Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 6
May 1, 2024
Voir La Vie en Rose: Mom’s Secret to Facing Challenges
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Mom always said to take a new road each day, which is how I discovered this secret square in La Ciotat. Growing up, Jules also taught me to see things that are not as though they are. More in today’s missive “La Vie en Rose”.
Jean-Marc returns home soon, in time to begin his Provence Wine Tours. Contact him to reserve a date at jm.espinasse@gmail.com
TODAY'S WORD: VOIR LA VIE EN ROSE
: to see the positive side of things
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
The weather report...
April 24, 2024
Il devait en être ainsi: Meant to be (predestined) in French: A Chance Encounter with some Ceyrestens
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The sign reads "change of ownership". Today's story takes place in a town nearby: Ceyreste. FYI: The inhabitants are called "Ceyrestens" for men and "Ceyrestennes" for women.
TODAY'S WORD(S): Il devait en être ainsi
: meant to be (predestined)
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristin Espinasse
While French greeting cards are interesting and exotic for family back home, I wanted to celebrate my nephew Payne’s college graduation in plain English and was delighted to find a clever card on Amaz...
Meant to be (predestined) in French: A Chance Encounter with some Ceyrestens
[image error]
The sign reads "change of ownership". Today's story takes place in a town nearby: Ceyreste. FYI: The inhabitants are called "Ceyrestens" for men and "Ceyrestennes" for women.
TODAY'S WORD(S): Il devait en être ainsi
: meant to be (predestined)
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristin Espinasse
While French greeting cards are interesting and exotic for family back home, I wanted to celebrate my nephew Payne’s college graduation in plain English and was delighted to find a clever card on Amaz...
April 17, 2024
Jamais Deux Sans Trois: Road Rage, A Flat Tire (Bad Things Come in Threes)
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"Precious Cargo." Jules, at Mas des Brun vineyard in St Cyr-sur-Mer (That's Jean-Marc in the pink shirt, behind his tractor)
TODAY'S WORD: Jamais Deux Sans Trois
: bad things come in threes
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Last week may have been the most challenging since my husband left for New Zealand. On Sunday, owing to an old and faulty serrure on our front door, I found myself locked out of the house upon returning from church. I hurried around the corner to Mom’s, put...
Road Rage, A Flat Tire & Jamais Deux Sans Trois (Bad Things Come in Threes)
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"Precious Cargo." Jules, at Mas des Brun vineyard in St Cyr-sur-Mer (That's Jean-Marc in the pink shirt, behind his tractor)
TODAY'S WORD: Jamais Deux Sans Trois
: bad things come in threes
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Last week may have been the most challenging since my husband left for New Zealand. On Sunday, owing to an old and faulty serrure on our front door, I found myself locked out of the house upon returning from church. I hurried around the corner to Mom’s, put...
April 11, 2024
A Phantom Pregnancy, A Hysterectomy & A New Job + French word for Stubborn
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Spotted in La Ciotat centre ville: Notice the little slippers, les chaussons, dangling from the highest window. Below, can you see the smiley faces on these pink pots? Smiles here at home, as well, now that our dog is feeling better after undergoing surgery one week ago. Also, read to the end to find out who got a new job!
A reminder to click over to the blog to see all the pictures and to read the comments or to leave a note. Merci!
TODAY’S WORD: BUTÉ (bew-tay)
: stubborn
Other Fren...
March 31, 2024
Bougeotte = Wanderlust, the need to move about + A New Attraction The Paris Airport
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Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Photo: Dmitry Avdeev
TODAY'S WORD: BOUGEOTTE
: wanderlust, travel bug
: restless, ants in your pants, move about
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristin Espinasse
Special thanks to those who have signed up for one of Jean-Marc’s Provence Wine Tours. For anyone interested, there are a few places left so don’t delay. And now, if you are new to this journal, here’s a brief intro to my husband of 30 years, “Chief Grape.”
After graduating ...
March 21, 2024
Fou rire? Éclat de rire? How to say deep belly laugh in French
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Dusk in La Ciotat, where today’s story begins…
Jean-Marc’s PROVENCE WINE TOURS begin again in May! Cassis, Bandol, Châteauneuf-du-Pape—don’t miss our beloved winemaker’s favorite stomping grounds for grapes! Click here.
TODAY'S WORD: FOU RIRE
: the giggles, hysterical laughter, deep belly laugh
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
It's dusk and I'm alone at home, emptying the dishwasher. When Ricci suddenly starts barking, I look over at our baie-vitrée only to startle a...
March 14, 2024
Une Friandise: Chocolate Sundaes following Jules's visit to the Ophtalmo
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I typed the word friandise into my Google photo album search box and voilà, a photo of my daughter and one of her all-time favorite sweets appeared: strawberries with chantilly cream.
Jean-Marc’s PROVENCE WINE TOURS begin again in May! Cassis, Bandol, Châteauneuf-du-Pape—don’t miss our beloved winemaker’s favorite stomping grounds for grapes! Click here.
TODAY'S WORD: UNE FRIANDISE
: a sweet treat
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
In the salle d'attente at the eye clinic i...
March 6, 2024
Avoir du Cran (To be brave in French) + Mom and I get in a little fight & end up at the circus
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The curtain is now opening on today's pièce: a feisty (and sentimental) mother-daughter story. My mom loved these circus curtains, seen on a recent walk together. Jules sewed our dresses when my sister and I were little, and these rideaux remind me of our visits to the fabric store.
TODAY’S WORD: "Avoir du cran"
: to have guts, grit, to be brave
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Do you believe that our behavior can provoke the universe? I can't help but wonder when, hou...
