Count Pierre De Ruffieu

My Father was training me to become a Gymnast. At age 3, I was able to stand up on Father's shoulders while he walked along the beach.
Father would do his Shaolin Breathing Exercises, see Feats of Strength. Father always told me to keep my head high and to breath in and out slowly and deeply.
Just peeking into my destiny

In order to be a gymnast Father had me take ballet lessons that I can still remember. He also had a "pin" that said: "NO ME BESEN" meaning: "DONT KISS ME". Everybody wanted to hold me and kiss me. He also had my little legs tied to the bike so I would have perfect legs and torso. Father had great knowledge in just about any field, but specially in Athletics, as he himself have been a terrific sportsman in many areas in France and all of that before he joined his Army to go to the Sahara Regions, see Biography.

My "dreams" were to become a BALLERINA or a "CONCERTI'S". Mother had other plans for me.

My debut at the Sports Palace in Havana. I was the only little girl age 6 performing in men's sports. The audience was large. I was a very CONFIDENT little girl because of my Father's training. Many beautiful flowers were placed in my arms and to this day, I feel, see, and smell the aroma.

My Father had tremendous FAITH IN ME.....I was ready to stop going up the rope to touch the bell, when I heard his firm but encouraging words: "Celine, mom petite,....touch the bell, and then come down".
There are many uses to his statement in life, for me, it means: Finnish what you start doing, don't chicken out because of a little pain, keep looking up. He applauded me as I was coming down the rope after touching the bell.

See Bronze Medal below. Also, I received a very beautiful hand carved CRUCIFIX in silver.. (gone now)...and the little outfit with its beautiful cape all hand made for this fine moment in my life.

Did I become the ballerina? Did I become the fine concerti's, or the super gymnast that my Father dreamt?

Bear with me readers, this will be long reading containing an array of fragments About Me. Some good, some not so good. I was a lucky person to have been born to such an incredible Father. Below read all the talents, attributes and qualities from a great man. All of these talents were inherited by my FOUR children. I consider them to be very fortunate.

When did my Father had time to write the Preface on the book: The Chateau de Ruffieu (click on it) Father also made commentaries on the book and he places his initials. The knowledge in knowing all about Nobility must have been learnt by him in his late teens? He spoke well German, Spanish and he must have spoken the language of the Arabs.

His handwriting was exquisite,see card below.

How much time did he give to sports to be number ONE, in France?

Running, voltige, swimming, jumping...and when did he learn Shaolin Kong Fu, see him hanging from a rope and holding a man sitting with his teeth, on Feats of Strength. These are not tricks, also, breaking a deck of card in half...have you ever tried?

Father used to do his breathing exercises daily outdoors, then a hot towel and cold towel around face, shower, and his day began and same routine at night.

Father taught his personal cook of 8 years,"Adolphina" to cook. He had a beautiful green Baccarat collection, and his table always had a table cloth. There was lunch at the table with all the proper settings as well as in the evening, he also had perfect table manners !!!

Being the great Equestrian he was takes time...when did he devote time to this sport and the others in France and in Algiers his school of Voltige?

Father was a great Photographer, and develop his own photos. He also worked at carving from elephant tusks, miniature figurines. He develop and patented one of his exercise machines and created a firm for LIPSTICKS AND PERFUME. He did this in Havana.. I can still smell the "essence" he made from flowers. The Lipstick did not succeed, but it had a beautiful name: 'CELINE". a LADY STANDING ERECT LOOKING UP AND HOLDING THE LIPSTICK AT THE TIP OF HER INDEX FINGER, see document below.

Father loved classical music, and just before I was placed in St. Vicente de Paul, I attended my first concert all by myself. I lost the program over the years.

Im repeating a little from Biography here... Father was also an excellent Hunter.. he had the most beautiful crops in anything he wanted to plant in his l acre piece of land sorrounded by mangroves...you could smell the jasmines and mangroves, when you went to sleep.

Whatever Father touched became beautiful. He was welcome among the poor as well as among the wealthy. He was a man of all Seasons.

I lost my father at the young age of 13, but some things I know about him through deduction and through the clarity of hindsight.

Accurate Memories: My Father loved pensies

Eusebia, the little old lady in the Exile Page was interviewed by Pototo, my investigator in Havana. In the interview 3 years ago she mentioned all the things I remember about Father and Mother. Some of her statements only I can recognize.

Eusebia used to call Father by the name of, "Professor Pierre", folks around that area used to call my Father that way. An incident I forgot was when Father had made perfume and cheese for her when her son died.

Eusebia speaks of Father kindness, politeness and correctness. If he borrowed a tool from her Brother, he would return it the same day in the evening telling her with his French accent that the tool needed to remain with her for the night and he will return in the morning and pick it up again. Do you know that he passed that on to me? She said I followed my Father everywhere he went with my Police Dog Jackie. See photo below.

She also said Mother would leave for a week without giving her whereabouts...and that is a lot like my Mother. Mother's expressions , Eusebia imitated them very well, only I could identify. Mother would tell me as an adult: "Celine, dont ask me where Im going or when I coming back".

The water-way by Father's property you see below painted in blue....Pototo the Investigator, was able to draw it perfectly..from a draft I sent to him. My Father and I used to row over the area you see in the drawing below.

Pototo found all the houses I described to him we had lived and took photos. It was a fantastic feeling to know I did not have one false memory! including making coal.

Father was a devout Catholic and believer in education.
He put me in the best school for girls in Havana, the French Dominicans. I was able to read and write well at age six.

A saying:
"To whom much is given much is required". The Compagnon de Ruffieu were people given much, and "much" they all returned back to Life.

The certificates and letters of reference below, are my way of honoring the Compagnon de Ruffieu family AND THE DUMENGE FAMILY, MY Father's Mother's family.
I did strive to be the best I could be, despite all the set backs in my life.

Celine

Une énonciation : "Qui à donnés beaucoup, beaucoup est exigé de eux"
Les personnes du famille Compagnon de Ruffieu étaient les gens qui ont donnés beaucoup, et ont restitué beaucoup

Les certificats et les lettres de recommandation ci-dessous, sont ma manière d'honorer le famille de Compagnon de Ruffieu, et le famille de DUMENGE.
Ils sont de côté de famille de mon Pere's Mére.

J'ai essayé d'être le meilleur que je peux être, en dépit de la vie dure j'ai eue.
Celine.

Explanation of the rooster emblem by Denis Lezin of this web site _ A SPECIALIST in French military badges-"The Rooster"a very interesting emblem.
The rooster is the emblem of France. The name Gallic is of latin origin, the Gauls were the ancestors of the French and comes from Latin word, "Gallus" which means at the same time "Rooster and Gallic".

It was the Romans who baptized us with this name because of the image of this animal.
The Gauls were proud and without fear, the Gauls feared only thing, that the sky would fall on their head.
This rooster is blue, white and red. Those are the national colors of France.
This rooster carries the Cross of Lorraine, which was also the emblem of the Resistance in WW2.
Almost all the Maquis had an emblem of this kind. (except the ftp maquis who were of communist persuasion).

Un emblème très intéressant.
Le coq est l'emblème de la France. Le nom des Gaulois, qui sont les ancêtres des français, vient du latin, "Gallus" qui signifie en même temps coq et gaulois.

Ce sont les Romains qui nous ont baptisés de ce nom, car à l'image de cet animal, les gaulois étaient fiers et sans peur.
Les gaulois ne craignaient qu'uns seule chose, une seule : que le ciel leur tombe sur la tête.
Ce coq est bleu, blanc, rouge. Ce sont les couleurs nationales de la France.
Ce coq porte la Croix de Lorraine, qui est l'emblème de la Résistance.
Presque tous les Maquis avaient un emblème de ce genre.
ou qui y faisait allusion.(sauf les maquis FTP qui étaient d'obédience communiste).