I have arrived safe and sound back to the beautiful home of my heart- Grasse, France. I got in last night, after a very long journey from Canada. I caught the bus from the Nice airport- and after wrestling my two large and one small loaded down suitcases (more raw materials and books/papers than clothes) down into the old city, I was met by my friend Julie who had my keys. She than kindly helped carry everything up to the 5th floor where I live.
I was nervous all week- not sure how it would feel to be back in Grasse this time. I have been in Canada for the last 11 months, and it is always a huge shift to jump between cultures and worlds- and I often feel so slightly schizophrenic in which place I belong to. The longer I spend in one place the bigger leap it is to return to the other. (I still think there should be some sort of psychotherapy for this sort of dilemma).
However, as soon as the bus entered the outskirts of Grasse, I felt a surge of excitement. And certainly, as soon as I unlocked the door and stepped into my apartment, I breathed the huge sigh of relief that one does after being away from home for a long time.
Now today, after a heavy sleep (thanks Jordanna! melatonin really works!)- I am unpacking and settling back into this lovely space. It is cold (these old buildings are not made for cold weather, and last night it was -1 C), but it is bright and familiar, and I am excited to get to work creating the perfume that has been percolating in my mind for the last 6 months.
View from my desk...