If I were a Chicken I'd Have to be Stewed.

I had great plans when I made my first posting. Since then reality has hit and I realize that it is better to write about what I know. I do know a bit about the Calgary Food Scene, but I think it may be more interesting to write about how I became more aware of Calgary's food landscape.

 In November of 2007 I was exhausted. My father had major surgery and I had spent the past2 and half months driving back and forth to the hospital to help him as he adjsued to life with no legs (complications due to an accident before I was even born). On top of this I have 7 children and at the time 1 grandson (I now have 2 grandsons). It was hard to see my Dad struggle so much. During all this time of driving back and forth and sitting by his bed as he rested I had a lot of time to think. What I was thinking was "Is this it?". I realized I was getting older. I had been waiting for time to follow my own passions (you know...after the kids had all been raised). One day during this time I realized that after the children were raised my time would be filled with parents that needed to be cared for or grandchildren that needed care (and that of course I wanted to play with!) 

 While all these needs are important I realized I had to make time to pursue things for myself. There never would be an easy time. During this same time period I had been reading Julia Child's memoir "My Life In France". I was surprised to learn that Julia was in her late 30's before she learned to cook, and I believe in her 40's when "The Art of French Cooking" was published. In the past year I had taken a couple of cooking classes while in France. More recently I had visited with two friends who had started a second career by attending Culinary School. So the timing was right when I saw an ad in "City Palate" for the Professional Cooking Program at SAIT. I believe my reaction was "what can I lose by applying?".

 I didn't say anything to my family as I felt that the odds were slim that I would be accepted.  A couple of weeks after submitting my application I was supervising students in the testing room at our local highschool. Cell phones are not permitted in the testing room so I had set my phone to vibrate. When I saw the name SAIT I quietly exited the room and checked my messages. I had been accepted! I couldn't believe it. But what would my family think?