#WORD OF THE DAY DICTIONARY HOW TO#

(The kids and I call it Get Your Own the Next Time! But the kids, all grown now, weren’t here and so the bill would be even less-or should have been. I ordered cheesecake for dessert and Jean-Marc ordered an extra spoon for his “taxable” portion as he calls it. The waiter carved it for us and we each had a palm-sized portion to go along with the pasta dish we were splitting. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” said he, “we only have turbot in that case.” Having never had turbot, I figured he was apologizing for having only a substandard fish “for one.” “It’s ok, I’ll have the turbot!” I decided, certain it was the best deal on the exotic fish menu….įor a substandard fish, that turbot was magnifique! It was a flat fish, similar to sole, and very delicate looking. But when we learned the fish of the day didn’t have a set price (it was listed at 7€ per 100 grams) we asked the waiter for just one serving or “fish for one” figuring we were within our budget. Jean-Marc and I had settled on the pasta and fish (I would order the pasta, he would order the fish and we would share our main (and only) dishes.

But overpaying, that’s another story and so on with ours …. While spending is one thing, giving is different matter and something that doesn’t hurt at all (as Jules says: it feels good to give!). Les Oursins Dans Ma Poche? It isn’t that I have prickly sea urchins in my pockets, preventing me from reaching for my cash. Enjoy your time with your sisters and your dad and use this to help with the restaurants.” How generous of Jules to offer me spending money to make the bill-or “la douloureuse”-as they call it in France, a little less painful. I became aware of this when traveling to the US last month, when Mom surprised me with $500! “It will make things a little less painful for you while on vacation. Even if the debit is coming out of our mutual account, I don't feel it so much when my spouse takes care of the check. All these years my husband has handled l’addition, for a “pain free” transaction. They say novelty is one key to a good marriage and something new for us is letting me pay the bill. For that I raised a glass of acqua frizzante as my date reached for his Vermentino and we toasted to 28 years of marriage. But in affaires of the heart we are making good progress.

There across the table sat my husband, wearing his favorite T-shirt: “Real Men Drive Tractors.” Regarding evening attire, we might be slowing down. Seated now among the stylish clientele, I began to feel uneasy in my sundress and mismatched wool cardigan. It was our second day along the Italian archipel, and we had reservations at a restaurant recommended by our Airbnb host. La Maddalena c’est le royaume du poisson! Jean-Marc said, and from the selection of fish on display outside the island eateries, I could see why.

#WORD OF THE DAY DICTIONARY HOW TO#

In books: How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) AbroadĪ DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse The bill, known as “the addition,” has for some time been called “the painful.”- Aurélien Scholl Slang has been enriched with a charming word. La note à payer, connue sous le nom d’addition, s’appelle, depuis quelque temps, la douloureuse. Then scroll down to check your French comprehension. Thank you for your kind notes.ĪUDIO: Click the link below to hear the example sentence + all the French vocabulary. Speaking of pain, my eye surgery went well. Read about how we got trapped in a tourist net in today’s missive, and learn another meaning for la douloureuse. Handwoven fishing baskets on La Maddalena Island, off Sardinia.

Word of the day dictionary