Tea time

I went behind the curtain that separates teachers and students in France when I accepted an invitation to have tea with the grandmother/guardian of one of my students today.  Unlike in the US, where I probably reveal way too much about myself and know too much about my students' personal lives as well, I hardly know my students here, and all that they know about me is that I have a son.  They might not have even known that, but Jed had to go in with me one day when he wasn't feeling well.
Today, I not only saw my student's home, I also met her stepmother and stepbrother and two cousins.  Actually, I already knew the stepbrother since they are both in the same class. I just had no idea that they had any connection! Not surprisingly, I was left to make my own assumptions about why my student lives with her grandparents just minutes away from her father and his new family.  It's probably best that I don't know anyway.  She and I have to go back to pretending like we don't know each other on Monday.
We had a lovely afternoon thanks to my charming hostess, and I hope that I will see her again.  If not, I have the memory of an afternoon spent in the country on a sunny afternoon sipping tea and hearing all about the renovation of her old farm house, which is one of my favorite subjects.  I just love a makeover!

The view from my Madame Petit's front yard.  I wanted to ask if I could move in, but I thought that might be too forward.