Winter Break

The girls are on vacation for the next two weeks and I must say, a much needed vacation. I am not sure whether it is the dreary Winter we are having or the extreme amount of pressure they have at school, but they are exhausted.

The dogs and I went to the country to check on our house, make sure we had enough oil to heat the stone foundation before we spend a few days of vacation there freezing our butts off. We were out of oil, oops. Thank God I checked. Mr. Salignant a local beverage deliveryman and the only old timer equipped with an oil delivery truck in our region, agreed to meet me on a dryish day. Our house is at the end of a farmer's path one that is extremely muddy at this time of year. He delivered 500 litres of oil for .87 euros per litre. Won't last long, but will get us through the Spring since we won't spend much time in the house until it warms up and the sun shines down on les monts du lyonnais. After all my years in the Hudson Valley, I just cannot bear the cold of Winter and being stuck inside because of bad weather. I guess I shoveled my walkway one too many times and lost my romantic view of it all.

Mr. Salignant is a man of few words and those that he speaks I can hardly understand because of his very thick local accent. There is a patois in this region and when they speak quickly, I have no clue what they are saying. He is a bit too curious about my life. I must be such an anomaly to him, to just about everyone in these parts. I can't imagine what they think of me. I am just super friendly and have learned not to talk too much, not to reveal much about my life. Better to remain mysterious and unknown.

I was struck by the calm of the country compared to the bustling city I live in, Lyon. I wondered why I don't spend more time in the country, why I don't allow more silent space in my head, because I miss it. I thought about how much more connected to myself I feel in the country. I wanted to write, and jot things down. I wanted to just sit and breathe, something I never feel able to do in the city, always have to be moving, accomplishing something. I felt good. I made a plan to come back later this week, just for a few days, before we go off to London to look at Universities for Hallie. God time flies.

De cet amour ardent je reste émerveillée

Je reste émerveillée

Du clapotis de l’eau

Des oiseaux gazouilleurs

Ces bonheurs de la terre

Je reste émerveillée

D’un amour

Invincible

Toujours présent

Je reste émerveillée

De cet amour

Ardent

Qui ne craint

Ni le torrent du temps

Ni l’hécatombe

Des jours accumulés

Dans mon miroir

Défraîchi

Je me souris encore

Je reste émerveillée

Rien n’y fait

L’amour s’est implanté

Une fois

Pour toutes.

De cet amour ardent je reste émerveillée.

Andrée Chedid, Printemps des poètes 2007

Vicomte Arthur

If you really want to understand the French version of preppy, check out Vicomte Arthur. Halliday is a big fan and swoons over the new collection. I love the packaging and the really fun aspect of their design and their free spirit.

 

My Boy Vincent

Vincent Delerm

I am having the most terrible time making time to write in my blog. I have so much going through my head. I have taken tons of photos and videos and I don't know what happens each day. I can't seem to sit down and post things, even though j'ai envie. Then today I realized that I have been so busy I have not even been listening to music, and I am so passionate about music that we know something's crazy here. So this is what I can do today. Post a song by one of my favorite French singers, adorable Vincent Delerm and then make a promise to myself to write and post more VERY SOON!!


                        

Do you want to rent my house this summer?

 I am serious. I have the most wonderful authentic simple country house imaginable in France, near Lyon and I am hoping to rent it this summer either for the full summer or for 2 separate months. I usually rent it by the week, but because I personally am going to be in New York and Yay! at Brooklyn Flea on the weekends for July and August, I will not be able to be in France to meet and greet my renters every week.

Here is a tour of the outside of my house and the first floor. There is a beautiful second floor with master bedroom (king size bed) and reading nook, a third bedroom (2 twin beds) and a bathroom + WC. Click here to see the Sneak Peek in Design Sponge! I would also consider trading houses or apartments with someone who lives in Brooklyn! Serious inquiries only please! carol@basicfrenchonline.com