Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Just another day in France

I am often asked:

What is it like living in France?

Today: When I woke up, I realized I had overslept and that Sacha had already left for school (6:45 a.m.). I made my bed and started a load of laundry.

-I went to the bathroom. 

-While I was brushing my teeth, I remembered the paint bucket that fell off the ladder yesterday… and reminded myself I needed to go buy some more paint.

-Chelsea moved home from university, for the summer with a ton of boxes that need to be put away, in our house without a garage nearby.

-Later in the day I will take Annie to the grocery store, as her housekeeper is on vacation. Then I will go to the post office.

-After much effort I have lost five pounds, and I wonder how long I can keep them off?

-I hope to go see the exhibit of Picasso, in Marseille, this weekend.

What is it like living in France?

It is like living anywhere in the Western world, except the scenery is different, the brocantes are packed with older things, the taxes are heavier, where going topless at the beach is not a big thing, where baguettes are a staple, where there is a larger section of yogurt and cheese at the grocery store, and it has a medical system that saved my life and that is kinder to the pocketbook.

My photos as seen in Art and Letter.

An antique chairs sits on the table looking at itself in the mirror

The perfect place?
Is the space

          in between
the past and the future,
the empty chair
that calls  our   
         name,
Be here now. 
one place 
or another
   
     we must take a seat
and
be happy
where we are.

Comments

33 responses to “Just another day in France”

  1. rel

    Corey,
    Amen sister, AMEN.
    (the air is different in france though! ;))
    rel

    Reply
  2. Marie-Noëlle

    I agree with you, Corey…
    We must be happy sitting where we are, whatever the seat … a bench, a sofa, a stool, an armchair, …
    And if we’ve got a mere piece of cardboard, let’s imagine it’s lace or pure silk …!!!

    Reply
  3. Nancy

    so what you are saying is that living in France is the same as living in the United States (or anywhere for that matter) except that it is different.

    Reply
  4. Gina Baynham

    What you say is so true Corey.
    Since we moved to Australia we also are trying to live for “Now”
    Enjoying each day as it comes and trying not to wish away today for something in the future.
    We try to tell friends in the UK and Ireland that our days are made up of similar chores, making beds, packing kids school bags, laundry on the washing line.
    Except that when we look around we see sun, gum trees, different flowers, back to front seasons, and the odd big hairy spider!

    Reply
  5. Julie

    HAHA! I am often asked how living in the US feels like since I am from Germany! 🙂 I say, there are pros & cons everywhere & in everything, however, one got to make the best of the pros & nip the cons in the butt! Enjoy reading your posts, Corey. Cheers, Julie

    Reply
  6. debra

    is the grass greener…….:-)

    Reply
  7. Jeanne

    I love you
    I cherish every posting
    Love Jeanne♥

    Reply
  8. Rabenfrau

    Your words are so true!
    Hugs
    Rabenfrau

    Reply
  9. Erin

    well put.
    enjoyed reading your post today.

    Reply
  10. Aunt Amelia’s Attic

    Stop the presses!
    _How_ did you lose 5 pounds?
    Please and thank you, share your secret!
    Aunt Amelia

    Reply
  11. Paulita

    That health care thing can make a huge difference too. I read a story in the newspaper this morning about an 18-year-old boy who lost two legs to flesh-eating bacteria and they had a fund-raiser to get him a wheelchair and other equipment. Can’t help but think those things might have been included in France. Viva la health care!

    Reply
  12. Catalina

    🙂
    🙂
    🙂 Just what I needed to be reminded today Corey!
    (sometimes I miss my family and country…:)…even if I love this one and my new friends!
    xoxo

    Reply
  13. Julie Ann Evins

    This is late for yesterday:
    My English friend is married to a (lovely) Italian. They live here in the UK but his parents and most of the family still live deep in the rural heel of the Italian boot. Claire loves them & pasta but complains prolifically that they eat pasta for every meal – breakfast, lunch & supper. She says if they come & stay she cannot move by the end of day 2…Therefore my conclusion is that your Italian guests were still full up from lunch !
    Your dish sounds very refined and utterly delicious. I am dairy intolerant so would make it with soya or goats cream, & pecorino instead of parmesan. Now I wonder what your Italian guests would have to say about that…?
    For today – I think it is the best place to live !
    See you soon skinny ! Jx

    Reply
  14. Mimi

    Once again I am in love with your posts… I dream of France, but your day sounds so very much like my own, and that gives me comfort. I do envy you the brocantes though, and would one day love to join you at one! Oh, and drastically improve my french – I would love to do that as well!
    xo

    Reply
  15. Beachy

    Beautiful post, Corey!
    And now I know why French men are so utterly romantic…. imagine being a teenage boy seeing all those topless women on the beach from such a tender age!!! =O (Ok, I’m glad I live on Cape Cod with its prudish beaches for now, with two teenage boys in the house!) lol

    Reply
  16. marilyn

    Especially love the words written at the end of the post. Definitely food for thought.

    Reply
  17. martina

    Life is good with a bit of not so good wherever you live. It takes constant flexibility, we all worry about the same things and hopefully have many people we love and who love us back. Love you Corey!

    Reply
  18. Sandy

    You know what Corey? Even though I desire to travel to far away lands and explore places I have never seem before for the most part where I am is the perfect place for me. I love my life.

    Reply
  19. shannon in oregon

    always…

    Reply
  20. irenet

    Corey, I like your post about the everyday things you do in France. I like your ending words a lot. What a perfect post.

    Reply
  21. Ellen

    Thanks for giving us a peek of your day. Congratulations on the 5 pounds! Let us know what you figure out about Chelsea’s boxes… I know it’s hard when there’s no garage!

    Reply
  22. Leslie Garcia

    Dear Corey,
    I love your Poem…Be Here Now! Where ever you are YOU are Still YOU!
    Love,
    Leslie

    Reply
  23. Marilyn

    Corey,
    You know what they say: Bloom where you are planted!
    There is both good and bad where ever you live. It’s all in your attitude! 🙂
    Marilyn (in Dallas)

    Reply
  24. pam

    Your post today reminded me of a class I attended after my divorce called “Displaced Homemakers.” This class was supposed to help us make the transition from be married to being a divorcee, and accept that things will not be the same but they can be okay. Almost ten years later I still feel stuck, and it seems that my life is passing me by. Once again, Corey, you have inspired me to seek out what is good about where I am at NOW, and to make my life the best it can be. There is happiness all around, we can either join in on the dancing, or we can sit it out, it’s our choice.
    Congratulation on losing the 5 pounds; I need to lose 10, or more. Today I am making a list of things I will accomplish this summer that will make my life better. You are my daily inspiration. Thank you for posting everyday!

    Reply
  25. Shelley Noble

    No. You live in poetry. And it would happen anywhere you were on earth.

    Reply
  26. Beverly

    Beautiful.
    (Although honestly I really think I would like all of the baugettes.)

    Reply
  27. msmezzo

    Oh I love this. I live in NYC (in Harlem, no less) and people from my small town in Ohio ask me what it is like to live here all the time. I could be living on Mars!
    In nine days, I will be in your neck of the woods. That seems strange to my hometown people too, they think that since I spend summers in France that I am living in a dream. If this is a dream, I don’t wanna wake up.

    Reply
  28. JO

    Hi Corey,
    Stopping by to say hello… and I feel I picked the perfect time to do it too….
    I have been struggling lately with being happy where I am …. a place much smaller than what I had before….a rental so I am limited to what I can do…. most of my things wont fit in here which means having to throw a lot of things away…. so its been disheartening…. however… there is a silver lining…. I did recently decide… that I will make it work and turn it into a home as best I can…. so I made myself a list of each room that I need to tackle …. and inside each room what I needed to do… then I cross off one small thing each day…. this way I can do several things in one room …or if I get bored… can move around and accomplish a little in each …. the thing is I have decided to ….. be happy where I am…
    Thank you for the reminder
    LOTS OF HUGS
    JO

    Reply
  29. FrenchBlue

    Oh leave it to you to put it perfectly into words that i know but can’t get out right!!!! I SO agree and the moment is all we have. We try so hard to plan and make the future right when right is RIGHT NOW!! Corey, you are so amazing to me. Thank you for being here and sharing this time on this planet with me.
    xx’s

    Reply
  30. Joanna

    I love the poem. It says so clearly what I try to remember: We only have today!

    Reply
  31. ladybug

    Corey, have just found your lovely blog and you’ll be put on my daily peeps to come back and visit often.
    Congrats on losing 5lb – I’m another one trying!
    LBx Australia

    Reply
  32. Relyn

    I found this poem to be both profound and perfect. May I quote you?

    Reply
  33. Lizbeth

    Wonderful poem, Corey! I am going to print it out and keep it on my desk. 🙂 Thank you.

    Reply

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