About to start the next episode of this chapter of life

At this time a week from today, I will be eating dinner at Le Panache in Toulouse. As those of you who have read the blog know, Le Panache is my home away from home in Toulouse. I look forward to dinner there because of the food but more so because of Ervim and Enzo. I am excited to going back.

I will return to Toulouse next Wednesday. My flight out is on Tuesday so am not preparing to leave. The logistics have gotten easier each time I go back. I have a standard set of clothes and other things that I take every time I go to Toulouse. The fall trips are always slightly different as I have to take a coat, hat, gloves and warmer running gear. It never really gets cold while I am there but the nights get chilly towards the end of November/early December.

For the last three trips, I have been able to stay in the same apartment which is very nice. It means I am familiar with everything and it has started to feel like home. Each time I go, I add a little more to the apartment’s kitchen supplies. As you would expect with an Airbnb, the kitchen is not fully stocked with everything one would want to cook on a long term basis. The most important thing added was on the first trip was good wine glasses. I do not like to drink out of the small round (what I describe as Italian restaurant glasses).

I already have a dinner set-up to catch up with Eliott. It is nice to know that I have friends who are looking forward to seeing me when I return. I will also catch up with Mireia. I will also see Ervim, Enzo and Morgane. I think Enzo is going to run the Toulouse Half so I will probably do that as well with him. I will also see Marc and others in the run group.

I am looking forward to lunches at Terra Tolosa, running with Run in Toulouse, Aperol Spritzes at La Reserve and all the other fun things I am used to in Toulouse.

This trip will be different but good. Emily and Barbara (two friends from Alexandria) are coming over to visit in mid-October. I am looking forward to showing them around Toulouse. We hope to do a winery tour while they are there. In early November, I will fly to Florence to meet Tom and Marion. We will go up to Bologna from Florence for a couple of days. I am really looking forward to both of those activites.

The summer in Alexandria has been good. I have gotten to visit with friends and do the things I am used to doing in life in Alexandria. I have to say that I have limited my activities somewhat as I felt that the last time I was home in the winter, I booked to much and tried to do to much so this time I tried to be more balanced.

I still did wine classes and other activities at UnWined and Revel which I always enjoy. I ran with NOVA Rogue Runners, had my weekly lunch with Tom, attend French conversation class and went to the Wednesday service at St. Paul’s. An added activity was running with Vanessa. Vanessa wanted to get into a more consistent running pattern so I have been meeting her a couple days a week to run. We are running the Patriot’s Run on Sunday to complete our running program.

I did two fun trips which I blogged about earlier in the summer, Belize and San Diego. Both were great fun and helped me not feel as sad about not being in Toulouse. It was great to spend a week with Dima in Belize and see a new place. Catching up with Sarah, Liam, Tom and Jake in San Diego was great as well.