âŚread in isolation of the preceeding postsâŚthis is very funny and I thought initially refering to an elderly neighbour in need! 
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It does, she is a very close neighbour. 
OooâŚso happy that I had not misread this! 
Crossed off one of my âBig Threeâ today: donated my dear-to-me ancient RV/tiny-home-on-wheels that was my home for the last almost-9 years so I could work and travel. Theyâll pick it up the morning of the day I drive to Houston, TX, to catch my flight to CDG the following day. After two weeks of navigating totally insane nutjobs - including one guy who faked four names and two phone numbers - as potential buyers? I decided the peace and serenity of my final 42 days in the USA was worth any amount for which I might be able to sell my dear old girl. I know many of you (all of you?) also felt the same levels of relief when a move-related BIG THING was finally in the rear view. Now I just need to sell my car (easy) and hope the USDA pet travel process comes through in the 10-day window they allot (canât control/canât worry).
Since I no longer drink alcohol, what special treat should I allow/bring myself to indulge on the plane once myself and the dogs are all ensconced and weâve lifted off?
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Ugh no. Everytime my family sends those, they get binned and I havnât the heart to tell them.
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Any one of three of these books?
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Excellent suggestion Mikey. I have read âall the lightâ and of course everybody knows âJean de Floretteâ (and the sequel âManon des Sourcesâ).
I am now motivated to investigate the other recommendations listed in your link.
Thanks Mikey and good luck & safe journey DrSukie.
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âA Year in Provenceâ was something which had us roaring with laughter⌠and we reckon each personality in the Book can be found in our rural French commune. 
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Because itâs light-hearted and a wonderful antidote (edit: anecdote - senior moment!) to whatâs happening in the world right now and it was an adventure, with a dog. Like yours.
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Yes Peter Mayle got a fair bit of stick for sugar-coating life in rural France (and also for turning Provence into a tourist / summer home blackspot - though Parisians probably did that first) - but I enjoyed reading his books. Of course they are fictionalised to some extent, but they are fun and atmospheric.
Of course other âwe moved to Franceâ books are available. 
Carol Drinkwaterâs Olive Farm books are quite good in a similar but more philosophical vein to Mayleâs.
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Admittedly, I may have picked this up not just for the title but it is still an illuminating and sometimes quite amusing read
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Not forgetting A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke
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I am totally getting all of these books, and will start re-reading âThe Bonjour Effectâ, which is fantastic!
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I mostly read it last summer, but I find the font used awful to read and thatâs really put me off. Still a very useful insight into French culture for me at least, and Iâm mostly glad that I persevered.
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https://www.amazon.fr/Mourjou-Life-Food-Auvergne-Village/dp/1903018331little
A bit more rustic than Aix and this bit of SW France has changed far less in the years since its publication
Apropos WWII Provence, some of Lawrence Durrellâs descriptions in his Avignon Quintet are wonderfully evocative - though I do prefer the far more grounded Alexandria Quartet.
Suspect you could add to Durrellâs Antrobus anecdotesâŚ
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Thereâs this one tooâŚ
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Oh yes
At the market today we felt mildly rebuked, for the first time in a while, by the man selling vegetables. We forgot to âBonjourâ. He didnât.
My good news: after forgetting an appointment, for the second (even more mortifying than the first) time, Madame was not only seen by the doctor at the local âweâre not accepting new patientsâ surgery, but was allowed to go on his list.
And they say praying is a waste of time.
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