It's April now and the piles for France surround me once again. This year we'll have a new tablecloth. We bought cheery, cherry red fabric on closeout last fall and I brought it home for hemming. That's stacked up along with a guide book for Corsica.

You see, to bring in a bit more funding to supplement our fall cooking tour of Provence, we've listed our house on Vacation Rental by Owner http://www.vrbo.com/222704 and managed to rent the house right out from under us just shortly after we arrive. So, what were two cooks with wanderlust going to do but wander?

Last year, we'd checked into going to Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon and a favorite vacation get away for many of our French friends. But, with the euro being exceedingly strong and our income heading the other way, we gave the island a pass.

Having maneuvered ourselves right out of our own door, we decided to use the rental money to explore this rugged piece of France that, in truth, is positioned far closer to Italy in the Mediterranean. Make money on this deal? I don't think so but we'll have fun and I'll have lots to pass on in my blog.

Right now I'm at the what needs to be dealt with before leaving stage of the trip--taxes most urgently but then bills, writing assignments, and scheduling details not far behind on the to-do list. It makes getting on the plane something to look forward to, even with the increasing inconvenience and discomfort of airline travel. Settled in my economy seat, I begin leaving the accelerated pace of US life behind and head towards the tranquility of my Mollans.