Erica and Cliff arrive

Bonjour mes amis,

It's been a sunny day with cool winds throughout but we are thrilled to have Erica and Cliff with us now for a week. Although their train came in about an hour and twenty minutes late from Geneva, Switzerland (where they had been visiting friends), they arrived in time for a Provence sunset and for a scrumptious repast of cheese pizza, salad and some affordable rose wine.

It turns out that for some unbeknown reason, their trains was delayed for an hour or so because there was no conductor. Sounds most strange to us. No conductor?? Who ever heard of a train without a conductor? Apparently an random happening. But, in any event, they are here--eager for the week ahead.

Yvette and I spent three hours this afternoon talking French/ English with an French English teacher who wanted to work on her accent. She was most helpful to us in the evolution of our French ... very easy to communicate with in either language. In each of these "sessions" with native French speakers, I take copious notes, especially of the words we do not know and of the ways of saying things that are so important in casual conversation.

This lady (Nicole is her name) teaches middle schoolers ... about eighteen hour a week. However, she says there are major discipline probems with the youth and she doesn't find it very enjoyable. Still, a great contact for us. We have four or five conversation partners by now ... each of whom is helpful to us in some tangible way. It's the informal chit-chat that we find most challenging. Still a long way to go there ... but we are working on it.

It will be exciting to have Erica and Cliff with us this week. Erica actually speaks some French, having spent five weeks in France (near Nice) with sister Natasha some eight years ago or so. She's looking forward to a week of opportunity to polish up her French speaking while taking in the local scene of la vie en Provence.

Hope you are all well.

A bientot for now,