I have been blessed to have wonderful friends throughout my life. It has always been that have friends of all ages. Typically, I have had more success with males. I think it’s because I grew up with three older brothers and my humor and interests are perhaps more typically “masculine”. I’m not sure what that means even as I read it back but I just find women often more complicated than I can manage.

My male friends are blunt, say what they want and they don’t filter. They don’t flinch at my crude jokes and they give as good as they get. I think the same is true of some of my older friends. I like genuine. That’s my speed. I get tired of trying to anticipate what others are really saying when they are saying something completely different. I’m too old for that now and not as capable of social manipulation as I once was.

Today, my “first” French friend came to take me to a local brocante to treasure hunt. Stella was the woman who sold me this house and I told her from the beginning that I intended to make her my friend. I knew I could charm her with my sheer persistence eventually. She has held my hand through really big challenges in this process and reassured me along the way. Most recently she saved me while I was having a communication breakdown in an Orange Store trying to purchase a mobile phone. After several failed exchanges with a very nice salesman, I dialed Stella and handed my phone to the confused salesperson. She was efficiently able to clear up all confusion and serve as translator in our conversation.

Today she came to pick me up between real estate showings and complimented me on the progress I had made in the house. She brought with her a vine wreath she had made from cuttings in her garden. Stella explained that I could use it as a base that I could decorate with different natural elements that I could change with the season. She had not known that my mom always used to make me a grapevine wreath which she decorated with bittersweet for my Autumn doorway. I was so touched that she had done this for me – an American she hardly knows.

Friendship continues in this new place and I’m so grateful. I am excited to share all my experiences with my old friends and thrilled to have the chance to make some new ones. Building relationships and making connections is the single biggest joy I know. J’adore mes amies.