DF,
You are right, of course, and whether I cross the Atlantic or just the English Channel (my second choice), I do not intend to finish my days in France. but for the time being I am stuck here.
By the way, thank you for making me feel less isolated. Before my life was paced only by not frequent enough trips to the US, and visits from American colleagues and friends. Now I also have your blog to keep me going in between.