‘Au Revoir’ is not ‘Adieu’

Key Takeaways:

• After 15 years, Nancy Honicker is changing the focus of her monthly column.
• French traditions honor elders over 65 with Christmas gifts from local mayors.
• France is currently debating raising the retirement age to 64.
• Nancy plans to highlight artists from the coal region, including George Luks and Judith Joy Ross.
• Her past articles remain accessible online, and she invites readers to join her new journey.

An Unexpected Knock in Nointel

Christmas Day had come and gone, but the warmth lingered for writer Nancy Honicker in the quaint village of Nointel, nestled in the Parisian suburbs. Surrounded by forests and fields, her lovely, albeit drafty and damp, home seemed straight out of a period piece. Just days before Christmas, a knock at her door revealed the village mayor and her assistant bearing a generous gift—a large basket brimming with all the goodies for a delicious Christmas feast.

“Why this honor?” Nancy mused. “Very simply, because I am old, over 65, one of the village ‘aînés,’ the village elders, worthy of respect but also of protection.” In France, it’s tradition to ensure that the elderly are cared for during the holidays, and Nancy was touched by this gesture.

Reflections on Aging and Work in France

In a country where anyone over 50 is considered “over the hill,” Nancy found herself adjusting to societal views on aging. “Here you’re put out to pasture young, and few people can conceive of a person my age still working—unless they’re politicians,” she observed.

At this very moment, France was embroiled in debates over raising the retirement age to 64. Yet, for Nancy, the idea of retirement seemed distant. “I enjoy working. I enjoy writing these articles,” she affirmed.

A Farewell to the Pottsville-Paris Connection

After 15 years of her monthly “Pottsville-Paris connection” column, Nancy has decided not to retire but to embrace change. “Beginning on the last Sunday of January 2025, I’ll no longer be traveling back and forth between Europe and the United States,” she announced. “I’ll be concentrating on the coal region, its artists, and the art it has inspired.”

Her thoughts have turned inward, focusing on Pottsville, Schuylkill County, and the coal region. With a rich list of painters, sculptors, engravers, photographers, filmmakers, writers, musicians, and collectors, she is eager to delve into local talent.

Highlighting Coal Region Artists

Nancy is excited to explore the exceptional talent from or inspired by the region. She mentions George Luks, whose 1927 mural of Necho Allen discovering coal adorns the library of Penn State Schuylkill. Photographers like Judith Joy Ross, born in Hazleton in 1946, and Mark Cohen, born in Wilkes-Barre in 1943, whose work she discovered at Le Bal, a major gallery in Paris, are also on her list.

“In my French home, I have two works by Pottsville artist Kathy Connelly,” she shares. “A book of reproductions of her paintings of Pottsville and a sweet watercolor of a robin singing.” She also received a vibrant photograph from her sister, capturing a Pottsville street in the snow—a study in red, black, and white by Sue Frantz.

An Invitation to Reflect and Explore

Over the years, Nancy has shared her adventures—from battling for a French driver’s license to surviving on bread and water in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her explorations of the French healthcare system, childcare approaches, and the place of the disabled in society have offered readers an authentic glimpse into French life.

For those wishing to revisit her past stories, nearly 15 years’ worth of reading awaits at her blog: https://pottsville-paris-express.blogspot.com/2024/ . Additionally, she invites readers to join her on Substack with “Paris on the Skook,” where she delves into how a girl from Pottsville ends up in France. “You can subscribe for free by downloading the Substack app or by following this link: https://nancyhonicker.substack.com/p/memory-lane-leads-nowhere ,” she notes.

A New Chapter Begins

“As a teaser, I’ll just mention some of the exceptional talent from—or inspired by—our region,” Nancy hints, eager to embark on this new journey. “So much to write about and, I hope, for us to discover together.”

She expresses gratitude to her faithful readers and extends warm wishes for a happy and healthy 2025, “surely a year of change.” Whether for better or worse, “only time will tell,” she reflects. Nancy looks forward to reconnecting with her audience, urging them not to miss her upcoming piece on anthracite art on January 26, 2025.