March birthdays

Good Sunday morning. I am sitting here enjoying another leisurely Sunday, sipping coffee and nibbling on the nut and almond flour cookies that I have every morning for breakfast. When I am on the ship I always start my day with eggs, either hard steamed or a fluffy omelette. Thinking about the breakfast that I eat when I am on the ship causes me to pause and wonder...how many more Sunndays will I have at home before I return to work. The 2024/2025 season is scheduled to start with the Welland Canal, Soo Locks and St Lawrence Seaway opening. I am in second position in the Chief Cook categorie on the Union Board. Last year I had a few job calls at the beginning of March which I turned down so that we could celebrate my mom's birthday together on March 9th. I didn't know at the time that it would be the last time we celebrated her birthday so I am really glad that I did not miss her 2023 birthday celebration. Last year I joined the AlgoTerra on the 10th of March, the day after my mom's birthday. I am hopeful to get a job call soon this year because I can only accept a job that is less than 30 days finishing the beginning of April. I have committed to a book signing/meet and greet event on April 13th in Algonac, MI.  We are excited to join Roger LeLievre for his official launch for the 65th anniversary of his "Know Your Ships 2024 Edition." We think it will be great fun and look forward to seeing you there. The details of the event are in the photos.

Lorraine and I look forward to this event. See you there

My second place position on the Union Board is good until the middle of June so I am optimistic to get a great job on three ships for June, July and August. As I just reread the last sentences that I wrote I am reminding myself not to get ahead of myself and that I will get the job and be where I am meant to be. I am still on schedule to complete my next book. Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher) and I have just selected the photos and text for the cover. I am able to easily set up the interior pages with photos and text, but the cover of the book needs exact measurements so I sent the front and back cover layout to be set up by a professional. As soon as I receive the final images of the front and back cover I will make the next book available for pre-order. I plan to have the book ready for print before I set sail for my summer jobs. The next book will be laid out the same as my first book "Recipes and Stories as I Sail Through My Day." The recipes will be prepared without processed sugar, flour and grains. I work on the book each day.

Shrimp burger on a cauliflower bun with marinated onions, chipotle mayo and a side of sweet potato fries. I love my fish plates. It was fun to take them out of the cupboard for this photo

Lorraine gave this cauliflower waffle a two thumbs up!

my new favorite, egg tacos

I made this meal for friends. I served my famous butter chicken with puff pastry bites, chickpea salad and peas. It was delicious!

This salad is a favorite and already has it’s own page in the book

The pages of the book are filling up and we enjoy eating the recipes that we need to test before they are approved for the book. It has been a very mild winter in our ski resort town of Mont Tremblant, Quebec. Lorraine and I meet most afternoons to go for a walk and when we took a beautiful walk on March 1st, I heard the familiar phrase which plays in my head every March 1st "in like a lamb, out like a lion or in like a lion, out like a lamb" As I felt the beautiful sunshine on my face and looked at the clear blue skies I knew that this March 1st was definitely "in like a lamb" and I imagined the winter storm that would take us "out like a lion" the end of March. Along with working on the next book and going for walks I am doing an early spring cleaning. Lorraine helped me organize my closet and very gently persuaded me to give away clothing that I no longer needed and in many cases, never wore. She filled a bag with the items and  suggested how much someone would enjoy finding these items in the second hand store where she intended to drop off the new and nearly new items. As usual, Lorraine was right and seeing my organized closet I was happy that someone could enjoy the pieces that I enjoyed buying but never got around to wearing. I am on the ship usually 7 to 8 months a year so the pretty things that I selected to buy never found an occasion to be worn.

March 1st 2024…in like a lamb

We have enjoyed beautiful mild days for walking

I enjoy the free time that winter offers me. I am hopeful that I will get a call soon so I am cleaning up my desk and yesterday I reached for an envelope that held special treasures that Lorraine had put in an envelope for me with keepsakes from my mom. I opened one small envelope and pulled out a birth announcement card that my mom had sent to her aunt in Germany announcing my March 23rd 1962 arrival. Her cousin came across the keepsake when her mother passed away and had sent it back to Canada with other keepsakes for my mom. My mom was raised by her aunt in Germany, so the little keepsakes she received were treasured. As I held up the little envelope that had made its way to Germany over 60 years ago and then returned to Canada about 25 years ago I could see that there was still something in the envelope and I pulled out a little browned newspaper clipping of my arrival that appeared in the Brockville Recorder and Times. It was a special moment and almost like a little message from my mom wishing me a good birthday month. Celebrating birthdays was my mom's specialty. She remembered everyone's birthday and remembered to send letters, messages or phone calls on all her friends and relatives birthdays. When my mom would get a new calendar, she would always copy everyone's birthday so she would not forget to send a special birthday message.

Finding this keepsake that my mom kept for over 60 years is treasured #Marchbirthdays, #happybirthday

For Years my mom would have my dad sitting with his accordion ready to play a live rendition of happy birthday. In 2015 we made this little video of our dad playing at our restaurant Creperie Catherine in Mont Tremblant. I remember that June 16th, it was raining out and dad sat for hours playing entertaining us. When our dad who suffered from Alzheimers could no longer play, my mom would call me and ask me to play this video so that she could share it with her friends and other family members on their birthdays. It is such a special video that I thought I would share it with you.

Lorraine just called and I mentioned that I was going to share Dad's happy birthday video with you. She reminded me that she learned to sing happy birthday before she learned to talk. Our mom loved celebrating birthdays. Lorraine had just returned from delivering a case of books to the owner of The Little Bookshop in Clayton. They were in our hometown of Tremblant, Quebec on a  ski weekend and asked for a case of books to take back home to replenish their bookstore shelves. They have copies of both the cook book and children's books.

Lorraine delivering books to the owner of The Little Book store in Clayton, NY. She and her family were visiting our hometown of Mont Tremblant, Quebec.

You can view all the stores that carry the books on our website www.shiptoshorechef.com I will keep you posted as soon as I get the call for a job. Fingers crossed. Have a great day. 

We have books in stock and will be happy to mail them to you. We are making a trip to the US Post office on Wednesday and would be happy to mail you your copy.