Brunch

This week was a tough one. Nothing bad happened, but in my enthusiasm for my work I tend to over commit myself and take on too much. My position here is busy enough without all of my extra self-imposed projects, and this week everything caught up to me.

So I worked every night, skipped all the activities that keep me sane, and spent too much time berating myself for doing both of the former. By Thursday I was literally hopping mad, and Friday evening I was in tears. No relief on Saturday as I had committed to an all day work event.

But today, sweet Sunday, one simple meal changed everything.

In Toronto, brunch is not a weekly occurrence for me, but my good friends S and DW are big fans, so I often join them for it, particularly if we have friends in from out of town.

In Poland, breakfast mostly consists of sandwiches or sweet buns, and there are few places in town where you can get what we would consider brunch.

So today when my American and British friends and I were given the menus at a restaurant we had found that served brunch, we squealed with delight. American style pancakes, French toast, English breakfast, bagels, maple syrup! The menu gave me such pleasure that I had to share it, so I read it aloud to my 18 month old buddy, who smiled as if someone was telling him a good bedtime story.

Even better than the menu was the food itself. When T first sipped her cafe latte she sighed with pleasure, declaring it amazing, and quickly ordered a second. When the pancakes arrived, 4 year-old M's eyes widened, and he asked his mother if she would share it with him.

My tost francuski was everything I had hoped it would be, and more, as was the half a bagel and cream cheese I mooched from T. That, my mimosa, and the good company put me right again. Once again, all is well.