April 2008 Archives

Yes.

We moved to France.

Our wakeup call was the snow. Two weeks in sunny Kalymnos, Greece, whose climate is very much like Santa Barbara's, was heaven. Ten days of snow upon return to Nuremberg, Germany, was not. Ten days. Of snow. I built three snowmen and shoveled snow all day in rubber boots, very much the Bayerische Bauersfrau! There's only so much one can do in the countryside during winter, and we had done it all.

And so, a change of scenery: new climbing areas, a new language to (re)learn, and Spring in the south.

Fortunately we didn't have much to pack; our landlady graciously offered to store our bed, bicycles, and microwave for us. Our random bits of acquired things and luggage are stored in a relative's cellar. We don't have much: climbing gear, camping gear, clothes. Creature comforts like books, yarn (hell yeah), BFF's watercolors, the laptop, the camera. We made lists, checked things off those lists, packed the car. And drove west.

There's a little part of me that thinks of the Germany we left behind: big blue skies, forests and fields where anyone can walk through or lie down or picnic, striking scenery. Oh, it was so good having our own little place in the countryside! But it's time to move on.