SIMPLIFYING A LIFETIME

A series of essays.....

My Personal Library.....Books, Books, Books!!

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Is the art of creating a more simplistic lifestyle a product of age, change or the current economic vibe?  A bit of 'all of the above,' perhaps?



Short of being labeled a hoarder, I would categorize myself and lifestyle, under the heading of sentimentalist along with everything this title encompasses and implies! Reasons to shed tears: Romantic movies, NBC's Brian Williams' adoration of all canine creatures, pictures of my children and grandchildren, the rocks I bring home from all of my travels whether domestic or international, classic childhood toys and memorabilia rescued from the youth of my two adult children, and.....BOOKS!  Moving from home to home, as we have done several times in our many years of marriage, was often a nightmare!

Older, wiser and more comfortable in my own skin....I can recall the many 'Boogie-Man,' monster-filled nights I spent as a young girl just lying awake in bed thinking about our latest visit to a certain aunt and uncle's home on a Saturday night.  My aunt would open the front door and guide us along the shaggy, brown path to their kitchen.  This exposed carpeted walkway was lined by two to three-foot stacks of newspapers, magazines, boxes and overstuffed paper bags that saturated the entire room.  I now wonder how many trees sacrificed themselves to become the living room decor of my aunt's home all those years ago.....?!

Once in the kitchen, we were almost able to identify the chrome and vinyl clad kitchen chairs that were positioned around a table completely covered by layers, stacks and piles of familiar products and kitchen items.  My aunt would relieve several chairs of their teetering burdens and allow my parents to have a seat. 

From my vantage point in the corner, I could see a sink full of soiled dishes and the surrounding countertops hosting a display of erratically stacked pots and pans, coffee mugs and glasses that resembled a colorful and creative landscape of miniature mountains and valleys.  Floor areas around the counters and table contained some old, used and even new household items that still remained in their original packaging.  I can't recall blinking while in this house.  My eyes were so overwhelmed and entertained all at the same time!

My aunt's illness consisted and thrived under the concept that all things should be used only once, thrown away (eventually) and replaced by new ones.  This applied to pots and pans, dishes, mops, silverware, sheets on the bed, towels....and so on.  Obviously, the new things overlapped the old and created mass chaos in that humble little house that protected its five living inhabitants from the outside elements, if not from my aunt on the inside. 



The Grimm Family

I may not have understood, at the time, my fears as a young child of five or six, but my basic anxiety stemmed from the innocent realization of wondering if this could happen to my family.  My mother loved her younger sister and never treated our visits to her home as a laughing matter or a side-show at the circus.  I believe she always hoped that our uncle would eventually see past the 'veil of love' he had for my aunt and acquire professional help on her behalf.  Without having my mother to call-up and ask anymore, I can't remember if my uncle ever did.

As I grew older I remember thinking that this gene pool was not one I intended to splash around in any time soon!  Later on, as a young wife and mother myself, even our daughter's toys tossed around our small, Cape Cod living room floor gave me pause and I would scramble around in an attempt to clear the space before dinner thus securing peace of mind. 

I have never professed to being super possessed by the need (or desire) to clean constantly.....trust me!  The dust bunnies multiplied and thrived beneath most of our larger pieces of furniture and I never lost a moment of sleep over them.  Dust gathered on flat surfaces and was left unnoticed until someone would draw a creative rudimentary face by dispersing the dust with their tiny index finger, hmm....!!  This reminded me of that (one) car in the public parking lot screaming WASH ME on its rear window!  The dirty dishes were rinsed and placed in the dishwasher with the pots and pans resting upside-down to air on the drainboard.  Life was simple.  Life was good!



The Siskind Family

My daughters enjoyed clean, comfortable clothes and were never chastised for 'just being a kid' and playing outside in the sand, dirt or piles of Michigan leaves that accumulated in the autumn along our sidewalk deprived back street in the city.  Our priorities as parents consisted of offering positive teaching and sound advice, introducing our daughters to new ideas, food, places, and loving them with as much intensity and pride as we could possibly muster.  If an early afternoon picnic downtown at the Island Park in Eaton Rapids or a visit to the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing usurped cleaning out some accumulated dust bunnies....we enjoyed the time together!

Having entered the age of ballet, guitar, youth basketball, tap dance and piano lessons....with a sprinkling of gymnastics for good measure,  my life was spent in the car going from venue to venue almost every night of the week.  Eventually, middle and high school sports became our priority as wave upon wave of 'bleacher warming' engulfed any free time we had left.  Quite often we were eternally grateful for family and friends to come over for dinner on the occasional open weekend so that it became mandatory to clean our house from top to bottom!!  Entertaining became my timetable and saving grace when it came down to a thoroughly clean home. 

To complicate matters even more, we fell madly in love with a seventeen-room Victorian era house about the time our youngest was five years old.  Selling our small Cape Cod, we moved into this massive  Beauty with stars in our eyes and proceeded to amass seventeen rooms of furniture and untold volumes of memories (and more books) as our girls lived, laughed and played within this space of over 3,500 square feet!

Papa and Brenna

Many grand-scale and imaginative plays were staged and performed in the oversized foyer with its warm, hand-carved oak staircase and switchbacks climbing up to the second floor serving as the backdrop for each scene.  We even came to envision each daughter walking down that staircase on their wedding day with family and friends gathered in the enormous front rooms and foyer to celebrate the happy occasion.

Based upon various circumstances, changes often dictate the new phases of our lives.  Eight years later, we found ourselves downsizing to a comfortable split-level home, open concept, consisting of seven rooms and around 1,500 square feet of living space.  I will not lie....it was pure hell trying to eliminate so much 'stuff' from our lives in order to complete this transition.  It turned out to be cathartic to see many items donated to friends-in-need, others sold in several garage sales and the remaining pieces surrounding us in our new environment on Donegal Street!

Our newer more simplistic lifestyle was a product of change and  produced a lighthearted and independent nature among the four of us.  This was an immense change from our eight-year-old attitude of living for a structure rather than having a structure protect us as we lived in it.  We had become slaves to a home originally built by a lumber baron for his family and based upon his prestige within the community back in 1901.  By creating this change in our lives, we had gained peace of mind! I had acquired a much less complicated home to clean.

Corinne and Alexandria

As time dictates, we became empty nesters all too soon with both of our daughters attending Michigan State University, our own alma mater.  Our hearts were filled with pride and bleeding green and white, our university's school colors, as our youngest was enrolled as a freshman.  My husband secured a new, higher paying  job and, with the economics of the construction industry in Michigan once again on a downward spiral, this was exceptional news for us!  The downside of this was that we would be empty nesting, at the young age of forty-seven, in Orlando, Florida and far, far away from our eighteen-year old daughter.....!

Crazy things began to swiftly happen as a movie being played in fast-motion....sort of the 'Keystone Cop Effect.'  Our oldest daughter, Ali, graduated from MSU winter term and secured an internship with the Walt Disney World Company and moved down to Orlando with her dad.  She helped to open Animal Kingdom in 1998 and was hired as a full-time employee of Disney Wide World of Sports soon afterwards.  I remained at my job in Okemos, Michigan and lived alone at our little house on Donegal as Corinne navigated her freshman year at State. 

The most difficult decision of my life lingered right around the corner when I would have to leave my baby and begin a new chapter of my life in Orlando.  This change in lifestyle may have contributed to a period of depression so deep and painful that the guilt spawned from it lingers with me to this day.  Once a Mom....always a Mom, and there is no denying the physical and emotional affect leaving a child has on a woman. 

Depression, ultimately solving nothing, had to go!  Securing employment with ISSA Homes in Celebration, Florida was amazing therapy.  New faces, new circumstances and new friendships helped out considerably and, after all, I had Dan and Ali around me on this ride. We flew back to Michigan as often as possible and brought Corinne down here for visits.



Courtesy: Tiny House Giant Journey

Now, nearly eighteen years later, and seriously near retirement, yet another simplifying lifestyle change must be made.  Oh, yes....it occupies most of our evening conversations and takes-up a large percentage of our silent thought process throughout the day.  It's not exactly about designing and building our own 'Tiny Home,' after all, or is it?  Could downsizing to, let's say, 550 square feet of living space solve our dilemma?  But what about all of my books?  I am tempted to consider living in a tiny home every time I see one on Facebook.  It's the playhouse I never had as a young girl and....it would be so darn easy to keep clean!! 

This new change is all about our five Grandchildren!  Yes, they all just happen to live back up in Michigan....!  Our heartstrings are plucked as soulfully and lovingly as the strings of a Joe Bonamassa guitar when it comes to missing and loving these five, sweet faces. 

Embarking upon yet another new phase in our lives, Papa Dan and I have some serious sorting out (major purging, as well) to do.  I'm chalking this one up to 'age' with a huge dash of Love and a whole lot of Cuteness stirred into the mix!

The Loves of our Lives

Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

"I WANT TO LIVE LIKE MUSIC SOUNDS."

A series of essays.....

Author, Eva Ibbotson

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

First of all, I would just like to say how much I love what I do! 

The Austrian born author, Eva Ibbotson, is the perfect example as to why so many of us rise early in the morning, words swirling around in our heads like iridescent butterflies, with so many ideas begging to be captured on the tiny little screen of an iPad!  Well, in my case an iPad, anyway.

Having two young, seven-year-old granddaughters who are voracious readers, it is interesting that their age group has fallen into what I refer to as the 'crack of oblivion' when it comes to the major and lucrative promotion of the Harry Potter books written by J.K. Rowling.  That's not to say that they won't be influenced by them in the near future considering the Harry Potter series targets the YA, or young adult, niche.  I think they just got lost in the shuffle, for now.

I do recall the observation of literary critics who had found similarities between Ibbotson's "Platform 13" in her book entitled The Secret Platform 13 published in 1994 and J.K. Rowling's "Platform 9 3/4" in her Harry Potter book series from 1997, both located at King's Cross Station in London.  According to Wikipedia, the journalist, Amanda Craig, has written about these similarities.  "Ibbotson would seem to have a good case for claiming plagiarism......, but unlike the American author, Nancy Stouffer, currently suing Ms. Rowling, Ibbotson says she would, 'Like to shake (Rowling) by the hand.  I think we all borrow from each other as writers.' "

My point here is to recognize the heartwarming character of this interesting individual and author, as she publicly comes to terms with life, career and human nature.  She not only recognizes the propensity of writers to 'borrow' from one another (chalking it up as a supreme compliment, perhaps), but offers her congratulations to Rowling for a job well done!


Eva Ibbotson, born Eva Marie Charlotte Michelle Wiesner, in Vienna, Austria in 1925, was the daughter of non-practicing Jewish parents.  Her father, a physician who pioneered human infertility treatment and her mother, a novelist and playwright, were divorced when Eva was only three.  Her mother went to Paris in 1933 and left when Hitler banned her work.  Eventually settling in North London, she sent for her daughter along with other family members who ultimately avoided the worst of the Nazi regime.  The experience of fleeing Vienna was a strong thread throughout Eva's life and work, according to Wikipedia.  Eva passed away on October 20, 2010 at the age of eighty-five after editing the proofs of her new children's book, One Dog And His Boy, and beginning another ghost story, The Abominables, published posthumously in 2012.

Known for her writing of children's fantasy novels and historical fiction, her career took off when she was nearly forty-five years old and spanned from 1965 through 2010. 

Logging-in more than a dozen books for children, they include Which Witch?, The Secret of Platform 13, Dial-A-Ghost and Journey to the River Sea.  The latter was written in memory of her late husband, Alan Ibbotson, a former naturalist and professor at Cambridge University.  You may recall that President Obama made a surprise visit to the independent bookstore, Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City back in 2010 where he picked up a copy of Journey to the River Sea for his daughters.

President Obama at Prairie Lights Books

As an author, grandmother and avid reader.....I know what is in store for me.  Once I begin reading the novels of Eva Ibbotson, I totally expect to love them completely and will want to read all of them!  Recently, a blogger reviewing Journey to the River Sea and discovering Ibbotson's books for the first time exclaimed, "I am considering tracking down a copy of every one of her books, building a fort, and hiding out there to read and read and read until I have devoured Eva Ibbotson's entire collection.  I want to hand out copies of Journey to the River Sea to every child I meet!  And probably a few adults, too! I loved it that much."  Oh boy!!  I am in for the long haul.....I can just feel it!

My journey into the life of this interesting female author began because of a quote I had seen online that struck me as one of the best 'writing prompts' I've seen in a long while.  Spoken by her character, Ruth, in the novel, The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson wrote, "I want to live like music sounds."  There's something quite magical in this statement.  How does this interesting quote affect you?  Are you conjuring up all sorts of pictures in your head right now like I am?  From the four most recognized notes (Big Bang Introduction) of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 to the haunting dirge called A Prayer sung by Madeleine Peyroux from her album Dreamland.....and all of that 'life' filling in the huge area in between, our lives are surrounded by the sounds, noise and notes that swirl and collect around us every moment of our existence! 

Does our arm merely rise into the air as we wave hello to a friend or does it drift upwards to hang above us while a 'blues note' floats along an invisible breeze until we catch it in the smooth palm of our hand?  I hear lullabies playing in a baby's room and feel the reassurance of a calm, sleep filled night as 'gentleness' is carried along on puffs of air to be inhaled as innocent breaths, and eyes begin to softly close....close.  Drum solos executed by the likes of John Bonham, Neil Peart, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich boom, bang and clatter until our hearts burst from the cadence and rhythms of anticipated fear, extreme adventure, lust for life....!!

Can you sit still as the music plays?  I cannot.  I will not!

For her entire life, Eva Ibbotson had said she disliked "....financial greed and lust for power" and often created antagonists in her books who have these characteristics.  Certainly this contributes to her reaction of the literary critics with regard to similarities found in the J.K. Rowling's books. 

Even though her more recent collections feature writing for children, Ibbotson was also noted for several works of fiction for adults.  Two of her acclaimed books are set in Europe at the time of World War II and reflect her experience of the time: The Morning Gift (1993) and A Song For Summer (1997).

While researching additional quotes attributed to the many characters  found in her numerous works of fiction, I discovered how they serve to delight the senses and entertain the mind, as well.  I want to share some of them with you and deservedly give credit to meetville.com for such pretty packaging, or not!?!


'A Countess Below Stairs'



'The Star of Kazan'

 

Preview Magazine interviewed Eva in the Fall of 2001 and the results of this interview reinforced everything I had been feeling about this amazing Lady!  Passionate, Modest, Sensitive, Talented and Caring.....Words that describe Eva Ibbotson completely.

What were you doing when you found out that your first book was going to be published? "Cooking supper for my husband and children. My agent phoned and I shouted and we all danced about, except my husband who saw to it that the sauce did not burn."
What did you treat yourself to afterwards?  "My first money as a writer came from a short story in a magazine.  It was a very small sum, and I bought Mars Bars for everybody in the family."

'The Dragonfly Pool'

'A Countess Below Stairs'

A wife, mother of four and award winning author, Eva Ibbotson's humble life was a lesson of Love for all of us.  Even though its roots were based in divorce, unhappiness and impending war in Europe or, because of ALL the above, the Guardian, publishing her story upon her passing in 2010, proclaimed her "A self-confessed 'happy endings freak.'  She expressed some bemusement at trends for darker children's fiction and her books always reassured young readers that good would be rewarded and that spoilt brats and greedy grown-ups would get their comeuppance."

Taking cues from her character, Ruth, in The Morning Gift, I truly believe that Eva Ibbotson lived her life like music sounds....

Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

COMPLACENCY: The Eleventh Commandment?

A series of essays.....

 

 

 

MOVING ON.....2015: Pink to Aged Beige

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Elbow deep in Behr Ultra, (PPU7-9) Aged Beige, to be precise, one more pink-walled room is biting the dust......and, I couldn't be happier!!  Cookie-cutter homes are like that.  You're just so darn happy to be purchasing it that the initial choices made at the Design Studio, before the slab is even poured, can be daunting.  It's like decorating an entire house with choices pulled together within a span of an hour or so.  Like I said....daunting!

My goal has always been to eliminate the original 'pale mauve' walls that have dominated every vertical surface of our home since its birth in 1998.  Each time a new wall is released from its 'pink prison,' an angel gets its wings......or, something like that.  At any rate, following this painting extravaganza, which may or may not include the formal living area/library across the foyer, we should have only two 'wingless' angels left awaiting their flight instructions....

Ahh!  Another Angel Is Sighing

Complacency, as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition is a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble or controversy.  To be complacent, a person (or group) has become satisfied with the current situation and unconcerned with changing it, often to the point of smugness.  No specific political references here she writes, with a shrug and a wink.

Standing in our dining room with 'Aged Beige' dripping down my arm like coffee flavored ice cream in a plain cone succumbing to the heat of a long summer's day, it's becoming clearer to me as to why I've suddenly thrust my whole being into this often tedious domestic project.  To be satisfied, content and unconcerned about everything that is happening around me is just not my style.  If there had been an Eleventh Commandment written down on tablets of stone by Moses who was inspired by God on Mount Sinai it would have to have read: "Thou shalt never, ever dwell in a world of complacency."  Or, something to that effect.

No matter how great our achievements are in this lifetime, there will always be room for bigger and better ideas that will thrust us far beyond our original hopes, dreams and initial accomplishments. 

Comfort breeds complacency!  Great things never came from comfort zones.  Thomas Edison once said, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  Seek brilliance and never be afraid of getting your hands a little dirty in the process...  Hard work strengthens character, develops the imagination and helps us rise above the ordinary. 

"Be the change you want to see in the World,"  This quote by Mahatma Gandhi resonates with so many of us and has always helped to ease the transition from personal silence to the power our change can make in this world if we choose to utilize it.  Begin a recycling program if you haven't already.  Remember, change begins with the small, doable things and can lead to huge and amazing changes once we have agreed to leave our 'comfort zone.' 

"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often."  Thank goodness Winston Churchill never had a chance to see my unchanged and imperfect walls of almost sixteen years!  I don't think pink was even close to being his favorite color, anyway.  But, I get it...  How does anyone note improvement within either themselves or others if there are never any changes made to be used along with a basis of comparison? 

Let's all agree that a solid baseline, or imaginary line, the standard of value by which things are measured or compared, is drawn at birth.  That pretty much places all of us on the Starting Line together!  Our initial change is physical, of course, and constant as we begin to evolve into the person our DNA, environment, peer influences, education and adult examples provide for us.  This is not a permanent 'mold' by which our lives must be measured by.  This mold gives us shape, depth and minimal security and is meant to be broken whenever we feel the urge, the need, to spread our wings and fly.


This new flight pattern can be attributed to a particular teacher, mentor or coach who has had an influence on us.  Even a horrific incident that occurred in our lives such as an accident or the passing of a loved-one can ultimately bring change, sometimes in a negative slant, but often in the form of pulling us up from the depths of despair and raising us to heights that were previously unimaginable.  We will always be influenced by so many factors in our life, however, reflecting upon Anne Frank's wise words, "The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands."  We must ultimately take responsibility for our actions.

I mentioned before that this new painting project of mine was born from something far greater than myself and reaches across the ocean depths with such power and force that its affect upon all persons should be one of such profound feelings of disquiet that change is inevitable!  No one should feel satisfied, content, unconcerned or complacent about the recent actions spawned by Hate, under the guise of Religion, that has taken place in Paris recently.  "Je Suis Charlie," a powerful slogan that has risen-up from the dark depths of this heinous crime, represents the solidarity we share with our fellow man; the battle cry of Freedom of Speech, Life and the Future of each and every one of us!  If the Haters are not displaced or eradicated, these Freedoms will be in constant jeopardy!

So read the history books from the dawn of recorded time!

Carefully Calculating Change In Our Lives

Tackling the almost eleven foot high dining room walls and covering them with fresh color and a new look is a difficult job, to be sure.  Not changing them after all this time would be a travesty of life.  If I dislike the pink walls....they should be changed.  Besides, getting down and dirty for the sake of a positive change is a cathartic release.  Penned-up emotions are flowing from my paint brush and hands like ice from Elsa's fingertips and forming a metamorphosis from complacent person to highly motivated individual.

If I dislike the injustices served mankind by the treacherous deeds of others, I must react to them because these 'thieves of freedom' mean to eliminate anyone who does not agree with their own set of ideals.  This frightens the hell out of me!  Life is a glorious gift that should not be discarded lightly for we are fragile, mortal beings who live side-by-side, hand-in-hand as we recently witnessed in Paris as people literally filled the Place de la République to march in Solidarity for all of those brutally murdered in the terror attack several days ago! 

Je Suis Charlie As Far As The Eye Can See In Paris
 

Cover Of New Edition Of
CHARLIE HEBDO

The pen and pencil with the words 'Not Afraid' emblazoned on them  have become the symbols of Freedom of Speech around the world.  As a writer, the significance of this is monumental for so many powerful reasons.  The latest cover of Charlie Hebdo proves this point as the satirical magazine that just lost twelve members of its staff refuses to roll over and shut its doors.  Drawn by cartoonist Renald Luzier, it depicts a sad Prophet Muhammad saying that all is forgiven, I am Charlie.  Undoubtedly, this cover will keep the fire burning for a very long time.



JE SUIS CHARLIE, I Am Charlie.....We are ALL Charlie when it comes to freedom and integrity and making the choice to live our lives rather than cave to others who hate so openly.....so desperately, that they are willing to ruin so many precious lives left in the wake of their disturbing swath of destruction.  I don't believe this is exactly what God had in mind when He proclaimed, "Love Thy Neighbor!"

Symbol For Freedom of Speech

With each stroke of my paintbrush, with every swipe of my paint roller, I feverishly cover-up, masque, if you will, the pain and sorrow, death and destruction, and attempts to steal our freedom by all terrorist groups around the world!  The 'pale mauve' is disappearing behind a fresh, new 'face' of paint.  I am becoming stronger, happier and more comfortable in my own skin while I come to terms with what I already knew and already believed.  Long live the power of the pen!!! Je suis Charlie, yesterday, today and tomorrow....

There's absolutely no hope for the pink library walls.  You're.going.down!!!

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

FRENCH COUNTRY BED & BREAKFASTS: Then and Now

A series of essays.....

The Simple Life of the French Countryside

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

My heart was lost to France as a young child via her language, people and stunningly memorable landmarks!  Eighth grade French class secured this belief as the French lifestyle, habits (one reason why I may have endeared cigarette smoking throughout my college years), cuisine and history lit up my being with tingling excitement and an imminent lust for travel....and, frankly, all things relating to France in general!

My soul was lost to France the moment my feet touched her soil for the very first time back in August of 1990!  It's funny...   Most people recall their first glimpse of this magical place by the first sight of La Tour Eiffel or the sweet taste of street vendor crêpes melting on your tongue and purchased along the Tuileries Gardens as a light breakfast before investigating  the Louvre for hours.  No.  I initially entered France via automobile along a roaring super highway, the E60, upon leaving Freiburg, Germany.  After paying exorbitant tolls every other kilometer or so, we headed for the first official exit and drifted comfortably into the French countryside. 

~Le Parc des Marechaux~
Auxerre, France

With traffic behind us and our destination the town of Auxerre, situated in Burgundy, for the night, we found ourselves at peace following a meandering, fast-flowing river complete with mini-rapids and a small waterfall.  Stopping along the side of the narrow road to take pictures, I opened the car door and was introduced to my destiny as my right foot touched-down on the firm, French soil for the very first time! I had made it, at last!!



Envelope of Letter Returned to Me Late
1989 For Reservations In August of 1990

Not having the ease of Internet access back then, our stays within larger cities and hotels were reserved via telephone communication.  Connecting with small Bed & Breakfast establishments, our preferred choice to stay at, was accomplished via the mail and several painstakingly hand-written letters in French sent to the owner/manager whose names I had secured from various publications such as BIRNBAUM'S EUROPE 1989 and Karen Brown's FRENCH COUNTRY BED & BREAKFASTS, the ultimate travel guide offering the opportunity to meet the French who welcome travelers into their homes!





Most Helpful Travel Companion

Assuming any of Mademoiselle's "Charming Bed & Breakfasts of France with Descriptions of Over 160 Inexpensive Places to Stay" exist to this day, my question would be, how many of them are still owned and operated by a local......a Frenchperson?  How many of these delightful B&B's of France have surrendered to our changing times? How many still thrive today, as quaint and wholesome as they were back in 1990, but under new owners or management?  I had to know...

Choosing three places from FRENCH COUNTRY BED & BREAKFASTS based mainly upon the criterion of their location (near towns and villages we have been to since our 1990 visit), I set to work on the Internet.

Then:  LA JACQUELINIERE B&B, located in the Loire Valley near the village of Vernou en Sologne.  Owned and hosted by Jacqueline and Auguste Bahuaud.  Two rooms, both with shower or bath, share one WC....water closet/toilet.
Now:  L'OREE DU BOIS, with same address as above and current picture resembling pencil sketch from Karen Brown's book.  Current owners are Danielle and Bernard Schussler.
Notes:  Retained as a privately run Guest House with two rooms by new owners after twenty-four years.  Perhaps a bit of 'bleeding over' from the Alsace area or Germany with the last name of Schussler.

 

La Jacqueliniere Bed & Breakfast

L'Oree du Bois Bed & Breakfast

 
Then:  CHEZ DELESSE, located in the Region of Provence near the ancient Roman town of Vaison la Romaine.  Owned and hosted by François and Claude Delesse.  One room with private bath.
Now:  CHEZ DELESSE, at same address as above with nearly identical description and same pencil sketch of property.  François and Claude have addressed additional income by adding another bedroom that shares the original bath, and a 'spacious' apartment located in a separate wing.
Notes:  The romantic side of me likes to think that these two young people, recently involved in the late 1980's, acquired this property with a two to three part plan of making their very own Gite grow and thrive as they grew older and more comfortable together each year!  Just a writer's fantasy, perhaps.....  Considering the name François is masculine, equivalent to the English name Francis, I am hoping he and Claude have adopted several kids by now.  They deserve them.  And this beautiful family has entered the new millennium in France with the understanding and acceptance due to them.  Just saying....!  This has been my 'Artistic License' forum for the day!     




Chez Delesse.....Then!

Now....Should Read: 175 Year-Old Stone House

Then:  CHEZ KRUMEICH, located in the town of Betschdorf in the Alsace area and is 44 kilometers northeast of Strasbourg.  Owned and hosted by Christian and Joelle Krumeich.  This region of France is known for its blue-toned stoneware and Christian represents the ninth generation of potters in his family.  Three guest rooms with private WC and bath are located above their large pottery workshop.
Now:  CHEZ KRUMEICH, same address as above and still owned and operated by Christian and Joelle.  Upgraded from three to four private rooms, fax number added, and noted on the Michelin Map.  
Notes:  This establishment last appeared in Brown's 2006 publication, Karen Brown's France B&B: Exceptional Places To Stay.

It is amazing that all three of these Bed & Breakfast choices may   exist today in one form or another.  Even though one has come under new ownership and its name has changed, it remains open as a B&B serving tourists from around the world.  The nightly rates, designated nearly a quarter of a century ago, has changed from French Francs to modern-day Euros however, the amount for each private guest room has only risen by a very low percentage throughout the years.  This leads me to believe that the people who initially opened their charming homes to the weary traveler did so with the intent of offering everyone the welcoming feeling of being treated as a cherished guest in a friend's home without the expectancy of becoming wealthy as a direct result of their endeavors. 

"The Bed & Breakfast formula is for any traveller with a taste for adventure who wants to experience the 'real' France, its people and culture," says French Country Bed & Breakfasts.  In France, the B&B is called 'Chambres d'Hotes' and literally means guest bedrooms. As in the United States, the way of life outside of a large city is a fascinating reflection of each country's history and culture.  "The impact of modern civilization is felt, but a pronounced respect for traditions and quality of life remains."

Organization Representing Cottage Rental and Guest Homes in France

Another French term for a holiday home (usually freestanding) available for rent is a Gite.  Gites are generally fully furnished and equipped for self-catering. Technically, to be called a Gite, the owner must live close by in order to provide help, assistance, and a warm welcome to guests.

My favorite quote that I feel lovingly compelled to share with you is:  "Outside of Paris, the land is like a treasure chest filled with wonders of nature and civilization.  There are royal forests still inhabited by stags and wild boars, graceful castles beside peaceful lakes, picturesque stone and half-timbered villages, colorful vineyards and farmlands, medieval walled cities and wild, salty coastlines all waiting to be discovered."

To this I would like to add that the B&B system offers us all of the above and so much more....without even trying.  A stay at one of these establishments provides local answers to any and all of your questions, ample opportunities to meet other travelers and sit with, relax and learn from your conversations together.  The chance to meet your hosts and their families, as well, while making many lasting contacts and friends along the way.  If you are a 'people person' and you enjoy the opportunity to expand your horizons via simple conversation with others.....this system is for you.

Level of comfort and luxury are as individual and varied as the people and homes you will be visiting.  With Internet access today, it is simple to look-up the rates, see a photo gallery and read the descriptions of each private room in order to make a choice that is perfect for you.  Especially helpful are the comments by fellow travelers who have visited the Chambres d'Hotes before you and offer to describe their personal experiences, good, bad or indifferent. 

Another Handy Guide Used
For Our Initial European Journey

It was a pleasure to have once again connected with such positive past experiences and bring them to light here in 2015!  Do not be afraid to venture out and experience the unspoiled and less visited regions of France.  Paris is dazzling....this is so true, and it would take a lifetime of visits to be able to take most of this beautiful city in.  However, a Bed & Breakfast experience is personal, superior in cleanliness and comfort, and is as varied as the landscape itself.  "Spend a night in a chateau dating from the Middle Ages whose stone walls ooze with history, and the next night experience the sights and sounds of a simple farm surrounded by bucolic pasturelands."

People will remain the same, for the most part, even after twenty-five years have flown swiftly by!  We will always seek the simple comfort of one another's company for companionship, knowledge and friendship's sake....!  The experience of traveling abroad to France can be greatly enhanced by taking every opportunity to meet and interact with others and share life's adventures around a breakfast table or in the study by a warm, crackling fire. 

Happy travels to ALL in 2015.....!




Copyright © 2015 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
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