Saturday, April 6, 2013

London ! HERE WE COME !

I’m lucky, I’ve got three precious childhood’s friends. I love them as brothers. They belong to my family.

Remember, I’ve told you about my friend-the-hunter ! Elmer ! 

One of those three friend is Italian, and married a very kind Lithuanian woman. They lived in England, for 20 years and their children speak three languages (and some French too) and it’s very funny to start a conversation in English to end it in Italian, with some French words ! 

Nothing to do with the story ... Just some pics from where I live.

We met this Italian, because he went with his family to live in France, when  he was 14 years old.
They stayed 5 years, then turned back to Italy. 
Except my friend (let call him Casanova :)) who wanted to live in England. 

So, since Casanova left France for England, we met all together just once. And he was without his own wife and children.

Two years ago, we finally could be all together for New Year’s period : Friends, husband (… mine…), Casanova's wife and our ten children. 
It was an incredible, overwhelming moment. 

We knew each other when we were 12 years old. And we never thought that 28 years later, we would still be friends and we would introduce our family. It’s an over words feeling. 

We spent 4 days all together, laughing like children, talking without stopping, eating and drinking (...yeah...), having SHORT walk (remember … sport is dangerous !) playing ping pong on the living room’s table (not me … my husband and her wife, who were a young champion in Lithuania), falling asleep exhausted at 3 o’clock in the morning to wake up at 7 am and when we finally left each other, I’ve cried for 2 hours without stopping. 

We promised to do it again, but I thought it would have been impossible … Twenty years just connected by letters first, then internet. I thought we could not do it again before 20 other years.

But …The last summer, my Italian friend came back with family for 15 days ! 
“Re-belote”, as we say in Provencal !
We spent two days together: Talk, laugh, food, wine, shoooort walk … and swimming pool, thanks to my Friend-the-Hunter who has a big house, with pool.

Leaving, Casanova told us for the 30th time to come in England to visit them. 
This year, we can ! YES, WE CAN !


We tried to organise a trip all together but it’s very complicated because of money, holidays period, impeachments for one and the other …etc…
was under pressure : 
… If you tell me you’re not coming while you can do it, I promise, you’ll regret it !”, told me Casanova ! 

So we’re going to London for one week, from april 14th to 21th ! 
We’re so thrilled ! 

Except that, to go in London, my children need identity card or passport … And we didn’t have it …

So, I’ve been confronted to French administration … And this is another long story !



To be continued ...

12 comments:

  1. Axelle Dear Friend, I can't wait for "the rest of the story." That is an expression the American journalist Paul Harvey made famous. He would tell part of the story, have a commercial and then tell "the rest of the story." You are an excellent storyteller! I hope and pray that you get the passports and make the trip to visit your friend in England.
    love and prayers, jep
    PS Great photographs, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jep, I'll post the..."rest of the story" ;) on thursday, I think ! I miss time !! :D
      So I'm the french Paul Harvey ! "Please, the rest of the story after advertising ! Stay with us, we're coming back soon !" :D
      Thank you very much, Jep, for your compliment. I don't know if I'm a great story teller, believe me, in english, it's hard enough ! But I love to write. Well... I love to TALK ! I could talk to a wall !!
      I remember 20 years ago, I went to spain, without speaking spanish ! ... After 10 days, I was able to ! Not because I'm "talented", but just because I was unable to STOP TALKING ! Even in a foreign language ! I needed communication !
      ... I even learned sign languages to talk with a deaf friend !! ... :D
      Friendly !

      Delete
  2. Yeah, great news, I am so happy for you :) I am looking forward to hearing more about your adventures and seeing tons of pictures!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And you'll be in France, when I'll be in London ... :(
      I wish you to spend a GREAT time here, Dr, I want to watch your pictures on your blog too ... ;)

      Delete
  3. Dear Axelle-Thank you for that shot of Nespresso. It will be a joy to hear of your adventures surrounding and including this trip. What a treasure old friends are. I am still in touch with a woman whom I met when we both were 10 and lived in South Korea and attending school there. That would be 5th grade. I hope you have a lot of fun. Tell us all about it! Regards-Jamie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whoua ! SO you're as lucky as I am. You lived in SOUth Korea ?? JAMIE : Write a blog with your life, I'll come to read you, I promise !
      Yes, I'll tell you how our trip will be :)
      Just hope to not have too much rain.

      Delete
    2. Dear Axelle-Did you SERIOUSLY live in South Korea? No way! When? Do you really think I should write a blog? My blog site name could be "The Tanner's Family"! Hahahahahaha! That's so funny! Who would tell me, "Jamie, that's too much information!" ? Maybe we could just be old fashioned pen-pals and save the blogosphere my faux pases. Pen-pals would be fun. Regards-Jamie p.s. We could review ourselves when we are 80 and amaze ourselves that we are still in touch. ; j

      Delete
    3. So you did not live in South Korea ??... Sorry, but I dod not understand :)
      I'm sure your blog "Tanner's family" would have a big success !!! :D
      And you know if you want to write me more, just do it ! You can write first to axellethefrenchcook@gmail.com and I'll give you another mail address, more personal :) But just tell it to me in the comments first, because I don't check this mailbox often.
      If we are still on the blogosphere at 80 years old, I can't even imagine what we could say who could interest readers !! HAHAHAHA !
      "Hello everyone, we talking to you from the retirement home of ... ! Today, be careful ! There's no more diaper in reserve ! Take all necessary precautions, please !"
      ... I'm sure we would have a lot of success ... !! :D

      Delete
    4. Dear Axelle, Yes, I did live in South Korea. In Seoul from 1978-1982. When were you there?
      I will send a pen-pal mail soon.
      Are we really going to be in retirement homes at 80? Discussing diaper reserves? Wow. I was hoping to be in my penthouse in Belgium communicating with you, with manicured nails, about the foolish young generation....Regards-Jamie

      Delete
    5. I think we're misunderstanding each other : I did not live in South Korea. :) I said you were lucky to have a childhood friend as I have.
      If you send me a mail, I'll watch it in some days, coming back from London !!
      In my family, old people have Alzheimer illness ! So I guess I could be with you, where you would like to, but I'm not sure to be able to talk about anything ! :D ...But I promise I would try to not dribble on your shoulder !
      :D

      Delete
  4. The new Nespresso shop in Avignon, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello :)
      This is not the Avignon's shop :) This is the one of my town.
      And I have to say, this one is NOT the real shop !! I DID NOT FIND GEORGES !!
      What a shame.

      Delete