THE MOMMY II: THE RETURN OF MRS.D.

(This post was delayed due to an "incident" wherein I accidentally deleted all of the pictures I had taken at the party and did not want to tell Tess. Well, she wheedled 😟(her word, not mine) it out of me and called her mother for the guest list and called everyone to see of anyone had taken pictures. She found three people who had and they texted her the pictures and she emailed them to the blog email and she put them up. Then she asked why I had not called her mother.😬I said I didn't want to annoy her (my very existence seems to be enough to do that). She smiled, knowingly and shook her head. "You two, honestly." 🐔 Yup, that's me. 
And Yes, that's what her mother really looks like !
When Tess took me home to meet her for the first time, I said :Do you know your mother looks like Atlanta from "Stingray"?  She giggled and said yes. I had already seen pictures of Tess' father who looked like Jeff Tracy from "Thunderbirds"

and her sister who looks like Venus from Fireball XL5.

I made the mistake of asking her mother if she had other relatives who look like Gerry Anderson marionettes. I think that was the beginning of her utter disdain for me.

Last Month (APRIL 1st) , My Tess and I were invited to an Easter brunch 🐇🐤🌷at a friend's house. Now, Easter is probably Tess' favorite holiday, but we've been so busy this year and she had already done my birthday🎈, Christmas, 🎄Valentine's Day, 💝and St. Patrick's Day 🍀so I accepted the invitation. She had already decorated the house when I got up the courage to tell her. She asked to see the invitation, looked at it for a long time, sighed (at this point I expected her to burst into tears), then smiled sweetly and said -
Tess: I will wear my new pink dress. What will you wear ?
Me: Do I have to wear a suit ?
Tess: No.But your blue one is back from the cleaners. (Then she smiled sweetly). You do not have to wear a tie.
Easter morning we got up, had a light breakfast, exchanged Easter baskets and then got dressed (I wore the blue suit,without a tie.)
We went to the brunch (I wasn't the only guy there in a suit !!!), had a nice time and when we got home there were no dishes, no tidying up to do and ......................NO LEFTOVERS !!! 😭

Tess: Look in the refrigerator, Honey.

Ahhh! Twenty-eight deviled eggs, all for me !!! 😊Bliss.

Then one day, a few weeks later, Tess' mother (the infamous Mrs.D. of last summer's Disco party) who had been on a month long trip to Japan with friends, called to say that she was home and having a homecoming brunch with an Easter theme.

Tess: Easter was three weeks ago, Mother !
(I motioned for Tess to put her on speaker phone.)
Mrs. D. : Well yes, I know that , but they do not celebrate Easter in Japan and I missed it, so I am having it now.
Tess; But Mr.Cham is home and we are relaxing because his schedule will be very busy for the next two months.
Mrs.D : Well, HE can come too. (HE or HIM, that's me. I don't know if she actually doesn't know my name or if she doesn't remember it. She used to refer to me as "THAT MAN", so it's kind of an improvement. Kind of)
Tess: I will have to ask him.
(I shook my head)
Mrs. D: But YOU will come !
Tess: Next time.
Mrs. D: But you have to come ! I want you to make the brunch ! ( I KNEW IT😠 !!!)
Tess: For how many people ?
Mrs. D: Oh,......only eleven. Thirteen including you....and HIM. With myself it will be fourteen.
(Shaking my head until I thought it would fall off.)
Tess: That is very short notice, mother.
Mrs.D. :I sent out the invitations last week and I have already heard from half of the list.
Tess; Why did you not call me last week ?
Mrs.D: I forgot.
I think I saw flames shoot out of my sweet girl's nostrils.🔥🐲

Mrs. D : Miss Belle will be there and she is SOOOOO looking forward to seeing you. She was heartbroken when you cancelled Christmas with her. (Guilt Guilt Guilt)
Tess: We had to go to England.
Mrs.D: HE had to go to England. You did not have to go with him.
Tess: Yes. I did. I promised him.
Mrs. D: You promised Miss Belle first and then you broke that promise.
Tess: I talked to her before we went. She understood. And I sent her a lovely Christmas present from England.
A LITTLE BACKSTORY: Miss Belle was Tess' nanny and then governess from the time she was seven weeks old until she was nineteen. As far as Tess is concerned, Miss Belle is her "Mama" and  Tess' mother is her (s)mother.  So Mrs.D. knows how to guilt her.

Tess: (whispering to me)  Will you go ?
Me: When?
Tess: When are you planning it for ?
Mrs. D: This weekend. Otherwise it will run into Mother's Day.
Tess: It will have to count as both because Mr.Cham has a prior commitment that week and I am going with him.
Mrs. D: Fine.
Tess: Do you have a menu ?
Mrs. D: No. I'll leave that to you. But do a few Japanese dishes too.
Tess: Japanese food ! Should I wear a kimono too ?
Mrs. D : Oh, I bought you two ! You can try them on when you get here and I can decide which one you should wear.
Tess: Did you buy one for HIM?

Mrs. D : No. Why would I do that? But on the subject of his wardrobe.....
Tess: You want him to wear a suit...,?
Mrs. D. : Well, that WOULD be nice, but I was more concerned with his...hat.
Tess: What about it ?
Mrs.D;  The new one is a great improvement ! I can almost see what you see in him. Almost. Tell him to wear the ivory one.
Tess: He is not a child, Mother. But I will forwards your sartorial suggestion. (That's my girl !!!😁)Well, I will have to see what I can do on such short notice and get back to you.
Mrs.D. : Fine.
The phone clicked off. Mrs.D. is one of those annoying people who never says goodbye, they simply hang up.

Me: You're not going.....are you ???
Tess: I would like to see Miss Belle.
Me: Send her a plane ticket. My treat.
Tess: You are sweet. But...it will kill two poor birds with one stone and I can say we are booked if anything else comes up. I'll understand if you do not go with me. (I could see the pout getting ready to appear)
Me: I'll meet you there.
Tess: (pout reverting to relieved smile) Thank you, honey !

So Tess took the train to Florida with her friend Lily to prepare the food and I flew down on the day of the brunch. I was greeted at the door by ......

THE GINGER GEISHA !!! 

who ran down the steps and into my arms. and gave me the best kiss of my life !(and that's saying something where she's concerned 😘!)
Me: You look adorable !
Tess: Oh,thank you. I am so glad to see you ! You look so handsome ! No one else is here yet.
Me: Including your mother ?
Tess: She is still primping in her room. How was your flight ?
Me: Alright.
Tess.: Good. Come to the kitchen. I want you to sample the food.
Me: I'm your man !

The brunch was beautiful. Before she left NY, my clever girl had bought a sushi making kit on Amazon.com and had it delivered to her mother's house along with her grocery order (and billed it to her mother's account !😛) Then when she arrived in Florida she made 125 pieces of assorted SUSHI !!!

 60 yakitori skewers, 30 beef and 30 chicken.

Vegetable tempura

The requisite rice.
and some of her own specialties. Deviled eggs with salmon roe.

And some little sandwiches (chicken

salad, roast beef, and cucumber)

She's amazing !!!😲 (Now that I know she can make sushi, we have made a deal. I stop tracking muddy boot prints into her kitchen, and I get homemade sushi once a week. YES !!!🍣) She asked if she should make a salad. I said no one eats salad when they go to other people's houses. She looked at me and smiled sweetly. "Well, I know that YOU don't."😉(Neither does she.)

Dessert was green tea ice cream and French butter cookies.


            She was going to make little Godzilla

shaped ones (she is a lifelong Godzilla fan), but the sushi took too much time.) They were still delicious ! (I think it's illegal to eat Godzilla in Japan anyway. isn't it ? Well, it SHOULD be !!!)🦖😋

 And Miss Belle had called in the meantime and asked if there was anything she could bring. Tess asked if she could bring a dessert. She brought brownies,

lemon bars

and this nifty fruit basket !

Tess says she could have cried (I'm betting that she did), she was so happy. I was happy too !😋Miss Belle taught her how to bake when she was little(er), so I won't get in trouble for drooling.

While we were eating, Mrs. D suddenly announced the following:
Mrs.D: Did you all know that in Japan only 2% of the population is obese !
I looked up and found her staring down the table at me. Then everyone's eyes turned my way.  AWKWARD !!!😬
Me: (smiling "sweetly") I take it that was meant for me?
She only smiled (faux sweetly).
I started to reply, when a small red headed pitbull suddenly jumped to my defense. (Again.)
Tess:  He is NOT obese ! His doctor said so recently. !
Mrs. D : A REAL doctor, or that herbalist YOU go to ?
Tess: A real doctor ! And my herbalist is also a holistic healer and she is excellent ! Better than any "real" doctor I have seen. I have never felt better!
Me: And you look AMAZING !!!
Tess: (blushing adorably) Oh thank you, honey ! 💋💏
That received a disapprovingly look from Mrs. D. who "does approve of public displays of affection".😁(Aw, Shucks. Hee Hee !!!)
After the buffet, Mrs. D announced that she had discovered Karaoke (not literally of course, and decades too late) and led us into the lounge and sat down at the piano. She had apparently NOT discovered Karaoke machines.

Mrs.D: (turning to Tess) What are you going to sing ?
Tess:  Oh no! I am only the caterer.
Mrs. D: But you did not sing at my birthday party !
Tess: I am not a singer.
Mrs.D: You used to sing all the time. You were singing in the kitchen last night. (Turns to me) I bet she sings for YOU !
Me: Well, she sings when she cooks, but she stops if I come in the room.
Mrs. D: Make her sing !
Me: (Laughing until my sides ached) I don't MAKE her do anything.

Mrs D: You have her wrapped around your little finger.
Me: I think you have that backwards.
Mrs. D: Do YOU sing ?
Me: No M'am !
She stared me down (even though she is much shorter than I am) and then walked away.
Me: Are you going to sing, Baby ?
Tess: No!
Me: Oh. (I tried not to look too disappointed but apparently failed.)
Tess:  But I will if YOU want me to.
I smiled. She says all I have to do is smile and she melts. I don't know if that means I have her wrapped around my "little" finger, but it's very sweet. Anyway, she looked through the music books on the piano while Mrs.D. honored us with
a medley from The Sound of Music. She IS a very talented pianist. I'll give her that.

Then, my Tess gave her the music she had chosen.
Mrs. D: This ? Why do you want to sing this ? I don't even know it.
Tess: (looking at me) It is not for YOU. (ZING !!!😃)
Mrs. D: WELL !!! Thank you very much !
 The two of them are a riot. They should have their own reality show. Wait, that's a really bad idea. I don't want to be the lone Yankee in a sea of  fired up, red headed Southern Belles with a camera rolling. No, thank you !

One of the other guests offered to play for Tess and Mrs.D. got up and he took her place at the piano. Then My Tess told a little story of how I took her to see "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway for her birthday the first year after she came to work for me. (She loved the show but at one point I looked over to find that she was crying. I leaned over and asked what was wrong but she only gave me a little smile and shook her head. Her eyes were filled with tears though. I let it go, we enjoyed the rest of the show and went to dinner afterwards and frankly, I forgot to ask what had made her cry.) She told the other guests that during "If Only" the lyrics touched her so much that she started to cry. She said she already knew that she was falling in love with me but that it wasn't possible that I could feel the same about her, especially after only knowing each other for a few months. She never told me that before. It made me want to cry too, considering how many years it took for us to be together.
                                 
Then Tess sang and I found yet another reason to love her. 💘And the look her mother gave me was .....priceless. I couldn't keep from smiling.😁

                                                    Mermaid by Sharandula -Deviant Art

It wasn't until one of the other guests took their turn that I saw her husband take his phone out and lay it on the coffee table and my heart sank.

Me:Are you recording this ?
Him: Yes. I love it when she sings and I want to be able to play it back later for my friends.
😖Why didn't I think of that ???????????????😭

I told Tess later and she said she was glad I hadn't recorded her. As I've said before, she harbors absolutely no artistic aspirations. That she allows the food photos is surprising enough. But she has promised that the next time I catch her singing in the kitchen, she won't stop. That's enough for me.

So, that was the party and luckily there aren't any upcoming holidays  (Until Tess' birthday JULY 7th) and we'll be pretty busy for the next couple of months with work related activities so I think we'll both be safe from Mrs.D. for a while. At least until..............................

MAY 2, 1990

You may think that today is the worst day of your life, but how do you know that tomorrow will not be the best day, if you are not here to see it.


They say that you always remember where you were when a major tragedy happens in your world. The Kennedy Assassination, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, to name a few. But I cannot remember where I was when I heard the news that David had died. All I can remember is how I felt. Devastated. 
He was only thirty-eight. He had his entire life ahead of him.

David Rappaport was an actor, but he was a human being first and foremost. Born November 23, 1951 to an Orthodox Jewish  family in London, he was a wonderful, charming, intelligent, caring, multi-faceted, funny, amazing human being. He was well-educated, having studied Psychology at the University of Bristol, he then spent a decade teaching. He was an accomplished  musician who played piano, drums and flute. 

To most people, David had many things to live for. That September he was to begin filming "The Poet" about a dwarf poet in a Welsh village, a project he had wanted to do for several years based on the story by Carol Ann Cline. He was engaged, although his prior suicide attempt was in March of 1990, two weeks before the scheduled wedding, which never took place. He had a son, Joe who lived in England with his mother, But apparently, none of these were enough reason to want to go on living

May 2, 1990 is the day that David chose to leave this earth. It was also his son Joe's fourteenth birthday. I cannot help wondering if that was simply a coincidence or did it hold deeper meaning, a clue to why he left us.

David also happened to have been born with Epiphyseal Dysplasia, a form of Dwarfism. But that was only one of the many things that made David special in the eyes and hearts of those who truly loved him.

Recently, I took the last photographs of him to a friend that does Chinese face readings who has done incredibly accurate readings for me and my family and friends and she diagnosed David with several serious medical issues (She knew nothing about him prior to doing the readings). A bit after the fact, I know, but for someone still searching for answers twenty eight years later, it was something. To a child who only wanted to know "why", it is an answer. To take your life because of a lost job or a breakup with a girlfriend or  boyfriend seem such little reasons. Temporary trials that we have all faced and continued on. Suicide is NOT a solution. It is only an ending and only for the person who dies. The people who loved and continue to love and miss them are doomed to suffer for the rest of their (our) lives.

To take your life to end present and future physical suffering is perhaps easier to understand, but even then, if traditional medicine fails you, there are many other options and I say this as a person who has faced death from serious illness and not given up, even when I wanted to, because it would have devastated the people who love and need me. Please think of them when you cannot think of yourself.
Today can be the worst day of your life but how do you know that tomorrow will not be better if you are not here to see it.

David was a very private person and an underrated actor who could smile and make you believe that he did not have a care in the world. That is unfortunate, because no one foresaw what was really underneath that jaunty exterior.

I visited David's grave when I was in England and I stood there looking at the cold headstones in an area devoid of trees. There were no flowers on any of the graves, only stones on top of some of the headstones in the Jewish tradition and I added mine to the top of David's, with a note for him.It had rained earlier in the day and there were mud puddles all around the grassless ground. It was beyond depressing.

      As I stood there, it began to rain again and I could not help but think "You do not belong here", but then I knew that he was not really there.

Cemeteries are for the living, places to go to "visit" our lost friends and loved ones to make us "feel better" for not having done anything for them when they were alive. It is a helpless feeling.

My dearest Mr.Cham reminds me lovingly that I was only a child when David died and I know that he is trying his best to comfort me, again, but it does not make the pain go away and I do not believe that anything ever will.Perhaps that is the price that we must pay for having loved someone and then outlived them.

                                                                                                                           Tess🌷
                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Here Comes the Bride.

Only kidding.
  
I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of a friend on Thursday. My friend Lily and I took the train down to Baton Rouge on Monday. Tuesday there was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, Wednesday, the Bachelorette Party, Thursday, The Wedding, and we took the train home Friday afternoon. (Is there such a thing as "train lag"? ) I slept for eleven hours between Friday night and Saturday afternoon when My Mr.Cham charmingly whispered in my ear "It's Saturday. Aren't we having French Toast?" And yes, we had French Toast, made with Texas Toast, for a late lunch.

I asked what he had eaten for breakfast while I was away. He went to the coffee shop. That man! I think it is high time that I taught him to cook.

When I received the invitation to the bridal shower (which I was unable to attend due to a prior commitment) there was a personal note enclosed asking if I would be one of the bridesmaids (her sister was her Matron of Honour). The bride and I grew up together and we have stayed in touch, even though I am rarely in Louisiana, so I was touched to be included. Unfortunately, the wedding date conflicted with one of My Mr.Cham's social obligations but we discussed it at length and since he is not a especially fond of weddings and did not know the bride or groom, and the party he was invited to was not of as great importance as a wedding (my opinion) and my presence was not mandatory (he said, doing a perfect imitation of my infamous pout), we agreed that I would attend the wedding without him (as long as I took my traveling companion and watchdog, Lily ) and he would attend his party......alone. (Again the pout.)

I thought for a moment and then suggested that he also take a friend (he does not need a watchdog. Although, it never fails to surprise me how bold and brazen women have become! Especially, the already engaged and married ones!) He said he knew someone who might like to go. (Only one? I think there must be a sign up sheet somewhere!)

So that settled that. On Tuesday morning after a teary parting at the train station, Lily and I were on our way to Baton Rouge. All of the bride's attendants were staying at her parent's home, but since I was not traveling alone, Lily and I checked into a lovely  Bed and Breakfast nearby and a car retrieved us for the planned activities. That evening the ladies had a bachelorette party and the gentlemen had their own festivities. Ours was a Broadway Karaoke Party (the bride is a musical theater graduate as are several of the other bridesmaids. Now, like most of us I am a bathtub singer and I sing in the kitchen when I am cooking, but as My Mr.Cham has mentioned, I have no artistic inclinations so after watching impromptu performances from the scores of The Phantom of the Opera, The Little Mermaid, Oklahoma, Dreamgirls, The Color Purple and Funny Girl, Beauty and the Beast. and Frozen.........it was my turn.

I offered to make the brownie sundaes instead.

I pleaded a sore throat, I said it was past my bedtime, I had to call My Mr.Cham to say goodnight......That did not work. Three of them literally picked me up off of the sofa and set me on the "stage", handed me the microphone and waited. I could have tried to run, but I am not athletic. So I picked the least painful song that I hoped I could get through without too much trouble. (Luckily, some of the ladies (myself, Lily, and the flower girls excepted) were a but tipsy from the punch. Only a bit though, because we had a nice Chinese dinner earlier in the evening - I had nothing to do with the catering, thank goodness- and it was delicious. My Mr. Cham would have loved it. I hoped he was eating well in my absence.) I received much the same enthusiastic applause as everyone else and returned to my place on the sofa with a sigh of relief. And then they started up again. Knowing they would not get to me for a while (there were eleven bridesmaids, the Matron of Honour and two flower girls ahead of me) I sneaked downstairs to telephone Mr.Cham and say goodnight. He sounded lonely. I knew how he felt. I told him we were having a Broadway Karaoke Party. 

Mr.Cham: What did you sing?
Me: Oh, something from Little Shop of Horrors.
Mr.Cham: Which song?  
Me: I'm a Mean Green Mother From Outer Space.
Mr.Cham: YOU DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: (laughing) No. Something Wonderful from The King and I.
Mr.Cham: You never sing for me. (Big sigh)
Me: Yes, I do. All the time. But only when you are not around.
Mr.Cham : Oh.
(That made me feel guilty.)
Me: How was your party?
Mr.Cham: Alright. The music was good but loud. You wouldn't have liked it. 
Me: True. Did you have a nice dinner?
Mr.Cham: Hot dogs, pretzels and ice cream sundaes.
Me: I thought it was a Gala?
Mr.Cham: So did I, but that was the theme.
Me: How odd.
Mr.Cham: Oh, there was a lot of caviar.
Me: I would rather have cake.
Mr.Cham: There was birthday cake too.
Me: Well, that was nice.
Mr.Cham: I miss you, Baby.
Me: I miss you too, Honey. I will be on the first train on Friday.
Mr.Cham: You better be.


Back upstairs, they took a break from singing and came downstairs for the sundaes.

When we were finished,Lily and I said our goodnights and returned to the B&B.
The others may not have needed their beauty sleep, but we did.

There was tea at the house before we were to have our hair, makeup and nails done for the wedding.
(In my defense, I was not told about this beforehand) and arrived already made up, coiffed and manicured by Lily.

For the early evening wedding we were all wearing long white dresses and each bridesmaid, the flower girl and Matron of Honour were given a different colored satin sash to match the flowers in their respective flower garlands. Mine was a deep salmon pink. Lily thought I should wear my hair down. It was twenty degrees hotter in Louisiana than it had been in New York and I thought I should wear it up. Besides, the back detail of the the dress would not be covered by hair, if I did) We compromised. I asked one of the photographers to take a picture of me from the back (per My Mrs. Cham's instructions) so that I could post it here.

When I texted him the photo, he shouted into the phone "YOU CUT YOUR HAIR! ARE YOU INSANE?"
I suggested that he calm down and look at the top of my head where he could see it had been rolled and then twisted into a bun. The hair hanging down that was curled was the bottom half of my hair. I had to prove this to him when I returned home. He has since recovered.

The wedding was lovely (the best part- my Mother was out of town and sent a gift and her regrets)
and the new Mr. and Mrs. X are now honeymooning in Paris.

Yesterday morning, Lily and I were homeward bound on the train and when we arrived, my sad-eyed puppy dog was there waiting with the first roses of the year from our garden. At home, I presented my human beloved with  the peace offerings I had brought for him. Not only two generous pieces of the vanilla, raspberry jam and buttercream wedding cake (why is there always so much leftover cake at weddings?)

but a piece of the Groom's Hummingbird Cake as well. He was placated and happy to have me home again.       

 Mr Cham: (between bites of cake) So, how was the wedding?
Me: It was nice.
Mr.Cham: Was there a band?
Me: Yes.
Mr.Cham: Did you dance?
Me: No.
Mr.Cham: Why not?
Me: Because I am taken.
Mr.Cham: That's my girl.  Did you get any ideas?
Me: About what?
Mr,Cham: About our future wedding.
Me: Yes. I do not want one.
Mr.Cham: You met someone, didn't you?
Me:  No! But I do not want a wedding. Would you mind, when the time comes, if we simply elope?

He finished his cake and drank the rest of his coffee. Then he got up from the table and put his dishes in the sink.

Mr.Cham: Do you mean that? You really want to elope?
Me: I never say anything I do not mean.
He smiled softly and nodded.
Mr. Cham: Ok. How about next weekend?
Me:  No.  In the Spring.
Mr.Cham: It is Spring.
Me: 2019.
Mr.Cham: You don't mind waiting?
Me: For you? I have waited all my life for you.
He rewarded me with a very sweet cake kiss.
Mr.Cham: That's my girl.
Me:Where are you going?
Mr.Cham: Upstairs. To draw your bath for you.
Me: Thank you,Honey. Would you care to join me?
(That little boy smile. A man who still blushes is adorable. And rare.)
Mr. Cham: I would. Rose petals or lavender?
Me: You choose.

He smiled and picked up half of the roses from the table and sauntered out of the kitchen.

 Weddings. They should not be about the gown or the flowers or the venue or what band you hire or how many bridesmaids you have. It is about you and the man that you marry, the man that you hope to spend the rest of your life with. My Nanny, Miss Belle told me that a long time ago. She also told me to find myself a kind and thoughtful man. That nothing else really mattered, I was very young then and I did not know how far in the future it would be before I found that man. But I did, and you know what? Miss Belle was so right.

                                                                                                             Tess🌷

No matter what anyone tells you..........................It is still Valentine's Day! (Shh, play along. )

        
 💕My heart is, and always shall be, Yours.💕
                                                                Jane Austen

We were not going to post a Valentine's day post this year because when we went away, we did not take any laptops, phones, or cameras (we had the boat's radio in case of emergency) and I thought that a post without pictures is a kind of blasphemy (although my skills as a photographer are pretty blasphemous,  especially next to a certain professional). I have a sneaking suspicion that some of our visitors may only come here to look at the pictures, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! (I do the same thing at a lot of the places I visit) but after we were home again, I was sitting at my dressing table one morning and My Mr.Cham's beautiful gift seemed to be saying to me, "  I think others would like to see me too". I agreed and took some webcam photos because my phone is currently out of commission and Mr.Cham was gone for the day. 
I do not believe that holidays should be relegated to only one specific day. After all, most stores now sell holiday decorations year round, If we had been home for Christmas, the tree would still be up (alright, it IS up but it is an Easter/Springtime tree now) and I still have my Christmas music playlist on my media player and I click on it whenever I feel the need for a little holiday cheer. Why not? Who made these rules anyway? No one that I know of. (By the way, the Easter post will be next! I am playing catch up like crazy. Personally, I hope that our life will be "normal" again for awhile but I am not a gambler, so I would not bet on it).

So, here is our Valentine's Day post. Five weeks late. Better late than never. I hope you will agree.

This year marks the third Valentine's Day that my Mr. Cham and I have been "a couple". After having worked for him for seven years, we had a misunderstanding during the holidays that year and I gave him my notice and packed my bags. I went to stay with my mother to decide what I was going to do next. It was a sad month and a half for both of us and the day before Valentine's Day I sent him a message. Three words actually. I Miss You. He did not answer and that night I went to bed certain that I would not hear from him. After trying to sleep for several hours and failing, I got up to make a cup of tea and when I opened my door I heard my mother on the telephone. Then I heard the front door open and close. I called to her and she said that I had a delivery. A delivery? Who delivers at midnight? Especially on a holiday. She said to come and see, and so I did. On the dining room table there was a bouquet of white daisies wrapped in cellophane and a box of cherry cordials tied with pink ribbons.

I asked who they were from and she shook her head. "No card? But who brought them? "I did." I did not need to turn around to know who was there. My Mr.Cham has a voice like no other. I turned around and there he sat looking like a lost little boy, very tired, having drunk too much coffee and most likely hungry. He apologized for the daisies and cherries. He said there was nothing else left in the airport shops and he could nit come empty-handed. I said it was the thought that counted. (He could have brought a bunch of weeds and a pack of chewing gum and I would have been as glad to see him!) I asked if he had eaten a proper dinner? (Of course not.) So we went into the kitchen and I made dinner for him and then I made tea and put some of the cupcakes I had baked for Valentine's Day on the tray and we went back into the living room and talked for hours.

I asked how he had come to my mother's, which at the time was not easy to get to. I assumed that he must have rented a car at the airport. He said no. He had been waiting for a taxi, out in the cold, wishing he had arranged transportation before getting on the plane, when a group of Japanese businessmen noticed him and asked if they could offer him a ride. He thanked them, but said he did not want to take them out of their way. They consulted their driver and came back, saying that they were staying only a few miles away. Not wanting to wait any longer, and grateful for the offer, My Mr.Cham graciously accepted and they brought him straight to our door, safe and sound. I am always pleasantly surprised to find that there are still good people in a world where you sometimes doubt it.

He stayed with us for a couple of days and needless to say, the misunderstanding between us no longer existed. He asked me to come home with him but I had promised to help my mother get settled in her new house, but that I would think about it. (Not playing "hard to get", but wanting to be certain.) When he left for the airport, he kissed me on the cheek and I gave him a "Scully" (a sisterly kiss on the forehead)

while he was still leaning down. We smiled at each other and then something happened and he kissed me, (not like a sister!), and everything changed between us in that moment. For the better. We wrote letters (real letters, not emails) to each other and six weeks and two days later I took the train home and he met me at the station and we shared our second kiss. 

That was three Valentine's Days ago. A lot has happened since then. Some of it wonderful ,some of it terrible, but life is not a fairytale and what does not kill you, does indeed make you stronger. So, this year for Valentine's Day after an especially busy and exhausting year, we both needed to get away for awhile. 

My father had a boat that he loved very much and when he died, he left it to his best friend (who also loved the boat) because he knew that he would take good care of her. I love her too, and in the bequest he gave me the opportunity to use her for several weeks each year. So as a surprise, I made arrangements to have the boat on the week before and after Valentine's Day. My father's best friend lives on her year round, so a few weeks on land every year gives him a nice break. Before we arrived with groceries, the battery operated music player, TCC's pilot case and fishing poles, my two steamer trunks (kidding), he had cleaned her from stem to stern (he keeps her pristine), fueled her up, packed his suitcase, and was waiting on the dock to give us the keys. Apparently, he had a date for Valentine's Day and did not want to keep his lady waiting!

My mother's favorite color is purple and my father had it redecorated for her after he bought the boat. The will did not stipulate that his best friend could not change the decor, but he never did.(I think he was afraid of offending my mother, even though she rarely visits). The first time My Mr. Cham saw the boat, he asked my mother what time the floor show started and if she could do that belly dancing trick where you roll a quarter over on your tummy. My mother was not amused. (I could not help but laugh. He always seems to get her goat, without even trying.) I had it redone in the present teal blue a year ago and everyone (well, almost everyone) is much happier.

Once aboard,we got underway and took turns at the wheel and dropped anchor in a little cove and stayed there. We swam, he fished, I cooked, he cooked, we danced and slept like babies (We always do on the boat. It rocks you to sleep). When asked what I wanted for Valentine's Day (before I surprised him with the trip), I said that I wanted him to make something for me. He looked stricken. "You can do it!" I told him. "Give me something from your heart." And he did. It is so beautiful. I think it puts the store bought ones to shame. I put it on my dressing table where I can gaze at it while I get ready for the day and while getting ready for bed.

                                                      My picture does not do it justice.

We had seen these Forever Roses in London, and while very beautiful, they were also very expensive.
He asked me which one I would choose, I pointed to the pink one and he motioned to the salesman. "Don't you dare!" I said. He looked hurt. "Why not?" "Because, I could not possibly enjoy it knowing how much it had cost." He shook his head at me and told me I was crazy. Not for the first time. He is convinced that I am from another planet. Louisiana IS in this solar system, I keep telling him, but I do not think he is entirely convinced.

We have both been collecting these shells, from beaches all over the world, for years. He asked if he could borrow my glue gun one afternoon before we left. "Will I ever see it again?" He laughed like an old time melodrama villain (think Snidely Whiplash) and was in his office for most of the day. (Apparently, he also borrowed my bead box)  so, what did he make .......?  Well, he covered my wooden boar bristle hair brush and sandalwood combs,

dressing table bottles, my powder boxes,

and two chopsticks for my hair  (not very visible).

Was I upset with him? No. One of his nicknames for me is "His Little Mermaid" (because I swim almost every day and take long baths), and I suppose this is what a mermaid's dressing table would look like. He brought this little mermaid

home from one of his solo excursions one day because he knows that I like little things.( He apologized that there were not any ginger ones.) 

Actually, I thought what he did was very sweet and at least he restrained himself from covering my reading glasses with shells, although that may only be because he had used up all of my glue sticks before he got to them. Bless his heart.💗


His card to me:

And mine to him: 

My big present for him was secretly taking belly dancing lessons, and although I never learned to roll the quarter on my tummy, he was still very pleased, and that is all that matters.

   Breakfast -(top left) Heart-shaped French Toast with strawberry and pomegranate relish and raspberry all fruit spread and a little powdered sugar. Cafe au lait (bottom right) with my attempt at a heart.

Lunch-(bottom left) His favorite three cheese rotini and a spinach and salmon salad(middle left) with sugar snap peas and heart-shaped red beets and a lemon, olive oil and poppy seed dressing.                                                                                                                         

My Mr.Cham's Valentine's Day tradition is to take over my kitchen ( or galley in this case) at dinner time and make his "famous" fondue. (top right)

This year was no exception and we shared it under the stars.

(The recipe is on the Valentine's Day post from last year.)

Dessert- Brownies with coffee, brandy, and walnuts.(lightly frosted) Vanilla bean frozen yogurt and brownie heart snaps.(middle right)

My mother and father traveled a great deal and they collected hundreds of the little liquor bottles that they give you on planes. I keep them in my pantry at home and some of them on the boat to cook with. I used most of one in the brownies and when I served my Mr. Cham his coffee, I asked if he would like a "little" cognac with it. He said he would, and I placed the bottle before him.

  He laughed heartily and so did I and we both felt much better. Laughter, (and love) really are the best medicines.

When it was time to return to the real world, we both felt much better and even though we came back to all of the things that had made us need to get away, we felt better able to face them...together.💕


                                                                                                                     🌷 Tess