the count down begins!!!

an aerial view of where we live taken in September 2007 on our previous trip to the U.S. to finally get married!

In just 12 day the hubby and I will be boarding a plane and making the long haul back to the States for a visit. Yay! It is going to be so nice to see our family and be back where I understand everything that is going on. I can ease-drop on conversations at the grocery store instead of rudely staring at people trying to figure out what they are talking about - and this is when they ARE NOT talking to me. I confess it, I try to understand what people are saying to one another when I'm out and about. It's called practicing your French people...er...well, maybe not since I don't actually ever speak to them. If you've ever learned a foreign language in a country where they speak that foreign language you've got to know what I mean. Well, I hope I'm not the only one. I find myself staring with concentration at people trying to see if I can actually understand what they are saying to one another. Normally, I would never do this. It's so rude. but I have caught myself many times doing this without even realizing it. Naturally, when the people I am boring holes through with my eyes notice me I immediately pretend to be engaged in something else - the can on the shelf or staring out the window if I'm on the bus. I either get a haughty European scowl (I won't say French since this look is definitely not exclusive to the French) or a leering grin - if I happen to be staring at a middle aged man. But, I digress.

We are heading back to the States for 2 weeks. I wish it were longer so we could visit more friends but I have to be back to work by June 5. I know it sounds silly that the person who only works 2 days a week is the one who is obliged to arrange her vacation around her work - but there it is. First stop is my hometown in Upstate Western New York where my sister will be getting hitched, then we'll jump into my parents car and head down to Pittsburgh to visit my husbands family. We'll finally get to see our niece who was born in...February...I think it was February. Oh dear, I'm the world's worst aunt. Then again, since my nephew calls me Crazy Mel are you surprised? No, I thought not.

It's going to be a whirlwind no doubt but we're excited. At least it will be a break for the hubbster who has been working is non-existent little booty off at work the past couple of months. The closer they get to the summer and the intended date to turn on the LHC the higher the pressure is to meet all the deadlines.

So, we're making our lists of what we have to do when we're home and what we absolutely need to bring back with us. First on my list is saline solution. Yes, they have it here but so far the cheapest I could find it for was 11 Euros! Ridiculous. You can buy it like a buck at Walmart so we're definitely stocking up. I'm sure my husband will have Frank's Red Hot sauce on the list. he just can't find a suitable replacement here. Which reminds me we'll definitely have to have hot wings when we're in NY. mmmm....hot wings in blue cheese...I'm starting to drool already.

I'm really curious to see how much my perceptions have changed in living in France for one year, if they have at all. Right now I don't really feel like they have significantly altered but I'll just have to wait and see once I'm back in the good ol' U.S. of A.