Home Sweet Home

Before we moved to Canada, my first homes have been series of apartments in Brest. In Moncton, New-brunswick, we lived in a little bungalow for three years. When I was 9 years old, my parents came to Gatineau where we lived in a big house in the richy suburb. My parents separated and I went on to live with my mother a street further. Teenage cought up on me and I then would of called my car home. I finally met Mark and I slowly went from squatting his apartments onto living with him. After rebuilding the Marie Ty we moved on our boat aboard which we lived for two years. We are now living in our cute farm house circa 1885 out in the deep country where we are building the next home, our next boat.

Threw all those years and changes there has been one house where I have evenly felt, from the day I was born, I was at home . My grand-parents house was built for them over 50 years ago. It is a modest semi-detached britanny house, but sweating of all the character half a century of living and loving can provide. The Concarneau house is for me more than a roof and walls surrounded by a colorful garden, it's my warmest memories. You could bring me to it blind and deaf that its smells alone would remind me my best laughs, my best meals, my best hugs.
It smells like a mix of the seas iodine and of my grand-mothers on going laundry. On Sundays the roasting chicken would overcome all the usual smells and on damp winter days you could guess a hint soup in the air.
I spent there much of my toddler life and all my childhood and teenage summers. The house faces the sea and opens its windows to a view on the Atlantic. Down the road there is the beach and the nicest coastal trails but there is no need to get out to feel Concarneau's beauty. The small yard is a colorful garden weaved threw by small stone alleys. As for the neighborhood, people have moved, but I remember getting ice cream from neighbors just for the cost of dropping by to say hello....I grew up and the ice cream became beverages. My grand mothers house is still the stop of many when they feel like having a chat... maybe also get a drink or a bite to eat. I have never known the Concarneau house without regular visitors mostly the neighborhood ladies with there nosy stories from around town but also family and friends who will never miss an opportunity to enjoy there a happy moment.

Is it the flowers, the stones, the view or simply my grand mothers welcoming smile? I know anybody who crosses the gate can immediately understands why I love this house I always have been able to call home.

Pretty Brittany - La belle Bretagne

Pictures say it all. I could try to praise some more Brittanies beauties but that would be endless. Plus, I already do it enough, I am probably getting annoying to those who know me.
Can I show you though? Enjoy the pictures...



Full screen slide show


And the fun Brittany

We certainly didn't have time to get bored. Meals only would of been enough to keep us entertained. We spent most of our spare time (read: not eating) walking along the sea, foot fishing clams, shrimps, oysters...collecting blackberries (and eating them too). We did enjoy some motionless moments laying in the sunshine on the beach, on the rocks, along coastal trails.
Two weeks is not long but we did get to see a few friends and family, if only we had had just a bit more time.



Full screen slide show

De retour de Bretagne - Back from Brittanny

Marley is now a well traveled dog with her second trip to France in less than two years. My mother, Mark, Marley and I, just spent a much to short 16 days in Concarneau. Such short vacation doesn't leave time for much, it is barely a tease. A tasty tease as our main occupation has clearly been eating and this from the minute we arrived. Indeed, when we stepped in the house, in Concarneau, the traditional langoustine platter was served. There is no way around it, my grand mother can not help starting to feed us the minute we walk in her home. Also, with the sea food, cold meats, melon, fruits, cheese, bread.....she had, on our request, not prepared too much ... or it would of been a week worth of food served in the first hour following our arrival.

Avec son deuxieme voyage en moins de deux ans, Marley est maintenant une grande voyageuse. Maman, Mark, Marley et moi venons de passer seize jours de vacances beaucoup trop courtes a Concarneau. Un sejour aussi limite laisse a peine le temps de voir les jours passer. Mais on en a profite... surtout a table, ou on s'y est donne a coeur joie. En effet, a peine a-t-on mis le pied a dans la maison que le traditionnel plateau de langoustines etait servi. Il n'y a pas moyen d'y echapper, ma grand-mere ne peut pas ne pas nous nourrir a la minute qu'on se presente chez elle. Je vous met a l'epreuve de trouver un temoignage contraire. Aussi, viandes froides, melon, fromage, pain, fruits....elle n'avait, a notre demande, pas prepare trop de bouffe...ou il aurait fallu s'attendre a une semaine de bonne chere servie dans l'heure suivant notre arrivee.

From Breizh2008

Put weight on? Wrong! It's the French paradox....you eat good, fat and tasty but throw the pounds away. If anybody finds Marleys 10 lost pounds she would need them back, as for my small kilo, feel free to keep it. Other than at the table, we did keep quite busy walking around, enjoying scenery and fresh air. Of course I will post back to show some good times and beauties in my prettiest country.
Leaving the Brittany I love feels tougher each time I go. As I will have either gone to visit again or knowingly to settle, I know one day I will stay. Roots are made of very strong rubber that may stretch very far but will not let go.

Prendre du poids? Non! C'est le paradoxe francais...on mange bien, gras et bon mais on rejete les kilos. Si quelqu'un trouve les 10 livres perdues de Marley, elle aurrait bien besoin de les recuperer; pour ce qu'y en ai de mon petit kilo, sentez-vous libre de le garder. Autrement qu'a la table,nous nous sommes tenus occupe a marcher, explorer les paysages et profiter du grand air. Bien sur je vais rajouter des photos de nos bons moments et des beautees de mon plus beau pays.
Quitter la Bretagne que j'aime est de plus en plus difficile a chaque fois que j'y vais. Que j'y retourne en visite ou en sachant que c'est pour m'y installer, je sais qu'il y aura un jour ou j'y resterais. Mes racines sont faites d'un caoutchouc suffisement elastique pour partir loin mais toujours revenir.

Little note on the weather. It was fantastic, all sunshine and it seems to be holding after our depart. After a very wet summer we have been called lucky and I will concur as it has become clear over the years that I attract good weather in Brittany. Therefore, if you are planning a vacation or simply want to enjoy some good weather in Finistere, feel free to fly me over and I will make sure to pack up my sunshine charm.
Petite note sur la meteo. Le temps a ete fantastique, que du soleil et ca semble tenir apres mon depart. Suite a un ete miserablement mouille on nous dis que l'on a etait bien chanceux et je confirme, car c'est devenu tres clair au court mes visites des dernieres annees que j'attire le beau temps en Bretagne. Ainsi, si vous plannifiez des vacance ou pour simplement profiter du soleil dans le finistere n'hesitez pas a me mettre sur un avions pour la france et je m'assurerais d'emmener mon grigri beau temps.

From Breizh2008

The strongest link one can have with a country is people

To fall in love with a country you have to fall in love with its people, to keep loving your origins you have to keep loving people from where you came. It is painful to feel so torn, home has become here but home has remained over there. The blessing must be that , here and there, I always feel as welcome as if I was home.

I am antsy to taste the salt of the sea, to smell the iodine in the air and to here the accent of Brittany in Concarneau's gossips.