I am watching a Hallmark movie, Summer Villa, supposedly set in the south of France (really set in Montréal, Canada). The opening views of lavender, the market scenes, someone with a (I hope) legit French accent take me back to ten years ago I was living in Arles, on the Rhône River, working as a …
Category: life
How a French teacher becomes l’assistante américaine to a French chef in Provence
As if the title isn't long enough... It's now been 10 years since The Sabbatical Chef was born. I am honestly afraid to read my first attempts at writing, but, well, here it is. My first post. I am a Southern girl and grew up around good food, but my mom and grandmother never used …
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The Queen
I just stumbled across this poem, thanks to the dad of one of my 6th graders. It came from the blog Just An Inquisitive Soul. Maybe Inquisitive is the author? When I googled The Queen poems a slew of different poems popped up. No time (or patience) to wade through them right now. I am …
Procrasti-baking and the Power of Love
Yes, it's a thing. I saw it on Facebook and, frankly, I was relieved. The article, from the New York Times on-line, entitled Why Work When You Can Procrastibake? starts this way: All procrastibakers do not bake alike. Procrastibaking — the practice of baking something completely unnecessary, with the intention of avoiding “real” work — is …
Getting along
So, I have not always been a Kenny Chesney fan. (Sorry, Kenny.) Just for the past few years. Welcome to the Fishbowl, released in 2012, was the first album by him that I bought. And I still listen to it all the way through. The BFF saw him in concert a few years back and …
One day at a time
Today a very dear friend of mine taught me a very valuable lesson. She probably won't take credit for it. That's just how she is. We have taught together for 30+ years. We can finish each other's sentences. Kind of like an old married couple. We sponsor a club for 7th and 8th grade girls at …
A new day
(from Positive Thoughts Facebook page) Maybe I am just a simple person. Maybe I was born under a lucky star. Certainly not with a silver spoon in my mouth or already on second or third base. I've worked hard all of my life. I have had good role models and mentors. Maybe sometimes I've just …
The right place at the right time
It has only been a little over a month since I returned from France. It was an amazing trip with my co-chaperone and 13 of my eighth grade students. While planning the trip, I discovered that there would be a guided tour in English at the Mémorial de la Shoah. My students and I discuss …
Searching for serenity
http://www.actsstore.org/ It's been one of those weeks. I am lucky that I have the Ex-Ex, some very good friends who love me, listen to me, and make me laugh (google tarantula burger and you will see what my BFF has been up to- hearing about that made me guffaw during our walk/therapy session this morning). …
Early mornings and muffins
I am an early riser. Mostly by choice. I love my quiet house. It's me and the cat- sometimes. Unless she has decided to go back to bed. Right now the heat is on because it's decided to go down into the 30's here again. I can hear birds chirping in the trees right outside …
the sabbatical chef 