marius

Welcome back, Earl of Baldwick. Did you and Robert have a nice Valentine's Day? marius and spouse did ... tee hee ... we forgot it, which is okay because we save our romantic offerings for unexpected times.

So, all day I'd forgotten what day it is and then we were watching the weather and the news went to a pic of people buying their V stuff and at the exact same time, spouse and I looked at each other and said, "Oh ... Happy Valentine's Day." That made us laugh.

It probably sounds so un-romantic, but for me personally, I much prefer the surprise of not knowing when I'll find chocolates or flowers or maybe even champagne. Think spouse would be happy with a new wrench or hammer or something else utilitarian.

It's late ... so off to dream. Glad our host could get back onto TD, and apparently without finding the server busy!

Dragon

Well, my sweetie and I had a lovely day. First we slept in, then we spent the whole day together, we even went for a nice walk although it was a little cold and windy out so we made it a short walk. It was the first time we gotten to go out for a walk for a few months so it was a nice treat. Somewhere in there we had a nap too (not while out on the walk though, hehehe). Then for dinner we had a hot oil fondue and later a chocolate fondue for dessert. It was heavenly! Then we watched a movie together and went to bed (I won't go into details after that )
Today is Family Day in Alberta so we get it off too, which means for me that I had a 4 day weekend, I could really get used to the whole 4 day weekend thing! Now we have to get ready to head down to Calgary for an Ikea trip and visiting with friends. All in all it's been a very good weekend!

Baldur

Robert and I invited 2 other couples over for the afternoon to socialize.
One of my friends brought dessert; A bread pudding with sliced bananas in it & caramel sauce on top and a blueberry connler with whipped cream.
How spoiled am I?
I made tea and coffee, and set the table with Spode and Sterling.
We ate and chatted all afternoon, they left just before suppertime.

My plan was to grill a filet mignon for Robert but he just was not hungry at all.
So tonight is Valentine's Day part 2. He'll have his filet and a salad, Baldur will have an onion and black olive pizza, also with salad.

Baldur

I have been making homemade pizza quite often this year.
They are not huge by any means, maybe 8" in diameter.
About once a week Baldur makes bread dough, then forms a bunch of pizza rounds and par-cooks them.
They go in the freezer and 'Viola!' (as Kelly Bundy would say), I have easy pizza.

Baldur

I spread the pizza shell with a little tomato sauce and then a bit of grated cheddar cheese.
In my travels I realized that cheddar makes darn good pizza being a bit mnore robust than mozzarella.
Over this I pile one huge onion that has been julienned and wilted in a skillet with some olive oil, there is much more onion on my pizza than cheese.
Then I liberally sprinkle hot red pepper flakes over the onion, add another tablespoon of grated cheddar (as adhesive) and then a few sliced olives.
It goes into the oven for just 10 minutes.

Baldur

mnore - n = more

Baldur

Tonight's salad is iceberg lettuce with slices of cucumber, black olives, peeled navel orange and hard cooked egg.
This will have a balsamic viniagrette.

autumn

MMMMM that pizza sounds so good!

AuntieB

Hello again, Auntie B had a serious case of jet lag but things are slowly getting back to normal again.

My Valentine's Weekend was indeed hectic and everything took a rather unexpected turn.

I was expecting Rauol, a beau of mine to pick me up on Thursday. We were to spend the weekend in Aruba. After packing appropriately for a warm beach weekend, word comes from Rauol's attorney in Mexico that he has been incarcerated on tax charges again. Heavens! How inconsiderate....
Anyway this has happened before Auntie B should have expected as much.
He was born in Cuba, but his family and their considerable wealth moved from island to island throughout the 60s.
He is great fun, but now owes me big time.

As soon as the plans fell apart I got out my little black book and called Dmitri. As luck would have it he was just finishing up a business trip in Chicago (not too far away).
I told him that there was no one one I would rather spend Valentine's day with. He promised to be here in RI within 8 hours, and told me to have my passport ready.
Well here is where Auntie B really messed up. Of course my passport was ready and I was also packed. However one should really ask where one is headed.
The limo arrived, Dmitri came to the door with the sweetest bouquet of ranunculus. Off we went with my suitcase packed with swimsuits and a tropical ensemble.
We boarded his personal jet and were well on our way before I inquired as to why we seemed to be headed Northeast.
'Surprise darling, we are going to Venice'
Auntie B nearly jumped out of her seat, my wardrobe was entirely incorrect.
I do have a dressmaker in Venice, but this is also Carnevale season there, she would be buried in previous commitments.
As luck would have it I was worried for no reason.
Once we landed Dmitri reached into a compartment and said 'Dearest, it's frigid in Venice this time of year, I've brought you a wrap.'
Well this wrap was a full length gray fox coat, from a furrier in Chicago.
Auntie B doesn't actually approve of wearing fur, but these were desperate times. I suppose it's inconsiderate of me to have accepted it.
Oh Well.

What Dmitri calls his Palazzo is actually a 17th century townhouse. It has been lovingly restored and enhanced. My personal suite had a lovely embroidered silk robe from Turkey . Thank heavens for that, with a few of my jewels added to it, this was the perfect outfit for Carnevale.
All the street vendors sell elaborate masks so the evenings were magical.

I cannot sat enough about how beautiful Venice is, it is always a pleasure to spend time there.

sheftali52

Oh Auntie B, what a lovely holiday you had. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. Hopefully you did not get too carried away at Carnevale.

Baldur

sigh, Auntie do be more careful....
sat - t + y = say

Hazer

Well, the people who were supposed to be viewing my house today came down with the flu so had to reschedule for sometime in the future. There were, according to the calling cards left on my dining room table, fourteen real estate agents checking things out here this morning. Then they will email me their comments and suggestions.
So now, with my house immaculate, and a canceled showing, I thought I would read through Channel Baldur in it's entirety, just to get the gist of how it came to be the most popular thread on TD.
I got as far as page 3. Now I'm off to see the optometrist to see if he can figure out why I see the lines doubly printed. One line slightly raised above the other.
Later....

Baldur

Well that does seem optically challenging Hazer.
Those early pages included mental images of matthew poledancing, that in itself can cause nerve damage.

Best of luck selling your house.

Robindcr8l

Well, baked my cake layers for class tonight, but just can't seem to get into the swing of making the yucky icing. I have to make a double batch, then use part of it to frost the cake. That part has to be a fairly thin consistency. I then have to make multiple colors in multiple consistencies and put them into little tupperwares to take with me. I also have to pack up all the tips, and all the decorating supplies. I need a grocery cart just to get all of my supplies in the door to the class. Then when I get home, I have to clean all of this up. What a mistake this class was, but I'm determined to finish it up. The discouraging part is that I am the worst in the class. there is a 9yo little girl who does better than me in this class. And then, last week I just used instant pudding between my layers, and because the cake was out of the refrigerator for so long in the class, the pudding must have liquefied. So it absorbed into the cake and made it the most disgusting mushy mass! So not only was my cake UGLY, but it didn't even TASTE good! Imagine how ashamed Chef Baldur would be of me! And I shutter to think of what Auntie B would say.

Dragon

Do keep in mind Robin that 9 year old girls have cake on the brain so she has an advantage over everyone there. (I bet she's never made a bachelorette cake as good as yours either- at least I really hope she hasn't!)

puzzler

Can't believe that it was pancake day today and I never made any! I forgot. I have, however made a picin Avatars just to see if Baldur will change his mind about that medium???

Baldur

My playback feature has not worked in months and months so I do not have to believe that bird was made in 'Avatar'.
I think you used the old 'Faces' medium for this.
It is indeed brilliant.

Baldur

Baldur went to le Spoon Greasee for breakfast but doesn't dare consume their pancakes. Chef Al uses a boxed mix and I stole a furtive glance at the ingredient panel once.
The baking powder contains aluminum, so it is not fit for human consumption.
Instead I ordered the French Toast, which had to suffice.
This was the first time in years I'd not had pancakes on Fat Tuesday

Hazer

Turns out my current pair of specs need replacing (surprise, surprise). My pocketbook is now $820.00 lighter. Apparently my vision has improved in spite of staring at TD pixels for hours at a time, and reading Channel Baldur. But it seems I've developed a vertical astigmatism in my left eye which would explain the distorted image of a pole dancer I caught a glimpse of just before I logged out. Weird and scary and oddly fascinating. eeewww...

sheftali52

Ack--baking powder with aluminum? I checked my baking powder container, and indeed it does contain aluminum. Now I feel like throwing the baking powder out. Pray tell, there must be a better baking powder. (This from a woman who refuses to use deodorants that contain aluminum, but cooks with aluminum pots and pans!)