La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I PICKED UP THE DAFFODILS and tulips for San Geraldo’s birthday too late in the day Friday. They were the last ones available and were already past their prime. The tulips looked miserable by the next morning when we headed off to meet Tynan at Mesón Salvador for a birthday breakfast and, while there, Kathleen, Pedro and the boys arrived hoping to find us. They stayed for a minute, but came bearing gifts for the birthday boy.
Luke entered first with a stunning bunch of flowers. Then there was a box of individual servings of ice cream (which were kept in the freezer while we sat — SG remembered to retrieve them before we left,) and a box of Lindt chocolates. We wish we could have spent more time together but what a brightener to the day.
When we got home, San Geraldo pulled the tulips from my flowers and placed them in a Portuguese vase we purchased in the ’80s in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. They looked better on their own. He then combined the new gorgeous flowers with my woeful bunch and arranged them in an antique American pitcher. Glorious.
We didn’t end up going out for dinner Friday night for SG’s birthday. We decided to save that for a time when we can celebrate with friends. SG picked up pizza and selected his own birthday treats at the bakery. I snuck a candle in one and had my camera ready to catch the birthday boy as he blew it out. Typical of SG, he blew it out from four feet away, so he’s not in the picture. (He does that with our big kitchen candle and blows wax all over the counter.)
During the week, SG picked up white and black cookies from the bakery — like New York black and white cookies except in sandwich form and filled with cabello de angel (a transparent threaded jam made from Siam pumpkin pulp and sugar). We had a fresh fruit feast for dessert Saturday night. But, even our baby potatoes showed their love.
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RECOGÍ LOS NARCISOS Y TULIPANES para el cumpleaños de San Geraldo demasiado tarde en el día viernes. Eran los últimos disponibles y ya habían pasado su mejor momento. Los tulipanes se veían miserables a la mañana siguiente cuando nos dirigimos a reunirnos con Tynan en Mesón Salvador para un desayuno de cumpleaños y, mientras estábamos allí, Kathleen, Pedro, y los niños llegaron con la esperanza de encontrarnos. Se quedaron un minuto, pero llegaron con regalos para el cumpleañero.
Luke entró primero con un deslumbrante ramo de flores. Luego había una caja de porciones individuales de helado (que se mantuvieron en el congelador mientras nos sentábamos; SG recordó recuperarlas antes de que nos fuéramos), y una caja de bombones Lindt. Ojalá hubiéramos podido pasar más tiempo juntos, pero qué alegría para el día.
Cuando llegamos a casa, San Geraldo sacó los tulipanes de mis flores y los colocó en un jarrón portugués que compramos en los años 80 en Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Se veían mejor solos. Luego combinó las hermosas flores nuevas con mi ramo lamentable y las dispuso en una jarra americana antigua. Glorioso.
No salimos a cenar el viernes por la noche para el cumpleaños de SG. Decidimos guardar eso para un momento en que podamos celebrar con amigos. SG recogió pizza y seleccionó sus propias golosinas de cumpleaños en la panadería. Metí una vela en una y tenía mi cámara lista para captar al cumpleañero mientras la apagaba. Típico de SG, lo voló desde cuatro pies de distancia, por lo que no está en la imagen. (Él hace eso con nuestra gran vela de cocina y sopla cera por toda la encimera).
Durante la semana, SG recogió galletas blancas y negras de la panadería — como las galletas blancas y negras de Nueva York, excepto en forma de sándwich y rellenas con cabello de ángel (una mermelada transparente hecha con pulpa de calabaza de Siam y azúcar). Tuvimos una nueva festín de frutas para el postre el sábado por la noche, pero hasta nuestras patatitas demostraron su amor.
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Gosh. Having spent an inordinate amount of holidays in Spain, we have become accustomed to the fact that just about everything is slathered with huge amounts of sugar! My teeth are hurting just looking at those delicious sweets…
Jx
PS The flower arranger at work! Fab. [I am surprised that is a Portuguese vase – its design is “Tulip-mania” era Dutch.]
Jon:
I agree with you about the Portuguese Colonial Williamsburg vase. It looks like Delft. That kind of ware was done in many parts of the world at that time (still is). When we first saw it we assumed it was made in Virginia since it was from the 1600s. There are also many traditional Spanish treats that aren’t so sugar-dependent. You’ll have just have to keep sampling until you find the ones that don’t make your teeth hurt — although by that time, you might not have any teeth to worry about.
Sounds like a wonderful birthday, nice flowers, tulips are difficult.
David:
Tulips don’t last forever, but I never should have bought them (or I should have asked for a huge discount) when I could see they had already reached their peak.
Looks like the birthday was quite the treat[s]!
Happy Happy!
Bob:
Yes. So I just returned from a brisk, 4.5-mile walk… and all I’m having is sugar-free Aquarius (the beverage) as my treat.
Bonne fête à Gerry. What an elegant desserts and decor. It shows you’re not living in Kansas.
Laurent:
Thank the gods we’re not living in Kansas! (With apologies to the decent people in Kansas.)
Awwww, every photo, and every image you brought out with your words, is beautiful here today… well, as always, but sweeter and brighter today, because of all of the shared love in everything.
Judy C:
Thanks. I’m glad that shows. All I thought I was doing was jabbering.
Everything looks so beautiful and/or delicious! Putting a couple of old copper pennies in the tulip water can perk them up for a couple of days more. It works!
Debra:
Thanks for the reminder about the copper pennies. I had heard of that but have never done it. Unfortunately, these tulips are already too far gone. I’ll try it next time. I just have to find old copper pennies!
Please give my wishes for a very happy birthday to Jerry! He’s off to a good start already. So glad that you mentioned the cabello de angel again. I tried to look it up the other day for a recipe and had forgotten what it is called. I searched for pumpkin fiber cookies and that got me nowhere I wanted to go. Cheers to you both!
Wilma:
Good timing regarding the cabello de angel. I love it!
The flower arrangements are lovely. I wish I could do that. That dessert with the strawberry reminds me of a baboon’s face for some reason. The potato is adorable. How can a Ben & Jerry’s fan favorites not include Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia? For shame!
Deedles:
I completely agree with you about the Ben & Jerry’s! SG and I both thought the potato looked like an ass.
I thought the same thing about the potato! Butt after seeing the baboon, I thought it best if I refrained from making an asinine comment on potato porn. It’s still adorable.
Deedles:
I thought of putting sequins on the potato… it also looked like a corset to me.
Aw, the birthday boy should show himself.
Kirk:
I agree!
Happy, Happy belated Birthday to SG!!! All of the food and flowers look AMAZING, as usual!
Jennifer:
SG says thanks!
What a lovely celebration for SG! A little of everything to make his day perfect.
Jim:
And more celebrating still to come.
My sweet tooth is orgasming.
Sassybear:
I’m trying to imagine what that looks like.
Siam pumpkin? I don’t even know what that is. I’ll have to look it up! Glad you had some good birthday celebrations, slightly beleaguered flowers notwithstanding. 🙂 I actually think the tulips look pretty good in that blue vase!
Steve:
I have no clue what Siam pumpkin is. The tulips got new life in the blue vase (and you can’t see the browning of the petals in the photo). They’re on their last legs today.