One year later

This time last year, D and I were in Coustellet after spending a few days in Paris.  It was cold, cold, cold.  Spring was nowhere in sight and I was completely unprepared for the weather.  It did mean a mini shopping trip so it wasn’t all negative.

We spent most of the month of May chez les parents and began our apartment hunt in earnest around this time last year.

A lot has happened since May 2010.  So, as I sit here in our hotel in Paris I felt like looking back over the year.  Here are a few highlights.

Arriving on the Côte d’Azur for the first time.  (They were playing Serge Gainsbourg was on the radio.)

Drinking champagne on the beach in Villefranche to celebrate the signing of the lease for our apartment.

Picking olives for the first time.

Collecting frequent flyer miles courtesy of Air France.

Getting married!

Travelling the coast, from Monaco to Cannes, with D and my brother K.

Travelling the coast from Cannes to Monaco with D and his business partner SC.  (Next time we’ll make it to Italy!)

Taking trips to Paris where I enjoyed cupcakes, met Paris expats, ate cupcakes, met PACA expats, at cake, visited le Musée d’Orsay, ate more cake…

Waiting for our furniture to arrive; being told there was a delay in Montréal; being told there was an issue in Marseille; arguing (not me thankfully) with the moving company who wanted to charge us more than what was contracted; arguing (again, not me) with the neighbour who didn’t like the fact that the movers used the elevator when they weren’t supposed to.

Eating cake, millefeuille, tartes au citron, croissants, pains au chocolat, soufflés…you get the drift.

Going to the carnaval de Nice.

Staying up until 2 am putting up shelves and bookcases — merci Ikea! — before K’s arrival in August.

Driving through Alsace and buying wine.

Drinking wine.

Getting upgraded at our hotel in Strasbourg; having dinner at Le Kammerzell.

Spending time with Mom and showing her around Nice and Paris.

Fighting crime at the train station in Nice.

Shopping at the market in Cours Saleya.

Driving the F1 course in Monaco.  (Okay, okay, I was a passenger in the car but still…)

Flirting with the butchers.  (One of these days I know I’ll get a free côte de porc.)

In 24 hours D and I will be on our way to Roissy for our flight to Toronto before jumping on another plane for Jamaica, the land of wood and water.  It will be a busy few weeks but I’ll be back online in June!

A très bientôt mes amis!