Last year I made a very special trip to the states. It was special because three of my neighbors came with me for the three week journey. I'll let my "Dix Mots" assignment give you the jest of the story. Here are the 10 words with the story in English and in French:
Montrer-To Show; Montre-Watch (F); Partout-Everywhere; Oublier-To Forget; Louper-To Miss; Ouvrir-To Open; Ombre-Shadow (F); Parfois-Sometimes; Lendemain-Day After; and Lierre-Ivy (M)
In English-Last year, Christiane, Josie and Patrick went to the United states with me. There was a big crowd at immigration, so we looked at our watches because we didn't have a lot of time until our flight to St. Louis. There were lots of things that I wanted to show them everywhere...St. Louis, New Orleans, Florida, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Oh, and it's important not to forget Memphis. We didn't miss "Elvis". I drove everywhere. Close the door Laury. Open the door Laury. AC Laury, AC. Shadow Laury, Shadow. Sometimes I was very tired. We stayed in Baton Rouge for two nights and one day. Our first night we ate in a Cajun Restaurant. The day after we went to a plantation with ivy everywhere. It was a very good trip because I saw my friends who fell in love with my country, my friends and my family.
En Français-L'année dernière, Christiane, Josie et Patrick sont allées aux Etats-unis avec moi. Il y avait une grande foule à l'immigration, donc nous avons regardé nos montres parce que nous n'avions pas beaucoup de temps jusqu'à notre vol pour St. Louis. Il y avait beaucoup de choses que je voudrais leur montre partout...St. Louis, New Orleans, Florida, Bâton Rouge, and Lafayette. Oh, c'est important que je n'oubliais pas Memphis. Nous ne loupions pas "Elvis". J'ai conduit partout. Fermez la porte Laury. Ouvrez la porte Laury. Clim Laury, Clim. Ombre Laury, Ombre. Parfois, j'étais fatiguée. Nous sommes restés à Bâton Rouge pour deux nuits et un jour. Notre premier nuit nous avons mangé dans une restaurant Cajun. Le lendemain nous sommes allées à une plantation avec du lierre partout. C'était un très bon voyage parce que j'ai regardé mes amis qui sont tombé en amoureux de mon pays, mes amis et ma famille.
Since we had a rental car, I was the only one who could drive. Good thing I love to drive! We left St. Louis for New Orleans and made it in a straight shot, arriving the Saturday evening of the last Jazz Fest weekend. I was on a mission-Saturday was the last night a friend was playing music on Bourbon Street after 30 years and it was the first Jazz Fest that the Neville Brothers were playing since the storm. I had decided long ago that I had to be there. Now, WE had to be there. My friends explored New Orleans the following week while I joined in when I could, worked and took care of a variety of paperwork and other business. During that week we did squeeze in the Katrina tour and then we drove over to spend the rest of the day in Pensacola on the beach. We left on Sunday morning for Covington where we had brunch with the Fontenelles and swam and partied with Carol Miles and Keith VIllere. We arrived in Baton Rouge for a bit of an extended stay with Kelly Kerr-the smiling red head in the picture with Christiane in front of Oak Alley Plantation.
From Bâton Rouge, we headed to Lafayette where we stayed with Keith Landry and David Zielinski and crawfished our little hearts out. That's Keith and David and the gang out in the backyard with crawfish everywhere. They don't do crawfish quite like this in France-so it was a real treat for all of us!
There's much more from here, but I'd like to share it with you over time and not leave anyone out! From my parents who insisted that we stay with them, my sister who had incredible welcome bags for all of us, and friends across eight or nine states; to cards and letters and staying in touch across the miles-I have an incredible bridge to my life here and my old life there-Everyone is staying in touch. I knew this trip would change my life. It isn't unusual for Christiane to grab me as I'm walking by with Dali in the morning and say: J'ai reçu une lettre de ta Mama!"-Or Kelly to tell me that he received a beautiful New Year's card from Josie and Patrick And of course on Valentine's Day-"Laury, nous avons reçu beaucoup chocolate de Kathleen and Tom!" What a bridge...what a lucky girl...what a life!
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