SPRING BREAK Journal: Wednesday, March 15, 2006

I had three excellent meals yesterday. In the morning, I joined my good friends, Jim and Ann, for some coffee and pancakes at our favorite restaurant in the Borough. Since it was just the three of us, we sat at a booth instead of our usual roundtable by the window. The food was flavorsome (although I had to send the lukewarm coffee back for a jolt of heat) and our conversation, as usual, was sprightly and happy. Later, after working at school for a few hours, I was back in the Borough at another cafe to enjoy lunch with Gary and Jeannie, just back from their stirring trip to France with the 9th grade. I was thrilled to hear all about their adventures, especially since I had accompanied them on last year’s trip. As they talked, it was easy for me to visualize the smoothly rolling hills of the Loire Valley, the turrets of the splendid chateaux, and the elegant boulevards of Paris. After several hours of indolence in the afternoon (reading, walking in the park, reflecting, day-dreaming), toward dusk I prepared my usual simple meal at home. I enjoyed a delicious piece of cold chicken, a sprig of steamed broccoli, a carrots-and-bean-sprouts salad, and a tall glass of pinot noir. As the daylight faded in the windows, I felt myself slowly fading off to an undisturbed night of rest after a very peaceable day.