Last Christmas

(Nuage & Caramel‘s gift box full of baked goodies! Beautifully packaged. The logo on the box was silk-screen printed.)

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A couple of days after Christmas last year, Miss C from Lyon, France sent me the most loveliest of email!

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“… I used to read your blog regularly back in the days and then I decided to change occupation. I went to pastry school and then created my own pastry business… I first heard about you through a series of photos that were done of you working from your house (“this is naive” website* I think) and I think that unconsciously influenced my decisions on how to operate my business. I created Nuage & Caramel in Lyon, France, 2 years ago. I started working from home (and I still am) and I have the project of opening my own space in 2014…”

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Miss C asked wether I was working at Broadway Market on the Saturday 27th of December. She had very kindly brought over for me a selection of her goods! But unfortunately, I wasn’t working on that day!! – The market itself was closed for Christmas holiday… So, I decided to pop out to meet her, like a blind-date, in the pub, for a post-Xmas festive bevvy.

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In the pub, we chatted over our G&T. Miss C was a friendly, likeable, bubbly character. A very enthusiastic woman bursting with energy, really REALLY excited about her baking & for her pastry business. I was touched by how honest she can speak about the influences I had on her. I thought about how wonderful & amazing that my blog’s tiny presence on the world-wide-web can create a ripple that resonate in somebody’s decisions…

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Talking about her exciting plans for her new outlet triggered an emotion in me that I can’t quite explain/ put a finger on. Was it jealousy perhaps? No, not jealousy, it’s such a negative word. So maybe it’s envy? A benign kind that is more like in a yearnful way? – In front of me sat a woman so truly enjoying every minute of her baking journey, following where her heart leads & opening her very own shop.

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Miss C asked wether I had any exciting plans going on currently. I fumbled out an explanation that my priority number one is the children for now. I must say, after hearing her talk about her project with such enthusiasm, it desperately felt like I was using “having children” as an excuse, attaching the justification of my lack of career development on them. BUT, I’d like to think that I’m on the right track. I still stand by my firm belief that you get just one-shot at being a mother to these children, whereas for work, well, even if you should fail, you can change job & start anew, no?

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And right now, I have a perfect “work/ family life” balance, which I am grateful for. I can be at home during the weekdays & do school-runs, go to see our child on stage at school assemblies, help out as a volunteer for the class-trip. I can see the children in action on sports day & take lots of pictures of them, capturing the moment. “Children bring joy” sounds very cheesy I know, but when the kids you love give you zillion hugs & kisses, you know that you’ve something valuable to protect that is gazillions better than any job satisfaction.

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For those reasons, all in all, the current work-family balance suits. It’s a balance I’m super-protective about, because I know that if I tip the balance & add more work, it creates stress & dysfunction. Besides, I am fortunate to actually LOVE my work-life too. I still love baking & I still love selling direct to my customers at the market. It’s actually the best part of the job! – I also have a great band of people working near my stall too – chatting & joking around with them all day is like a cherry on top of the cake. ^^ Now…, wrap that all up, & I reckon it’s pretty good going.

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Ofcourse, there’s the cookbook that is always left on the back-burner (I’m still slowly whittling on it though…), & I still dream of opening my very own outlet too. That dream has never really gone away, it’s perhaps the ultimate goal for me. – I joked to Miss.C that perhaps I’d do it when my kids are old enough, like 18. My youngest is almost 6, so…, (finger-counting…) yeah, maybe when I’m like, 50?! Lol… Lol… Lol… … “Watch this space…!?”

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(Image courtesy of Miss C from Nuage & Caramel. – The handmade marshmellows in a cloud shape!!!! Cuteness!!!!)

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* The article on “this is naive” is unfortunately gone now…!? But here’s my blog post about it on here.