An American in Provence

After months, no make that years, of reading motorcycle reviews, searching the internet, and talking at me about it, Alain finally decided that he wanted his next motorcycle to be a Yamaha FZ8.

He found a used on advertised on Leboncoin, and we went to see it two weeks ago. It is the 2011 version, bought in July 2012. It has 13,000 km on it, and the guy was selling it for 6000€. Original price- 8900€.

Alain decided to take it, so I went and got a bank check for the amount and Alain called his sister, our insurance agent. She said no problem to insure it, just needed the registration ("carte gris" in French). Except the seller couldn't find it. Apparently, he is separating from his partner, needs to sell the motorcycle for the money, and left it at his parent's house, and couldn't find the registration.

We can't buy it without the registration, as it would then be impossible for us to register it under Alain's name. We weren't sure if he really couldn't find it or else someone had offered him more and that this was his excuse.

Anyway, I guess he really couldn't find it because he went and got a replacement registration card.

We set up the sale for Saturday morning, yesterday. We drove west from Marseille towards Toulon, and met up with the seller. Alain signed the paperwork and we handed over the check. We then drove off, he on the motorcycle, me in the car.

Except then it started pouring rain. He had brought his rain gear with, so we pulled over at a rest stop and he changed. The rear tire needs to be replaced, completely bald, so Alain was afraid of having an accident in the rain. We drove slowly all the way to his parent's house, crossing Marseille.

In the afternoon, we went to a Yamaha dealer in Salon-de-Provence, and ordered handlebars for the passenger, a new tire, and a central kickstand. The 10,000 km revision also needs to be done. So next Saturday, Alain has to take it back to the dealer at 9:30 a.m., for a total of 900€, plus the insurance of 1300€, this thing is starting to add up.

Anyway, the new one should keep him happy for a few years at least.

If he starts talking about buying a more powerful motorcycle, he is going to get kicked in the shins.

So now we have two motorcycles, the Yamaha and his Kawasaki ER6N. He will eventually sell the Kawasaki, but will be sad to see it go. It has almost 60,000 km on it, so I doubt we will get much for it. Le Sigh.

So after finishing up at my previous workplace on March 1st, I spent two weeks doing what I love best- sleeping in, watching The Vampire Diaries and Prison Break, naps, chocolate, shopping, and generally relaxing with a tiny bit of organizing and cleaning thrown in. As I had cleaned out my office, I had about ten boxes full of legal texts, exams, and just STUFF that accumulates in a workspace over five years- bottles of hand lotion, business cards, perfume samples, tea bags, and all the rest. Bit by bit, I had lugged everything home from work over a period of several weeks, but then just threw it in a corner, too exhausted to sort everything out.
Now I get to, yay! bring it bit by bit to the new office.

I started my new job this past Monday, and it is a huge change.
Old commute- leave at seven, walk to the car, drive about 30 minutes to Aix, park in parking garage, walk about five minutes to work. Coming home, leave work sometime after 6, drive at least 40 minutes (on a good day, an hour or even two hours if the taxis are on strike), search for a not quite legal parking spot, and hope there is no ticket awaiting in the morning. Total time- 40/60 minutes. Total cost- about 120€ per month, not counting wear on the car.

New commute- leave at about 8 or later, walk five minutes to tramway stop, take tram 4 stops, switch to subway, take subway three stops, walk about five minutes to office. Total time- about 30 minutes each way. Total cost - 20 euros per month (actually 40€, but employer is obligated to pay half of public transport use in France)

There is a gym in the office building, which I am thinking of joining (50€ per month).

Next week, I am headed up to Paris, to meet everyone since I will be working for/with both the Paris & Marseille teams.

All in all, I am hoping this new position gives me some room to grow while not being so exhausted all the time.

What to say? What to say?

Don't want to say too much, but I recently quit my current position in Aix-en-Provence and will be starting with another firm, doing the same thing, in Marseille in a few months time, once my current notice period is over (3 months in France!).

There are many things I will miss about working in Aix, the 90+ minutes per day of commute not being one of them.

I have been here five years and it is time for a change.

My Husband:



(photo courtesy of Yahoo!)

I just couldn't resist. A frog on a bright green motorcycle.
(and his name is Oui)

The instant I saw this photo, I burst out laughing. I showed it to Alain, saying "look! it is you! A frog on a green motorcycle!" He didn't think it was quite that funny.

Ah 2012. Goodbye.

January and February- quiet months. Me studying for my exam and Alain preparing for his habilitation.
March - my final exam and Alain's Habilitation, within days of each other.
April - the French presidential election, me voting in France for the first time
May - car troubles
June - another exam, in Paris
July- 14th of July celebration with Alain's sister and her family, my exam results, a last-minute trip to Taiwan for Alain
August- last minute trip to the US for us for three weeks, a much needed break
September - return to work, studying for my oral exam
October- oral exam in Paris
November - nothing of interest
December - holidays

Here are our plans for 2013:
January- nothing
February- nothing
March- nothing
April- nothing
May- hopefully meet up with Mom and Dad when they come over to Europe
June- nothing
July- nothing
August- vacation somewhere in France/Italy
September- nothing
October- re-take my oral exam
November- nothing
December- nothing

So hopefully it will be a quiet year with not too many exams for me.

We are passing some quiet holidays. We went to my in-laws for Christmas Eve, and stayed over. My mother-in-law hosted Christmas dinner. Everyone was there except pepe, who wasn't feeling well.  Manon was feeling sick and was rather out of it, Alain's sister and her husband were stressed because they are renovating their apartment (adding on a mezzanine level under the rafters) and are approaching the final days.

Now, here we are, New Year's Eve. Alain isn't feeling well, he thinks he has a pinched nerve in his lower back. He originally wanted to go out for New Year's (which is something we have never done), but due to our general exhaustedness and his back pain, we are staying in. He spent all day yesterday making ravioli for New Year's dinner, which will be at his aunt's house (the one to whom I gave the LAVANDE cross-stitch). Then, back to work on Wednesday.

Best wishes for 2013!

 Here is the other cross-stitch I finished this year, this one is for Alain's Aunt, Lydia. I have now done at least one for every household of Alain's immediate family. Noel for my in-laws, France for meme and pepe, Manon and Anna for his sister's family, and now Lavande for his aunt.

I think this is one of the prettiest ones I have done, especially due to the framing job, again 90€.