves of Paris, by Helen Schwartz
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click the following link to hear Jean-Marc pronounce piquer +hear all of the French words in today's post. Then scr...
September 8, 2022
Redémarrer: Bonjour. An update from Kristi
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 yo...
July 18, 2022
Adieu Sweet Smokey: French for "Dog Heaven"
Forever in our hearts. Goodbye, Sweet Smokey: August 16th, 2009-July 16, 2022
We take a moment to rise above our sadness to thank you, dearest Smokey, for all the humor, love, and care you so generously shared. We will never forget you. As Jackie said, the hardest part is that this marks a new chapter of our lives.
Dear readers, we are gently turning this page here at home, quietly sharing with each other all of our memories of our happy dog days with Smokey. This journal will return in Sept...
July 14, 2022
Learn what "quiproquo" means via this familiar synonym + Vive Smokey!
Our soon-to-be 13-year-old, Smokey and day lilies from our friends Anne and Kirk. Don't miss a beautiful picture of my Mom, Jules, at the close of this post (if your are reading via email, click on the link somewhere below to continue reading).
TODAY'S WORD: "un malentendu"
: a misunderstanding, misinterpretation, misapprehension
AUDIO: click here to listen to the example sentence below
Un quiproquo est un malentendu où l'on prend un être vivant, un objet ou une situation pour une autre. A q...
July 8, 2022
La Grande Randonnée: Jean-Marc's GR 20 trek in Corsica: Part II bilingual story + full audio recording
Did you know that "GR" of “GR20” is an acronym for “Grande Randonnée” or “long hike”? Today, Jean-Marc recounts his recent adventure along this mythical footpath, one of the most difficult treks in Europe—located on the beautiful island of Corsica.
In books: Granite Island: A Portrait of Corsica.
TODAY'S WORD: la randonnée
: hike, trek, ramble, walk
OUR GR 20 TREK IN CORSICA by Jean-Marc Espinasse
After a day by train on the famous Corsican Micheline, a ride by cab and a short walk, we...
June 28, 2022
The French word for "Fellowship" and (a funny term for "Homebody")
My Mom and her fish purse at our farmer's market. Photo taken 4 years ago, when Jules moved to France.
In Summer reading: From Moulin Rouge to Gaudi's City by E.J. Bauer
Today's Words: Fellowship
1. camaraderie (companionship, company)
2. confrérie (brotherhood, friary)
Bonus Word: Homebody
: pantouflard(e) (from "pantoufle" or slipper)
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in today's post. Then scroll down to the vocabulary section to check your F...
June 17, 2022
The worst thing about summer in the south of France + do you know these slang words?
An almost 13-year-old Smokey, keeping cool in the garden. It's a good thing he can't hear so well these days, as the streets just beyond those hedges are loud at the start of summer. Read on in today's bruyante update.
TODAY'S FRENCH EXPRESSION: blindé
: jam-packed, full
blindé du monde = crowded, full of people
In books: Travels Through the French Riviera: An Artist’s Guide to the Storied Coastline, from Menton to Saint-Tropez
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce th...
June 9, 2022
Le Défi: An upcoming challenge for Jean-Marc + full story recorded in French
One of the many "points d'eau" Jean-Marc talks about in his update, below. The English version follows and the entire story is available on sound file, below.
Today's French Word: "le défi"
: challenge, dare
Sound File: Click below to listen to Jean-Marc read his story. Note: Jean-Marc repeats a few of the sentences in this long recording (where an error was made).
JEAN-MARC'S UPDATE IN FRENCH
Dans deux semaines, je vais parcourir une des plus belles rand...
June 2, 2022
Words, Meaning & Avoir le déclic (to have a lightbulb moment)
A café in Paris. A bit of a coffee theme in today's story, so we'll pair that now with a picture taken years ago in Montmartre.
TODAY'S FRENCH EXPRESSION: "avoir le déclic"
: to have an aha moment, a lightbulb moment
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in today's post. Then scroll down to the vocabulary section to check your French comprehension.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE, by Kristi Espinasse
I will never forget the time t...
May 25, 2022
Update on Jean-Marc & photos from Bormes-les-Mimosas
Cistus flowers high up in one of France's most blossoming villages. Don't miss all the colorful photos in this edition, click over to the blog for the full post.
TODAY'S WORD: "alentours"
: surroundings, vicinity
FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click the 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.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Jean-Marc has not been feeling ...
