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©Linda
2011
While I was preparing this
page, dedicated to our dearest friend Juliette,
I was thinking what can I tell our visitors
which I have not told yet? How to captivate
everyone and not repeating myself with my
narrative? But then I said to myself: "
Linda, surfers who land on this or Frédérique's page, are
fans of the author Juliette Benzoni. They want
to know news, facts and how the well-being is of
the Queen of history books! So without ado here
are a few lovely memories of our newest meeting
with our Juliette on Sunday 15 May 2011 at
Saint-Mandé.
Between
Juliette and "les filles des grands chemins" has
grown a wonderful, profound and exceptional
friendship. Shared also with Hélène - Danette -
as we call her, the founder of the name "Les Benzonettes". With her sweet and enjoyable
manner she complements us wonderfully, just like
my daughter Claudia did on her visit.
All three of us live in another city or in my
case in another country (Switzerland), but when our dearest
friend invites us to come and see her, we
overjoyfully pack our suitcases and travel to
Saint-Mandé, by train and car! Just as we did
last Sunday.
The Benzonettes meeting place in the afteroon
was by the beautiful Park Bois de Vincennes in Saint-Mandé. In front of Juliette Benzoni's
house, we played our little game of who should
ring the bell this time (see my other reports) ! In one accord we put our fingers
to the bell waiting, that it would be opened for
us. We were expected and the door swung
open! A look left to see the roses, a look back
to see that the beautiful tree in the garden had
been truncated and we ran almost up the steps,
hugging and kissing Anne, Juliette's daughter,
caress quickly Oliver, our hairy friend and then
enter the now well known living-room of
Juliette.
We found our "Queen" in good health and soon the
room was filled with laughter and talking all
together. We had found "home" We sipped with
delight the cool champagne, enjoyed the fresh
cherries and ate once again dessert from "LeNôtre"
one of the best addresses in Paris. One just
cannot resist a Tarte (cake) of apricot and
pistache, dressed with pâtissière aux amandes!
With immense joy we told
Juliette about Facebook and that her faithful
readers had begun to leave personal messages
there for her! We had printed all of the comments out
and delivered them to her. How can I describe
the look on her face when we told her about all
this? Let me only say so much dear visitors,
this amazing woman who has written over 78 books
(it would be 86 after 7.2. 2016 on the day of
her passing away),
was so moved by all the admiration and devotion
she gets from her readers all over the world.
She sends all of you, her deep and sincerest
thank you for all the years you have read her
books and still do!
With had already on the day before decided to
ask Juliette, if she would alow us to record a short message for our websites. To our great
surprise, she agreed immediately to do
that! Oops... it would take too long to
explain what a sound-recorder Linda is,
especially when you have some giggling girls in
the background ☺ I know I am not "Dame
Marion Sarraut" - but my 1...2...3... was almost
professional..! I confess, it was one of those
moments when you would like that time stands
still! A chuckling Juliette, a Linda on her knees
(with my short gown...)and three such dear friends as
Anne,
Hélène and Frédérique, supporting this incredible
event fervently!
Time went by just like in the
"Time Machine" but Juliette had yet
another surprise for us in store. As we talked
about her newest book "La chimère d'Or des
Borgia" which will come out on 1 June 2011,we
were told by our dearest Juliette, that after
five books without dedication, her
next book,
My friends, no words
are needed here to illustrate our happiness and
thankfulness towards our favourite author, our
dearest friend. This honor is beyond anything we
could ever excpect. To be forever united in this
fashion with Juliette Benzoni does not need more
words - except to say:
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