Perry is a morning person; I’m an extreme night owl. He eats breakfast early in the day and I eat breakfast midday. This is good because he’s always cheerful in the morning, and I’m always grumpy. When I read this Irish proverb about marriage and breakfast, I decided to make a magnet for our kitchen!

Last year in Boston, I sat down to breakfast in an au bon pain restaurant across the street from The Onyx Hotel - long after Perry was dressed and teaching his writing seminar. I chose fresh pineapple, blueberry nonfat yogurt, oatmeal added to the yogurt, and peach tea. The food was delicious, but the sweetened tea was too sweet. The sugar taste overpowered the peach flavor.

The next day I created my own sandwich at au bon pain. I chose a croissant, chicken, romaine lettuce, and tomatoes with a basil pesto spread. The croissant was fair, chicken was a little dry, vegetables fresh, and the spread was only on one half of the croissant. The unsweetened black tea was strong and delicious.

My third day at au bon pain, I enjoyed strawberry nonfat yogurt with blueberries and strawberries, fresh fruit cup, and oatmeal that is crunchy and not too sweet. The strong black tea perked me up. I sat in the indoor patio surrounded by green foliage and the sounds of a water fountain. It was a nice way to begin my work day at 2:30 pm!