Independence

Independence is a stick shift away - I feel liberated knowing that I can drive out to town without depending on my husband. Moroccan lunch prepared by a Japanese-American-French turns out so/so. 3 of my children want to go to the beach, so we hop into the car to the beach in Juan Les Pins and mysteriously end up in Antibes instead. We find the best spot in the parking lot in the shade, only to realize that I left my bag with my purse at home. So, I leave the kids and head back home, pick up the bags and head back to the beach. My kids count 11 languages on the jam packed sand beach of old Antibes. The man with the sugar coated peanuts comes by to offer free samples. Around 5 pm, my daughter says "Well, shall we?" and we do. We pass by the pool supplies shop to buy chlorine, stop by the local grocery to buy essentials, and head back home. I am impressed that the shop keepers speak very good English. Without doubt, they didn't like my French, but still...ask a typical Californian to speak passable French. Impressive!