During 14 months in Orleans, France (with my then husband in the US Army) I wrote a zillion letters to my folks. But when we came home to Portland, I learned my mother had not kept them. And, as I've wailed many a time, "Hemingway's mother didn't throw HIS letters out!" But of course I learned from this distressing experience and ever since have kept a copy of each word I write, every morsel of prose.

And then, miraculously, among my parents love letters I discovered one of mine from France all those years ago, describing a hard life on the French economy with 2 small kids but still sounding so very young and bouncy. Here's excerpts:

Bon jour all!

We've gone really primitive this week, believe me! #1. The weather's so cold that Mlle. Butin across the hall turned the water off in the kitchen, so we only have water in the bedroom. And that is only cold, of course. #2. Our gas (for the kitchen hotplate) went off. I guess the pipes froze and the city hasn't gotten around to fixing 'em yet.

We've been out of wood for a week and our woodman is so busy I don't know when he can deliver it. So no wood fires. -- But our little kerosene heaters we have can be used for cooking on so we have some heat and can at least eat soup and sandwiches and things like that. -- But I really feel like a pioneer woman! -- Oh, also there's no water in the toilet outside either so we're use a "slop-jar" now. Some fun, huh?

L. Front door/br window of our Orleans apartment    

But we've got a tentative itinerary figured out for our trip ... leave early and drive all day and overnight in Lyon, then on to Cannes the next afternoon. We're renting a "villa" in Cannes -- kitchen, bath, water closet (indoor) and two bedrooms. With hot water, central heat, electric range, etc. etc. For $7/day. Not bad, huh?

We'll stay there a week with a day trip to San Remo, Italy and then up to Geneva, Switzerland for three days and back around to Orleans. Altogether (with souvenir and gift-buying) it'll cost nearly $300. But we don't really mind since it'll be our only leave and we'll be seeing quite a bit of Europe.

We're really going to be crowded traveling to the Riviera in our little Hillman, You'd die at how small it is and we'll have suitcases, boxes of groceries, the big huge French buggy, bottles of sterile water, Dena's potty chair, and inflatable plastic horse, dolls, blocks, sandpails, etc. to squeeze in. Plus 5 or 6 boxes of disposable diapers! Urgh! Oh, her car seat too -- just remembered. What a load!

Positively,
Carolan