Socks for Xmas?

MrD and I do not exchange gifts on December 25. That comes to many of my readers as a surprise. My theory is why have only this one occasion to bring me gifts? Every day is a trophy H day. Bah Humbug to the rest. I like the holiday food. I love the traditional Canadian Christmas dinner with the turkey and the cranberries and the whole stuffing, mashed potato, pickles and pie until you burst and then start crying. Please call the fat helpers hot line listed below.
This year as many of you know an invitation from a neighbour for MrD and myself to join them for lunch turned into the trophy H enlisting the help of MrD and cooking lunch for seven...I had planned a nice quiet nosh on a rack of reindeer I had brining in a brown sugar and salted lavender bath. MrD in a rare spirit of the holidays readily agreed to make his family's famous beef roll called "Marcon", the star of every Filipino holiday table. He pretends not to cook and does so sparingly. He is a great cook. I pretend to cook. I am not bad. I do it constantly.
The deal was lunch at 13:30. We would provide the appetizer and the main at our place. We would then proceed to wander down the hall to their condo for desert.
They were on time. A very good thing if you ever plan to get invited back. Be on time and don't stay late. Now you know.
We greeted five guests with a cup of warm ginger sweet potato soup.
Our angels from down the hall showed up with tasty German sides of red cabbage and mashed potatoes and the holiday "Keugle" which is sort of stuffing in a dumpling shaped Christmas ball. "Yahvolt das vas gute". (sorry MrD for mein German!) I roasted off a pan of seasonal veggies. It is quite easy to keep the veggies separate with different spices then roast them all off on the same parchment covered baking sheet at 350 for about 30 minutes to 45 depending on your taste for crunch factor. Just chop them all in about the same size.
Our extra angels? The two homeless bachelors who shall remain nameless showed up with chocolates and wine so we let them in but gave them the uncomfortable chairs to sit on. I served the reindeer with a white truffle laced veal demiglace on a "Blue Willow" platter nestled beside MrD's festive meat roll snuggled in his family's secret sauce. Lots of lip smacking and oohing and aweing. The poor hungry lambs heading to the kitchen for seconds or thirds. A cheese ball wound us down. I blended cranberry Cheddar, sage Cheddar, Danish blue with lime juice, chopped dried apricots and figs that had soaked in rum for a year and some no name cream cheese. Dried fruit bread crackers for that and off we went to our neighbour's house for coffee, ice wine and platters of the finest German holiday deserts. Home made by our hostess. Our neighbour's sweet center piece and star of the desert feast was her own German Christmas cheese cake. I am not going to tell you how good this slice of heaven was. I hate the holidays. I ate like a hippo. I look like a hippo. A happy hippo.
Speaking of not getting any gifts.
We weren't but let's.
MrD and I did give our guests each something. I added socks to the gift pile. Socks as a gift? I can hear some lips curl up on one side. "Not a very trophy H gift"! I did first reinvent socks by slicing them into patterns. Socks meant to be worn over another plain pair or just on their own when you decide to let your leg hair down.
All the men reading my blog are encouraged to slice away at their own sock gifts from Mom, sis, Gramma, Aunt Edith, the lady at the office and that weird guy who pretends he knows you. Just follow a simple pattern and don't cut too many holes. These genius socks all came about the day MrD noticed a small hole on the ankle of my sock. MrD mentioned I should fix it. I agreed and went to my office and grabbed a pair of scissors. I cut matching holes on both socks and added a few.
This slice of fashion technique does work for every other piece of clothing. But remember do not try this on your underwear when you are wearing them. Trust me eh?

Happy Anniversary MrD

08:00. I have been up since 06:25.
S**t, Showered and Shaved. Old Spice High Endurance Long Lasting Stick. Travocort. Bio Oil. Kiel's eye alert. Kiel's Super restorative body lotion (circle pats. Don't rub!)
06:30 Get dressed as today's trophy H. shhssspsssst a waft of duty free Armani something.
06:40 Prepare laundry. Take out the trash. Buy a coffee from J.J. Beans. Dark roast. Cream. No sugar. Return home.
07:00. "Muesli or Sandwich MrD?" "Sandwicho Trophy H." "Ti Minuti?" "Bene".
0710. Plated and presented Trophy H morning sandwicho of Prosciutto, egg and apricot Cheddar on slightly toasted 12 grain. No butter.
07:12 MrD disappears into his corner view office to mangaramo and run the empire.
07:15. Morning coffee break with that still warm J.J. Bean brew and 1/2 cup muesli sprinkled artistically with a handful of fresh cranberries.
07:30 Salvage and rearrange the flowers. Its Monday. Plan the new arrangements later when MrD delivers this week's lot of blooms. Start the laundry.
Dishes done. Trophy Hair on and time to hit the net and type all the morning notes to let everyone know how I manage to keep all this up.
and its 08:16.
08:40. I have finished sewing one line of black and white tiny glass beads on a Speedo Hoody for a fashionistermeester client of mine.
09:30 Time for a morning power walk along the sea wall. Have not seen a seal in a while and the Sea Lions I saw yesterday from the Ferry made me yearn.
13:00. Lunch of home made pizza with elk terrine and sun dried tomato pesto. Served and kitchen cleaned up after. Time for a short siesta and then some photo editing.
13:30 Turned on the fireplace DVD from my sister for the holidays. The fireside DVD comes with Christmas songs but after one round of those I turn them off and just let the fire place images run. No fire trap for MrD and all the pleasure...almost of a real fire. I have some slow braising beef side ribs going on in a slow cooker for tomorrow's dinner. Today they fill the house with smelly warm feelings. Tonight MrD is taking me out to a local culinary hot spot called "Brix". Very west coast BC food 100 mile radius kind of trendy paparazzi eatery with twelve wine glasses for each diner sort of dump. But can they cook? More on that later. I googled their menu and my guess for tonight's choices for MrD and me in reverse order are: Gulf Island Lamb Rack,smoked sea salt & fresh herb crusted lamb rack, jalapeno infused polenta with smoked Quebec cheddar, grilled scallions & bell pepper, whiskey – pale ale demi glace
[ Wine recommendation: Cabernet Sauvignon, Mediterranean red ]Good suggestion.
Fraser Valley Chicken Breast 25?
triple smoked bacon, pecorino cheese, arugula & oven dried tomato stuffed, garlic roasted yellow jacket potato, brocollini and baby carrots, roma tomato chicken reduction
[ Wine recommendation: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay ]
Triple Lemon Cheesecake
chocolate cookie crust, raspberry granite to share?
My afternoon power walk up the hill and back today was a good prep for tonight's dinner. What to do with all this time? Dinner is reserved for 18:00. I need only 15 minutes to dress now that I have the outfit chosen. Time to crack open the reserve hidden way below in the back corner of the wine cellar? No but something adult and respectable is in order for a wedding anniversary. Vina Amalia Reservado Malbek 2005 This Malbek was part of the treasures left behind at last weekend's party to celebrate our last mortgage payment. When in doubt and need a big finish with a flourish go for the Argentines. This wine makes you think Broadway, Evita and Joe Allen's. Top notch. Pop goes the cork. No recession under this cork.
Nice words spoken. Nice words listened to. Wine touches lips and vice versa. Life goes on. Winter is here. December the 21. The first and longest night of winter.
What to wear to dinner was never a question. I am wearing the wool hounds tooth jacket I designed and had tailored in Bangkok for my wedding. A very very long Hollywood style jacket. Black silk satin lapels and pocket flaps to wear inside or out. Good to have a wool suit this time of year. The interchanging pocket flaps keep the suit looking and feeling fresh and new.
I do not have a romantic bone in my body so I choose the same thing over and over on my anniversary minus the disastrous wedding day mohair maxi overcoat which shall not be mentioned. It was the last time MrD asked me if I was going to wear that outfit?
Oh yes I must remember to wear my wedding band. "Ready TH?" "Ready Ready Mrd." Ready world?

Trophy H's triumphant return home from the Empress.

We pick up on the Trophy H face book chat.

6:39pmDon
but I feel uncomfortable in green

6:40pmNeil
You have an equally exotic profile. If you accented with mad royal purple or aqua marine you could pull it off. Its very period like some of your dungeon and dragon stuff you hide in.

6:40pmDon
from being called the Jolly Green Giant in hi school

Ho ho ho they called after me in the halls

6:41pmNeil
Oh dear. Time to return to a class reunion in this outfit. Don't wait for them to call you. Just show up.

6:41pmDon
haven't been to one yet

maybe there will be a 30th n 2010

6:43pmNeil
I got, "Hey Flees!" rhymed with my last name. Pig Farmer was the number two favourite name I got and then of course I got the "F" word. A lot.

6:44pmDon
scars we bear

6:44pmNeil
make us beautiful and stronger

I got invited back to my 25th. I declined the invitation.


6:46pmNeil
2010 will be the 30th year reunion. I might attend this time. My best pal since the third grade has stage 4 cancer. If she goes I want to be her date.

6:50pmNeil
MrD just attended his 25th Chemical Engineering graduate class in Manila. That is why we were there at that time instead of Christmas. It is also why we have been dieting MrD with trophy H treats for the last three months. It worked he fit into pants, tee shirts and lots of details that he had not worn in a long time. Me too. We ate healthy and did the exercise and pouf. Three months of hard work later we were back on the runway.

6:51pmDon
you were both looking good at the party

6:52pmDon
are you in town for a while now?

6:53pmNeil
Yes! Please. Let me hide the suitcases.

6:53pmDon
you must be a packing pro

6:54pmNeil
I actually have a tip or two for the Trophy Bag. Pack well and less.

6:54pmDon
I'm that way. Can always buy what one has forgotten

6:55pmNeil
Carry on bags only! Check in on the way back if you shopped too much or have to return with armloads of gifts. I don't shop for anyone. My bag is my own.

6:56pmDon
I don't shop hardly anyway

just shoes

6:57pmNeil
MrD carries his things. I carry mine. We take turns with the laptop. Usually. Also no cheating and buying things in foreign cities, giving it to each other and expecting them to carry it home.

6:57pmDon
ha ha

6:57pmNeil
Exactly. How many shoes do you take with you?

6:57pmDon
maybe 2 pairs

6:58pmNeil
I try to limit it to 3 pairs and we are still talking carry on only.

6:58pmDon
depends though when I travel

if I drive someplace then 5 or 6 pairs

6:58pmNeil
Yes I was just talking about what to take to the gym.

6:59pmDon
I often have a change of clothes in my van

7:00pmNeil
I had a wonderful thing happen tonight.

I called my brother to say we had returned safe from Victoria

YOu have a Van?

What colour?

7:01pmDon
I do

taupe

a Safari

7:01pmNeil
yes

??? sorry I am the so not the motor kind of Trophy H

7:02pmDon
tell me about the wonderful thing

7:03pmNeil
I rented a car to visit my family from the airport. My brother asked what kind of car it was. "A red one." Poor guy just cringed. He is like the dad of the gay guy in Glee.

7:03pmDon
I don't have a tv

7:04pmNeil
Ok. He told me that he read my blog from beginning to end in one go yesterday and he liked it.

7:04pmDon
cool

7:04pmNeil
oh yes of course you mentioned you did not have a tv. good for you

7:05pmDon
do you see your family often?

7:05pmNeil
I was on the TV news yesterday and I did not watch it either. Some roving camera on the walking streets near the Empress did an interview about my hat.

7:06pmDon
was it a special hat?

7:06pmNeil
I was just home for Thanks Giving and the fabulous photos in my album are taken at my bros farm where I was also raised.

7:07pmNeil
Oh yes I was wearing one of my own hats. MrD saw the camera crew first and warned me they would pounce. They did. Sort of a jester's hat in black and grey strips with some decorations from last weekend's party and a bell. The GAP and me. I took and exacter knife and cut out the top of the P in GAP so it reads different.

7:08pmDon
has your brother changed much since he took over the farm?

what does Danilo think of your ''notoriety''?

7:10pmNeil
Once a year MrD and I take my Brother and his wife on a vacation so we meet up. I have one sister. This year its once again my turn to take her traveling. MrD doesn't usually join. He will be in Japan. We will go to Sydney Australia. Then we three meet up at our place in Manila. That's the plan for Feb. Leaving the day before the Olympics and returning the day after... And NO we are not renting out our palace in the sky.

7:11pmDon
I wouldn't want strangers in my place either

7:12pmNeil
Mr brother took over the farm from my Father who got it from his father who got it from God. Whatever. He bought from my Dad when I was in grade 9. My sister was already married and moved away to Toronto. My parents and I moved off the farm into the hamlet of 72 people. The rest is history.

7:12pmDon
he s a much older brother?

7:13pmNeil
No live a third of the year inside hotel rooms so I am used to people going through my intimate things. In my own home I like to lock the door and find it the way it looks to be the same when I next return. I would probably have stayed here in Vancouver to be an Olympic spectacle at the Olympics but this is the best time to take my sister out of the frozen north changing diapers for old people off to the coconut palms and a bit of massage.

My brother is the oldest and wisest. Then my sister. I am the baby.

7:14pmDon
how do judge wisdom?

7:15pmNeil
Wisdom is always found in those older than you. Each shows that in some way you have to see.

7:15pmDon
I'll believe you

7:17pmNeil
I can also see wisdom in the youth but I am not traveling that way. I am dying. Youth is living.

7:19pmNeil
To answer you question. MrD deals with my notoriety in his Asian way. He pretends he doesn't know me and walks at some distance. But now after 15 years I understand he walks with pride to be with me as I am proud to always walk with him.

7:19pmDon
I imagined so
thanx for the chat

A trophy H's letter to my Danish source for stinky cheese.

I just took delivery of 1/2 kilo of prime "Gamle Ole" from Denmark. No this is not wacky tobaccy it is the stinkiest cheese Denmark produces. Bottom line. It smells like the barn. Tastes like Old Ola its name sake. I am sure it was not a political statement about Canada's input to the Global Warming issues in Copenhagen going on now. My cooking and entertaining pals took the trouble to send a vacum packed piece of this Viking wonder and the proper Danish rye bread to cradle the smelly offerings. I facebooked a message. Ulla, with a fabulous career of her own, is also the wife of John the Chef. John just received his own chef jacket with his signature on the jacket. A gift I sent from this trip to Manila. I have had so many truly memorable dinners at their house. They always invited me for Christmas with the family. I can't remember how many times I danced around their jule tree. I miss them. More at Christmas.
They have met MrD and its a mutual admiration society all around. MrD has not had the pleasure of dining at their fabulous Danish home in the Hot new Hellebaek home Bistro John. As a trophy H it is important to rectify this situation. More on that later at another date.

But first the tale of Stinky Old Ole.

1:55pmNeil
Ulla darlink. Gammel Ole er i koleskabe intil jule frokost med vore Tysk neigbors Thomas, Petra og Anna. Tusind tak. Hvad med Johnny? Kigger ham godt ud i den der chef jaket?

1:56pmUlla
He look fantastisk. So sweet of you Niel to send him this fine shirt.

1:58pmUlla
Lugter Gammel Ole lidt i dit køleskab?

2:00pmNeil
nej det va sa lidt. Johnny er sa remligt god to layer mel. Jeg kan godt husk. Lamb i haven ver en og min favorits.

Gamle Ole is still vacum sealed in what you sent him so he is not smelling. He looks like I just picked him out of the koleskabe at Fakta.

2:02pmUlla
Fantastisk. Jeg kan sende dig en ny Gammel Ole når som helst. Bare sig til.

2:02pmNeil
I ate the bread and served some at Saturday's end of the mortgage payment party. It had started to go and would not make the next party. I can actually buy a bread like this here in Vancouver that I will serve on Jule but Gamle Ole is a rare tropical viking treat unavailable here in this land of plenty.

2:04pmNeil
What is your telephone number? I would love to call Jule aften nar i dancer rund den Jule tre

2:12pmUlla
That would be wonderful deer Niel. Our number is 00%%^%$^%^%#$%%%. We are having duck with braun and white potatoes, sauce, redcabbages,prunes,appels and ricepudding. What are you having for chrismas?

2:17pmNeil
skont. I am doing rosemary and lavender crusted reindeer rack with a black truffle veal demi glaze. Roasted seasonal root veggies like parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes. We also can buy the tiny blue potatoes from South America. I want to make a dish of these but using the braun kartofle recipie. Remind me how to make it? Isn't it just boiled potatoes, skinned and browned in butter and white sugar?

2:19pmNeil
Leftover lavender and rosemary short bread cookies from our party for desert. A romantic ending to a perfect Jule. MrD can figure out the time difference so we don't end up calling you in the morning 6 instead of the evening 6 ikke ogsa?

2:23pmUlla
. Wua. Fantastisk. You must be the best chef. (hvordan gør du det?)

2:31pmNeil
I just love to make food for myself and my husband and my friends and family. In that order... You Ulla darlink my stinky cheese sending venne both family and a friend. My job as the Trophy H is to prepare MrD breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week. In exchange he stays at the computer and runs the empires back in Asia. I never make the same Trophy H meal twice. I have had to invent a lot of fun food. It is very Zen. The more new ways you slice veggies the more you easily slice through life.

2:34pmUlla
Neil you are just the best. MrD is are a very lucky man. Must repeat that-

5:38pmUlla is offline.

A trophy H's letter to those poor people unable to attend.

All that was missing was for you to have attended. So many people all having a fabulous time is what I remember mostly. MrD and I are tired happy. So very fortunate to have this wonderful home all to our no mortgage payment selves, with such wonderful neighbours. Our living room is a storehouse of treasures left behind. Gifts of pure brilliance, generosity and dare we use the four letter word L**E.
There is so much leftovers to transform into delightful trophy H breakfast, lunches and dinners for MrD. Mrd was flattered with the torrents of praise for my humble mortgage free home made party treats. Jon the twink/bartender/actor/waiter I hired to run the kitchen, ie. keep me out of it did a brilliant job. Juggling the 4 different wild meat terrines, shrimp three ways, the cheese trays and all those funny breads. There was a feeding frenzy. No worries a trophy H always provides too much for parties. I mean what is the alternative? Not enough? MrD would have to commit hari hari cari cari which is mea culpa for trophy H failed.
MrD reckons there were upwards of forty guests who showed up, some with bells on, to celebrate our paying the last payment on our mortgage balance at 1:30 on Friday, December 11. A party was in order. Friends to celebrate. Food. Drink to honour the moment and each other. Many many guests I had never met. Half the numbers this time were our building neighbours. Lots from Mrd's language groups. The odd Italian teacher here. The odder Russian beautiful straight couple. Oh La La. Some returning guests had been to our now famous pizza party. They were the first to the food table. Exciting to greet more new neighbours this time. Great. I want to have them all over. Soon.
Lots of gmen. Old friends who are new and new ones who are old and others who just look that way. The Fabulous M with his exotic Victor from South Africa, via LA, Hong Kong and Burnaby deserves an award as support entertainment host and most important photo taker. I had baked up some very Martha inspired bread sticks all curled around into funny shapes. Like jewelry. Victor saw them as jewels straight away and insisted on a shot of me with one as an ear ring. I didn't take any photos really but managed to click a few point and shoots to get something for the scrap book/face book. A trophy H's work never stops. Mingle talk walk mingle talk walk smile. Download.
I am taking the day off tomorrow.
Wednesday evening is our holiday pot luck party in the main lobby where we I may have mentioned we live mortgage free. Just have a couple of days to plan what to wear. I haven't got a clue what to wear. I don't care. I do know one thing. I am bringing rethought fusion leftovers.

Trophy H's triumphant return home to MrD.

"If you never go away then how can I miss you?"
I am sure it was someone important I should remember who said that. I do know it was some smart person who said it. That I know. I know I have said it many times.
The last two days the trophy H has spent hours and hours and hours floating in a tin can and poof, hop, fly and he's leaving Manila, transiting in Hong Kong, and home again in Vancouver with MrD.
Flowers on the table? Good. Give MrD his due. There is always a welcome home bouquet of fresh flowers on the table when I return. Its part of his training for taking care of me.
I know its not just the chef MrD misses but he is downstairs still smacking his lips after tonight's dinner I prepared after a full day of marketing and starting to cook for Saturday's party.
My job is to prepare the finger foods. MrD has invited about 90 guests. I am planning on 30 to 40 will show up. Many of them attended our pizza party a few months back. I made 46 different kinds of trophy H pizza in 4 hours. The critics were blown away but I can't rest on those laurels. This menu has to top it. Its just what we trophy H's do.
This time I am not going to slave away in the kitchen. Did that. Done that. Not doing it on Saturday. Everything will be prepared in advance. I have hired a blond Eastern European actor/twink to be a waiter/bartender. He will work. I will mingle with MrD.
This event has nothing to do with this HO HO Christmas thing. Saturday afternoon's fiesta has nothing to do with the Jewish holiday. Thursday MrD and I have a meeting with our banking officer to pay off the last of our mortgage for our sky palace here in Vancouver.
Now, that calls for friends, a bit of bubbles and some finger foods.
I expressed my concern to MrD about a month ago that I was feeling a wee bit stressed about doing the food.
He told me, "You take care of the food and I will take care of the mortgage."
Its the balance of players that really makes the team.
Tonight I am cooling and pressing a meat terrine of duck, chicken and turkey laced with fois gras, black truffles and lavender. MrD enquired if I was making this pate for dinner or for the party. I told him to figure that out and get back to me. I got back to the truffles.
Black truffles and the finest lavender are my major two players in Saturday's finger food fantasia. That is all of the menu I am giving away. A trophy H needs some secrets. I have so few.
MrD got instead a Filipino inspired fusion dish. Venison adobo with the small plantain like Filipino "sava". I even opened him my last jar of homemade green mango pickles to serve as a side with some lavender barley instead of the more fattening rice.
Ah it is grand to be back. Did you miss me?

Life is a beach and then you fly.

Just back from Boracay Island so famous for its White beach. MrD took me there the first time about 10 years ago. I always try to visit Boracay while I am home in the Philippines. MrD could not make it this trip because he had to return to Vancouver. He is not a big beach fan anyway so I often go alone.
Normally I fly to the local airport of Katiclan. Then its a short ride to the ferry and the 15 minute float to the island docks. This time I chose the second option and landed farther away at Kalibo. A pleasant hotel contact person met me and helped transfer other arriving guests and myself to a waiting bus. The ride form Kalibo took almost 2 hours. Rice fields, banana plants and coconut trees are what you see mostly. A couple of small towns with their school, church and funeral parlor seemed to be the way things were mostly. I noticed the Mormon churches were the wealthiest looking ones but in this country dominated by the catholic church you have to show some pomp to get the poor converts inside to milk their pockets.
I love rice fields. Patchwork quilts of green in several vibrant shades. Rice, at least here in the Philippines is not grown in one large swoop but in small plots all joined together in one big area and separated by tiny raised foot paths that also serve as walls so the farmers can flood the plot needed to grow the rice. The tiny patches of slender seedlings are planted at different times. As they grow the green changes colour. A feast for the eye. In this area the seedlings are still planted by hand in the prepared mud. We saw many farmers planting. Other tiny plots of rice looked ready to harvest. A lot of unhusked but harvested rice was drying in a flat layer spread out onto plastic sheeting right alongside the roads. Looked to me like a slow labour intensive job. Nothing this trophy H has much patience with at all.
The bus took us up and over the coastal hills to the port. After a bit of a snag with their hotel boat not starting we were transferred to a general island ferry. There are two kinds of island ferries. The cheaper open decked ones and the closed air conditioned ones. I prefer the open ones but our hotel contacts put us on the more expensive air conditioned. These faster boats are closed in with fancy ugly drapes to keep the sun out. There is always a television blaring some action film. You are across and docked in 15 minutes. Still another ride in the hotel van and finally you are checked in and sitting by the pool with your welcome drink in hand.
Not bad for a morning's work.
Four days and three nights in paradise complete with a full moon casting its magic and poof the holiday was over. Back in the van. Back on the boat. Back on the bus. Up and over the hills. Through the rice fields. Past the churches, funeral homes and schools to the airport for the 45 minute hop back to Manila and the real world.
I won't go into detail about how lovely the time on Boracay was or what I got up to because by now if you have read any of my other entries you know I am not one to gloat. Much.
Now its just a matter of tying up loose ends at home and the office before heading back to Vancouver. MrD informs me it is quite cold at home there but sunny. Oh Yippee.

All alone again.

MrD just hopped on a JAL flight heading back to Vancouver with a short layover in Narita. I gave him a duty free shopping list to complete there before he heads into JAL's lounge. I am a big fan of the business lounge with its excellent food choices but not such a fan of JAL. They have the old business class seats. They do not recline to a full flat bed so I prefer to stick with Cathay Pacific for the long haul to and from Manila to Vancouver.
Now that MrD has left and all my trophy H obligations are over and done with I can take a little time off. Tomorrow morning I have an early flight. I will spend four days on my favourite island Boracay here in the Philippines. The famous white sand beach is featured in many world guide books as being in the top ten. The white sand is really dead coral and most of the coral around the island is dead already which is a sad but true fact.
I first went to Boracay about 15 years ago when MrD and I were living in Bangkok, Thailand. We came to the Philippines to visit his family. I was just his friend from Canada back then when he introduced me to his relatives. That introduction never changed but hey this is Asia and we don't talk about. Yeah. Yeah. I am over it. Really I am.
Over the year Boracay has become my own private get away destination whenever I am home in the Philippines. Often MrD does not come with me. One he is not a beach person and two he too busy running the empire. I enjoy taking friends or family. My sister was persuaded to leave cold snowy Canada one January. She insisted on frying under the too hot sun so she could show her work mates when she got back. I just frowned my disapproval and watched her turn pink and later peel and flake but she was happy.
Tourists are constantly being propositioned by beach sellers, massage therapists, boat renters, scuba operators and the list goes on and on. To avoid this a bit I had a tee shirt on which I sewed the words "Welang Pera" in bright shiny red sequins. "Welang pera" is Tagalog (Filipino) meaning "No Money". The shirt was a hit and saved me lots of time. Over the years and my maybe 20 visits to the island I always bring this shirt. Many of the local merchants remember me even without the shirt and greet me with, "Welang Pera. Welcome back." I even had more shirts with many different sayings made up and sold them to others there because I was always being asked where I got the cool shirt.
One of my plans for this trip is to take a self portrait for Christmas. I have done this other years and its a fun idea to share with friends snowed in back in Canada.
My last visit to Manila I tried to get to the island but sat in the domestic airport for six hours while a typhoon shut down the island airport. I never did make it that time. But the weather report for tomorrow is good to go. Time to pack up the #50 sunscreen, some trophy H beach wear and of course the "Welang Pera" tee shirt.

A red letter day.

Every year about this time when we are home in Manila it is the custom to give the staff who work in our condo a gift of cash. I am sure this is an Asian thing. I am fairly sure it comes from the Chinese because we are supposed to put the money in a red envelope and the Chinese do love their red.
MrD and I go through the list of 20 or so employees and decide who gets what and who gets more than that. We don't even know all their names so I have to ask for an updated list from the office. Once word gets around that the list has been asked for the attitude of the staff all seem to change. They just become more friendly. This builds up over the few days it takes before the delivery of the red envelopes and always makes me smile. I have no problems with the syrupy hellos or them rushing to press the elevator button for me. I am nicer to people who give me money too.
MrD and I just dropped off the cash downstairs with the receptionist so now we will have a day or two of thank yous and smiles and then things will get back to the way they are for the rest of the year.
It is cheaper than our staff in the office. They get an extra month's pay and a trip out of the country. This week they are all in Vietnam for 4 days.
Now that all the extras are taken care of I can get around to the true meaning of Xmas. Shopping for MrD and lovely gifts for myself the trophy H.
HO HO HO
Happy Holidays.

Advance party preparations in Manila.

This week on Thursday the staff from three of our companies in Manila, Hong Kong and Bangkok are all flying off to meet up in Hanoi, Vietnam for our yearly company holiday. MrD and I do not usually join them because I figured the workers have a better time if the bosses are not around. I seem to remember that was the way I at least felt all those many years ago when I actually had a boss or a real job.
While the cats mice are away MrD has asked me to prepare a party for him this Saturday from 2 - 7 for about 15 "G" guests who are all strangers to each other. The party is to help celebrate his birthday on Dec. 1 when he will be back in Vancouver. I won't be there. I will stay here longer and try to get some R&R on my favourite beach island of Boracay.
I have no problems with party requests. It is all part of what I do as a trophy H. Most of the invites are people I know more than he knows anyway. But I simply will not spend the time slaving in our hot tropical kitchen with this heat even with the air con sucking up the ozone layer.
Being the trophy H that I am I am efficient at planning parties. I have imported smoked Canadian venison, caribou and a couple of kinds of elk along with a few too many blocks and wheels of good old Canadian cheese to add to local tasty bits I can throw together for our guests.
Keep it simple. Keep it tasty and keep it coming is my way of battling the heat on any level.
There is a local farmer's market on Saturday so I can go early and stock up on loads of fresh fruit. The mangoes still warm from the trees are my favourite bites these days but a bit messy for party finger foods. But there is a bounty of good eats out there to satisfy any crowd. I will also pick up an armload of flowers like I normally do on Saturday mornings.
Here in Manila we have a fantastic cleaner Joseph who comes in 5 mornings a week to keep the palace immaculate and up to standards for MrD who some might consider a clean freak. I always head out on morning errands when the cleaner comes to give him all the space to do what ever cleaners do. What he does is beyond me because we really aren't that dirty or disorganised. I did notice he always does things like line up all my spice bottles in neat rows in the cupboard with all the labels facing out. Joseph the cleaning demon also enjoys sorting the kitchen drawers every day so all those spatulas and wooden spoons are in order and facing the same direction. The forks spoons and knives are stacked in perfect lines every morning. Once I came home and Joseph had folded the dirty laundry. But he will be in Hanoi with the rest of our staff from the office and doesn't work weekends anyway.
So glad MrD loves to clean up after parties. We are such a good balance. I cook. He cleans. He makes it. I spend it.
Now where did Joseph file my cheese boards?

Lunch in barong Tagalog with MrD's family.

Every year around MrD's birthday we take his family to the Makati Shangrila for a buffet lunch. Me being the trophy husband in the country that does not mention anything closely related to the "G" word is always seems to be a bit macabre but then I do like that side of things.
I have a wonderful relationship with MrD's family. Over the years I have become godfather to about three or four of the nephews and nieces. The fact that I am not a Catholic does not seem to bother anyone. I did once have to sit through a rather long and nasty pre baptism speech from a Catholic worker who explained to us all that if we committed some kind of sin then when we died and went to hell a giant worm would eat our insides but we would never be consumed. Good news for us atheist/agnostic non Catholics in the room.
Today I got all the guys in the family to wear the barong Tagalog which is the national costume for the discerning Filipino male and trophy h's of same. Traditionally they are made out of fibres from the pineapple plant, woven and embroidered with astounding detail but now artificial materials are mostly used. Office workers wear a cotton version that is not see through. The see through thing must be avoided with a white undershirt which just makes sense anyway when the tropical sun sweats us into oblivion even with the air conditioners wiping out the ozone layer.
I asked a photographer to come and take the family portrait before we went into lunch so if anyone spilt sauce on their shirt it would not matter.
My barong Tagalog was made for me a few years back when MrD's sister got married. I was not asked to be in the family photo way back then and MrD has suffered with my lament about that ever since.
The buffet at the Shangrila is probably the best thing about Manila. No it is the best thing about the world in general. They have whole sections of the large room sectioned off with Japanese, Western, Indian and Filipino foods. The absolute best dish in the restaurant is the flour less chocolate cake that I diet between visits just so I can have a slice and still fit into all those designer outfits I have to wear to make MrD look good.
Buffets in general are a no no but if you can learn to only eat a little then you can manage. It took me some time to go from "all you can eat" to "eat what you need". Practise makes perfect.
Tomorrow night we will take our Manila staff back to the same restaurant and I will have to eat more chocolate cake. How many hours on the treadmill can I log in before then? I really wish I had some talent for bulimia but sticking my finger down my throat does nothing for me.

Keeping my legs up.

One of the perks about living in Asia is private health care. No public service here really.
In Vancouver I went to see a doctor about some nasty non trophy husband spider veins on my left calf. The doctor there could do nothing so he would have to send me to a specialist. The clinic receptionist told me they would set up the appointment and get back to me.
That was in July.
I got a call at the end of October that the appointment would be November 19 at 11am. Well I told the clinic that I was going to be back in Asia then and have the treatment and they could stick their appointment book where that other thermometer goes. Thank you very much.
Yesterday I went to my dermatologist here who has been keeping me looking so young, wrinkle free and trophy hansom for MrD all these years. After he zapped off yet another dot of skin from my forehead (never mind that) I showed him my not so lovely leg and he treated me right then and there with leg vein sclerotherapy.
I paid in Pesos and was out of the office in less than an hour instead of about 6 months that the British Columbia health care system was offering.
Thank you private medical service.
I have a bandaged leg for three days and its over. The doctor told me to keep my legs up. Do you think he was implying anything?

back home in Manila

It might be the jet lag or it might be old age but I have been a mean ugly trophy H to poor MrD. Sarcasm has been rolling off my wrinkeled lips all day. Nothing pleases me.
We cut our stay in Hong Kong short by one day at my request because the hotel bored me, the city bored me, the shopping bored me and the jet lag is driving me nuts.
Back in Manila with temperatures over 30 C. The holiday lights twinkle away in the palm trees in the mall across from our condo.
It was August when I was last here. The longest time I have been away from our tropical home.
I forgot the roses I bought at the Hong Kong flower market at our hotel in HK. They were sitting in water in the marble bathroom. How can you forget two dozen red and white radish roses? At least I have a photo if I have not lost my camera in all this mess. I have not. Just feeling grouchy and sleepy and oh so very tired.
MrD is hiding in his bedroom cringing from my ugly side. Still I am always such a happy camper that this foul mood has some charm. Not much but a little.
And that is all I have to say about the matter.

Jet lagged in Hong Kong

Well the ordeal of flying in a pressurised tin can for 13 hours while crossing the international date line is over and MrD and I have settled our tired bodies into the charming old Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
I did manage to get some sleep on the plane but of course I still have to deal with jet lag. This morning I was up at 3am and went out for a walk in the chilling darkness of this part of such a very crowded city.
MrD was also up and at the computer doing his running the empire thing so off I went on my own with my camera.
It is a bit spooky to see Kowloon so empty because it is usually packed with so many people and things move at a crawl. Not even the newspaper sellers were up yet. A few tired sex workers going home or not and some police out checking IDs.
MrD and I have already decided to condense all our meetings into today and fly out one day early back to Manila. If we are going to suffer jet lag we might just as well do that in our own home rather than in this pretentious and somewhat dated hotel.
So after a quite authentic eggs benedict with one of our Hong Kong employees and some notes here I am preparing for a trip on the MRT to the Hong Kong flower market to shop for blooms to take back home to Manila tomorrow.
Our Hong Kong friends are complaining about the cold temps of 14 or so but it is a wonderful transition for us before the 30 C waiting for us in Manila when we step off the plane tomorrow.

Today is Saturday and tomorrow is Monday.

My day started at 4:30 am. only an hour earlier than I am usually awakened by the sounds of MrD preparing my morning coffee. He does that Monday to Friday and I try and get his coffee made at the weekends. Taking turns.
Busy day packing for tonight's long haul flight to Hong Kong. The flight leaves at 2am Sunday and we arrive in Hong Kong on Monday. There is something slightly disconcerting about traveling east far enough to cross the international date line and you move a day ahead in that flash moment. Happy to remember you get the reverse on the return flight when you travel for about 24 hours and get home before you left on the same day. Confused yet? Then there is jet lag but we don't even want to go there just now.
That part takes some getting used to.
I am a one-carry-on, no-check-in, kind of trophy husband but tonight I am traveling with supplies for MrD's gala events. I have to do some "show" cooking at one event so have a bag full of Canadian delicacies like air dried caribou, elk and venison. I am surely the only client checking in on this Cathay flight with a white cabbage. Just can't find a decent head in Manila contrary to what MrD might imply.
The Filipino culture has a tradition with people who have been abroad and have returned. The returning hero must bring gifts for just about everyone. One bag to check in with all the treats and toys and trinkets and dead animal products. A second bag has all my things needed for our 4 day stopover to rest up in Hong Kong before the short hop down to Manila on Thursday.
I hope to get to the fantastic flower market in Kowloon while in Hong Kong so I can take some orchids back to our place in Manila.
I am also lugging some lovely Canadian art as carry on but more on that later.

I had hoped to make an entry in this blog every day. It might get a little confusing for the next bit with missing a day.
MrD and I are just up in the air here until Monday.
We hope.

Packing up in Vancouver to return home to Manila.

Tomorrow we have to be at the airport around midnight to catch the 2 am flight to Hong Kong where I will spend a few days with MrD visiting our office there and me the middle aged trophy husband doing what comes naturally in Hong Kong like going to the flower market the day before I fly to load up on cheap orchids to take back home to Manila.
This time we are staying in Kowloon instead of on Hong Kong Island in Central. The Peninsula Hong Kong, the old grand dame of the island, is actually in Kowloon and not on Hong Kong Island.
The hotel has the largest fleet of Rolls Royce's in the real world.
We will take the train from the airport. I am not a Rolls fan although it is fun to sit in back and watch MrD pretend not to wave.
Three nights in Hong Kong we have to rest and regenerate from the long 12 hour flight. Then, the short 1 1/2 hour hop down to Manila to put our feet up at home for a bit.
Our return to Asia coincides with MrD's birthday celebrations and our staff outings for three of our Asian companies. Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines companies will all gather in Hanoi, Vietnam. MrD and I will see them off but not attend because I figured out they likely have a better time when we are not there. We have joined them in places like Beijing in other years but we try to keep our distance. They are a great...shall I say...team and I love to support them getting out of their shells. It is not just the executives but every employee including the messengers gets to travel.
Enough about the poor team of minions.
MrD and Me?
Normally we each only travel with a small carry on flight bag but MrD has ordered parties to happen and I am the chef so I have raided the larder of Granville Island farmer's market for true Canadian treats like smoked elk, caribou, bison and reindeer and a good selection of local cheese. I am checking in two bags.
I have to make some pizzas for one of the 3 parties we will organise for MrD's family, our Manila staff and some of our inner pinoy circle.
Only one party will be in our place which I fondly refer to as the Palace because the name of our condo building is "The Palisades".
The staff dinner and the family gathering are at different times on different days but at the same 5 star hotel buffet a block away from where we live and also where our office is located.
Asia knows its buffets. This one at the Makati Shangrila has 3 or 4 food stations featuring Japanese, Western, Indian, (the ones with the dots not the feathers) and the tasty filipino treats.
I personally chose this place many years ago for staff and family dinners simply because the dessert chef's flourless chocolate cake is world famous. Once we arrived with a party of 20 only to find out that the cake was not on the offer.
I had a chat with the chef and he offered to go to the kitchen and make one right away to serve our party but I assured him that if it was there every other night I would let him off that one time.
It has always been there since.
When you are old and not doing the desert table like you used to it is understandably important to only eat what you feel you deserve.
I will also visit the famous "Smokey Mountain" city dump with 5,000 homeless scavengers to open the new school we helped build. Our old one got leveled by the bulldozers. It is illegal for us to build anything in the dump.
But we do.
But more on that another day.
Time to pack.

Guten tag it must be Thursday.

Most Thursdays like today, I head over to Vancouver's famous Granville Island to get farmer's market supplies. Thursday is the best day because most of the produce has arrived but not the swarms of tourists the weekend sees.
I usually just take the ferry across but I today with the sun out and all that lovely snow on the mountain tops I got to yodeling and thought it would be fun to get a Porche and a German chauffeur because the drive across the bridge would be fun.
Last month MrD invited our neighbours, a young straight German couple with a charming daughter, over for dinner. MrD always enjoys the company of anyone who speaks more than just English because the great MrD speaks around 30 languages. (Can't say no in any of them. Doesn't do well listening in any of them either. Meow. Meow Meow.)
It turns out Daddy German is the cook in the family. Mama German is the baker and Daughter German is the princess who will only eat macaroni and cheese.
(I made her a separate meal with mac and cheese three ways because I like to entertain divas.)
Since then I have often met with PG (Papa German)to give him cooking instructions. We head out in his grey Carrera 4 to the local farmer's market on Granville and shop for whatever he is cooking for his family that night. I get what I need. Plus a free ride to the market in a sports cars with a hot German driver. How much is this service? Papa German pays MrD and me 125 bucks a month to park his Porche in our parking spot.
So much better than having to buy one I thought.

Now I have to run. I have to plan the outfit for that creamy brown leather interior. Papa German will be ready on time. It is one of the things we all love about the Germans. Even one minute late causes him inner turmoil and he has to relieve his frustration by squealing his tires in those tight dark turns in the garage.
Auf wiedersehen.

Remembering Day

Any excuse to wear a bright red poppy.
I happened to be around the cenotaph this morning near 11am. The streets were all blocked off with thousands of remembering Canadians. Maybe a few more than other years. Aircraft flew overhead in formation. Choirs sang. There was a bugle. Silence. Politicians made speeches. Babies cried. The war went on.
Somewhere a new war was just starting. Must remember to save the poppy for next year.
My father had three brothers who joined up for the second world war. Two were killed in the madness and the other lived to tell us what a great time he had in Europe.
MrD missed the ceremony but did get around to wearing a poppy.

Gettting to know MrD and Me.

OK already I am doing the blogging thang.
Who cares?
I work my manicured fingers to the bone and he won't notice anyway.

...and then just when I was going to pull out my newly blonded hair by what is left of my grey roots he pulled out a jeweller's ring sizing kit and took my ring finger size.
Apparently MrD is designing a ring for our 15th/5th year marriage anniversary next December.

On a more sunny side.
Things are hotting up for this weekend's trip to Asia for the start of 3 gala Christmas/Birthday bashes for MrD.
Our Manila palace in the sky is being transformed by secret pinoy decorating elves even as I type as a surprise for MrD.
Then its sun and sand and massages under the palm trees for me while MrD. returns to Vancouver to prepare for our really big party of the year.
But more on all that later.
Just got a call I have to do publicity shots for my old dear friend the fabulous clown Nion. I know this guys face since 30 years so I hope to get some good shutter noises.
I must go stimulate the economy. I haven't been to Holts all week.
Blah. Blah. Blah. The weather sucks too.