A French friend of ours, Sophie, is here with us. She will be staying at our home while we are in China.
Yesterday, Sophie helped me pack items that I'd sold on my online shop. Somewhere between the old papers, ribbons and silver she said, "How can you let this stuff go, it is all so sweet, so French, so… je ne sais pas quoi!"
Sophie is an artist, she prefers to make things like jewelry, or paint… rather than go to the brocante. Though she likes to "see" what I have found and tease me about it.
I told her that I like to chiner (go antique hunting) more than keeping things, "I like the rush I have when I am at an antique fair, the thrill of finding something, the conversations/negotiations with the dealers, especially the negotiating! The atmosphere, the history lessons without having to studying for it… I do keep things, plenty. But that is not why I love going to the brocante."
Sophie shook her head, then winked, "Oui, oui, bien sur tu aimes la brocante, plus pour chiner que garder, donc si je prends certaines choses pour moi, elles ne te manqueront pas?"
(… Sophie thinks while I am in China she can take what she wants from my house since I prefer the hunt more than the actual objects I have collected.)
"Oh la la," I said, tossing a stack of linens at her, "I might have to keep you in my house with a leash. Of course I'll put out some wine, chocolate, and a baguette or two out on the table for you."
Sophie came right back, "As long as the wine glass is crystal, the chocolates are on a silver tray, and the baguette is wrapped in a monogram linen, I don't mind. I could paint on the old linen you have!"
She is one tough cookie. I think I'll leave crumbs in between the sheets…
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