Going to Heaven or at least to France

 

Last weekend French Husband and I went to stay at La Madone, well I should say we went and stayed with our friends who own La Madone. Many of you, who read my blog, who have come over to visit France, have stayed there too, and I have had the pleasure of meeting you. The thing is, that our friends at La Madone live nearly two hours away from us. So being able to stay with them, when one of you come to visit is an added bonus.

On arrival, my friend Natalie came running out the door with a note in her hand. A guest (and blogging friend) had left a note on Natalie's hallway table, she shoved the note at me, and in great stress asked:

"What does this mean???"

I told her it meant that the person was very happy to be at La Madone. Natalie was not convinced. She looked at me as if I did not understand English, she pointed to the word DIED, and asked, "Are YOU sure? Look Cor-ay did you read this word... DIED!"

Some of the best moments about living in France come from lost-in-translation-moments like these. I reassured her that the person in question did not leave a suicide note.

 

Natalie went on to say, that when she found the note she quickly went upstairs and knocked on the door of the person who left the note. When nobody answered she wanted to vomit with fear, instead she opened the door slowly expecting to see the worse. The person who she thought who had committed suicide did not hear the knock and was just coming out of the bathroom, at that moment Natalie was opening the door... both were surprised, both were embarrassed, both tried their best to hide... many; "Oh! Excusez-moi, Pardon, oops..." type of words flew in French and in English.

Natalie said, "Even though I saw her I was not convinced that the note wasn't a suicide note, and have been telling myself, I probably walked in on her just in time... but have been worried ever since. Maybe she is dead as we talk?!"

"Are you sure Cor-ay (?) that: I have died, doesn't mean she is going to go to heaven?"

I still laugh when think of that moment. 

Instead Tanya and I went out for dinner... and Natalie will be teased by me for the rest of her born days.

Comments

[Gracie]

How funny! It always strucks me when I'm abroad, that sometimes trying to make jokes is like walking on egges, you never know how stupid you look like or if you offended someone!

[Di Overton]

When my daughter Charlotte tells her French friends that I have a business called Ghost Furniture they are astounded as apparently the all is lost in translation

[Merisi]

Little misunderstandings of some importance!
*giggle"

[Laura]

Hi Cor-ay...
This was such a cute story....Every time you post about La Madone....I like to think that maybe I will be the next blog friend to make her way over there to heaven..er...France! Who knows what the future will bring?
Take care, Laura

[Sandy]

This is too funny! Thank you for a morning chuckle.

[msmezzo]

HA!!! I speak some french, and have made so many terrible gaffes, I hate to repeat them here on this lovely blog. Lets just say I once announced to a group of friends that my husband is always out searching for some extra-marital fun. I thought I was talking about mussels. Thought I had died (and perhaps not gone to heaven)

[Melanie]

This post made me LOL. That is too funny!

P.S. I think I'd die too if I got to visit such a gorgeous place! ;-)

[jend'isère]

Reminds me of a French friend who got mixed up on the bar exam in the US. He thought that the girl who had passed out had passed away. The difference between life and death, one could say!

[Rhonda]

Oh my gosh how cute is your story. Lots of laughs out loud.

[cathy]

adorable,how's the kitchen? Did I miss it?

[Vicki]

What a cute story....one I don't think I will ever forget!!!

[cindy]

That's priceless! {giggle}

[rosa]

I'll have to ask the same question:
"What the heck is a son-bee?"
Couln't have a guess....

[Gina Baynham]

That reminds me of the story of the Irish Whiskey Liqueur "Irish Mist"

It was supposed to be a name evocative of the early morning mists of the Irish Countryside. When they exported the liqueur to Germany it took a while to work out why it was not selling well, the name translated (politely) to "Irish Dung" !!!

[AmandaMay]

I never really thought about that expression, but without the accepted understanding it really would be a distressing message to find! I totally agree with the visitor though, your friends' home/hotel is pure heaven.

[Paula]

Note to self ~ run out and buy a lottery ticket!!!!!!!

[Cindy]

haha, that's awesome!! :)

[le petit cabinet de curiosites]

this is so cute ! as akways you have made me laugh ....

[martina]

It sounds and looks like paradise! Will keep buying lottery tickets.
I have to admit that Di's Ghost Furniture had me going for a while too.

[Beachy]

What a wonderful post! I have a cousin in Lithuania with whom I email, and I always try to remind myself to watch our for little things like this when I write! lol

[Erin]

Funny! That reminds me of people who came here to the US to visit and were very concerned about avoiding the street with the sign reading "Dead End".

[Eileen @ Passions to Pastry]

What a sweet post! I am hoping to be in Provence next summer and La Madone looks so lovely! I will have to tell me sister and best friend (my travel companions) about it.

[marilyn]

Very funny! Now I must remember not to leave a note that has the word "Died" when we stay there in the fall. Or maybe I do say the same as a "Tongue in Cheek" joke.

[Marilyn]

Speaking of taking things literally....

You always have to remember that around young children, too. After giving birth to my second son, my parents arrived for a 2 week stay. Grandpa decided to take my 3 yr. old to McDonalds and made the comment that they would have to leave early before it got too hot so they "wouldn't sweat their heads off"!

Just imagine how a 3 yr. old processes that one!!!! LOL He was terrified that he was going to lose his head if he started to sweat.

Marilyn (in Dallas)

[Leigh]

Such a sweet and funny story! We're moving to London later this summer or early fall (if all goes well), and I'm looking forward to trips to France and going to La Madone. Sorry we missed going there and possibly meeting you when we were away for a while in Zurich. I look forward to dying and going to heaven at La Madone (don't tell your friend).

[Mindi]

I just visited the La Madone site the other day when you posted about the linens and it looked so quaint, the perfect place to visit! I can't wait to stay! All of the rooms and the pool! What a treasure!

[Shelley Noble]

Hilarious! Adorable! But then again Americans will never understand about Jesus' shorts!

[nancy]

heheheheh...it reminds me of a story when a french friend of mine was visiting new york...and at the customs the guy said: "ok, take care"....she took what he said literally and began panicking...."oh no what will happen to me?!"....in the end we explained to her that it meant...like in french: "prends soin de toi" ;))

nancyxx

[Kate]

Hilarious! Great anecdote, Corey.

Now, if this posts to your comments section, I will be a monkey's uncle ...

[Kate]

Woo hoo, it worked!
I don't know what you did, or what Typepad did, or could it be that finally I held my mouth just right?

[Ruth Tortorici]

Absolutely hilarious......although I can only imagine how anxious Natalie must've been....ugh I shutter at the thought of coming into such a situation. I'm sure she needed & received a hug from you - while you're uncontrollaby laughing of course...... =}

[Colette]

oh this is precious!!since I can actually picture the whole scenario....how I would have loved to tease Natalie with a pic(that we did not take!) of the note she left me on the notice board downstairs - the morning we departed from La Madone three weeks ago...it read: Colette, if you leave before saying goodbye, I will kill you!! hie hie hie.!

[Tammy]

oh this is hilarious...too funny...I will have to remember that for sometime when I go to a place like that...oh what a hoot.

[JO]

I would love to leave a comment but I am laughing so hard at this wonderful story that I can barely type....

HUGS
JO

[Elaine L.]

That is so cute, but not funny for poor Natalie. It really makes me realize that I better watch what I say when in a foreign country.

~elaine~

[Vicki]

I can sooo relate... only in reverse! The first time I met my dear French friend Joelle, she greeted me with the normal French "kiss kiss"... and I, being the dingie American didn't have a clue how to do this! I somehow managed to land one right on her kisser! I about died (I just realized that Americans sure use that word liberally, don't we?) ... and that was putting in mildly. She still laughs at me. I don't think I'll ever live it down.

[Dixie]

lost in translation... many languages... we've the same problem here in south Texas with Spanish...

but I like the French version much better! too cute...

[Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage]

I soooooooooo needed a good laugh tonight, Corey! Thank you for this post!

[susanna]

Hah! Well, this post has me laughing out loud tonight. Poor Natalie...