An American in Provence

It's May. Finally. Oh my god my exams are in less than a month. On our wedding anniversary no less.

Managed to get back to Marseille in one piece. Actually managed to take the scheduled flight. So much quicker than the train! From my class, I took the tramway right to the train station in Strasbourg, hopped on a 10-minute commuter train to the airport, checked in (after they fixed the problem with my ticket), went through security, got on my flight (a puddle jumper), an hour later landed in Marseille, got my luggage, and decided I was way too exhausted to deal with taking the shuttle bus to Marseille, then the subway, then hauling my suitcase up a flight or two of stairs (yay for handicap-unfriendly public transportation!), then lugging it several blocks to our apartment, so I sprung for a taxi. As the counter rapidly made its way to 70, started to wonder if it was really a good idea or not. Arrived in front of our apartment building and was informed that the total was actually 55€. Um, okay. Talk about transparent pricing. Was too tired to really care though so I paid him and was very happy to be back. Wanted to take a nap but was too wound up.

Spent the next day doing load after load of laundry, as well as trips to the hardware store and grocery store, and watching mindless television all day long. Hey, I really really needed it.

Went back to work on Friday and spent most of the day just catching up and organizing my papers, as usual.

On Saturday we were invited to dinner. Yes, we do still have friends!

It was a colleague of mine from my previous job in Aubagne. He and his wife are Argentinian, and are expecting their first baby end of May/beginning of June. Actually, it will be easier for me to list our married childless friends:
Nobody.

It was strange being back in Aubagne.
There's the train station where I waited for trains for hours due to the strike!
There's the cafe where I had a café au lait every morning to pass time until it was time to go to work due to arriving in Aubagne about an hour and a half too early due to the strike!
Good memories, I tell ya.

We left a little after 1 a.m., which must be a record. South Americans are known for not even starting the night until midnight. I chalk it up to the fact that she is pregnant. Arrived back in Marseille and were in bed by 2.

Sunday morning I cooked muffins, banana chocolate. Alain took one bite and said "Ahh! Banana!!" Sigh. I guess no more snot muffins in this household.

I brought the rest in to my work, and they were gone in a few hours, even the batch left in the oven about five minutes too long.

Another week and a half of work before my week off to study for the exams.