Retour au normal

Well hello there, folks.  After 1 train, 1 taxi, one hostel, one shuttle bus, 2 airplanes, and Dad's snazzy new car, I am officially home.  Leaving Deauville was not easy after making my home there for ten months, but my move was made easier by the knowledge that I'm not returning to make my home in a pit of vipers.  The nearly 4 days that I've spent on American soil have been quite pleasant so far, though I cannot help noting some differences/things that I miss/have missed/forgot existed:

Differences/Things I will miss:
-THE YOGURT AISLE!!!!!!!  One of the greatest parts of living in France (okay, minor exaggeration) was the huge variety of yogurt/yogurt dessert options, and seeing the 4 sad fridges that make up my Kroger's yogurt section.  Where is the brassé?  The riz au lait?  The fromage blanc?  The lovely mousses?  Back in Deauville, clearly.
-Watching Un gars, une fille, Vous les femmes, Gad Elmaleh, and the French news with Cathya and Katherine (or even by myself)
-Walking everywhere.  Even though Deauville is tiny I still ended up walking a lot, and even though I still knew I needed to exercise, it was nice to have physical activity such an easily achievable goal.
-The beach and the planches.  It was never warm enough for me to go swimming in the Channel (except for the last Sunday and Monday, maybe, when I didn't have time), but it was nice to be able to go read on the beach or splashing in the waves to cool off (or freeze, as happened when I did that in February).  
-Public transport.  Sigh.

 
Things I missed/forgot existed:
-Grape nuts!  What a joyous surprise on Sunday morning.
-Ale 8-1.  Still haven't had one yet, but some friends were partaking at a 4th of July party and I sense that it won't be long until I follow suit.
-Counter space, well stocked pantries and refrigerators, and  dishwashers.  Lovely inventions.
-Icy cold water!  I didn't even realize how much I missed this until I noticed how refreshed I felt yesterday after having 3 glasses.  To quote my grandmother, "Water is a cool and refreshing beverage."
-Non UHT pasteurized milk.  Ie Milk that must stay in the fridge prior to being opened.  It's so much tastier.
-Clothes dryers.  Non-prickly towels are such a boon.
-The library.  I picked up 5 books, 9 cds, and 2 movies from the famed Paul Sawyier Public Library yesterday and it was a beautiful thing.  I'm not sure where Deauville gets off having closed their library and not having opened the mediatheque yet.  



Lists aside, it's nice to be home.