Valentine's Day

Again, valentine's day came this year. When I was still living in Tokyo, I sent my husband twice a valentine's chocolate. To the man who is living in the country where produce the best chocolate in the world.. I really had difficult time to chose which one to sent to, from Japan,-)

Well, now we are living together, I don't have to worry about the quality of Japanese chocolate anymore. But now has different problem.

I like to arrange surprise.

But how can I arrange something without being known by him??

Last year I was not working so I could bake cookies while he was working on the day. But now I'm working until 6pm everyday, plus I go school twice in a week directly after work. I thought I cannot manage to bake something this year. But luckily, the week of valentine was school holiday. Which means, I have time from 6:30pm to 7:30 pm, after my work before Zeno comes home.

This year, I wanted to bake cookies with Zeno's favorite jam on the top.
cookies.. The problem is that you have to lay the dough for an hour in the fridge before bake it in oven. 1 hour.. that's too long. Zeno will back home by the time. So I decided to make dough on Tuesday and bake it in oven on Wednesday. Thursday is Valentine's day.

On Tuesday, I rush back home and quickly mixed butter, sugar, egg and vanilla oil.. add flour.. Oh, how slow they mix up, common! Faster faster, before Zeno is back...

and I've managed. I wrapped up the dough and hided on the bottom of the fridge. Meantime I cooked dinner. I did very well.

Ok, so the problem is "baking" part. Even I finish baking, Zeno could smell something sweet from oven. I have to open up all the window before he back but then I need time.

Wednesday morning during breakfast, I asked Zeno. "Don't you go ice skating tonight?". "ahhh, I'm not sure yet". "but tomorrow I will go dinner, It's better you go today" "That's right, then I will be back home at 8pm".

Yes!!! When he says 8pm, he won't be back until 8:30. I will have plenty of time to bake all cookies and exchange the air in the room. So I back home on Wednesday, I cut the dough, decorated them with jam and nuts and out them in the oven. Hmmmm, I've done indeed great job. Now I just have to wait, let's listen to music..



Then the door is open. "Tadaima-----!!!" (I'm back in Japanese). What?? Zeno is back!? It's still 7:20!! "didn't you go iceskating??". "I went earlier today" Ohhhhhh noooooooooo, it was not in my plan...... Zeno saw the oven and found out..that I'm baking something... My "surprise plan" was not successful. Damn.

At least I didn't allowed him to taste is this night. I already have nice box to put cookies in.



We had beautiful valentine's dinner.


Even he knew what I have with me, he really appreciated my gift.

By the way, valentine's day in Europe is something men organize special to women. But since Japanese style Valentine has already deeply rooted in myself, I willing to arrange something to my husband. Back to 10 years, I always enjoyed making something to someone I liked.



But back in home, my husband also had small surprise. A box of Champaige chocolate!!

What!? I didn't expect this!! Even I planed that our valentine day will be in Japanese style, it's great that my swiss husband shows me a bit of European style Valentine. How sweet of him.



But actually, it was not a choclate he bought himself. It was a gift from his client (friend)... Oh,,, then you better not give it to me as "valentine's gift".. His opinion is that "without his work, he didn't get this chocolate". Well, but gift from someone is not a gift to me. In this case, he really has to do something for "white day" which is March 14. In Japan, men who appreciated women's "love" on valentine's day have to do something on March 14. At least, Zeno was putting this day on this schedule. Let's see.



Arranging valentine's to someone living together is not easy!!! But still I like this day, the day I re recognize "love" to someone special.