American Spoken Here

Just a click away...

2008-11-29T17:00:00.001+01:00

...you will find me here at my new blog: 4 Beds in Brittany. See you there! xx

The Worst...

2008-01-30T20:25:00.000+01:00

...Blogger, that'll be me! Do I get an award?

I think it's time to say good-bye, at least for now.

I enjoyed this blog very much. Through writing here, I was able to connect with others in a way I never thought possible. I deeply appreciated your comments, feedback and support...more than I can say. Each comment from you gave me a bit of awe...and awesome...you took the time to read, and the time to respond to me. Thank You.

Blogger Friends, you are amazing! Now. About that award...................

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T10:48:00.000+01:00

I think I may have had a brain hiccup. Sometime this week, I’m not sure when and it probably doesn’t matter, I developed an odd fixation about preparing the stuffing for Thanksgiving. I found myself searching for recipes…reading them at high speed, thinking, ''hey!, I can do this!'' There’s the hiccup folks. Me? Cook? Have I gone completely crazy?

Next thing I know I’m printing off what I (desperately) hope is an adequate, no, make that The Best Ever stuffing recipe. A twinge of fear dashes through me but I dismiss it just as quickly as it appears. Perhaps another wave of crazy, who knows?

I’m taking a long time at the grocery store. Even though I don’t cook, I do eat. And I know good food is a result of good ingredients. I fight a bit of paralysis in my arm when I reach for the produce items… how do I know these are fresh? This is getting ridiculous. (actually it already IS ridiculous)

Tony convinces me to prepare the stuffing the day before Thanksgiving. (okay, if it turns out to be a bowl of The Cat Won’t Eat It, Tony can save the day on Thanksgiving and give it another go. I sigh with some sense of relief. Maybe I’m not too crazy after all.

I carefully gather all the ingredients, double check that I have everything. I don’t. I don’t have the walnuts. I remember not everyone likes walnuts. Hey, I have fresh almonds! (so, okay, not everyone likes almonds but that’s what I have so get over it) Wow. I suddenly feel what must be Chef Power. Step aside…I’m holding a rather sharp knife and scare myself…just a little.

By the time I have slowly - and I do mean slowly - cut, chopped, peeled, prepared all the ingredients, Tony enters the kitchen. He makes tea and kindly offers me a cup. I, of course, dramatically wipe my brow with the back of my hand and accept the offer. I must admit he looks uncertain about what to do. Tony sits at the kitchen table, occasionally tapping his fingers, mumbling something that sounds like, I’ve never seen you cook. I smile. Just now I realize HE has to do the dishes I've just used doing this cooking. Heh heh.

The stuffing looks pretty. It tastes surprisingly good. Elsie keeps pinching another taste. I think I feel like a Chef. I’m not washing up!

I took the bowl of stuffing out of the frig this morning. Still looks pretty. Still tastes good. Real good. Bring on the guests!

Have I caught the cooking bug? Nah, I don’t think so. Not yet anyway. We know that life is full of surprises and, believe me, this little cooking escapade of mine was a big surprise! I’m all grins today. I hope you are too!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

To Have 48

2007-11-14T11:50:00.000+01:00

The French say I have instead of I am when referring to their age. I like that. I have 48 years on Saturday!

I seem to always ponder the most about my life at the time of my birthday. Another year... What am I doing? Who am I being?

This year I’ve given more thought to wider hips, the depth of wrinkles and silver hair…the infamous aging dilemma. What does it mean to Age Gracefully? Am I doing that? Am I being that? For now the answer is, simply, ''I don’t know.'' So, I’ve put together just a few 'aging' things that I do know…

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But, sometimes, there are things in life just as well forgotten. And eventually I remember the important things.

I quit trying to hold my stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

I now do weight lifting by standing up.

I can see my childhood toys in antique shops now.

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

Never lick a steak knife.

I'm sure everything I can't find is in a secure place.

You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

I have learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Fifty Eight Euros & Forty Seven Cents

2007-10-03T11:25:00.000+02:00

Seems we have 'adopted' a kitty!

NOT PLANNED...

This kitty sat at our front door Saturday looking like a baby, appearing rather scruffy and definitely lost. Tony and I took him in for just a little TLC and next thing we know, he's taken over our attention, kitchen, and everything else! We never planned on having a cat...but, as many of you know: Man Plans, God Laughs.

Even though we still had doubts about keeping the cat, we took him to the vet yesterday and with the tune of 58.47 euros quickly escaping our bank account, the cat suddenly became, without a doubt, OURS.

Well....Elsie is sooooo very happy. Apparently cats live 15-18 years, or more? So I'm thinking Elsie better enroll in a university that takes cats!!!!

Named Francis by Elsie, he is about 6 weeks old and, so far, he has been a delightful little addition around here. Problem is we are ''not too bright'' about kitty care. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Sassy MOB

2007-09-26T21:00:00.000+02:00

The MOB dress has been purchased!

APPLAUSE APPLAUSE...thank you very much.

Picture it: MOB, along with Bride, casually saunter into Macy's full of confidence and complete knowledge of The Perfect Dress. Not. I was a cross-eyed mess. Too many choices; too frumpy or Prom-mie or frilly or size zero-ey (btw, who wears size zero at my age?) We quickly ditched the MOB dress section and zoomed on over to formal wear. We passed the long dresses and did a sweep over knee length dresses. Loads of black dresses that had me singing ''I love these!'' ...but, hey, do I really want to wear black to my daughters wedding? sigh. I would have been HOT. (okay, slightly embarrassed, probably, but HOT). So the Bride gently tugged (I'm sure she didn't mean to leave a bruise) on my arm and we went on to fill our arms and shoulders with dresses in a rainbow of colors. On to the dressing room. First dress, in a word, YUK. Second dress, in a word, SASSY. This is IT! I'll be sassy! Bride loved it. I loved it. On to the cashier, payment made and Done! In less than 30 minutes, I bought my MOB dress and did I mention it is sassy? Now y'all are going to have to wait for photos, but don't worry, the wedding is just another 227 days!

Do you think we bought the MOB dress in record time?

Perhaps I should contact Guinness World Records.......

Back to Brittany

2007-09-23T23:04:00.000+02:00

I start the journey back to Brittany tomorrow.
And although I am eager to smooch Tony
and bear hug Elsie,
it's sad to have to say good bye to Min and Tommy.

I'm leaving here
with loads of fun
captured on film
and
absorbed in my heart.

(pizza, beer, hot dogs, onion rings and sliders are on my hips)

Off to Brooklyn!

2007-09-05T08:57:00.000+02:00

The peak of the B&B season is over,

the first day of school has arrived...what else to do but dash off to Brooklyn...

248 days til The Wedding...must buy a dress and get my Brooklyn fix!

I'll have a few weeks

hang out

with my (grown up but don't tell them THAT) kids

practice my Mother in Law role

but not too much

shop til I drop...view a bit of American television...

have a feed or two on sliders & onion rings!

I'm off to Brooklyn

YAY!

The Teachings of Zen

2007-08-10T11:34:00.000+02:00

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a flat tire.

Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.

Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative
on the same night.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope everyone is enjoying summer! We've been hopping with the B&B and friends visiting, BBQ's and pig roasts and all sorts of fun! August looks as busy as July was so I'm not sure how much posting I'll get to do...but please keep checking back...I might have a good yarn or two to tell soon!

Until then, Cheers to Summer Fun!

37 Things

2007-07-31T23:15:00.000+02:00

I prefer to use pencils. Must be sharp with a good eraser.

I went to Harvard for 20 minutes. Bought two pencils there. (good erasers)

Never had a broken bone.

Touch wood.

I’m a little superstitious.

I had a professional golf lesson. Once.

Bazooka bubble gum is a very good memory.

You’re a great friend if you like my humor.

I hate my struggle with learning the French language.

I’ve taken beginning tennis lessons more than once. Lots more.

My husband and I dated after our wedding.

My family says “Listen!” a lot.

I was the first female crossing guard at my grade school.

I dress for comfort more than style.

I often laugh in my dreams.

I don’t like to swim but I love being near water.

My husband is my best friend.

I want to buy shoes in Italy.

With matching handbags!

I’ve had 13 employers.

Now I am self employed.

My first wage was $1.85 hour.

The first thing I baked for my husband was banana bread.

Turns out he hates bananas.

He married me anyway.

My husband loves raw oysters.

I don’t.

I married him anyway.

I still take hand-me-downs from my sister.

Or anyone else that offers.

Whale watching with Mom and sister: Mom threw-up, sister kept her eyes closed and no one took pictures. It’s a memory.

I did hand modeling at age 19.

Didn’t like it.

Most people don’t know that I have co-piloted an airplane.

I saw Elvis Presley perform in Minnesota. 1976.

Still have the admission stub.

I had a relentless case of the giggles at my wedding rehearsal.

Tony and Emma

2007-07-23T08:20:00.000+02:00

Emma is originally from Detroit, Michigan, USA. At just a few weeks of age, she moved to Melbourne, Australia. Many years later, in 1968, Tony met Emma. He was 18 at the time and Emma was 40. I guess some would call that a spring/winter, um, ''situation''? Although it may not be accurate to refer to their connection as a situation since they have now been together for nearly 40 years. Tony must be particularly fond of Americans; first Emma, then me…but I digress.

Tony did not tell me about Emma right away. It took awhile for me to learn about her significance in Tony’s life. I remember a few friends wondering how I might respond, and if I would be gracious, about her presence. A presence that surely was going to stay in Tony’s life.

I met Emma in 1992.

She is a beauty.

And she hasn’t changed much!

Here she is:

1928 Chrysler Model 72

Emma was not always known as Emma. In fact, she used to be known as Walter. Tony did not think the name Walter was suitable. Upon acquisition he named her Emma, after Emma Peel from The Avengers, and the has name stuck. Very few people remember, or know, that Emma was previously known as Walter, as in Walter Chrysler.

Tony is the second owner of Emma. In 1968, Emma was actually a small fortune for an 18 year old: one thousand dollars! She was then, as she is now, A Classic. Tony has driven her as a daily car, dressed her in shiny white ribbons for weddings and has chauffeured innumerable friends and family for leisurely cruises in Australia, England, America and now France. Any one care to guess how many miles she has done? Our best guess is LOTS. The odometer has not functioned for 30 years. Is this how a car ignores age?

Emma is still fundamentally Original. She has never been fully restored although she has had ongoing refurbishment. Tony has a photo of Emma painted blue which may have been the original color. Emma has been yellow since the 1950’s. If you want to know about gearboxes, hydraulic brakes, and those other what-cha-ma-call-its under the bonnet, I must refer you to Tony. The sorts of things I can oooh and aahhh about are the wooden spokes, soft-top, and leather interior.

Perhaps surprisingly, Emma is not worth a lot of money. But, on the other hand, how do you put a price tag on something that has been an immeasurable pleasure for such a long time? For Emma, I wear a hat, even if I look silly in it. For Emma, I will disappear into the background when others stop us for photos.

So there you have it. Tony and Emma. Both fundamentally original with unknown mileage and much more drive ahead. Me? I’m along for the ride. A front seat passenger with a wide brim hat and a silly parade wave…enjoying every minute of every journey with Tony and Emma.

Happy Trails!

Caliendo Does Bush

2007-07-20T11:43:00.001+02:00

View this for a great laugh!

I'll be back next week with the story of Tony's First Love. She still hangs around, really!, so I think it's about time I write a bit about her.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!

Wine Country

2007-07-09T10:30:00.000+02:00

I knew we were out of Brittany territory

when the hydrangeas were no longer in view

and fields of sunflowers

stretched out for miles ahead of us.

And even though the sky

did not promise us much sun,

it was an exciting mark

to the beginning of our little wine country holiday!

I won't bore you with ALL the photos I took of vineyards,

but I must post a couple of them!

These grapes will be ready for harvest in September.

Maybe you - or I - will actually drink these one day!

A little disappointing that many of the vineyards did not offer tours this time of year. But we did manage to have a private tour at Chateau Calon. (not intentionally private, we were just the only ones to request a tour that day) The proprietaire spent more than a couple of hours with us giving the tour, answering my ba-zillion questions and of course tasting many different wines. Apparently Chateau Calon is of modest size producing 300,000 bottles of wine each year. 50 people are hired at time of harvest and work picking the grapes for about 4 weeks.

We bought waaaaaay more wine than I thought we would...shall we suffer in silence? Ha! What a great experience though! I am now feeling inspired to be a Wine Snob. That is if a Wine Snob is one who thinks she knows loads about wine but of course knows not much at all. That's me. And I can swirl without spilling some of the time, sniff without snorting most of the time and occasionally sip fairly well without too much slurping.

Now I just need to know this:

who has the corkscrew for this bottle of wine?

Sunday July 15th -

Another holiday for us this week...'tis a hard life in France, oui?

See you all next week!

Knock Knock!

2007-06-29T11:35:00.000+02:00

Doors have often been a wonderful metaphor in my life.
I grew up hearing
when one door closes, another door opens...

which gave me hope
for another possibility.

Sometimes I wonder if I missed some doors along the way.

Missed opportunities perhaps?

Of course there have been doors

in my life

that felt very difficult

to open.

Eventually I got through.

Or, sometimes, I found a different door.

There have also been doors

I wanted to go through

but did not.

Maybe I will.

Later.

The other side
may be
unknown...
even a bonus of windows
may only offer
a
partial view.

There are
so many doors

so many opportunities
in life

to contemplate.
What door would you like to open?

Next week we'll be in the Bordeaux region for a quick holiday.

Hmmmm...an opportunity to taste wine...watch this space!

Photography by Pam -location Auray, Brittany

How to Weigh Yourself

2007-06-19T13:38:00.001+02:00

I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these years

Tea: Seriously?

2007-06-13T12:15:00.000+02:00

A cup of tea has become more of an event than a beverage in our home. I think this all started when we volunteered to host an Afternoon Tea once for the car club we belonged to in Minnesota. Once, we volunteered to do it once. Somehow though, and I'm not entirely sure how, we ended up hosting that tea every year. How do these things happen? Did I mention we volunteered for it once?

That first time was not exactly a pleasure. Over 50 people showed up and we only had two kettles to boil the water. GAH! And of course we didn't have enough teapots for all the different teas we were serving. A couple of other people brought a few teapots which helped. But one of those borrowed teapots, which was quite a lovely teapot, got chipped. The owner of said teapot was NOT pleased.

When the next year rolled around and we found ourselves hosting the tea again, no one offered to bring teapots. jeez. It must have been about that same time our collection of teapots started. Although we've always served tea from a teapot, the difference now is deciding which one to use! We take our tea seriously; the water must be boiled, the tea must steep and we prefer a cup and saucer to a mug. Our Tea Rules may be traditional but our teapots are not! How about a look at some of my favorites?

The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

This is one of a few whimsical tea sets

that we used at Elsie's 8th birthday party

and, yes, it was a Tea Party!

Alice in Wonderland

is used often!

It's a favorite of ours as well as our visitors.

(for a clearer image, click on the photo)

Aussie Suitcase

We bought this teapot in Australia.

It brings back many fond memories.

I love the animals tucked in and around it!

Betty Boop

is just for display.

This is a perfect example of a will definitely drip spout!

Pinecones

We use this one nearly everyday!

It's particularly special to me

because it reminds me of Minnesota.

English Rose
Long before our collection of teapots started,

I collected teacups.

This is one of the first in my collection.

The teapot came later!

The Piano
The sheet music on the teapot is Tea for Two
and the piano bench holds sugar cubes.
Perfect spout by the way!
We don't use this one often
but
it is my favorite!

We eventually got the hang of hosting the tea for the car club. It also turned out to be a great way to have fun with our expanding teapot collection. Sadly, the car club annual tea stopped when we moved to France. I think someone needs to volunteer. Just once, of course.

Experiencing Time

2007-06-07T09:30:00.000+02:00

The MOB dress saga continues.

Although I think the Bride and I have agreed on this or something similar:

The final decision, and purchase (!) will hopefully happen when I visit Brooklyn in September.

Having children 13 years apart has been cause for awkward moments, or, what I have called crossed eyed parenting because their life stages have been so different. I remember when Mindi was learning how to drive a car, Elsie was learning how to use the toilet. And when Mindi went to university, Elsie started Kindergarten. Elsie is now entering adolescence and Mindi is planning her wedding. I have often experienced the measurement of time by the life stages of my daughters.

Maybe that's why it didn't seem so odd when the memory of My First Kiss came back into my life this week. okay, I'm not gonna lie about it: that First Kiss happened a very long time ago and so my memory may not be all that clear but, truly, who doesn't remember their first kiss?

At a birthday party, in a small Brittany village, I met the Mother of the boy who shared that first kiss with me. What was really odd about meeting her was that we were meeting in Brittany and that the world really must be small for that to happen. Here we were, a group of Minnesotans, sipping champagne in Brittany and chatting about my old stomping ground.

Time moves backwards, forward and sometimes stays still. Time can be a strange thing. It's constant and steady and yet moves around and through me differently day by day. I suppose that's the experience of time. Looking back at the first kiss and all that surrounded it, looking ahead to one daughters wedding and being present in another daughters adolescence...having had a life in America and creating a life in France...time may be free, but it is priceless.

Full House

2007-06-01T13:46:00.001+02:00

Visiting friends, family and B&B guests have been keeping me happily occupied. Well, okay, the laundry and such does not fall under the happiness sort of busy…more like a gotta do it thing. And just when I’m thinking, why am I doing this?, B&B guests give me these flowers!

It’s not just the flowers. (although that helps *S*) It’s the time we have with family and friends and meeting new people via the B&B. It’s the leisurely meals in our home; sitting around the table with people from around the globe, sharing life adventures or tales of the day, laughing, and yes, even the occasional singing that may happen after a glass or three of wine.
(Antipo may remember that!)

I’m still learning the B&B language. I now know that a small dog is the size of a Labrador, or larger. And a well behaved dog is attending dog obedience training. There’s also B&B guest trivia to learn. A cup of coffee for many Americans equals one pot. Most Australians really do like Vegemite (I thought it was just Tony) and most Brits are the easiest to please (either that or maybe they’re just remarkably polite).

This B&B business is a lot of work sometimes but more than anything else, it’s fun. And when the fun stops, I’m locking the doors!

Momma Needs A Dress

2007-05-24T09:06:00.000+02:00

I have been searching for my Mother of the Bride dress, the MOB dress as I like to call it, so far with little success. Seems to me that my choices narrow down to this:

1) A Prom dress, and let’s face it, I’m 30 years too late for that

2) A dress that looks like I borrowed it from Grandma during her frumpy years

or

3) A dress suitable for size zero women with legs longer than my entire height

This dress is going to have to pass Bridal Inspection too. I expect the inspection to be scrupulous! I also have the distinguished honor of giving the bride away - brings a tear doesn’t it? - and I better look good. Real good. I’m thinking Looking Good may be a distraction to the waterworks on my face and trembling legs weaving down the aisle. Yes? Which reminds me, I need to find shoes………………

The Butcher, The Baker, A Candlestick Maker

2007-05-21T10:15:00.000+02:00

Not the prettiest boulangerie in the area...

pictured above is what our boulangerie used to look like.
(insert yawn here)

Imagine our surprise when saw the transformation...

(wow! here)

It was a rare occasion that I had both my camera and Tony...

mighty good of him to give us a pose!

When we were in the talking stage of moving to France,
we had walking distance to the bakery on our wish list.

Got it!
The butcher is within walking distance too.
Don't you think we should have a candlestick maker?

A lot of my pleasure of living here is from the simplest things. I enjoy strolling around the village and now, at long last, saying bonjour to familiar faces and local friends. And note that I stroll rather than walk. Well, okay, sometimes I walk-walk but I have more fun poking around slowly.

We joke about living in the center of the village: The Other Picadilly Circus. Not really, of course, but it is where most people congregate and conversation there can be quite animated. We can certainly stay on top of the gossip, um, I mean, news, by living in this spot.

Now about those moles. The Mole Man was here last week for the first of who-knows-how-many 'eviction' treatments. I can tell you that the first treatment did absolutely positively nothing at all. In fact, I think we have more moles. And enough gas in our ground that I'm actually frightened to light a match out there. Although....maybe a match is not such a bad idea.

Our Moles: The Saga Continues

2007-05-16T10:15:00.000+02:00

It’s been nearly a year since our Mole Battle begun. They have now taken over the garden. The stubby beer bottle method did not work. The moles are not supposed to like the sound made when the wind blows across the top of the empty bottles. Instead, I think our moles enjoyed tipping the bottles over and taking a good slurp of those last few drops of brew. We tried some foul smelling pellets. Apparently our moles thought the scent was sweet. We put the garden hose underground and ran it for a few days. It seems that our moles took pleasure in having a private swimming pool. Evidently we created a Resort for Moles: beer, aromatherapy and whirlpool.

We don’t want to harm these little critters, we just want them to find a new holiday spot. Although, at this time, I think they’ve gone beyond holiday and have taken up residence. I hate to admit this, but our next attempt at eviction involved explosives. Which eliminated a few but obviously not the actively reproducing…

Last ditch effort: The Mole Man. He came over this week to have a look. He shook his head in a way that made my heart sink. ''It’s bad. Real bad.'' He’s going to gas them out. Eek! Will it work? Watch this space!

Construction: Let It Blow Over

2007-05-14T10:41:00.000+02:00

I would like to say that construction here is going smoothly. Actually, I'm just not sure what to do. Last week I had a sort of bad experience because of my blog. My knee jerk reaction was to delete the whole thing. Tony stopped me from that so I guess you'll either thank him or slap him! (lol) But I did have to delete my archives and that was sad for me. I think - hope - that all will blow over and then I can just keep going here and perhaps stay 'as is'.

A new thing I've been working on: Wish Stones. People who receive my energy healing work were looking for something tangible and here it is! I have over 50 words, in English and French, and they are selling like little hot cakes! Tony, Elsie and I spend afternoons at the sea sorting through and collecting stones. Then the stones have to pass a rigorous inspection by me which leads to a whole lot of eye rolling, sighs and giggles. At a euro each, this is clearly not a money making venture - it's just a fun thing to do.

Under Construction

2007-05-09T23:00:00.000+02:00

Please bear with me as American Spoken Here

goes under a little bit of construction.

I hope to be back here soon.

A Change of Scenery

2007-05-04T11:00:00.000+02:00

We're off to our holiday cottage and, weather permitting,

I'll be seated at this table

with a great book, a refreshing beverage and not a care in the world!

No school on Tuesday and Wednesday

will stretch out our weekend...

although Monday may be a bit of a nuisance as we'll have to drive Elsie to school and back...

an hour each way...

my gawd, what a *cough* hard life.

In the evenings,

you'll find me next to the fireplace...

still reading, of course!,

but now I'm watching Tony here:

This is the kitchen, right? Not being a cook, I can't be entirely sure of that. I do recall glancing at Tony here doing something with food and then presenting meals so I figure maybe there is a connection. Maybe...

Encore!

2007-05-02T08:14:00.000+02:00

It was just a year ago that my face was smiling all across this countryside for 2 months and for no other reason than being an American living in Brittany. About the time I got used to seeing this magazine cover EVERYWHERE I went, it was replaced with the next issue. Eventually the ‘cover girl’ experience was over.

Or so I thought.

Tony and I had a meeting with a Notaire this week. When we walked into the reception area to wait for our appointment, one other couple was seated there. We sat opposite them and a large coffee table separated us. We exchanged smiles and a bonjour. Neat stacks of magazines were piled across the table. And there it was. I mean, there I was. In plain view and on top of one of the magazine stacks. I glanced at the couple and saw the woman look at me, look at the magazine, look back at me, back at the magazine and then she took her hand to her mouth and whispered something to her partner. Any guess as to what she might have whispered?

I suppose one day I’ll be in an antique shop and this magazine will be for sale there. GAH!

Interview Me

2007-04-15T20:14:00.000+02:00

This is something I saw on Melissa's blog, Spoke In The Wheel.
I asked her to interview me!
Her questions (great ones, Melissa!) are below along with my answers.

The Rules:

Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me.''
I respond by asking you five personal questions
(I will leave these questions for you in my comments)
so I can get to know you better.
If I already know you well, expect the questions may be a little more intimate!
You will update your journal/bloggy thing/whatever, with the answers to the questions
(please don't leave your answers in my comments unless you don't have a blog).
You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

1. What do you miss most about the States?

My family and friends along with not being in the same time zone. Of course I expected to miss my closest relationships but I didn’t expect the time zone difference to be such a nuisance. I also miss the bookstores!

2. What's the most entertaining thing you've learned about French culture that you didn't expect?

Our French friends love to debate and philosophize. I guess I always knew that but since living here, that really has become ‘most entertaining’. They examine everything from food preparation to their country and its society. They enjoy discussing things endlessly and in great depth. A popular expression is, "Oui, mais...." - Yes, but....
Some of our best laughs here have been discussing a multitude (who knew?) of possibilities over the simplest things.

3. If you could have any indulgence in the world, what would it be?

Unlimited free travel for myself, family and friends…make that FIRST CLASS free travel!

4. What is the next big hurdle you'd like to overcome in your life?

Learning to speak, read and write French fluently, or at least well. That could take the rest of my life but it is truly my biggest current hurdle.

5. Courtesy of L. Britt - what is your favorite part of your body from the neck down?

My hands. I can’t talk without 'em!

A Memorable Departure

2007-04-12T21:49:00.000+02:00

Leave it to one of our Minnesota friends, K., to depart Brittany in a memorable manner.

While waiting for their train, his wife departed to use the toilet. A 30 cent toilet, of course. The kind made entirely of metal and, after each use, a 'sanitizing' spray shoots around the loo. Very civilized. But I digress. ANYWAY, Tony suggested that K. go in after his wife and save the additional 30 cents. (Being the penny pinchers that we are, we do this often).

K. didn't jump at the idea. He gave it some thought. Maybe he was wondering about the 30 cent savings? Eventually he followed his wife and went in when she was done. Meanwhile, his wife, Tony and I stood on the platform waiting. More people gathered at the platform for the train. K. seemed to be gone for a long time.

And then it happened. A knock. A knock against metal. Slowly, steadily, picking up the pace to a rapid non-stop knocking, louder and heavier...uh-oh and yes, it's K. Locked in the loo. Being sprayed by disinfectant. Tony was laughing so hard he couldn't move. His wife didn’t believe it. I went to the loo door, searching for 30 cents to open the door and offering reassurance to K. that we would get him out. (note: it's quite a challenge to find 30 cents quickly with all that laughter going on…mine and the other 20 some people on the platform)

K. got out. He was sanitized.

No one else needed the loo. But we did need to change our pants.
(too much laughter!)

p.s.

that was the best 30 cents I ever spent!