Aliens arrive in Nice and establish headquarters in Eve’s belly

Apologies to those who have been waiting for another blog entry: sometimes ya just gotta live your life and write about it later, non?

So last week I finished up at my little rented apartment (my second stay there and oh how I wish I could buy it) and hopped on the TGV at Gare de Lyon for the 5 hour train trip to Nice (which sounds like a lot, but actually it goes really quickly). The TGV is great, esp if you buy the cheap internet tickets. Included is a dining car which is more like a cafe with seats that face the windows, magazines and occasionally performances by musicians or djs (on the overnight trains).

It was so weird to arrive back in Nice. Its been less than a year since I was last there. It felt like coming home in a way, and yet so much has changed since then that it was jarring. I had to stop myself from turning left onto the main road, remembering that Daniel, Richard and Magalie no longer live just around the corner. And Eve and Fred have moved apartments too, so getting off at an earlier stop to meet Fred was really strange. But they are both exactly the same, and once I was back with my French Family (!) it was like I’d just been down to Carrefour to get the groceries (and not to Australia and back again).

Eve is now 8 months pregnant and despite the doctor saying that she should take things easy because Tina (its a girl!) is sitting really low, Eve continues in her crazy acting ways.  Tina is due in May, Eve’s acting school is putting on a performance in June, and she has also organised a production (in which she will direct, produce, promote and also play the female lead) for the famous Avignon theatre festival in July. And she’s still teaching English privately.

Fred is Fred (I’m sure he’ll love to hear that!).  We planned to go rollerblading one afternoon but it was too windy so we went homewares shopping instead. I dont think I’ve ever seen anyone so excited by a “$2 shop” equivalent megastore. He insisted on trawling every single aisle. He’s become a very doting partner during Eve’s pregnancy. They still argue passionately all the time (I love listening to the ping-pong of “opinions” and the sudden calm once a joint position is reached) but he has turned up the compassion, gentleness, care and affection to 11. I felt privileged to be able to be there to help them both put the baby’s bed together – Fred focused on getting the screws in just right, Eve folding and hanging the pink silk over the canopy. They cant wait for Tina to arrive. They know that their life will change and yet they’re glad of that, without any feeling that their life is “over”. Tina is a much welcome addition (enhancement?) to their family.

Tina is already a little minx. She’s a night-owl that insists on moving around all night and keeping her Mum awake. And because Eve hasnt put on much weight, just sitting on the couch next to Eve is a surreal experience – her belly is round one second, oval the next, sticky-outy-bits moving around – ergh! I’m too scared to touch the belly that contains the alien baby!

On my last day I stormed down to the Cours Saleya (Nice’s market) all ready to buy the biggest container of tapenade, and as many olives and sun-dried tomatoes as I could. But alas: Monday is “les puces”, the flea market, with all sorts of old stuff people in France bring out from their attics (including it seems, old relatives and prehistoric dust). I’m sure there are probably priceless antiques in there but all I noticed was a fur coat with the head and feet still attached. So now the search is on for a market in Paris that sells mediterranean/north african produce. I think I’ve found 2, just need to go and visit!

Our final meal together was a beautiful home made potato puree with enormous pan-fried duck breasts, and a nice bottle of Cotes du Rhone (that somehow, Fred and I managed to finish…..). And chocolate (it was Easter after all) bought from the chocolate shop just next door (apparently the best in Nice).

So after another 5 hours on the TGV (American singer and guitar player in the dining car), I was back in Paris, and headed straight to the apartment that I’ll be calling home for the next little while….