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helenkacan Nov. 26th, 2011 11:59 pm)
helenkacan Nov. 26th, 2011 11:59 pm)This is all a very strange feeling. It all started this morning. I'd gone to sleep at 1 after setting the alarm for 8. I felt that 4 hours would be plenty of time to have a leisurely brekkie and to play with my hair and clothing.
Well, my mind and body had different ideas. Such as not hearing two phone calls AND the cellphone alarm. So ... what time did I open my eyes? Oh, after 9:30. Eeeeeeek. My pickup time was 12:25. I'm thinking that, instead of keeping me awake, my two plain ibuprophen just knocked me right out. No kidding.
So ... quick cup of coffee, juice, vegetable curry for brekkie (which I regretted as soon as I took a bite because of its strong flavour). Then eye drops, brushing my teeth and putting moisturizer on, all the while staring at my unflattering hair and wondering what I'm going to do. I added a sparkling powder finish to my regular makeup.
Finally, into the closet where I pulled out my long flowing low-cut black gown. I still can't believe I got it for FIVE BUCKS at the church's thrift shop. Considering the fact that it has zipped sleeves for that skin-tight appearance (and wee snap-straps that hook over a bra so it remains hidden), this is a dress that cost quite a bit. So whoever donated it was a lovely kind spirit. Over the dress went my sparkly shawl, pinned on one side with my sparkling starburst jewelled pin (with matching earrings). I added my gold watch and fake but really believable tennis bracelet. I threw my jingle bell into my handbag and put my red hat with a red feather (even though I ended up NOT wearing the hat after all) and the Christmas card into my red felt tote (with white snowflake).
Now all I had to face was my hair. Is that all? Oh, dear. Well, I used a different curl-boosting spray that seemed to be more effective. After shellacking everything with hairspray, I felt almost decent. Still not thrilled, but at least not too disappointed. Though I won't know what it all looks like until the episode is released.
When I went downstairs, my minivan was already waiting. Ahhhh. One worry erased. I arrived at Brian's around 12:40, but made a stop in the powder room in the entrance to arrange and pin my sparkling shawl properly.
He'd decorated the fireplace mantle with a sparkly (note all the sparkle everywhere) layer under which were soft green lights. There was a wee decorated live plant tree, along with candles on either side and more tiny Christmas trees. My special card was propped against a big pillar candle.
His small oval table was covered with a white tablecloth on which were several dishes. Silly me, I thought they were cookies. But, no. They were our lunch - all appetizers (or should I say appeteasers?).
We filmed both the intro and ending to our show at the same time (so we'd still look "fresh"). We toasted each other with sparkling fruit juice, something we really love to drink. I gave Brian the card during the ending, as it was a special card for ourbaby toddler show that is growing and making many new friends. [Why, yes, I give cards to inanimate objects and even ... concepts!]
Then Brian reset the camera and we both perched behind the kitchen counter, our usual place, for a latish lunch along with our fave juice cocktail (cranberry-raspberry). Oh, the appetizers were amazing: warmed Brie with hot pepper jelly glaze, paté, chipotle hummus, Boursin garlic cheese, shrimp cocktail with sauce and a lemon wedge, a variety of crackers, and the ultimate decadent appetizer, namely dates stuffed with herbed goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and baked. OMG, I wanted to disappear into the bedroom with them. Sorry, folks. Show's all over. Blonde's been ... uh ... compromised.
After we'd taped our tasting all of the tidbits, I lurched off of my perch because my feet had gone to sleep. Ack. Brian moved everything to the table in front of the couch and we ate and drank more of the goodies.
After Brian cleared away the kitchen counter and set up for the next segment, I got back up on my perch. We were making trifle for dessert. To his ingredients of marble pound cake, English custard, orange juice soaked banana slices, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, brandy, framboise liqueur and whipped cream, we added my suggestions of brownies and, for the top layer of whipped cream decorated by halved strawberries, grated 100% dark chocolate. And, then, into the fridge it went.
We'd been listening to music all afternoon. Brian had been alternating between (at least) BoneyM, Josh Groban, and Il Divo, but he put some neat jazz on. It was the right kind of afternoon for it.
He started setting up the dinner scene. He put his long table in front of the window next to the breakfast counter against which I was to be seated. So, behind my shoulder, I had the little hanging candelabra I'd given him many years ago as well as his pink sparkle-covered poinsetta (he'd picked up yesterday). There was also a glass bowl filled with sparklng beads, a glass column filled with ornaments (it's a light), also three black candle stands of varying heights with black mesh pillar candle holders. We were drinking our sparkling fruit juice out of the art deco champagne flutes I'd given him eons ago.
So, what was for Christmas dinner? Uh ... how does raclette sound? Yes, really. Well, we're nothing if not traditional. He'd received an electric raclette cum grill for Christmas last year. It came with 6 little shovel trays. That was in the centre of the white tablecloth, with other glass bowls holding ingredients such as roasted multi-coloured potatoes, baby corn (grilled), cippolini onions, gherkins, blanched broccoli, chorizo sausage (grilled), grape tomatoes (have I remembered everything?) and finally small slabs of aged cheddar (instead of traditional raclette cheese). There were also the pepper and salt grinders and smoky paprika for extra flavour. After filming one round, we ate and ate and ate, but it all seemed to be quite digestible until we ate only one slice of the chorizo. And we felt full instantly. So we decided not to eat any more sausage. As I am the Queen of Variations, I immediately came up with an idea for a fruit raclette that could be served in the summertime. And there's a stuffed mushroom appetizer, too. Luckily, we were near the end of our meal, because I was starting to feel full.
But I managed (oh, how brave of me) to make an assault on the dessert. Well, if it's not jello or ice cream, there's always room for whipped cream. Right??? It was amazing. The pound cake had nearly disintegrated, so the inclusion of the brownies with walnuts was noticed. And the flavours. And just all those juicy fresh berries. We filmed ourselves having a couple of bites of dessert and that was it. We'd spent nearly 7 hours together and had a much easier time than last year's herculean endeavour. I still had about 30 minutes before my bus was coming to pick me up, so needed to ... uh ... practise getting up out of my chair. Ouch. But I can't take pain killers if I want to be assured of waking up tomorrow morning.
Brian escorted me downstairs but left me there, as he had cleaning up and collapsing on his immediate schedule. I can quite understand. My bus was a wee bit late, but I wasn't complaining. I got home at 8:35, cleaned off my makeup and have temporarily decided what I'm going to wear to church tomorrow. But that's another day. So, until domani, I'll wish everyone a sated but not too-stuffed good night!
Well, my mind and body had different ideas. Such as not hearing two phone calls AND the cellphone alarm. So ... what time did I open my eyes? Oh, after 9:30. Eeeeeeek. My pickup time was 12:25. I'm thinking that, instead of keeping me awake, my two plain ibuprophen just knocked me right out. No kidding.
So ... quick cup of coffee, juice, vegetable curry for brekkie (which I regretted as soon as I took a bite because of its strong flavour). Then eye drops, brushing my teeth and putting moisturizer on, all the while staring at my unflattering hair and wondering what I'm going to do. I added a sparkling powder finish to my regular makeup.
Finally, into the closet where I pulled out my long flowing low-cut black gown. I still can't believe I got it for FIVE BUCKS at the church's thrift shop. Considering the fact that it has zipped sleeves for that skin-tight appearance (and wee snap-straps that hook over a bra so it remains hidden), this is a dress that cost quite a bit. So whoever donated it was a lovely kind spirit. Over the dress went my sparkly shawl, pinned on one side with my sparkling starburst jewelled pin (with matching earrings). I added my gold watch and fake but really believable tennis bracelet. I threw my jingle bell into my handbag and put my red hat with a red feather (even though I ended up NOT wearing the hat after all) and the Christmas card into my red felt tote (with white snowflake).
Now all I had to face was my hair. Is that all? Oh, dear. Well, I used a different curl-boosting spray that seemed to be more effective. After shellacking everything with hairspray, I felt almost decent. Still not thrilled, but at least not too disappointed. Though I won't know what it all looks like until the episode is released.
When I went downstairs, my minivan was already waiting. Ahhhh. One worry erased. I arrived at Brian's around 12:40, but made a stop in the powder room in the entrance to arrange and pin my sparkling shawl properly.
He'd decorated the fireplace mantle with a sparkly (note all the sparkle everywhere) layer under which were soft green lights. There was a wee decorated live plant tree, along with candles on either side and more tiny Christmas trees. My special card was propped against a big pillar candle.
His small oval table was covered with a white tablecloth on which were several dishes. Silly me, I thought they were cookies. But, no. They were our lunch - all appetizers (or should I say appeteasers?).
We filmed both the intro and ending to our show at the same time (so we'd still look "fresh"). We toasted each other with sparkling fruit juice, something we really love to drink. I gave Brian the card during the ending, as it was a special card for our
Then Brian reset the camera and we both perched behind the kitchen counter, our usual place, for a latish lunch along with our fave juice cocktail (cranberry-raspberry). Oh, the appetizers were amazing: warmed Brie with hot pepper jelly glaze, paté, chipotle hummus, Boursin garlic cheese, shrimp cocktail with sauce and a lemon wedge, a variety of crackers, and the ultimate decadent appetizer, namely dates stuffed with herbed goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and baked. OMG, I wanted to disappear into the bedroom with them. Sorry, folks. Show's all over. Blonde's been ... uh ... compromised.
After we'd taped our tasting all of the tidbits, I lurched off of my perch because my feet had gone to sleep. Ack. Brian moved everything to the table in front of the couch and we ate and drank more of the goodies.
After Brian cleared away the kitchen counter and set up for the next segment, I got back up on my perch. We were making trifle for dessert. To his ingredients of marble pound cake, English custard, orange juice soaked banana slices, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, brandy, framboise liqueur and whipped cream, we added my suggestions of brownies and, for the top layer of whipped cream decorated by halved strawberries, grated 100% dark chocolate. And, then, into the fridge it went.
We'd been listening to music all afternoon. Brian had been alternating between (at least) BoneyM, Josh Groban, and Il Divo, but he put some neat jazz on. It was the right kind of afternoon for it.
He started setting up the dinner scene. He put his long table in front of the window next to the breakfast counter against which I was to be seated. So, behind my shoulder, I had the little hanging candelabra I'd given him many years ago as well as his pink sparkle-covered poinsetta (he'd picked up yesterday). There was also a glass bowl filled with sparklng beads, a glass column filled with ornaments (it's a light), also three black candle stands of varying heights with black mesh pillar candle holders. We were drinking our sparkling fruit juice out of the art deco champagne flutes I'd given him eons ago.
So, what was for Christmas dinner? Uh ... how does raclette sound? Yes, really. Well, we're nothing if not traditional. He'd received an electric raclette cum grill for Christmas last year. It came with 6 little shovel trays. That was in the centre of the white tablecloth, with other glass bowls holding ingredients such as roasted multi-coloured potatoes, baby corn (grilled), cippolini onions, gherkins, blanched broccoli, chorizo sausage (grilled), grape tomatoes (have I remembered everything?) and finally small slabs of aged cheddar (instead of traditional raclette cheese). There were also the pepper and salt grinders and smoky paprika for extra flavour. After filming one round, we ate and ate and ate, but it all seemed to be quite digestible until we ate only one slice of the chorizo. And we felt full instantly. So we decided not to eat any more sausage. As I am the Queen of Variations, I immediately came up with an idea for a fruit raclette that could be served in the summertime. And there's a stuffed mushroom appetizer, too. Luckily, we were near the end of our meal, because I was starting to feel full.
But I managed (oh, how brave of me) to make an assault on the dessert. Well, if it's not jello or ice cream, there's always room for whipped cream. Right??? It was amazing. The pound cake had nearly disintegrated, so the inclusion of the brownies with walnuts was noticed. And the flavours. And just all those juicy fresh berries. We filmed ourselves having a couple of bites of dessert and that was it. We'd spent nearly 7 hours together and had a much easier time than last year's herculean endeavour. I still had about 30 minutes before my bus was coming to pick me up, so needed to ... uh ... practise getting up out of my chair. Ouch. But I can't take pain killers if I want to be assured of waking up tomorrow morning.
Brian escorted me downstairs but left me there, as he had cleaning up and collapsing on his immediate schedule. I can quite understand. My bus was a wee bit late, but I wasn't complaining. I got home at 8:35, cleaned off my makeup and have temporarily decided what I'm going to wear to church tomorrow. But that's another day. So, until domani, I'll wish everyone a sated but not too-stuffed good night!
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