We have successfully exited Paris. The final week was frantic. I attempted and failed to wrap up loose ends at work and we Céline spent the whole week trying to pack and prepare the apartment. When the move finally came it felt like we did everything on the last day (this always seems to happen no matter what I do – I am trying to convert Céline over to a minimalist lifestyle of living out of a single backpack, no dice so far). This time the car that we rented ended up being way way smaller than how it looked on the website. We were thinking the Renault version of a Subaru and it was more like a VW bug. I went through the various stages of fatherhood traveling(grief, acceptance, hope, way more grief) and tried to treat it like a crappy game of Tetris, but as we fell more behind schedule I opted for “bend/fold/shove and pray nothing breaks” method. We ended up playing the “choose what to leave behind” game and the strollers are still in Paris. Gaël ended up being surrounded by things, his little head popping up between bags, and halfway through a pile of books ended up tumbling on him (he let us know).
 
We’ve moved into Céline’s grandmother’s house in La Temple de Bretagne (pop 2000). It’s an ancient building which was originally a stable and apple press. In the 80s Céline’s grandparents moved in and converted it to a house. With thick stone walls and huge exposed wooden beams it has swept me off my feet and not even the 80s wallpaper/carpet can get me down. It’s been vacant the last two years and the first week was a mix of treasure hunting (discovered the ancient liquor cabinet – still stocked) and cleaning (reclaiming the house from the million spiders). There is no internet out here and we’re treating it like a cleanse (I’m sending this from her parents).

As I am currently unemployed, I have plenty of time to wander and explore. It’s a change of pace from the city. The people and smells give way to trees, fields and silence. I spend my days with Gaël going to the park, the pool or the coast. It’s amazing to see the region through Céline’s eyes as this is where she grew up. This time was supposed to be a down period, just a gap before we come home, but it’s slowly becoming my favorite part of this year.  
 
Any fitness gains I’ve made this year I’ve lost quickly by trying not to miss out on anything before I leave. Duck, foie gras, fish, white wine, pastries, mussels, red wine, crepes, salad, steak, I don’t want to miss any of it. Céline and my body begin to scream at me “you are no longer a young man!” and I can begin to feel my appetite and metabolism starting to lose ground in the battle.
 
Some quick updates:

Céline is good. Enjoying spending some time with her friends and family before we head back. She is finally getting some opportunities to read for fun. We’re trying to take advantage of her parents living just next to us to take some date nights (I want to add sushi and entre-cote/frites to the list above).
 
Gaël continues to be a human pinball, a destroyer of worlds. He runs and runs and runs. He’s figured out how to kick the soccer ball with me and he runs around the yard dribbling. Yesterday I stopped watching him for a second and he managed to tip over a massive mattress on to himself. I heard screaming and saw Gaël crawl out from underneath it like a warrior or something. He has firmly learned the word “no”...which he uses constantly.
 
I’m getting to play a little bit of soccer on the tiny clay court next to us. It’s fun, but the only competition I’ve found is 5-year-old Axel, the neighbor kid. He makes me play goalkeeper while he takes penalties from half a meter away. I’m getting to do some reading and writing as well; the internet detox is good for me.
 
Hoping everyone is enjoying the cooler part of the summer,

Cowabunga dude,

David