A Boy’s Love

As many of you know my French husband loves to do wild things. He loves to dangle like a worm from cliffs, gets a thrill out of speleology, (dropping 300+ meters underground,) finds it exhilarating to jump off bridges with an elastic band, and enjoys the chill factor of hiking up mountains covered with ice. He is a physical risk taker. He says it allows him to "feel" certain emotions otherwise unobtainable.

French husband’s latest thrill is an over sized mosquito better known as an ULM (Ultra Lite.) He is learning to fly.

Coyote_ii_s6es 

(photo: French husband’s unnamed new-used ULM. Some people receive love letters, I get a photo of his new best friend.)

The other day French husband called to whisper sweet nothings in my ear. I was instantly transported to swoon-land and feeling all cozy and charmed by his French accent… when without warning he said that he bought this little pie in the sky. He asked me what I thought of his new used ULM…I came down to earth and said,

"Don’t you think the tires have a look of large insecurity? Don’t they remind you of Oreo cookie halves?" No I didn’t say that. Neither did I say that I would never fly in it. I didn’t even question if he was kidding. I simply said, "You must be so very happy!" He then started to carry on like a boy in love. I meanwhile stared at the photo of his "Barbie and Ken" sized plane wondering how I am I ever going to get the courage to get inside of it and fly with Mr. Fearless Wonder?

So dear readers who will be the first volunteer? Who will be the first to do loop de loops with French husband up in the sky? Imagine up above France, looking down at the lovely French landscape, tasting the perfumed air of the famous cuisine down below, feeling the Mediterranean wetting your toes, and having French husband by your side singing Dr. Zhivago and asking you for directions to the Eiffel tower?!

How will I pick the winning volunteer? Let’s see… What should French Husband name his over sized Mosquito? Watch out French husband might land in your back yard.



Comments

76 responses to “A Boy’s Love”

  1. I think you’ve already named it – The Mosquito! πŸ˜›

  2. Oh my goodness, I clicked to see this mosquito enlarged, it really is very small. Can he really get inside of that?
    __________
    Hi Angela Marie
    It is SMALL!!! A friend described it to me as a “YOUGURT CUP with Wings!”
    French husband fits. And the passenger has to ride on his lap. That doesn’t sound exciting does it? πŸ˜‰

  3. Yann! No. No. No. No.
    NO!
    Sheesh! no.
    you poop.
    _________________
    Hi Lauren
    That is a good name…the Poop.
    Though I don’t think French Husband is not going to like that name.

  4. Le Moustique Rouge.
    Can he pick me up from Sydney please? That is, Sydney AUSTRALIA. I’ll be waiting at the private section of the airport… πŸ™‚

  5. I THINK MOSQUITO IS QUITE PERFECT IN DESCRIBING THIS TINY LIGHT WEIGHT PLANE!
    OH COREY YOU MUST HAVE NERVES OF STEEL – I FEEL MY LEGS A WOBBLING JUST THINKING ABOUT LEAVING THE GROUND IN IT.
    COULDNT HE JUST DRIVE IT AROUND THE RUNWAYS AND PRETEND HE IS UP IN THE AIR???
    ..I DIDNT THINK SO…. =)
    XOXO
    MB IN JT

  6. You see Corey I think the fact that you are missing your gorgeous FH is making you WAY too tolerant about this latest foible. So if not the Mosquito – perhaps Le Grand Foible – oh my lord it is too small for words!

  7. It looks like the little red dragonflies that sun themselves beside the swimming pool in summer, with just that jaunty air – so what is the French for Dragonfly?
    I’d be a little worried about him flying all the way across Africa in it to pick me up for a loop the loop session – so don’t let me win!

  8. Weren’t you nice to “bite your tongue”! There, call it the equivalent idiom in French

  9. Oh my you make me laugh.
    Your life will always be fun and full of adventure.
    Giggles
    Love you darling one……….
    Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth……….
    reached up and touched the face of God.
    High Flight
    Love you
    Jeanne

  10. I don’t have a backyard so lucky me he will not land on it . I could be the 1st to try this wild experience . But I think your is going to love it .
    We could give it a provencal name so it will not be neither french nor english . I’m gonna think about it and write to you

  11. I’ve left my comment about the ULM ‘s name on the wrong post so again :
    My friend Fredo suggests :
    Parpaioun ( butterfly ) or pipistrelle ( bat)
    I suggest riquiqui ( very mall) I love the sound of this world .
    MΓ©lanie xxx

  12. You’ve described it so well..
    It’s hard to come up with anything else..
    Obviously the cat should not go away!
    Those mice get carried away IMO..

  13. Small, really, really small.
    So when are you getting your pilot’s license Corey?
    Darla

  14. You are very brave and have great control and your husband is very fortunate to be married to you and not me because I think the response in your head would definitely be the one out of my mouth.
    …I watched the video of your husband’s ‘wolf pit’ caving adventure and since I am slightly claustrophobic it made me cringe but your husband was smiling there…

  15. Corey,
    At first I thought I would not want to be the one to ride in it first, but when you answered and said the passenger has to ride on Yanns lap…..well…I have quickly reconsidered!!!! hee hee πŸ™‚

  16. PS…Instead of taking the train to see me in Paris…now Yann can just drop you off on top of our hotel!!!

  17. Oh!!!my it is small and at the same time so cute.
    I am tempted to volunteer, especially since I just took a glance at French Husbands photo, however,…cluck, cluck, cluck…OK! call me chicken.
    As for the name, without doubt it should be Corey…I can be there for the naming ceremony…I will land in Niece in October πŸ™‚

  18. OM it is small! But a sense of adventure is WONDERFUL! You only have the opportunity to “fly” around once so I say ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY. Seems to me you and FH are doing just that.

  19. jee…i’m definitely not a volunteer…i adore adventures but my feet must touch a ground for sure. so sorry corey, french husband or not, even andy garcia would not get me that high in this kind of toy plane. and I LOVE ANDY GARCIA!!!

  20. Nope!! Not me. Never EVER!!
    He’s ALL YOURS!!

  21. Corey, Ummm…I will pass.

  22. Julie Loeschke

    Oh,me,me!I’ll go! I learned to fly about 25 years ago so that I could take the controls if anything happened to MY daring husband during a flight. I had about 20 solo hours and then discovered I was pregnant with our youngest son, and decided I didn’t want to take him with me if I went down. I really miss flying! We gave it up when we moved to Montana. Try it! You might get the bug to learn yourself! πŸ˜‰

  23. I immediately thought of those wonderful scenes in “Out of Africa” where they fly above the flocks of flamingos………so romantic.

  24. Raising my hand to volunteer. I think
    “le hibou”
    Why? Because you mention how like a boy he was talking about it, just his excitement, I am sure keeps him up at night. And that is when the owl comes out….http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibou
    What do you think?
    Delphine

  25. Corey,
    If and when you go…
    (Is it a mosquito made for two?)
    Take your camera!
    Your second to last paragraph is very beautifully written.
    Such a gifted woman you are!

  26. eb loves loop de loops….she’ll go

  27. Not in a million years Corey. I would grow wings first.

  28. Pick me! Pick me! It would be wonderful to be able to touch my toes in the sea and breathe in the cold crisp air up above the clouds. I think the perfect name is the Flea! In French of course. Then it honors things you both love. Hehe…(heart) leau

  29. Oh I am so glad my husband isn’t a dare-devil like that. Sorry I would have to pass, no matter how much in love I was. Fear is greater! πŸ™‚ Have fun with the new toy!
    Teresa
    πŸ™‚

  30. Oh dear! πŸ™‚
    I shall be eternally grateful that my husband only had to confess he bought a TV set for the kitchen of his country home (I didn’t say anything, even though all kind of thoughts went through my mind, like “When will he ever be long enough in the kitchen?”). TV set number three.
    So, my problems are minor, compared to yours. I could never ever fly with your husband (nobody really) in such a toy plane. Last year I won a balloon ride, and once I was 50 meters in the air, I asked them to pleeeease let me down again. I was scared witless after I looked accidentally over my shoulder.
    Good luck to both of you! πŸ™‚

  31. Oh, I forgot my suggestion for a name: “La Pulce”.

  32. Mosquito sounds like a great name. Other names that popped in my mind for no logical reason are Giselle, Cloud and Meringue. I’m not volunteering to ride in the gnat er plane! Would rather visit with you and go to brocantes.

  33. Even though your description of what would be seen flying high above the country side sounds wonderful – you couldn’t pay me enough to get in that “Mosquito”! LOL!!! Which by the way is a great name for it.
    If I were you and I were to get on that plane, I would bring my rosary and PRAY REALLY HARD! LOL!!
    I hope that he has wonderful adventures with his new toy and that he will always arrive safely to his destination and back home again.

  34. Nope, French husband will not be landing in my yard, as he’d not make it across “the pond” in a ULM. {But don’t say that, or he’ll feel compelled to try! -grin-}
    “Back at the beginning of time,” {in my 30’s actually} I took flying lessons, after exchanging my summer straw hat for the old fashioned flying scarf of a barn-storming-type pilot at an air show.
    Well, I was accompanied by my family, so it wasn’t totally romantic. ,-) But it give me the flying bug.
    But then, I was not a born pilot. Husband learned and we owned a Cessna 170 for some years.
    In my secret heart of hears, I was a little scared. But I’d never let on and we had fun with flying. Until his eyes began giving him many troubles, and we sold #8424 Lima. {I’ll always remember the call number.}
    Fly with him. Don’t miss the experience. You’ll have a thrill and you’ll give him, a lovely thrill too.
    But you know that…
    Hugs,
    Mari-Nanci

  35. I have to say this reminded me of a song we’d sing as kids:
    Up in the air
    Junior Birdmen
    Up in the air
    Upside down
    Up in the air
    Junior Birdmen
    Keep their noses to the ground
    And when you hear
    the grand announcement
    That their wings are made of tin
    Then you know the Junior Birdmen
    have sent their box tops in.
    It takes 5 box tops
    4 bottle bottoms
    3 coupons
    2 wrappers
    and one thin dime.
    *insert sound of plane flying*
    XOXOXO
    Love, Lisa (non-volunteer)
    _______________
    Lisa! Fantastic Poem. Thanks!

  36. Cousin Linda

    I too love that scene in Out of Africa and just saw it again recently. I’m a bit (just a little bit) of a daredevil, so I will ride with Yann on my next visit to France. However, I’ll need to step up my gym workouts if I’m going to fit on his lap. Corey, Carpe Diem — sieze the day. I agree with one of your other writers, she was afraid, but pretended she wasn’t. I do that with lots of things.
    _______________
    Hello Cousin Linda!!
    Since French husband and you share the same birthday (Sept 4) he’ll swing by and pick you up!
    When are you coming to Willows!

  37. Massilianana

    Hello Corey ! I know how you feel about this ULM . My husband got his license for this type of thing ( he also can fly gliders and do paragliding …)and he is dreaming to make an air-tour de France with me :luckily for me , we moved to Brazil !!!Anyway , like many of your readers , I absolutely do not volunteer -no matter how charmant FH looks – and my vote for the ULM ‘s name goes to Mosquito first,then to Poop .My suggestion : Evinrude , after the tiny noisy dragonfly in the cartoon “Bernard and Bianca”…
    Have fun ! πŸ˜‰

  38. Cousin Chris

    Fly me to France in a big plane and I’ll be the first one up with the French Guy in the little plane. He’ll have to let me take the controls though. It’s my nature. We’ll have to fly through the Arch de Triumph at wide open,full throttle. Skim the water in nearest lake with the Tires. Touch the snow on a mountain top with a wingtip. My kind of a ride dont you think?
    Cousin Chris
    BPBTC
    _______________
    Hi Cousin Chris,
    You’re on! French husband is going to to give you the ride of your life!!

  39. I’d raise my hand and say “MOI” but…I tend to toss my cookies in such situations and wouldn’t want to get anything on Frenchhusband πŸ™

  40. Corey, tell Yann I’m holding the cleavage photo hostage until he gets rid of this… thing.
    How about “Last Wish”? Too ominous? hahahaha…
    Oh and “Le Poop” is only a name for him. hahahahohohoheeheehee
    O.k., I’ll think positive thoughts from here on out. Promise. (sorta)

  41. In honor of another French man, well known for his pint size stature, HervΓ© Villechaize, a perfect name!
    Tatto’s Fantasy.

  42. I’m thinking: hiccup
    Surely there must have been a hiccup in his thinking to have purchased such a thing. πŸ˜‰

  43. Corey, I have been a FAN of your blog for many months and I have never commented until now. I could’nt resist myself. I showed my boys the picture of the plane (ages 10, 12 & 15) and they came up with “Jumbo Shrimp” and added “Mighty” to your original name. “The Mighty Mosquito” We had a lot of fun looking up words in the thesaurus. Thanks for the inspiration.
    Blessings, Kimberly

  44. Brother Mathew

    Corey, I don’t know…think long.
    Puddle Jumper comes to mind.
    ___________________
    Hey Brother Mathew,
    French husband ‘your brother by love and law,’ is disappointed in you! He says his “puddle jumper,” can jump to England, Scotland, Greenland, the islands off Canada and straight to your backyard. Watch out here he comes!

  45. naming it would make it harder to let go of…i’m in for bat mobile cause you’d have to be batty to go flying in that…sorry…i am starting novenas immediatly…blessings, rebecca

  46. How do you say Mosquito in French? Your clever post has made the name stick!

  47. Corey,
    I am not a good flyer. If it makes him happy, then that is good. He can land in my backyard anytime.
    Rosemary

  48. “Dragonfly”…it looks like a dragonfly to me. So…are you going to fly with him?

  49. Just as I do not enter buildings that have just been constructed, I do not enter cockpits with pilots who are new to the whole flying thing.

  50. Alexandra

    Men are funny, and sometimes unpredictable. My 71 year old father just told me he has been taking flying lessons! A bit scary because he is known for being the absent minded professor.
    My husband the fire fighter and ultimate risk taker would love to fly the little mosquito, I’d have to pass. Too scary for me! Of course, I don’t even like roller soaters or anything remotely daring.
    My husband would be there in a heartbeat, but I’m afraid you’d have to travel across international air space to pick him up! πŸ˜‰

  51. french husband. american wife. dual nationality children. all bi-lingual (at least). but what isn’t said is this –> lovely family life. parents and children bonded together with love and care and concern. well done all four of you. well done france and america. well done.

  52. Oh dear, Corey! I’m grinning ’cause I can just imagine your face when you saw OM. Come to think of it, isn’t “om” a chant for meditation and relaxation? Personally, I think that he should keep the name of his beloved plane simple…French Husband. Or how about… le mari franΓ§ais fou? ;p

  53. Oh my! Men & their toys. My husband bought a Harley last year & I’m still getting used to that idea.
    Mosquito, Skeeter, West Nile???

  54. Oh my! Men & their toys. My husband bought a Harley last year & I’m still getting used to that idea.
    Mosquito, Skeeter, West Nile???

  55. I really don’t want to be the first to volunteer…but the thought of the Mediterranean, warm and tasty pastry, listening to the French accent…I’m almost willing to fly in that little plane!
    I vote for Mosquito! You got the name right Corey!

  56. Dana Smith

    GiGi……..plain and simple.
    Dana in VA

  57. I’m with cousins Chris and Linda…
    and Norah’s Sharon is right – I’ll go – I’ve done the gliders over the Green Mts and the puddle jumpers with my Dad up into the Black Hills and numerous other stomach churning loops – its fun and REALLY exhilarating…
    Let’s name her Loop D. Loo
    xox – eb.
    _____________________
    Hi eb, I hope you are ready? ‘Cause it sounds like FH will have to churn the loops! And soar with your Dad, with you in his “Loop D. Loo”

  58. oh…
    and our extra large and muscular Vermont mosquitoes will gladly welcome and land the new little lovely here – the “backyard”, altho woodsy – will accommodate…
    (Miss Loop D. Loo)
    xox – eb.

  59. I’d brave it if I were closer. I think it’s wonderful! Yes, a tad small, maybe shaky on take off? Landings? Oh well, I’ll pack my Gravol!
    xo
    Bleu

  60. I like the name…
    Flyboy

  61. i`ll go if i can wear a parachute
    and somehow be ejected if ever
    the plane -giant moustik- takes a nose dive!!
    πŸ™‚
    _________________
    Hi Darling girl girl
    Ahha French Daddy sounds like Little girl is joining my side of the camp?!

  62. Desperately NOT wanting to win this competition I suggest calling the plane…um…cabbage.
    __________________
    Hi Lee
    Lucky you live in Australia. Otherwise I would claim you the winner! But I fear FH WOULD try to fly Down Under!
    Your post fits this topic well n’est pas?
    http://coddledegg.blogspot.com/2007/08/skill-v-intelligence.html

  63. “Daredevil” comes to mind, but you wouldn’t want to give a plane a name with evil association!
    Corey, I am scared of flying in the big planes (even though I used to be a flight attendant) but I LOVE the little ones. My husband is a pilot and I get such a tremendous feeling of freedom whenever I go up in the plane with him. Soon we might be moving to a place where he will be able to fly a WWII bi-plane with open cockpits. I look forward to going up in that!
    Remember to take your camera πŸ™‚

  64. Oh mercy me…and I thought my husbands Piper Warrior is small. Not compared to your french husband’s “puddle jumper”!
    _______________________
    Hi Dee, Yes it is small, cozy too. Of course I am not going to ride in it, even if it is on FH’s lap. The Puddle jumper is a good starter plane. So small I hear it can glide softly down if need be with a parachute!

  65. Oh my gosh, I am LOL at “oversized mosquito”.

  66. Ohhh! La plume d’amour! heehee

  67. Oh dear corey..have to give your dear french husband credit for thinking to purchase his new toy while you are in the States… no conflict purchase haha. Dear girl, let go of your fears and go up with him (once he is experienced at flying). He treasures you tooooo much to let anything happen to you. Who knows you may love it enough to want to learn to fly the “Little Red Bird”.

  68. Ahhhh…Corey and her handsome French “flyboy”… How funny that he waited till you were in the states to purchase his new “toy”. lol Sweetie, I am wed to a Kansas flyboy. He bought a ’53 Beechcraft Bonanza 13 years ago this month and I have never flown with him. Tell your man we have a FAA registered airstrip on our farm and you and French husband are welcome to “land” here any time and be guests of ours at our farm. MY DH and Your FH would have much in common! You and I can be earthbound and shop some prairie antiques and eat the best cinnamon rolls on the planet. I know your fears. I am so scared of flying. Hang in there…prayers going up.

  69. A name for his flying machine?…it has to be “the beautiful Corey” Belle Corey? my hub calls his palne “darlin’” hmmmm.

  70. Le Transport — not simply because it will hop from here to there, but because the altimeter limit will allow you to be transported by the scenery, by the actual sensation of flying, by the magic of being suspended between heaven and earth in a way you can feel (unlike a big plane).

  71. fearless annie to the rescue…”ooohh la la” must be her name! remember i’m the one that is up for the harley ride with george and the gang up the coast too!

  72. ok Corey. My brother in law is learning to fly as well….the other day we went to “see” him and I ended flying on a “mosquito” like your french husband.
    Sister in law not wanting to fly with her husband’s friend:
    -Catalina would like to go, I guess…
    Me: -eh…ou….ahh….
    and without “anestesia” I was just flying! I loved it! πŸ™‚
    I guess the new mosquito should be called “red fly” πŸ™‚

  73. see what happens when you just leave Yann alone too long? Mosquitos!
    eek, that is a really really tiny plane. πŸ™‚ you live an adventurous life!
    lidy

  74. Back at work! I showed Joe(my boss) the plane and he said anytime he is in the states with it he would love to go for a ride with him. And of course Joe being a fly guy too he was asking questions about he plane I told him that’s the picture you now as much as I do about the plane. Wrong he knew more just looking at the picture…he thought the plane might be lite enough you might not even need a flying license? I said remember this is France not here. In the end he said anytime I would love to go up. I showed him a couple of pictures you have of FH climbing…He said that looks like fun?!?

  75. I love how you managed to restrain yourself from saying all those things when you saw the picture of French Husband’s new best friend πŸ™‚ That shows a wonderful deep understanding and love, I’m sure you’ll enjoy flying above the lovely French landscape savouring the romance.

  76. Just imagine the beautiful photos you could capture of the french landscape from up there!

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