Sylvia's Journal

It is Valentines day, or Valentimes as Sita used to call it and, although overcommercialized here, still a day to express gratitude to certain people. We sent a bouquet of WBUR roses to Tim and Rhonda who live in Orange and were, on that fateful afternoon of July 14, 2007, picking blueberries near the Gardner airport. We owe them much. The flowers are on their way according to Mr. Fedex, but to the wrong address, an apartment just down the street from them. I hope they get to their destination nevertheless.

Axel gave me a cyclamen plant, pink, for love, and it reminded me of both our mothers who managed to keep these plants alive for years on end. I don’t think I have ever gotten one still looking good after two months. Tessa got a mini version, so we can compare notes. The amaryllis is also coming out today in all its pink and red and white colors – as if it was planned that way.

Axel cooked us a steak-au-poivre dinner that included a spectacular flambé of brandy soaked jus with flames spiking high above the stove and smoke that set all the fire alarms off – leaving us cooking in the ice-cold winds that came from open windows and doors on all sides of the house. But the dinner was wonderful in spite of the wind and smoke. I especially liked the sauce that was not only brandy-spiked but also thickened with lots of heavy cream. Axel had tried to copied Jim’s meal from last Saturday – the smoke part was similar but for the rest not quite up to Jim’s standards if I am honest. Practice makes perfect, apparently; Jim has done it before.

The day ended with a delightful movie about a stodgy British shoe manufacturer who changes his line to produce kinky boots for crossdressers against a backdrop of much psychological drama, such as not living up to paternal expectations, and then all ends well.

That ended an intense workday that was, apart from another set of doctors’ tests, mostly filled with writing for a new book that we hope to have in production later this year, about leadership of course.

And now back to planning our flight for today. There are gusty winds all around Beverly. In order to get to the calm areas with clear skies that are further north and west, we’d have to get through the gusts one way or another. I am waiting for advice and instructions from my pilot buddy Bill, while Axel left for a Valentimes massage.