We’re back in the U.S. for a couple of weeks to see family, eat some spicy food and the best deep dish pizza this side of Chicago, and grab a few things from our storage place to bring back to France to make our place feel more like home. We brought two large, empty suitcases just for that and will be stocking up on over-the-counter meds and things at Costco that are not available in France (or at least not in the desired quantity) before we return.

We flew out of the Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) in Paris last Thursday and it was stunning to see how large it was and strange to be back in the San Francisco airport after leaving it to go to France last May. Gratefully, we had a direct flight, but still the jet lag and travel fatigue took a while to get over.

It’s strange to be in a car-centric society again, battling traffic, and after going to the grocery store and bakery for foodstuffs for our kitchenette, we see what Americans are talking about with the higher grocery prices!

Still, it’s been great to see and help our family, speak in our native language for a little while, and walk around our favorite lake which was hosting its annual “Water Bark” event for dogs in their swimming lagoon. As we are dog lovers who are without a dog right now, it was so fun to watch 50+ dogs running around, swimming, and having the time of their lives on a beautiful fall day.