There's no place like home

We had a little bit of a scare this week, after Juan hurt his back really bad. To make a long story short, we thought he had a bad herniated disc that would require him to have surgery and not allow us to travel to France to see my family. As it turns out, it is not as bad as we thought it was - and surgery is out of the question - and we will be on our way to Antibes in a few days.

It's always such an exciting time to go back to the country you grew up in. Going to France might sound like a vacation to a lot of people but to me it means going home. It means hanging out in my parents' home and not do anything. Wake up and help my Mom around the house. Go to the grocery store and make lunch with her. Watch the inevitable journal de 13 heures de Jean Pierre Pernaut after lunch, as we sip coffee. Mundane things yes, but that I miss oh so much.

Walking around our local grocery store in my village feels like being in a museum every time we go back. I cannot describe how much I love it. I love to check out food items that we don't see in the US, especially things like biscottes, cheeses, biscuits, prepackaged soups and sauces. And of course, I always end my visit in the toiletries aisle. Oh sure I find everything I want as far as face wash, body lotion and what not here in Austin, but I buy a bit of nostalgia when I bring back a Tahiti brand shower gel or several tubes of Labello chap stick. 

It's the first time since I have been blogging that I am going back to France. I am really excited to actually be able to share this experience with you. If you haven't done so yet, you can follow me on Twitter or stay tuned to this blog, as I will post mini updates and pictures as often as I can. 

The adventure will start on La Cote d'Azur on Monday, as we spend some time in our family home in Antibes. I'm back to packing. A tres bientot tout le monde!!