Vous souvenez-vous de mon amie journaliste qui m\u2019a interrog\u00e9e plusieurs fois avec ses questions originales? Elle m\u2019a soumis quelques autres id\u00e9es. J\u2019ai envie de lui dire non, mais je c\u00e8de et je dis OUI.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Que voulez-vous encore savoir de moi? Je vous ai confi\u00e9 d\u00e9j\u00e0 tellement de choses! Mon c\u0153ur balance maintenant entre retraite et vieillesse. Rien de tr\u00e8s int\u00e9ressant, sauf l\u2019\u00e9criture qui alimente mon esprit quasi chaque matin. Allez, allez! Ch\u00e8re dame Isabel, posez-moi vos questions! J\u2019ai ce soir un bal et je dois choisir une robe convenable.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Vous allez au bal?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Non, mais j\u2019aime l\u2019id\u00e9e!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Vous me semblez en grande forme et tout en blague ce matin, Madame Cora! Comment va votre sant\u00e9? Travaillez-vous encore?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Certes, comme le beau divan en cuir rouge du salon, j\u2019ai vieilli. Les coussins sont un peu rid\u00e9s, comme mon cou, mais la sieste d\u2019apr\u00e8s-midi y est fantastique. Quant \u00e0 ma sant\u00e9, je touche du bois, je suis en pleine forme. Mes doigts piochent sur le clavier, mais mes rotules se lamentent un peu et m\u2019emp\u00eachent de prier \u00e0 genoux, hi! hi! \u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Cora, est-ce qu\u2019on na\u00eet entrepreneur ou est-ce qu\u2019on le devient?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Moi, je le suis devenu. J\u2019\u00e9tais une intellectuelle qui ne r\u00eavait qu\u2019\u00e0 \u00e9crire des po\u00e8mes. Puis, il y a eu le mariage qui a chamboul\u00e9 ma vie et mes projets. Je me suis tourn\u00e9e vers la restauration pour nourrir mes enfants. Mon succ\u00e8s dans les affaires m\u2019a \u00e9tonn\u00e9 \u00e9norm\u00e9ment. Peut-\u00eatre est-ce ma cr\u00e9ativit\u00e9 qui s\u2019av\u00e9ra le fil conducteur de ma r\u00e9ussite? Si on parle de ma naissance, je dirais que je suis n\u00e9e quelque part entre les 26\u00a0lettres de l\u2019alphabet. Oui, oui! Ma capacit\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9crire demeure ce que j\u2019ai de plus pr\u00e9cieux. C\u2019est un tr\u00e9sor que je n\u2019ai d\u00e9couvert que sur le tard. Quant \u00e0 devenir entrepreneur, c\u2019est en ouvrant un tout petit restaurant de 29\u00a0places que j\u2019ai commenc\u00e9. J\u2019ai vite compris que j\u2019\u00e9tais g\u00e9niale en cuisine et tr\u00e8s cr\u00e9ative. En insistant pour d\u00e9velopper le premier repas de la journ\u00e9e, j\u2019ai cr\u00e9\u00e9 un extraordinaire concept de restauration matinale. Rapidement, notre banni\u00e8re a ouvert quelque 150\u00a0restos de d\u00e9jeuners au Canada, me couronnant officiellement, en toute humilit\u00e9, la Reine des d\u00e9jeuners.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Vous consid\u00e9rez-vous comme un loup solitaire ou un papillon batifoleur?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Je ne me connais pas encore vraiment. Je me consid\u00e8re sans doute surtout comme un loup solitaire qui a appris \u00e0 lire, \u00e0 \u00e9crire et \u00e0 compter. En affaires, j\u2019ai d\u00fb m\u2019entourer et apprendre \u00e0 travailler en meute. Vaille que vaille, j\u2019ai toujours fait de mon mieux pour mes enfants, pour mes employ\u00e9s et pour mes pr\u00e9cieux clients. J\u2019ai longtemps \u00e9t\u00e9 une femme tellement s\u00e9rieuse. Aujourd\u2019hui pourtant, \u00e0 78\u00a0ans, j\u2019ai tendance \u00e0 batifoler, \u00e0 faire la folle, tout en demeurant un tantinet s\u00e9rieuse.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Nous savons tous que votre dada, c\u2019est l\u2019\u00e9criture. Au d\u00e9but de la pand\u00e9mie, vous avez commenc\u00e9 \u00e0 publier une lettre chaque dimanche et nous constatons que vous n\u2019avez jamais cess\u00e9. Allez-vous finir par arr\u00eater?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Je vous le jure, j\u2019ai besoin d\u2019\u00e9crire pour exprimer mes \u00e9motions et surtout pour \u00e9laguer mes obsessions. Je d\u00e9sire continuer jusqu\u2019\u00e0 ce que mon c\u0153ur arr\u00eate de battre. Tellement de fourmis trottinent encore entre mes lignes. Je veux vider ma caboche. La derni\u00e8re fois, vous m\u2019aviez demand\u00e9 si je pr\u00e9f\u00e9rais dessiner ou \u00e9crire et j\u2019avais oubli\u00e9 de vous r\u00e9pondre. Je pr\u00e9f\u00e8re \u00e9crire, mais j\u2019aime aussi dessiner, surtout des fruits, des fleurs et des oiseaux exotiques de toutes les couleurs. Et des hiboux, comme vous le savez d\u00e9j\u00e0!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Qu\u2019est-ce qu\u2019on peut offrir \u00e0 une femme comme vous, qui ne manque de rien?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Tricotez-moi si possible quelque 22\u00a0nouvelles ann\u00e9es pour que, moi aussi, comme notre fameuse Janette\u00a0Bertrand, je puisse f\u00eater mes 100\u00a0ans. Trouvez-moi un amoureux digne de ce nom! Un homme doux, gentil, instruit qui aime beaucoup, comme moi, aller au cin\u00e9ma. Je ne d\u00e9sire rien d\u2019autre ici-bas que de conserver dans mon c\u0153ur cette divine providence qui m\u2019a toujours aid\u00e9e.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Que diriez-vous \u00e0 un potentiel beau pr\u00e9tendant?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Avec maintenant plusieurs kilos de maturit\u00e9 derri\u00e8re mon tablier, je me tairais d\u2019abord et j\u2019\u00e9couterais religieusement ce que l\u2019homme aurait \u00e0 me dire pour me s\u00e9duire. J\u2019\u00e9tudierais son allure, un tantinet sa v\u00eature, ses souliers bien frott\u00e9s et la petite odeur de parfum cach\u00e9e derri\u00e8re ses oreilles. Presque chaque matin, lorsque j\u2019\u00e9cris chez McDo, je me rince l\u2019\u0153il! J\u2019ai le choix des colosses qui viennent passer leur commande \u00e0 l\u2019int\u00e9rieur, sur de fortes jambes, au lieu des paresseux qui utilisent la commande \u00e0 l\u2019auto. Je badine, je rigole. L\u2019app\u00e9tit vient en mangeant!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Justement, plaisantons un peu! Si vous \u00e9tiez un l\u00e9gume, lequel seriez-vous, et pourquoi?\u00a0\u00bb
\n\u2014\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0Ch\u00e8re dame Isabel, si j\u2019\u00e9tais un l\u00e9gume, pour s\u00fbr, je serais un joli bl\u00e9 d\u2019Inde. Jaune comme mon soleil jaune Cora, bourr\u00e9 de vitamines, de phosphore, de magn\u00e9sium et de potassium. Avec ma belle chevelure au vent, je me tiendrais debout dans les champs jusqu\u2019\u00e0 compl\u00e8te maturation. Puis, lorsqu\u2019on me cueillerait tout doucement sous la lumi\u00e8re \u00e9tincelante du mois d\u2019ao\u00fbt, peut-\u00eatre pour une \u00e9pluchette, je deviendrais immanquablement la reine du jour! Chaque l\u00e9gume devrait vivre son heure de gloire!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Cora
\n\u2665\ufe0f<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vous souvenez-vous de mon amie journaliste qui m\u2019a interrog\u00e9e plusieurs fois avec […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":64133,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lettre-mme-cora"],"acf":{"img_en":"","contenu_en":"Do you remember my friend the journalist who\u2019s interviewed me on a few occasions with her insightful questions? She\u2019s sent me a few more queries to get my pen going. I felt like saying no, but I relent and say YES.\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhat do you still want to know about me? I\u2019ve shared so many things already! Now my heart hesitates between retirement and old age. There\u2019s nothing very interesting to report other than my writing, which often feeds my mind in the morning. Go ahead, dear Isabel, ask away! I\u2019m going to a ball tonight and I have to pick a suitable dress.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re going to a ball?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cNo, but I like the idea!\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cYou seem in a mighty good mood this morning, jokes and all, Madame Cora! How\u2019s your health? Do you still work?\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cYes, I\u2019ve aged, just like the beautiful red leather couch in the living room. Its upholstery is a bit wrinkled, like my neck, but it\u2019s the best place for an afternoon nap! I\u2019m in great shape! My health, knock on wood, is good. My fingers type away on the keyboard, but my kneecaps moan a bit and keep me from praying on my knees, haha!\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cMadame Cora, are we born an entrepreneur or do we become one?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cI became one. I was a thinker who only dreamt of writing poems. Then my marriage turned my life and dreams upside down. I entered the restaurant business to feed my kids. My success as a businesswoman came to me as a complete surprise. Maybe my creativity was the constant ingredient that made it all possible? If we\u2019re talking about my birth, I\u2019d say I was born somewhere between the 26\u00a0letters of the alphabet. Really! My ability to write remains the most precious thing I possess. A treasure I discovered later on. As for becoming an entrepreneur, I started when I opened a small 29-seat restaurant. It quickly became apparent that I had a flair and talent for cooking. I created an amazing breakfast restaurant concept by focusing on the first meal of the day. Our brand rapidly expanded into a network of some 150\u00a0breakfast restaurants across Canada, and I became the humble, and grateful, Queen of Breakfast.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cDo you consider yourself a lone wolf or a social butterfly?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cI still don\u2019t truly know myself. I guess I mostly consider myself a lone wolf who learned to read, write and count. In business, I had to surround myself with others and work as a pack. I\u2019ve always done my best for my children, employees and wonderful clients. For so many years I was a very serious woman. And now, at 78, I tend to be more of a social butterfly, playing the fool. I\u2019m still a touch serious, however.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWe all know that your hobby is writing. At the beginning of the pandemic, you started publishing a letter each Sunday and you\u2019ve kept at it. Will you ever stop?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cI swear, I need to write to express my emotions and rid myself of my obsessions. I want to continue to write until my heart stops beating. So many ants are still marching between my lines. I want to empty my head. Last time, you asked me if I preferred to draw or write, and I forgot to answer. I prefer to write, but I do love to draw, especially fruit, flowers and exotic birds of every colour. And owls. But you already know that!\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhat can someone offer a woman like yourself, who lacks for nothing?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cKnit me another 22 years so that I can live to celebrate my hundredth birthday. Find me a partner who\u2019s worth his salt! A tender, kind and educated man who loves going to the movies like I do. I want nothing else than to hold in my heart this divine providence that\u2019s always aided me.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWhat would you tell a handsome suitor?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cWith several kilos of wisdom under my apron, I would first say nothing and listen intently to the words he attempts to seduce me with. I\u2019d study his overall appearance, his clothing, his well-brushed shoes and notice the elegant smell of cologne hidden behind his ears. Almost every morning, when I\u2019m writing at McDonald\u2019s, I get an eyeful! I have my pick of the tall fellas who walk in on strong legs to place their order, as opposed to the lazy ones who take the drive-thru. I dillydally, I have fun. The more you eat, the bigger your appetite!\u201d\r\n\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cSpeaking of which, let\u2019s have a little fun! If you were a vegetable, which one would you be, and why?\u201d\r\n\u2014\u00a0\u201cDear Isabel, if I were a vegetable, I\u2019d most definitely be a nice ear of corn. A yellow like my yellow Cora sun, full of vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. With my thick head of hair blowing in the wind, I\u2019d stand tall in the fields until ripe and ready. Then I\u2019d be carefully picked under the bright August sky, likely for a corn roast, where I\u2019d no doubt be feted as the queen of the day. Every vegetable should have its minute of fame!\u201d\r\n\r\nCora\r\n\u2665\ufe0f"},"yoast_head":"\n