Home Again, Home Again

Dancing a Jig!

We left France on April 11th for a short visit back to the U.S.  We had a bunch of stuff to do, so here's a breakdown:

Taxes - Uncle Sam doesn't care where you are, the due date is the same.  We complied!

Applied for Visas - Ron was pre-approved but I was not.  We had to apply, in person, at the Consulate in Los Angeles.  We both had an appointment on April 13th - we came prepared with a mountain of paperwork: birth certificates, marriage certificates, bank statements, police clearance letters, applications, proof of insurance, passport-size photos, etc. etc. etc.   To my surprise and relief, we both had our Visas in hand exactly one week later!  So my dear France, I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me! (name that movie quote?!?!?!)

I don't know why we needed passport photos since they took their own photo with a snazzy point and shoot camera and that's the photo they used on our Visas.  As you can see, I was appropriately dressed and prepared: 

Yay!  Now I can stay!

This wasn't an all play stay, we both had work to do.  Ron had engineering stuff and a wedding to photograph, I had a bunch of photo stuff as well; portrait sessions, a corporate event and a wedding.  We were very busy!

Of course, we took time to visit family and friends - so many people to see, so little time!

We also spent about 5 days at our vacation home - this was not a vacation either!  We had a lot of storm damage to clean up in the form of fallen trees.  Fortunately there was no major structural damage, but the chainsaws and log splitter got a major workout.

This huge oak branch fell onto our deck, narrowly missing both a bedroom window and sliding glass door.

This was the scene all over our property.  Some trees completely uprooted, others just snapped!

Chris worked his backside off!  Lots of broken trees to cut down!

Keith and Rosie helped out too - all those logs had to be split!

Despite all the noise we made with chain saws and log splitters and tractors and trucks, the wild turkeys were hanging about.  It was mating season and the male was doing his best to entice the females.  

I feel pretty and witty and bright

An interesting side note:  We left Paris on the 11th, arrived in SoCal on the 11th then drove up to our vacation home on the 15th.  When I woke up on the 16th, for a brief moment I had no idea where I was!  It is very strange having three places to call home and to have slept in all three of them in one week.  

There was one other important thing we did while visiting the U.S. - we went to all of our favorite restaurants; La Isla, Original House of Pancakes, Lettuce, Wok and Roll and Farmer Boys! 

Ron's visit was shorter than mine - he headed back to Paris on April 25th.  I had more portrait and corporate work to do, so I headed back almost 2 weeks later, on May 6th. 

It was wonderful being home but I found myself strangely conflicted.  I wanted to be in all three places at one time!  I didn't want to leave our vacation home and I missed Paris!  Every time I got in the car to go somewhere, I found myself wishing I could just walk there or take the Metro and I missed a fresh baguette every day!  It is amazing that in only a few short months, we have come to love and appreciate the Parisian life and to think of Paris as home too.