10th September, 2018

10th September, 2018

Sitting poolside at my friend’s place in Provence; we took the pup on a morning walk, while it was still cool and now, the heat of the day is just starting to set in.  Took the train down from Paris on Saturday, picked up the rental car and headed south; I was highly amused that I was given a white Fiat 500 (even though my booking indicated a Peugeot); you see, I recently sold my white, Fiat 500 back in Portland; however the rental car was one of those oddly large Fiats, rather than my wee one.

The next adventure was trying to navigate the route based on the directions I so carefully printed off before leaving the US. The route name listed on my directions was nowhere to be found. I decide I would just take off in the general direction and hopefully see a sign pointing the way. Alas, that was not the case. I pulled into a nearby town called Coutrine, to try and find a tourist office to ask directions. The place was heaving and there was no place to park, which I discovered after driving around extremely narrow streets for about 15 minutes.  What is it they say about the best laid plans? At any rate, I decided to not worry about the cost and turned on my phone’s data roaming so I could utilize Google maps. I eventually managed to find my way and it has been a lovely and relaxing couple of days. My friends took me around to some of their favorite haunts and give me a glimpse of Provencal life; it is rather charming, I must say! And of course, it has ben wonderful to spend time with Amanda and Gary and their absolutely adorable pup, Bailey.

Paris was nice, it was lovely autumn weather and I spent a day and a half  discovering a few of the small neighborhoods I didn’t see in the last visit. Paris is a romantic city… being here by myself, seeing all the couple strolling along the Seine, hand in hand didn’t thrill me. C’est la vie! It only reinforced how important finding someone to share my life with, scratch that, someone wanting the same kind of life as I, has become.

Aside for that, I’m reminded that I no longer wish to live in a large city. This is not a new revelation, mind you, I’ve know this for some time now. However, I get distracted by all the shiny things and by the convenience that big cities afford. The question then becomes where. I’m hopeful that during the next few months, I’ll also find my place…the one where I feel at home, where I can be who I am without being judged, where I am surrounded by inspiring and supportive people and where I live comfortably and joyfully.

5th September 2018

Sat in the United Club lounge at SFO, having a coffee and a cheeky brownie…I had a kale salad for lunch, so I’m allowed 🙂 Also, I dodged a major bullet this week, one that had the potential to adversely affect my life on a massive scale, so I’m feeling especially grateful and perhaps a bit more self-indulgent that normal.

This is the start of an open-ended jaunt, which will take me to many countries and continents…traveling, teaching and writing. Today, we begin with a sojourn in the South of France to visit with friends that I haven’t seen in a few years; both are Scots, believe it or not, though I met each in completely different places.  I’m excited for all the wonderful experiences I will have, people that I’ll meet, food and drink I’ll consume. I’m taking a slightly different approach on this trip and not planning everything out…will instead let it all unfold organically. It will be a bit of a battle with my Type A tendencies, at least in the beginning or when I’m feeling anxious. However I’ve had a bit of practice going with the flow since leaving corporate 18 months ago.