When the blogging universe was exploding into many points of light, I found my way to Corey’s blog. Her touching words and observations kept me coming back. Her story of Chelsea climbing into Sacha’s crib to give him a bottle when Corey was recovering from cancer surgery touched me deeply. An incredible family, a mother with such heart and love.
Like many Americans, I am drawn to things French. Unlike many Americans, the reason is that our Dad was a bombardier instructor in Big Spring, Texas, during World War II. His job eventually became teaching the Free French who had escaped from Europe, ready to be trained and sent back to liberate their beloved country. These were the bedtime stories we grew up on.
(My Dad and brothers 1950 in the City of Light)
In time, my parents, along with my brothers, ages 3 and 1, spent 1950-1951 in Montpellier while Dad earned a Diplôme Universitaire, a French degree. He would teach high school French for 30 years. My mother, a journalist, and writer wrote and published many stories based on this formative post-war life. While I would not be born until much later, I cherish each word.
(With my family in St. Martin, France)
(Egg Harbor)
I guess you’d say we’ve been crazy Francophiles from the start (as if we had a choice). My husband, Charlie, and I have spent many happy days in Quimper (we collect French faïence); Montpellier (A gendarme told me never to drive there again); Castelleras (outside Nice); Paris for New Year; and St. Martin, or France d’outre-mer.
In a seemingly fullish-circle, I wrote a book in 2014 based on the harrowing experiences of my friend, Glenn King, a World War II bombardier, who was shot down on his 23rd mission and held in a German prisoner of war camp until May 1945. Our book is called
“No Ordinary Life – Memoir of a World War II Bombardier.”
Spending time with Glenn and writing his story has been the honor of my life.
(A view of Nice)
My husband and I planned a trip to southern France this year on the occasion of our 40th wedding anniversary. Alas, that trip will have to wait until the world is healed. France will be there, of that I have no doubt.
You can follow Sue on Instagram suejp
“No Ordinary Life” is available on Amazon.
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