End-of-2009 update

While I wait for the Frenchy to get back from a shopping expedition in the snow here's a quick recap of the end of 2009:

• We got married. It was wonderful. Not at all what I'd expected from years of singing at others' ceremonies but wonderful nonetheless. I missed having my Australian family and friends around me on the day but I've made a promise to have another wedding in Sydney in December 2010. Patience is a virtue, kids!
• We went to Carcassonne (and the SW region of France) for our honeymoon, which was fantastic. Great weather, beautiful countryside and loads of delicious food (Cassoulet, anyone?) Pics here.
• I went to Australia for two months to sort out yet another visa. Having received it and now being back in France I can freely say that, with one exception, the visa section of French consulate in Sydney is staffed by uncaring, stick-in-the-mud a*seholes. The one exception was the guy behind the counter who I finally got to meet with, who treated me like a human being - with understanding, compassion and a sense of humour.
  I can't tell you how relieved I am to be in the position of never having to deal with them again...or at least not for a long enough time for me to get over my ill-feelings toward them. Phew!
• I returned to France after seeing my much-loved family and friends and spending (almost) every second day on the Harbour using KT's OC1. Paris greeted me well - the Frenchy came to the airport, the sun was shining and the temperature wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It's since gotten cold and getting colder (yesterday got to -2...) but snow has fallen for the past three days so it's beautiful and helps me ignore the biting wind.
• I had a job interview last week that seemed to go quite well. No details on exactly what I'm being offered but I've been assured that things will become clearer over the next week or two. Fingers crossed!
• And, we're looking for a new apartment. Somewhere close to a park would be nice but the Parisian rental market is clearly NOT a renter's market - it's highly competitive and shockingly expensive. However, we remain optimistic and at least have the luxury of not having to move out of Mazarine urgently.
  

And that's about the sum of things. Of course, there are things afoot that I can't write about just yet (although I'm sure you'll be able to piece together a few of the things above to figure it out) but for now I'm looking forward to Christmas. It'll be my first European Christmas in many years, and the first I'll be spending as a married man with my family-in-law (which sounds horribly formal, particularly as they're so lovely). We'll be having dinner at B's mother's place on the 24th, B and I will have the 25th to ourselves (which I plan to spend admiring the tree...when it finally gets put up and decorated), and then we'll be having a Boxing Day/post-Christmas celebration at our place on the 26th, for which I'm cooking. Many, maaaany thanks to my mum for help in putting together the menu.
After the celebrations, B and I are heading to the north coast for a week and possibly for NYE, although that's a bit up in the air at the moment. Either way, lots of fun ahead.