7.5 hours in front classes today… To say that I was wrung out by the end would be just about right. A bite to eat, a bit of quiet and a bowl of ice cream can just about right the ship again though.

Such was Monday…

Long Teaching Day

I normally don’t have 7.5 teaching hours on Mondays, but one day in October, the car didn’t start in time for me to get to my 9:30 class in Angers. I arrived in time for my 11 a.m. class, but I was going to have to make up that first class at a later date: Today.

Given I already had a 9:30 a.m. class, this one had to be squeezed in at 8:00 a.m.: Three classes back-to-back until 12:30, a break for lunch, then back at it from 1:30 until 4:30.

I feel bad for others in the house. Sometimes I realize I’m using my ‘teacher voice’ and I wonder if it’s dreadfully loud for them.

Increasingly Full House…

Sophie’s been doing school from home and today was Dominic’s first day. I don’t know who’s singing ‘Lockdown Blues’ the loudest… them, or Liz who has to put up with an increasingly full house during the day. She does well though, and manages to translate on top of keeping us all sane.

That brings me to the title of today’s post… after supper, dishes and a bit of quiet, Liz had a hankering for ice cream. She & Timo opted for a chocolate pudding topping while Sophie & I opted for Liz’s grape syrup.

Last year, every time she walked the dog, she’d come back with a little bag filled with whatever happened to be ripe in the neighbourhood that day (and not growing in someone’s garden). This syrup represented the last of last year’s grapes. It can be mixed with a sparkling water, drank slightly warmed (like mulled apple cider) or… on ice cream.

Recipe:
(no exact quantities … prepare ‘to taste’)
Grapes
simmer then strain for juice
Continue to simmer the strained juice with…
– grated orange rind
– cinnamon sticks
– some sugar
Once cooled, bottle up and Voilà!
(Note: doesn’t keep a long, long time)

Ladies like Liz…

The Bible talks about them:

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”
Proverbs 31.27-28

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We were given contact information today for someone today who desires to grow in the Lord. We’ll be following up on that in the coming days.
If and as you think of us over the coming days…
ask the Lord to bless that conversation.
Thank you & God bless you today!