Day 11: or The Day I Decided Electric Water Boilers Are Actually Pretty Darn Handy

Man that's a long title...


So today was like any other Tuesday, took the kid to his morning class, coffee with another au pair, and then home for lunch. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the only days I cook lunch, and I pan fry fish for him. I of course enjoy my baguette sandwich and couldn't be happier. I believe the speed in which we run out of ham has greatly increased since I moved in, due solely to my sandwiches. Delicious.


The afternoon was spent running errands and resting the useless appendage that is my left foot. For dinner, I was going to use roast chicken we had and mix it with pasta. She had recommended I make a gratin, but the timing wasn't allowing it, so I steamed some green beans and we had small potatoes as well. In France, and I think most of Europe, they have electric water boilers. They are pitchers they heat up water on a hot plate at a rate much faster than a pot on a stove. It is great for tea, but they use it to jump start the cooking process. Unlike Texas, where tap water is a mild room temperature, the water is frigid coming out of the tap, so making pasta takes forever. Anyways, they may seem frivolous, but really they are just awesome.


After dinner, I spoke with the mom about vacations. They have 2, two week breaks. One in February and one in April. They will be skiing in the alps one of the February weeks, and will need me at the house the second week. They plan on going to the States for the April break, but aren't 100% sure. Since I have a dear, dear friend visiting me while I'm here, I needed to ask would I be able to make sure to at least get 1 week off in April. Weather wise, it will be so much better than February. She said that would be fine, and then she asked if I had any interest in going with the to the Alps? Umm, let's think. Yes, yes is the answer. It is not official, she thinks there will be room, but if not, thats ok, but I am pretty pumped that in a month I may be skiing the alps. And by skiing I mean slowly, slowly descending the mountain. So my day ended on a positive. I just hope it happens.