Aix-en-Provence, France - January 2023

It is another year in France and I a lot happened this past year. Pia graduated from IBS in May and shortly after we were making preparations for her to head off to Amsterdam where she’d start her new chapter at the University of Amsterdam.

I moved out of Aix in July and into the countryside in a little town called Le Puy Saint Reparade. It was a spontaneous decision as I was offered to have a look at a little apartment that had a garden and a shared pool. The apartment is one of 7 that is in a renovated Bastide. It is very pretty and it is very quiet. It looks like Provence here and I am enjoying being able to sit outdoors, something I couldn’t do while in Aix. The move was a nice one for me and I’m really enjoying it. It is a little far from Aix but as I know it so well, it’s not a big deal for me to get into town often.

Living out here has allowed me to discover the Luberon. I am within 30 minutes of some of the sweetest villages and I am really enjoying getting out and about and seeing everything there is to see out this way. The small villages (Lourmarin, Cucuron, Ansouis, etc.) all have their own little atmospheres. They all have a nice market and I must say that driving to and fro to any of these places is just breathtaking at any time of the year. In fact, having the excuse to head out to a market or even for a lunch somewhere in the the Luberon is nothing short of breathtaking. EVERYWHERE! This has been a nice move. I do miss Aix and I do miss that it was closer to the sea.

I will enjoy this time for as long as I have it. Who knows where this year will lead me? The possibilities are endless.

Aix-en-Provence, France - January 2022

Well, we are now in year two. I came back from a lovely summer in the U.S., visiting my family on Cape Cod. I hadn’t seen anyone in 2 years. After the Cape I was lucky enough to head to Malta where we were meant to be having a family reunion. Between the 5 of us, there were some that hadn’t seen each other in over a year and in some cases more like two. We were very disappointed when the two older girls were unable to make it at the last minute. Malta had decided to change their covid rules and where it stood, neither of the girls met the needs of the entry requirements. One wasn’t fully vaccinated (yet) and the other was coming from the United States and didn’t have a European QR code, proving that she had the vaccine. My youngest daughter, Pia, was already there and I had a European vaccination card so I was good to go. We had a nice time in Malta and it was a good break before we headed back to Aix hoping for an easier year. The school year started without too many problems. In fact, it has been quite easy for the the most part. As bars and restaurants had opened again just before summer, we returned to a completely changed town. Whereas last year there were few people on the streets and very little open other than supermarkets and pharmacies, we were now treated to music in the streets, the clinking of glasses in the bars and hoards of tourists being led around by their guides.

I was able to attend a few social gatherings for expats and this was a welcome break, as I realized last year that my French is good but I am still very American in many ways. It was a relief to find some English speakers to hang out with. The fall started off with a high. I had a surprise visit from my daughter, Angelica, who lives in Los Angeles and then in November, Maddie surprised me for my birthday. We headed to a locked down Amsterdam for Christmas but had a great visit and enjoyed walking around despite the covid restrictions.

It is now January and I’m sorry to report that just about everyone we know has come down with Covid. Pia and I are still testing negative but we are so curious as to why. We are both boosted but we have been surrounded by positive infections. We sit and wait and hope that this wave will pass us by.

For now, I’m going to get out there and enjoy some fresh air. There’s so much to do in Provence!!

Aix-en-Provence, France - 2021

I am currently in France, living in Aix-en-Provence. I had moved back to the U.S. last year and was enjoying life in sunny Sarasota, Florida, but coronavirus brought me back to Europe to be with my youngest daughter. She is only 16, and it was essential to be together during this trying time. It has been an upheaval, but I've been on the go most of my adult life, so moving here was very easy. I am excited to be with my daughter, and at the same time, I get to wander the streets of Aix during the quietest of times. It is a pleasure to discover all of the many roads that maze their way through the city. What an extraordinary time to be anywhere and not be surrounded by tourists! A local life with no outer influence and a common goal of keeping healthy.

All photos are mine 📷