8 months

the yellow in this field is blinding

That's how long we have been here...8 months today.  We arrived in Paris October 1st with 2 bikes in their carrying cases (big rolling things), 2 dogs in their crates (remember one of our dogs is an 80 lb. golden retriever and his crate is huge) and 2 large bags.  Getting to the rental car was hell. 

It's now 8 months later and we haven't had a fire in 2 days and that was only in the evening when it was raining (which it has been for a week!), we have had 2 visit from family and friends, we went to Belgium, Bordeaux and Beziers (didn't realize all the b's).  We have made many trips to Toulouse (mostly to visit notaries), we've ridden about 2500 miles and seen many villages, towns and cities, breathtaking.  We have made new friends, reconnected with friends we met when we were here last year and Bruce reconnected with an old friend from high school who lives with his lovely wife and his 2 boys in Bordeaux.  I still take french lessons 2 times a week in Villefranche and we are finally at a point where we can understand most of what our old neighbor says.  Well, Bruce can understand most of what he says, I'm about 50%.

We had a lovely February and March (especially because my family visited), April was so much fun, going to Belgium and Steve and Lisa coming over.  Thanks to Steve Bruce started climbing again (first time in 6 years).  

Steve and Bruce getting ready to climb

Bruce on his first route in 6 years

And then there is the rain, argh!  I know that it rains here (that is why everthing is so green) but it's been really hard for us.  I really didn't realize how much you take the sun and nice weather for granted when you live in Los Angeles.  Sure, some days are cloudy and usually smoggy but it rains maybe 1 week a year.  It's May 1st and it's a beautiful day and the weather says nice for 12 days.  Ah, please let a rain-free spring be here...or better yes pre-summer as we want to open the pool.

We were going to go to Italy to see the Giro d'Italia but have decided against it for financial reasons.  Remember we are not working here!  We are OK with it, it will be nice to stay around our area and ride and relax.  In June we are heading up to Paris for 4 days (to celebrate Bruce's 40th and see my sister and brother-in law), that should be really fun.  I hope to meet up with Leesa and Barbara while I'm there too.

July is going to be crazy and I can't wait for it.  Tour de France, riding Mt. Ventoux, our great friends K&E coming over, it will be a wonderful month.  

We are truly happy here and love it more every day.  It's wonderful to wake up happy and content.  It's a bit crazy that we are now on month 8.  It's gone so fast.  Right now it gets dark around 9:00 pm...it seems like yesterday when it was getting dark at 4:30.  That was when we didn't have a television and we had CD's we'd put on and open a bottle of wine and listen to music.  There are a few songs that will always remind me of this time, right when we arrive in France in our little house in the woods with nighttime arriving so early.  Those are good memories even though I cursed the wood burner every day.

We have a few things up our sleeves, but too early to talk about them now.  Things are in the works and we hope they will work out for us.  Right now we'll just enjoy every moment we are here and thank our lucky stars that we were able to come here and have a year in France.

One cool thing is that we have had 3 sanglier sightings.  This morning was our 3rd, we have been hearing a boar in the woods at dusk a crazy cry/snort/growl, but this morning I was out with Dashell at about 7am and in the meadow was a boar, not huge, but not a baby.  It was super cool...don't get that in Los Angeles.

this isn't the one that was in our yard, but same size