tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:02:27 +0000cookingRed TapenewsvacationsshoppingFrancewinterphotosspeaking FrenchbirthdaystravelMarketsfrench gesturesspringrewardsParisJulia Childspoisson d'Avrilexpatriatcarte de sejourdatingrecipessouth of FranceIn Search Of...A Great Piece of Meat Projectonline datingneighborsCinque Terredumpster divingsleddingProvenceAix en ProvencelavenderwasteIn the beginningdivorcevideosCrazy EmanuelleschoolfashionChamonixSwitzerlandArosa Switzerlandred hairfoodPlace RichelmeSpainfestivalsnewspaper articles 2010Academie FrancaisevisitorsSt. Victoirefrench noisesEasternewspaper articles 2009bloggingskiingquestionsLe GreveSo why can't a 50 year old woman pack up and move to France????http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Delana)Blogger146125http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/blogspot/olYUhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-4508871692001991400Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:34:00 +00002012-02-15T11:34:46.857+01:00south of FranceFranceIn Search Of...A Great Piece of Meat ProjectexpatriatcookingI've been asked to cook an American meal for French friends. I'm terrified. I mean, I've lived alone for the past 5 years and practically alone for the 5 years before that. I'm not sure I even remember how to cook! And I don't have all my wonderful, top-of-the-line cooking equipment surrounding me and ....and....and... Okay, I can do this. I know I can. So then comes the problem of what to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/7giY6yyN4gY/cuisine-americaine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/7giY6yyN4gY" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2012/02/cuisine-americaine.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-7878199283229868774Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:42:00 +00002012-02-06T04:42:56.042+01:00 BOO! Scared ya, didn’t I? I know, I know…it’s been a really long time. I’ve been away on my yearly Christmas trek to the Midwest and even extended my trip a bit. Each year I think I’m going to blog while I’m away and, of course, I never do. And each year it takes me a couple more weeks to chew my way out of my self-built cocoon and “get on the stick”, as my mother used to say.  I can http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/ykRIz86YZno/emergence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)19<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/ykRIz86YZno" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2012/02/emergence.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-6674646357826176212Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:46:00 +00002011-12-16T10:46:34.936+01:00I was talking on the phone with my friend, Tenley, yesterday. She lives across the street from me but is in Paris right now, taking care of Bella the dalmation. We are a tag team. She came up last week to take over from me and we spent a couple days together in Paris before I came back to Aix en Provence. We were talking about the WORST SANDWICH EVER EATEN, which we had shared one night after http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/l4Au9dsy1E4/something-borrowed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)18<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/l4Au9dsy1E4" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/12/something-borrowed.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-7345893475765867428Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:45:00 +00002011-12-05T19:51:53.720+01:00FrancePariswinter Christmas isn't quite the affair in France as it is in the states. Don't get me wrong, it's a well celebrated holiday. But you don't see the extravagant decorating or the hear the incessant Christmas music starting in October that you get stateside. On one hand, I don't mind it. On the other, I miss a little bit of the excess. And I really miss decorating my home for Christmas. Friday, I http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/FNQVBGq9K6k/need-little-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/FNQVBGq9K6k" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/12/need-little-christmas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-7412982664509690497Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:46:00 +00002011-12-02T21:54:31.289+01:00Francetravelshoppingspeaking Frenchfood I've come to the conclusion that 3 pairs of shoes for a week in Paris are not enough. I was really so proud of myself for keeping the number down. But these old hoofs are sore and though I've been re-shod several times, I'm still feeling lame.  Sore feet led me to peruse the shoestores in my neighborhood today. Of course I would be doing this anyway but sore feet seem as good an excuse as anyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/eFy6vVzu0Ug/window-licking-good.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)14<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/eFy6vVzu0Ug" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/12/window-licking-good.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-8379062601839535179Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:27:00 +00002011-12-01T15:36:15.535+01:00vacationsFrancetravel I spent yesterday afternoon packing for my trip to Paris. I will only be there one week and I’ll be dog-sitting, so I should be able to get by with very little. I mean, one doesn’t need high heels or a cocktail dress when spending every free moment with a Dalmatian, right? So why is it so difficult to pack everything for a week in a little carry-on? I’ve decided that its age. Normally my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/GCyhD_prRYs/pack-age.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/GCyhD_prRYs" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/12/pack-age.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-2024419254321817227Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:03:00 +00002011-11-26T01:29:14.119+01:00 In support of Small Business Saturday, and the start of the holiday season, come on over to PROVENCE RUGS  where we are offering you 10% off anything and everything you buy! This offer will be good through November 30th.  After you look around and put your items into the cart, just use this code: BLFR2011 at checkout.  Here's a sampling of what you will find: lots of goodies just http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/nhET7V_ddnE/small-business-saturday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/nhET7V_ddnE" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/small-business-saturday.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-4799108662686344382Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:58:00 +00002011-11-24T13:09:22.711+01:00FranceexpatriatToday is Thanksgiving... in the United States. It's not like Christmas, or Easter, or even Armistice Day because it's a celebration unique to North Americans. Because of that, it's a lonely day in these parts. And I couldn't scare up a soul last night on email, skype or facebook; everybody was busy with their preparations. At times like these, I have to continually remind myself that it was my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/o1LMxafajKU/happy-tahnkzgeeveen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)17<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/o1LMxafajKU" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-tahnkzgeeveen.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-2611549369886471943Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:47:00 +00002011-11-23T13:46:16.450+01:00south of FranceMarketsLe GreveAix en ProvenceProvence Aix en Provence is under siege! We've been taken over. Okay maybe not taken over, but we've been blocked. Blocked by Operation Escargot. Apparently the venders who sell soft goods at one of our markets are ticked off. They've got a list of the city's transgressions to be sure, but their main gripe is that they've lost one day of market this year. They want it back and thus they have been http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/6zR62JqktUw/operation-escargot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/6zR62JqktUw" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/operation-escargot.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-555121986122717609Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:57:00 +00002011-11-21T17:13:05.799+01:00Between the party that bizarrely ended up featuring half naked dancing girls and the ginormous wine tasting in Marseille, I had a great weekend. The little hiccup came at the end when I got the grand privilege of being on the side of the car that got hit by a couple of very confused Italians trying to turn from the center lane into our lane in order to turn onto a one-way street going the wrong http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/jKBa8y2r-B0/and-winner-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/jKBa8y2r-B0" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/and-winner-is.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-5989827402713122112Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:42:00 +00002011-11-14T17:07:25.824+01:00south of FranceFrance Parties on a Monday are a great way to start a week, don't you think? Today is our party and you are most cordially invited. So run and get your party hat and maybe a glass of champagne (champagne is good for breakfast)  and I'll wait...... Okay, all set? Today we're celebrating the opening of our new webstore, Provence Rugs. This is the moment where we all jump up and down, hoot and holler, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/Okp9mm-sgf4/launch-party.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)23<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/Okp9mm-sgf4" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/launch-party.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-9082153681146348747Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:30:00 +00002011-11-11T11:30:01.906+01:00speaking FrenchIt's happened! It has finally happened. Actually, it's probably occurred before but I just don't remember.  Drum roll please.......I dreamed in French!! I normally do not remember my dreams. But this morning, in the hazy space between slumber and and the light of day, I had a dream in this language that I struggle with daily. Enfin! It was not an all important dream...as in, say, the Dream of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/bVNm720ctr8/cerveau-is-terrible-thing-to-waste.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)14<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/bVNm720ctr8" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/cerveau-is-terrible-thing-to-waste.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-9140815127683646761Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:19:00 +00002011-11-07T22:19:13.275+01:00This morning the residents of the south of France emerged from their caves, blinking their eyes as this mysterious thing called "light" threatened to blind them. They looked around in wonder when they realized that they had not, in fact, passed the last 6 days in the bowels of an arc. The cleaned their fingers and toes of the mushrooms that had begun to grow between them and raised their faces tohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/7HfEzy8iqk4/i-need-rainbow.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/7HfEzy8iqk4" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-need-rainbow.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-2883586895365486231Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:55:00 +00002011-11-09T04:38:56.309+01:00 Yesterday I received a little Blackberry text message from my friend Jan back home in Wisconsin. She said,  “Chris and Sam are playing drums in the basement”. I responded, “Some things never change for either one of us. There are still kids playing drums in your basement and I have, at this moment,  a strange teenager sleeping on my couch”. The two of us forever had http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/XeJOJgVm5go/smore-moments.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/XeJOJgVm5go" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/11/smore-moments.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-4980111674400842519Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:37:00 +00002011-10-21T17:45:48.215+02:00Today I called my friend Lynn for some advice. In fact, I called a lot of people for advice and she was the first person I could actually reach. I don't often ask for advice (probably because I rarely take it when given) and I rarely get really worked up about things. But today I was in need of a shoulder and someone to help me work through a problem. I explained my issue to her, how it was http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/OpMR8Cs6UOk/talk-is-cheap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/OpMR8Cs6UOk" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/10/talk-is-cheap.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-8171884024389191541Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:15:00 +00002011-10-14T20:27:48.206+02:00FranceneighborscookingrecipesfoodEach day, Quasimodo is becoming a more and more distant cousin as our resemblance fades. But because of my self-imposed exile in my dark tower, I've been cooking up things to do. Actually, I've been working myself crazy on my new webstore but once in awhile I've got to get off my butt and do something else. Thus, this week became Cupcake Week. I never make cupcakes. I never have. But I now http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/A_LU-jgxJ2A/take-cake.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/A_LU-jgxJ2A" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/10/take-cake.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-1925257941764124744Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:07:00 +00002011-10-10T23:05:33.379+02:00visitors It’s Monday. Yes, it’s MONDAY. I don’t really mind Mondays. They’re days to begin anew…with new resolve….with a plan. And this is my Monday. All my visitors are finished for the season. All those dinners and lunches out, no gym, little writing, almost no reading…those days are finished and with a little weekend bridge in there for good measure, that brings me to MONDAY. I’ve had all kinds ofhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/J7eTto7IQj4/triple-x.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)19<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/J7eTto7IQj4" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/10/triple-x.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-1060722466682954266Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:27:00 +00002011-09-27T14:27:10.736+02:00south of Francevisitorsfood This is a peanut butter stupor. Okay, 2 people know this is not true so I have to be honest. It's an alcohol induced stupor brought on by a night on the terrace with my girls. Wine, trash talk, more wine, not enough food, more trash talk (I truly hope the neighbors near the mansion can't speak English).....and then came the peanut butter. But all the same, I'm blaming it all on my girls.  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/s9WTIym1dPw/more-is-better.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)17<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/s9WTIym1dPw" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/09/more-is-better.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-5952616319499264779Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:53:00 +00002011-09-07T16:53:33.321+02:00vacationssouth of FranceFrancetravelphotosvisitorsSwitzerlandI've been zigging and zagging around France these last couple of weeks and thought I'd share a few photos. All of these places I've been before, but each was so beautiful and a the trips were lovely way to end the summer travel season. I went camping....yes camping. This is camping like I've never done before and I'll write more about it later. Suffice it to say that it wasn't the wild, private http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/BDRt9HC3lbc/last-lazy-hazy-crazy-days-of-summer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)17<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/BDRt9HC3lbc" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/09/last-lazy-hazy-crazy-days-of-summer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-2083093805576011608Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:41:00 +00002011-09-05T06:41:17.519+02:00south of FranceFranceshoppingProvencecookingfoodI know nobody has slept a wink since I promised an article on meat last week. Nothing better than good  old, Monday morning meat read. And now, so that all the world can finally get a little rest, I will fulfill my promise.... During one of my investigative trips to the big supermarkets here in southern France, and after I’d managed to extract myself from the cheese aisle, I did an explorationhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/T0M81ZD-m0M/feet-and-packages.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/T0M81ZD-m0M" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/09/feet-and-packages.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-8933619614433936303Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:47:00 +00002011-08-29T19:48:52.355+02:00south of FranceMarketsshoppingProvencecookingfood Aside from those rare days. …even rarer in the summer, when I go into some sort of cooking flurry, I really don’t need much food. Gone are the days of feeding 2 teenage boys (they're generally normal...unless I'm taking their picture), 17 of their nearest and dearest friends and a couple of neighbor kids thrown in for good measure. Also gone are the days of enough storage space to have one http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/7jv7NRNLpRw/aisle-pick-up-something-for-dinner.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)16<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/7jv7NRNLpRw" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/08/aisle-pick-up-something-for-dinner.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-4576733940174559721Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:38:00 +00002011-08-22T18:43:35.694+02:00FranceAix en Provencefood My mom used to do really goofy things in August. You know, those hot, humid, dog days of August when the best you can do is....roll over. Nope, not mom. Every year, on what seemed the the hottest, most impossible day, she would clean the attic. Or make pickles. Both are hot, sticky, miserable jobs. But she always said, "I'm already hot and sweaty. I might as well do the hottest jobs on the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/CCscaaVWy44/plum-crazy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)20<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/CCscaaVWy44" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/08/plum-crazy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-3213464222901300899Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:10:00 +00002011-08-17T18:20:10.965+02:00south of FranceMarketsFranceAix en Provencecookingrecipesfood The markets here in Aix en Provence are exploding...bursting with choice, local, fruits, vegetables and herbs. But the most magnificent thing about les marchés (read more about our markets in Aix here) in August, is they're not exploding with people. There's a laziness to the days right now that I love. Everyone is on vacation, including many of the venders. And I can move around the market http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/7fuwEmUiooE/it-is-easy-being-green.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/7fuwEmUiooE" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/08/it-is-easy-being-green.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-9051695530219537134Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:43:00 +00002011-08-15T15:46:01.734+02:00blogging Two weeks ago I received an award. Actually I received the same award from 2 different bloggers! I’ve gotten awards before and though I really do appreciate them,  a long time ago I declared this an award-free blog. Because it’s kind of a “blogger thing” and I write primarily for people who aren’t.  But since I got 2 last week, I decided to (sort of) play just because it might be fun. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/lSKU306-LnM/what-feeds-fire.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/lSKU306-LnM" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-feeds-fire.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5954745049002985163.post-4163523572794719883Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:54:00 +00002011-08-09T18:54:50.621+02:00Aix en ProvencebloggingI've been meaning to write a blog. I really have had it on my list for days. And I will. I promise myself... I will. But right now I've got one hell of a headache. I'm not kidding.....this is killing me! I've been working on an awesome new project that I can't talk about just yet...but once again it's put me back into the world of websites and html code...a place I do not belong http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~3/HxwnZcCpWZU/html-headaches.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Delana)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/olYU/~4/HxwnZcCpWZU" height="1" width="1"/>http://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2011/08/html-headaches.html