Happy Belated Valentine's!

I can't believe it's already the 16th of February. Seems like days pass now like minutes used to!

Not a whole lot new with us. Brad and his dad had a good ski trip in Maine. It was cold for the first bit, but generally good skiing. They got back last Wednesday, and on Friday, Brad and I hooked up with Shaun at our usual watering hole for an after work tipple. After drinks, we kidnapped Shaun for supper at a nearby restaurant, before heading over to Shaun and Mary's to watch some of the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

By and large, I thought the Opening was great. Measha Bruggergossman, the big-haired gal who sang the Olympic Hymn, gave a terrific performance. We've seen her perform many times as she is from our fair city. And I'm sure we'll see her again in the months and years to come on the classical stages and concert halls around the world.

And k.d. lang - Wow! She just gets better as she ages. Her rendition of Leonard Cohen's Halleujah was inspired. She always does an amazing job with that song - much better than Cohen himself, in my opinion.

Our Saturday was fairly quiet and we both did our usual weekend chores: groceries, laundry, walking dogs, and cooking. I made an unbelievably yummy Medjool date pecan pie, the recipe for which I snagged here. It's very easy to make and is fantastic! The perfect ending for our Valentine's Dinner, which started with smoked salmon and parmesan toasts - the bread, the butter, the salmon and the cheese all combine under the broiler to provide the ultimate taste sensation: crunchy, soft, salty and sweet all at the same time! We then moved on to seared scallops with celery, basmati rice, and homemade guacamole. As I mentioned, we finished the meal with the date pecan pie and a half bottle of Chateau RIEUSSEC Sauternes 2002, which I had picked up in Montreal in November. It, too, was incredibly good ($45/half bottle good!) with strong floral notes and the slightest hint of pine (the tree, not the sol!).

Here are a few pics: