26 chatterboxes
100 degrees
first day of school
electricity goes out
i drifted back to budapest…
i did not remove this apartment directory and bring it home to hang here in moss cottage.
i didn't.
but i wanted to.
this was not today's lunch.
but i wish it had been.
you'll see a lot of these same photos in my travel journal. and just like here some of them will go with my writing and some of them won't.
most of them won't.
apparently i love duck. this one is in a mango orange sauce. and served with nut covered potato bready puff balls with a bit of plum jam inside. can one of you come over to my house and roast me up a luscious duck breast once a week? please.
i'll make you one of these:
whaddayasay?
Dearest Mary Ann,
Where the hell have I been? I have no clue, but please know that I love you, the entire package, et. all. You are a miracle and such a joy to behold.
I’ve lost my e.w. too lately. Time to get a grip and pay attention to the important things in life.
Soon as I get back from my trip to home/home, I am determined to do that.
Smacks of goodness to you, love, e.
Well, I am absolutely no good in the kitchen, so I’m afraid I can’t cook you a duck for dinner. But I would be delighted to wash the dishes in exchange for a lovely evening a Moss Cottage and seeing your beautiful photographs/journals up close. I can bring wine and dessert 😉
Dear me…100degrees will roast those little monkeys, much less their teacher. You can have my duck breast but I’ll take one of those nut crusted potato puff balls. Post vacation memories – oh I’m familiar with those, esp when you’re not sure you’ll ever be back. So much world, so little time.
Love living vicariously through your photos & words!!!
Laura
Mary Ann, how lucky those 26 little monkeys are. Someday you will retire from teaching, however, and then you have a nice future as a travel writer! Thank you for taking us with you. Until I read your blog, I never had a desire to go to Budapest, being a Paris girl through and through. Now I see what I’ve been missing.
THANK YOU… THANK YOU… THANK YOU…
You make me laugh, you make me cry, and you never cease to inspire me. Please continue to travel and continue to write about your travels!
I feel your heat wave. We are currently having the draining heat and humidity package. It is only day two( and they are promising it through Sunday) and I am already drained. Thank goodness no chatterboxes (other than our indoor cat, Chanter) are demanding my attention.
Drifting away.
Sounds like a great trade…..just wish I lived closer. Hope you have a great year and a cooler climate in which to teach!
Be careful what you wish for! I’m almost over there. Inching along..:)
Ummm… that bready potatoey thingy with jam sounds divine. I want one of those with that pretty green drink please!! And a trip to Budapest please. It looks charming and sounds wonderful.
I recently started the “Invisible Bridge” about a Jewish man from Budapest who goes to Paris right before WWII. So far, its fabulous. Have you read it? Its made me think about you.
Happy Back to School. No small feat herding small people. Good luck with that!
If we were closer, I’d love to come roast you a duck breast weekly. We could try it quickly fried after being sliced, lightly breaded with panko and then served with some of my blueberry chutney. That’s a favorite at my cottage.
Oh my the first day, 26 kids, no electricity, hotter then H, I would have drifted too and let every one of those little craft monkeys dream big (quietly of course). Can you say – not such a good first day, it has to get better. There lucky to have you and I would have sat there and drifted with you.
Love, love, love your photos, stories and the way you put your thoughts into the words!! Following all your adventures with pleasure!..
I don’t believe I’ve ever had Duck for dinner. That’s odd, because I love any king of ethnic food. Maybe I’ve not had it because I thought it would be greasy…dunno. Those potato thingys look delicious. I’ll have to try that at home but with pecans instead.
I can’t imagine being stuck in a hot classroom with 26 chatterboxes. How do you maintain any kind of control…a room full of hot craft monkies! Yikes!
The drifting is excused! and I think you have a lot more to come. 🙂 You’ve got me wanting to go to Budapest too.
It doesn’t sound like a lot of fun to have to be back to reality and then not have any air conditioning too. What a bummer. So glad you have Budapest to escape back to when necessary.
hello there. i stumbled into your place here googling Budapest… as i hope to visit in a couple of weeks. enjoying your other posts as well!
not sure about the duck but I know I can manage some version of the nutty,puff potato balls!!!!! Stay cool!
missy from the bayou
26. Big job this year! Even a few more make a large difference.
Hi Mary Ann — Oh how I do wish I could be one of those lucky little chatterboxes in your classroom … they are SO FORTUNATE to have YOU for their teacher!!
I liked school, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED art class, it changed my life.
I have a special place in my heart for every art teacher I ever had.
If I could have been one of the fortunate ones in your classroom, you would have been my favorite teacher of all time. Really you are, because I feel like I am in your classroom whenever I take one of your GREAT online classes, and everytime I read your amazing blog posts. You are such an interesting person living such an interesting wonderful life … the world seems to be your classroom and you are an amazing amazing teacher, Miss Mary Ann Moss!
I would be glad to come over and cook a duck for you (okay, don’t know how but I could learn!) in exchange for that delicious looking drink and a chance to nose through Moss Cottage and double check that that apartment directory is not hanging anywhere (because I am sure it is!!)
P.S. Why am I now craving duck when it’s only breakfast time??
Apparently, I love duck too. I discovered this affinity awhile back, so yes, I can actually make duck. And I would be happy to for one of those mighty fine looking apple drinks you offered. If we add some Vodka to that apple heaven, we can speak and dream of places elsewhere. Your Budapest Duck Dinner (with the potato/almond/plum jam) reminded me of another wonderful Duck Dinner: Peking (Beijing) Roast Duck, which is served with Plum Sauce and ‘pancakes’ – and if prepared correctly – is another wonder to behold. OH Mary Ann, it is very late here and for some unknown reason I am totally craving duck.
I say “Hooray”!
Love how you love Budapest and all that goes with it. Makes me want to saunter over and see it for myself..
Count me in…now all I have to figure out is how to cook a duck. Can I do the ole switcheroo and grill ya up a nice juicy steak…I am really, really good at the grill…really I am. 😉 Ok and just to clarify…first day of school on a hot day and the power goes out?????? Seriously? Enjoy a frosty one on me.
I would do it in a heart beat! But I’m not that good of a cook, but I could bring Paul I bet he could cook a duck!!! Thanks so much for your comments on my blog. I’m still learning, but I’m enjoying it. Thanks again.
Well, I cannot fix duck sooooooooooo, how about the fizzy drinks and the water pools in Budapest??
Who wouldn’t want to drift away from the chatter when the temps are swimming pool-worthy? Especially if someone’s going to make something fizzy to drink…
Bloody HELL — and that was probably just the temperature in the classroom! I will make you duck as soon as I can find where to buy it. I had eaten a duck once and it wasn’t that good, so I figure if I watch enough Nigella Lawson I can learn how to entice the duck by winking and cleavaging at it (not with a knife).