ti'plaisir
On sweet nothings
Last summer we house-swapped with a characterful woman originally from Barrow-in-Furness now living in a beautiful house in Provence. She and her extended family had a delightful time enjoying the cool and rain of a Cumbrian summer whilst we were grateful for the mistral wind blowing through the shutters of our holiday home in the small town of Fuveau.
One of my little pleasures at the house was a jar of tiny sugar cubes in the shape of hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds. They were a perfect half-teaspoon portion and made the Nespresso machine decaf coffee even more delicious. There’s something about a small earthenware cup of sweet coffee on a garden terrace. Morning air beginning to warm swiftly, maybe even a pain au chocolat fresh from the local bakery alongside a soft, perfectly ripe peach.
My husband had been looking for the tiny sugar cubes on Amazon, online grocers and had found the white sugar ones but it was the golden raw cane ones I most loved. Unbeknownst to me he contacted Ruth to see if she had any idea where we could order some.
In August this year, my husband had a WhatsApp message from Ruth who was back in the UK. With a generous heart, she had travelled all the way from Provence with 2kg of sugar cubes in her hand luggage and posted them to us! Every time I pop a cube into my coffee (the hearts are my favourite) I feel grateful for such a tangible gesture of kindness. Sweet nothings, moments of care. We need more Ruths in a world of disconnection - I often think now about sweet nothings I could make time to share with friends or strangers. It’s such a skill to notice what give ‘le plaisir’ to others and to follow through with a small gesture.
If you’d like to buy me a coffee to go with my beautiful sugar cubes I’d be so grateful for your support of my writing practice.
