An American in Provence

Around this time of year, there is only one thing on my mind- La Printemps.
When the cold Mistral is ablowin' as I'm awaitin' the bus, all I can think is "How can a place that is so freakin' HOT in the summer, be this incredibly COLD in the winter?!"
It isn't usually below freezing but it sure feels like it with the wind.
I think my WF (Wuss Factor) has significantly increased since I moved here. I am a long ways away from the days when I was crawling through mud in the snow.
The days are slowly getting lighter (is that a glimmer of sunlight as I drive to work?) and people are starting to talk about summer vacation, which will most likely be the same as usual for us- a long weekend in San Remo, complete with complaining about the rocky beaches and the lack of a shower, (but with plenty of gelati and pasta at least), followed by working on the apartment like mad during August. Would like to go up to Bretagne, we haven't seen Alain's maternal grandmother since I moved here in 2005. But just don't know if we will be able to take a week off from apartment-renovating. Put it another way, if this apartment isn't done by the end of August, I really will pêter un cable.
February/March will bring several new babies into our circle of family/friends.
(And just to preempt the inevitable inquiry- No, not yet Pepe).
Here's to Spring!