I just filed my annual tax declaration, hooray. It’s been less complicated as last year, also thanks to always helpful Claude. This weekend is beach ultimate time at La Baule on the Atlantic: since I made it through the first selection process, a second and final is now due. Bad timing since I’m pretty down, I caught once again a virus from Effi. Anyway, it’ll be sunny, sandy and hopefully fun. Next week is family weekend at the cottage, the week after is going to be intense with all the kids at home but no Mathilde… and if I’ll survive this one I’ll be flying to Poland with Effi, to meet Mathilde for the week-end, hand-over the baby and spend a developer retreat week in the Lake Region with Mike and Wojtek. Back to my coughing, my aching neck and head, and my for-no-reasons tired legs.

Two beautifully long weekends and almost 3 Eimer gefüllte Sumpfkalkfarbe later, the Dortoir is dressing up for its final destination.

25°C and sun all day! Summer here you are!

In the plane and on the runway to return to Europe. What a chill, tasty and fun week. The eight people big or small TopScore crew created an excellent retreat, and survived a 5.2 earthquake with an épicentre only some 20 miles away. Time to join family and spend a week of holidays at the cottage and the country. A developer-only retreat in Poland with Mike and Wojtek is approaching fast and going to bring back TopScore vibes soon.

In the US. California. San Diego, or more precisely: La Mesa. Not exactly where Dennis Hopper grew up, but almost. TopScore’s 20th retreat is on (my 7th), and so I flew on Friday morning from Paris over London to San Diego. I almost didn’t make it since some random surprise second ID check at boarding in Paris held me back, I only had my passport on me which was not enough. Luckily Mathilde picked up the phone when I called, she just got up and managed to take a picture of my Personalausweis, which satisfied the British Airways staff who already closed the gate and almost gave up on me. Insane, my retreat was almost over before having started. Once in London queuing for my second flight I bumped into Wojtek, we happened to be on the same plane and didn’t realize it before. Die elfeinhalb Stunden vergingen wie im Fluge, and once customs have been passed we walked to a nearby brewery on the shore to wait for the others to join. Now some several burritos, a walk through Balboa park, a quick and free visit to the San Diego Zoo, a Padres baseball game, a team hike and an insane WholeFoods grocery shopping later, I’m in our huge house castle enjoying some Pacifico (soon in the hot tub). More to come, and it’s going to be fun.