The Perspicacious Woman OnLine (C), February/March, 2010, the voice of the Daisy Shop on Oak in Chicago, its staff, and customers

To our visitors who came a far piece (Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, Great Britain, Poland, Austria, Brazil, France, Mexico, India, Hong Kong, Greece, Thailand ); to all the friends and suppliers and customers who sent cards wishing the Daisies Happy Holidays, a thank you; to Sid, who went the extra half block a couple of times, a thank you; to Sani & Roy from Compuaction\Chicago for their quick servicing on our printer, a thank you; to the Daisy Brother for his deliveries and pick ups, a thank you; to Helen and Bill, who keep track, a thank you.

To the Spears family on the new baby; to Chuckele on his birthday; to Sharyl, hubby, and their respective families on the forthcoming birth of twins; to Dr. P, who's recovering nicely; to Rebecca on her first Chanel and first Miriam Haskell find.

If your finances are simple, use one of the freebie tax programs to create your 1040. I've been using TaxAct for years and it's real fine. (See below, "Did You Know?" for more info.)

I like fruit cake very much, wait every Christmas for my annual gift from same friend, who knows I like fruit cake very much. Often eat it, plain, thinly sliced with a hot cup of Orange Pekoe teach, and it's good.& nbsp; You can ease into this savory cake by wrapping each thin slice in a plastic bag and heat them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Remove, unwrap, serve in a bowl with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. It's yummy, Dear Reader.

Vanity at frugal pricing is good: Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion and Walgreen's Gentle Skin Cleanser ($7.99 & $6.99, respectively) work very well for skin 'of a certain age' without dematologic problems. Can be purchased at http://walgreens.com. These, along with Witch Hazel as an astringent and baby oil to remove mascara and eye liner are a fine skin care regimen.

Old washcloths and fingertip towels make good service kitchen cloths and kitchen towels. Okay, so they don't match. When company comes, truck out the 'good fancy ones,' and everything will be nice, After kitchen usage, these make good cleaning rags. What? You don't use cleaning rags! Paper towels are not a substitute for cleaning rags, Dear Reader. It's not frugal.

Once a fresh banana is too ripe to eat don’t throw it out, you can freeze it and make banana bread when you have enough (about 4-6).

Re-use the pickle brine, after the pickles are gone. Take the seeds from a cucumber, slice it into sticks, and put it in the pickle brine. Store in the fridge for a few days and you'll have another jar of pickles for the cost of the cucumber. Pickled celery can be made this way, too.

Aunt Bessie's frugal tip: Use the back of envelopes for your lists. I thought it was peculiar when I was growing up, but when I got my own place, I began to do it, too. I still do it. I don't think it's peculiar any more.

Any brand of bottled Italian Salad Dressing makes a good marinade for meat. (I buy the least costly on sale.) Can be re-used as a marinade only for no more than a month, if stored in the 'fridge.

An old toothbrush (washed many times in the dishwasher) and a denture brush are good grime fighting utensils in your kitchen.

Chicago Green City Market, a good place to find local, fresh grown fruits and vegetables during the Winter months

2010 Saturdays: Feb. 13, Feb. 27, Mar. 13, Mar. 27, Apr. 10 and Apr. 24
8:00 am- 1:00 pm

Eharmony.com, jdate.com, italiansingles.com, myspace.com, match.com, plentyoffish.com

He was a high tenor in Choir; I was a low alto. We stood next to each other and I helped him on the high notes for tenors.

He was my sister's friend and would come around our house...always at supper time.

The first husband, I was fixed up; the 2^nd husband, I met at a fund-raiser; the 3^rd husband, I hired him to do consulting work; the 4^th husband, I met on an airplane in the smokers' section.

The first husband, my cousin fixed me up with her husband’s accountant; the 2^nd husband, my sister fixed me up with her Mah Jong partner's recently widowed brother; the 3rd husband, mutual friends fixed us up; the 4^th husband, I found myself…we were neighbors in a condo.

The first husband we ran in the same crowd; the 2^nd husband, my Father brought home from the synagogue during the High Holidays when he noticed a soldier sitting alone.

We were standing in very long line waiting to pay tuition at Roosevelt University’s summer session.

I slipped on the ice and sprained my ankle. He helped me get to the ER (and stayed with me).

I got sick at a bar. He held my head in the women's washroom while I vomited and drove me home.

The American Film Institute, the non-profit organization which preserves America's film heritage, has created a list of 100 'films of passions,' which is quite interesting for most of the films chosen are of unrequited love. All can be rented for a nice Valentine's evening amusement, if you're so inclined. Here's the list:

It's a 5 character book with a long story: (1) Alfred Lambert, the ordered and ethical patriarch of a classically repressed Midwestern family, is suffering from Parkinson's and mental delusions as well as physical aging. His three kids have tried to escape the foibles and control of their parents, and have both succeeded and failed. (2) Oldest son Gary is a successful businessman teetering on the edge of a breakdown. (3) Chip lost his college teaching job after getting involved with a student, and has run off to Lithuania to make easy but dishonest money with former politico-soldiers. (4) Daughter Denise has been a successful chef at a number of places but juggles a bewildering array of romantic and sexual relationships. Everyone seems to be about to crack up, including (5) mother Enid, who is a master at ignoring unpleasant realities, rewrites situations, judges everything, and wants only to have her kids and grandkids return to the Midwest for one last Christmas. It's written unevenly; some parts are stilted, other parts glow with word imagery and humor. It's worthwhile to keep reading. It's a good book when all is said and done.

Although the reviewers all said the book was about a middle-aged wife having a midlife crisis, it's not. I don't know how they all got it wrong. Don't believe them. There's a crises that causes the main character to go bonkers and it's a sad event that triggers the crises to be sure. But, this doesn't mean it's a good book. It's not. Only the first sentence of the book draws you in, but once you get there, there's no there. I was disappointed and I think this book had far too much ballyhoo. Pass this one, Dear Reader.

This is a long, good, complicated book about abhorrent subjects and nasty people. It's about 4 sisters living on Cape Breton Island in Canada. The sisters’ parents regret their marriage. The book begins in 1898 and follows the family as they deal with secrets, betrayal, and tragedy. If you were raised Roman Catholic, you'll get more out of the book than if you weren't. I wasn't, so I know things slipped by me. No matter. Read the book slowly and value it. Periodically, recap in your mind what's going on with this character and the situation that's being described. You'll have to revise the situation many times because each character has their own take on the situation. It's a worthwhile, slow read.

Just got a new desktop and high resolution monitor and I have to tell you, your photos are wonderful! Carol

(I don't know. I have an up-to-date desktop and IE7, and it takes a while for the Magazines to load on my computer, too. Cordially, Barbara The Daisy Shop)

I received at least 10 emails about your sale. Clean your list, Barbara. You're getting sloppy. A bunch of folk

(Well, here's what happened. In mid-December, I affiliated with a new bulk mail utility and was plunking around, learning it. As I was editing the Winter Season's End Sale email, making it spiffy and spiffier, I saved each successive edit, not knowing it was sending each successive edit. Sorry to clog up your mail boxes. Won't happen again. Cordially, Barbara The Daisy Shop)

Yelp has a bunch of non-flattering comments about The Daisy Shop. I've been to your shop and none of them ring true. What's going on, Barbara?

(Yelp is a good website for true, accurate problems that people have with shops and repair places and things like those. It serves a good purpose. On the other hand, bellyachers using hyperbole have access to vent and rave, too. I used to check out these bellyachers and respond to them. One in particular vents and raves about places all over the US. I doubted if she visited all these places; rather, I think she liked to see her ID in print. I stopped checking them out and responding to them. The bellyachers have calmed down, I notice. Thanks for calling this to my attention. I don't intend to do anything about this. Cordially, Barbara The Daisy Shop)

(Yes, I'm a log in member. They're both good websites for merchandise that didn't sell in the original store (for whatever reason). That's right, they're both outlets. They either buy from the original store in bulk quantity at either per pound cost or some such low, low cost, warehouse the merchandise, and drop ship it to you, the customer, when it's sold OR they obtain the merchandise on consignment. I don't know which. In any case, you can get marvelous bargains, if the assortment pleases you. Cordially, Barbara The Daisy Shop)

I applaud you. I've been in situations similar and froze like a deer in the headlights. Annoys me no end that I consistently do this. Tyler

(I like pastrami on an onion roll, mostly. So, I go to Ashkenaz (12 E. Cedar Chicago); Manny's (1141 S. Jefferson Chicago); the Bagel (50 Old Orchard Skokie). I make my own chicken soup and it's real good, so I don't order it out. I've ordered the cabbage soup once at each of these places, but they subscribe to the fast recipe, which I don't like much. Occasionally, I've ordered calves liver with onions or chicken livers with onions, and each have done them okay, usually too well done, but when I send it back, they redo it well. I like pickled fish and matjes herring, but none have them any more. None do potato latkes as good as I do, so I don't order these out. Cordially, Barbara The Daisy Shop)

Make as many 4 letter words from Claude Montana as you can. Proper nouns are a no-no.

acme, acute, adult, aloe, alone, aloud, alto, alum, amen, amend, amount, annal, anode, ante, atom, atone, aunt, auto, cadet, calm, came, camel, cameo, canal, cane, canon, cent, clam, clan, clean, cleat, clone, clot, cloud, clout, clue, coal, coat, coda, cola, cole, colt, coma, come, comet, cone, could, count, cult, cute, dale, dame, damn, dance, data, date, datum, daunt, deal, dealt, dean, decal, delta, demo, dome, dote, dual, ducat, duct, duel, duet, dunce, dune, dunn, elan, lace, laden, lame, lance, land, lane, late, laud, lead, lean, load, loam, loan, lome, lone, loud, lumen, lute, mace, made, male, malt, mane, manna, mate, maul, mead, meal, mean, meant, meat, meld, mend, menu, moan, moat, modal, mode, model, modulate, mold, mole, molt, oatmeal, octal, omen, once, ounce, taco, talc, tale, talon, tame, teal, team, toad, tome, tonal, tone, tuna, tune, uncle

Valentine's Day didn't become associated with love until the 14th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer, who later wrote Canterbury Tales and acquired the sobriquet of first English author hundreds of years later, linked the two together in a poem he wrote to commemorate the engagement of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia, an arranged marriage (which was unusual; it became a love match), which was announced on May 3, 1381, while Chaucer was a diplomat and poet in Richard's court and before he wrote Canterbury Tales. It so happened that May 3 was in the Christian calendar as the feast of St. Valentine in Genoa. With that as a guideline, Chaucer made up a story that birds chose their life mates on this day also. It didn't matter to anyone that it was made up. (After 1400, the date of Valentine's Day got pushed back to February 14, but the idea of Valentine's Day and love was set.) The people liked the idea of changing this Christian holiday of a martyr to something more palatable. It's possible those that were literate began writing poems to each other decorated with pictures of doves, cupid, cherubs, hearts, and roses, symbols of love handed down from ancient times on May 3, then, February 14. I guess those who weren't literate (and could afford it) had literate people write poems on their behalf. The remainder of the people, the impoverished, did romantic things for their beloveds on this day, I'm sure, but no one's sure exactly what they did because they didn't leave much behind them (because they didn't have much to begin with). This poem custom amongst the wealthy went on for hundreds of years.

Gift giving became customary at some point in time, but there's no direct tracing line of what we give now, roses, chocolates, diamonds, or commercially made Valentine cards; rather, there are bits and pieces of information about roses, florists, gift boxed chocolates, and commercially made Valentine's Day cards.

Roses, especially red roses, are an ancient symbol of love, so rose bushes have been around a long, long time. Greek mythology associated red roses with the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. The Romans liked this idea and incorporated it into their mythology, attributing the stories about roses and love using their Goddess of Love, Venus.

Roses grew in Egypt as early as 2,600 BC, that's 4,610 years ago, Dear Reader, and the flowers were imported into Rome by the shipload and used for bunches of things, including carpets for banquets, perfume, jellies, tea, cosmetics, and food flavorings. Newly married couples were crowned with rose wreaths, but I don't know if roses were cultivated in Rome. It's possible they were. China grew roses also, but no one knew what was going on in China after the Great Wall was built beginning in 1388 (which was the intention of the Great Wall). During the Dark Ages, it was the monks which kept alive the love concept (chan

ging it from humans loving each other to humans loving deity) and roses with the invention of the rosary in the 12th century (The first rosaries were made of dried rose petals (but it's not described how rose petals were strung together) or carved rose wood beads whose original total was 165.) and with attributing roses to the Marian cult. It was the people who kept alive the rose and love connection between human and human, I guess because they liked it. It is said that rose bushes were imported into Europe from China in the 18th century. Where in Europe this occurred first, I don't know. There's evidence that rose bushes were imported to Europe much earlier than the 18th century. Word on the Internet says there's a continually blooming rose bush, 1000 years old, around St. Mary's Cathedral in Hildesheim, Germany which was built in 1020. France obtained rose bushes in 1250, when Thibault IV brought them (or only one?) back with him from the 7th Crusade while he was in Damascus. This variety, the Damask rose, is the origin of almost all roses, today. (Shown above.)

My guess is those who could afford to buy rose plants, did so, harvested the crop, and gave roses to their beloveds or failing that, those who could afford to buy cut roses, did so somewhere, and gave them to the beloveds on Valentine's Day where ever they were.

I could not find any information on the Internet about when florists were invented, but it would be interesting to know, doncha' think? The best I could come up with is this: In 1623, the word, fleuriste, was first used in a French document (but the Internet doesn't describe the document), and its contextual meaning was a purveyor of flowers. So, I guess florists were around in France in the 17th century. It was probably Paris where they'd be located, for that was the largest city in France. It's possible they sold the roses which had come to France in 1250 and it's possible the roses were grown in the rural areas of France and trundled into Paris.

On August 18, 1910, fifteen American retail florists agreed to exchange orders for out-of-town deliveries. Originally called "Florists' Telegraph Delivery," FTD was the world's first flowers-by-wire service. There's no information about how much business this group did 7 months later on Valentine's Day, 1911.

Legend has it that chocolate is a gift from the gods, but no one knows who invented this sentence. Since I believe in magic and gifts from gods, I'll go with this legend.

Chocolate was first associated with male virility, not love, and it was Montezuma who told Cortez about this in 1519, while Cortez was visiting Mexico from Spain, just before Montezuma retired for the night with some one from his harem, the story goes. Cortez liked this idea, the one of male virility, it's said, but not the one of the harem, and told King Carlos V, a lusty guy who became lustier, I guess, once he started drinking the Mexican chocolate drink, which was peppery. Carlos married his first cousin, Isabel of Portugal, and they (only) had 3 children...so much for chocolate and virility. He's known for a few things: The Alhambra, his wonderful castle in Granada; his big bottom jaw; his gout; Cortez and chocolate; and his many mistresses. I guess chocolate worked for him in another way.

Eventually the cacao bean was imported from Mexico and grown in Europe, became a sweet drink, not a peppery drink and sweet confection, transmuting from an aphrodisiac to what we know it to be today.

Gift boxed chocolates was an invention by Richard Cadbury in Birmingham, England, (photo at right) who introduced the first Valentine's Day

box of chocolates in 1868, a promotional masterpiece. It was a pricey gift and immediately popular in England and traveled to American within the year.

Esther Howland, (photo at left) a stationer's daughter, produced the first commercial American valentines in the 1840s, selling $5,000 in cards during her first year of business.

Okay, the facts aren't romantic and none gibe well with one another, but I like romance, so we searched our inventory and found lovely Romance-Speak garments and accessories for you, Dear Reader, to wear to set the mood or to tell your Beloved your heart's desire, using our Gift Certificate. All photos can be downloaded and printed out or sent in an email, along with a copy of our Gift Certificate photo, shown at right. How easy is that?

For a gift for your male beloved, we have a selection of marvelous Vintage ties that just might fit the bill. All are described and priced in the Merchandise Grid at the bottom of the ezine. Our Men's Vintage Ties Album can be accessed at the following text link: Vintage Men's Ties.

Can't make a decision? We have Gift Certificates in multiples of $100. Click the photo to take you to our Order Form.

SUGAR FREE BANANA PUDDING CAKE

1 sugar free Angel Food cake (split in half)
2 bananas, sliced
2 packages vanilla sugar free instant pudding (fixed to serve)
Place half of the cake in the bottom of a large towel. Arrange bananas on top of cake, pour 1 pre-fixed pudding over that. Put the other half of cake on top and pour remaining pudding over cake. Chill and serve.

SUGAR FREE APPLE CAKE

1 c. oil
2 c. Sprinkle Sweet
3 eggs (add one at a time)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
3 apples, diced well
1 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 12 cup bundt pan with Baker's Joy. Combine ingredients in order listed; blend well after each. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 45 minutes. Invert on platter.

SUGAR FREE APPLESAUCE CAKE

1/2 c. butter
2 tbsp. liquid artificial sweetener
1 c. raisins
1 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients together and beat well. Pour into a well greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until done.

EASY CHEESE CAKE (DIABETIC SUGAR FREE)

4 eggs
1 c. milk
6 pkgs. sweet and low
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. vanilla
Put all ingredients into blender at one time and blend until all lumps are gone. Pour into buttered 8 inch square pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. This will become firm in refrigerator.

SUGAR-FREE BANANA CAKE

2/3 c. banana, mashed
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 lg. eggs
3/4 c. water
2 c. unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 1 c. chopped walnuts OR 1/2 c. chopped walnuts & 1/2 c. raisins
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat together mashed banana and soft butter until creamy. Beat in water. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until very foamy. Beat into mixture. Blend in flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Stir in walnuts or walnuts and raisins, if desired. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool. Serves 8-10.

SUGAR-FREE PUMPKIN COOKIES

1/2 c. corn oil
2 eggs
Sugar substitute to equal 1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. pumpkin
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. raisins
1 c. nutmeats
Beat oil and eggs until well emulsified. Add sugar substitute and beat until fluffy. Add pumpkin, then the dry ingredients. Add raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

SUGAR - FREE CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES

2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. brown Sugar Twin
1 box (4 serving size) sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding
1 box (4 serving size) sugar-free instant chocolate pudding
4 tbsp. butter, melted & cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 1/2 oz. chopped pecans
As listed mix all ingredients together, beating well after each addition. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes or until firm. Cool on pan 5 minutes and then transfer to paper towels. Makes 4 dozen - at about 45 calories per cookie.

SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 c. Sugar Twin
1/4 c. nonfat dry milk
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Add and blend 2 minutes at low speed:

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Fold in:
1 (2 oz.) dietetic milk chocolate bar, cut in 1/4 inch pieces
Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Possibly Bonne and Charles’ Betrothal, from a Calendar commissioned by Charles’ uncle, the Duke of Berry, long after their betrothal.

The general word on the Internet is the first Valentine card was sent in 1415. It’s not accurate and it’s not true. The particular Valentine was written in mid-February of 1416; it was on vellum, not card stock; it’s not the first Valentine card; and no one knows if it was sent.

Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was in England, wrote the poem(s) that all of the Internet declares a Valentine, and that fact, he wrote a poem, is true. He had a wife, Bonne, who was in Paris, France or somewhere in France. If it was sent to her, and no one knows if it was sent, it traveled a far distance on foot and on horseback and on ship. Pagan Valentine’s Day had been celebrated in Western Europe for centuries, and romantic, oftimes coded erotic, messages, had been exchanged for about 100 years by then between educated men and women who ran in the same crowd and lived in close proximity. So much for general information on the Internet...More specific information was found on special websites dealing with Medieval times.

It is possible that Charles was lonesome for Bonne, while he was in England. He (and his brother, John, Duke of Angouleme) had just been captured (on October 25, 1415 specifically) by the English on French soil and each was being held prisoner in separate homes of English nobles, probably in the country outside of London. Charles and John were lucky. Just about every other French noble and aristocrat were killed in the Battle of Agincourt during the 100 Year War between the English and the French for land in France dowered to Eleanor of Aquitaine (former Queen of France) when she married Henry II, the English King. Charles and Bonne hadn’t been married long, about 5 years by 1415. He had been soldiering a lot during those five years, so they didn't see much of each other. A 100 Year War preoccupies a lot of generations of men folk.

There are three curious things, though, about these two you should know: (1) It was an arranged marriage whose purpose was to avoid further bloodshed between their families; (2) Bonne was 11 when she was engaged to Charles, who was 16 (and already widowed and with a child); and (3) his father-in-law, Bonne’s father, had assassinated Charles’ father, Louis. Talk about dysfunctional families.

Maybe they loved each other; maybe not. I don’t even know if they ever lived together as man and wife, for she was only 11 when they married, 16 at the time he wrote the verse. In any event, Charles penned a poem on Valentine’s Day in 1416 and it has been retained for almost 600 years.

You may not know that a Duke is a Prince, and noble, highborn prisoners were prized when captured in battle. They were ‘cash cows,’ held for ransom by the opposition, until their families could raise and pay the money for their release. At that time, although most men folk fought for the French King, France wasn’t exactly a country, and the King didn’t assume any responsibility for ransoming his patriotic nobles or aristocrats. (No one cared much for non-nobles or non-aristocrats, except their families. But, they were never captured and held for ransom. More often than not, they were killed. They're the enormous body counts in battles of old, the serfs and servants.) This ransom was up to the noble or aristocratic prisoner’s family, if they wanted their relative back home. (And they did want their men folk back.) His ransom in today’s money could be as much as $500,000 ($US). The actual amount in Medieval English crowns was 150,000 crowns. This sounds like an enormous sum. What with the French loosing the war, their King’s reoccurring madness, Joan of Arc’s triumph, then ignominy, a subsequent economic depression, the Black Plague, and Charles’ family having to pay his upkeep all those years, (plus lots of other things) it took his family 25 years to get the money and treaty agreement together to turn him over.

Bonne died while Charles was held prisoner in England, and they had no children. (She falls from the written record because she did not produce progeny, and the dates of 1419 (or 1435, which must be wrong) are now accepted as the years she died, but no one knows exactly when she died or where she was when she died. Actually, no one is exactly sure where she was living and with whom while she was married to her incarcerated husband, Charles. It's probable she was transferred to Charles' family estate at the time of the betrothal and raised by Charles' family until the wedding, remaining there until she died. That was a common thing with children brides and grooms. There’s one more tidbit about poor Bonne, and that is this: Bonne may not have been her name. It’s really an adjective in Old French, and merely means “good girl.”

A manuscript of this poem and the many others he wrote is in the British Library. I don’t know if it’s the original. It’s named by the scribe, Harley, in the archive, and scribes’ copies were often rewritten and rewritten and passed around for years and years amongst wealthy families. If it is the original, it was not unusual for scribes to assist in Valentines, for they made a living writing fancy script and making pretty pictures. (Apparently, Charles’ family sent him enough money to pay the scribe, so he and his brother didn’t live too badly while they were prisoners.) How the manuscript got to the British Library after 600 years was by bequest, but I was unable to check out the provenance. The BL was willing to describe the manuscript: There’s a Cupid image and a 3-part verse. The verse they have is in Old French, not English. There is no version of the poem on the Internet.

I was able to find a description by A.E.B. Coldiron, who says it’s an appeal to Cupid with Charles as a servant of Cupid (Lust imagery, I think.) but no one is named and there is no heading. Charles says he admires this person (Bonne?) and despairs of seeing her again. He is frustrated (which is what all noble men were required to express in Chivalric code), but Coldiron doesn’t say what he’s frustrated about. He promises to be faithful and praises her beauty, virtue, and honor. He may describe intimate moments they’ve shared, a custom in Valentines, but I suspect not. She was simply too young to have been expected to cohabit with her groom and when she was old enough to cohabit, he was away fighting battles, then captured.

A non-academic source has published the following verse on a website, http://www.homespunpeddler.com and has attributed this verse to Charles in a collection called “Romantic Valentines.” It doesn’t read anything like Coldiron’s description, so I doubt if it’s the one he wrote to Bonne. I offer it to you, so you know what a translated from Medieval French into modern English 15^th century Valentine would read like.

"Wilt thou be mine? dear Love, reply
-- Sweetly consent or else deny.
Whisper softly, none shall know,
Wilt thou be mine, Love?
-- aye or no?
Spite of Fortune,
we may be Happy by one word from thee.
Life flies swiftly --
ere it go Wilt thou be mine, Love?
-- aye or no?"

Frankly, the above verse is not that terrific, is it? I would call it doggerel. Maybe something is lost in the translation. If not, I think he could have done better. He had a lot of time on his hands.

I’d like to believe that Charles and Bonne did love each other, but don’t know for certain. (The glimmer of hope I entertain that Charles loved Bonne is an anecdote about him reading a love poem he composed to her at their wedding ceremony. Some scholars believe he was showing off his poem prowess, but some scholars are without a scrap of romance in their souls.) Things were different six hundred years ago: love and marriage didn’t intersect amongst nobility and aristocrats. Children were pawns and shuffled around to do smart things for their families. Duty to family superceded love and children dutifully married other children. Romance was in the chivalrous code, hence, unrequited. Sexual congress was for procreation, a duty, and family lineage promulgation was its purpose. Lust was with wrenches, when they could be found. If Bonne and Charles loved each other, it’s a sad story of 2 children from good families. If they didn’t love each other, it’s a jailhouse reverie of a young man who burns. I don’t want to leave you on either note. So, I’ll go for this: go get some vellum (stretched goat skin), pen a personal message of your feelings to your love, make it pretty and fancy all over, and hand it to your love. Maybe your message will be memorialized until 2610, when someone like me comes around to figure what happened then.

Although March is The Month for Colon Cancer Prevention, you just gotta be aware that it’s a cancer that can be prevented from turning fatal all the time. Go to http://coloncancerprevention.org/ immediately to learn the signs of Colon Cancer, the only cancer that can be prevented. Why? Because You’re Worth It!

220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 312.280.2660
Museum Hours
Monday Closed; Tuesday 10 am - 8 pm; Wednesday through Sunday 10 am - 5 pm
Admission Prices Suggested General Admission $10
Students with ID and Senior Citizens $6
MCA Members and Children 12 and under, members of the military Free
Tuesdays - FREE Courtesy of Target

The exhibition is accompanied by numerous educational programs. The exhibition is organized by MCA Curator Dominic Molon.

chicagohistory.org
Monday-Wednesday9:30A-4:30P; Thursday 9:30A-8:00P; Friday, Saturday 9:30A-4:30P; Sunday noon-5:00P
Admission: Adults, $14; Seniors, $12; Students, $12; Children, free.

Shared History (Reservations required. https://services.chicagohistory.org/daily_events_list.asp)

Shared History is the intimate story of the relationship between families whose connection, forged in slavery, has endured to the present. The filmmaker, a great-great-granddaughter of a slave owner, and two descendants of enslaved families, seek to understand and reconcile the shared lives and affections between families in the context of slavery. 60 minutes

Chicago Cultural Center
77 E. Randolph Street
Chicago
Hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 11a.m.-5 p.m.

"The Eyes of Me" Film Screening presented by ITVS Community Cinema (Free admission.)

Classical Monday: Chicago Chamber Musicians
Feb 1, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 “Trout”, featuring Joseph Genualdi, violin, Ram Solomonow, viola, Stephen Balderston, cello, Peter Lloyd, double bass, and Meng-Chieh Liu, piano.
Dame Myra Hess Concert: Dmitri Shteinberg, Piano
Feb 3, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Dmitri Shteinberg, Piano, performs works by Ravel, Schumann and Debussy.
Classical Monday: Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists Recital
Feb 8, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Members of the Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists Program perform a recital of operatic pieces.
Dame Myra Hess Concert: Einav Yarden, Piano
Feb 10, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Dame Myra Hess Concerts are a celebrated series of weekly concerts featuring solo and ensemble classical music performed by young musicians.
Dame Myra Hess Concert: Sha Wang, Piano
Feb 17, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Dame Myra Hess Concerts are a celebrated series of weekly concerts featuring solo and ensemble classical music performed by young musicians.
Classical Monday: Award Winners in Concert
Feb 22, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Disciplined in multiple musical genres, Anne Marie Gerts Award winning soprano Joelle Lamarre performs with her powerful spinto voice.
Dame Myra Hess Concert: Anna Petrova, Piano
Feb 24, 2010 312.744.6630 Free Admission
Dame Myra Hess Concerts are a celebrated series of weekly concerts featuring solo and ensemble classical music performed by young musicians.

February 2010

When it comes to chocolate, I'm not a gourmand; rather, I'm a (plebian) Hershey fan. Their dark chocolate suits me just fine whether it's a bar or Kisses. I just never got into Godiva, Ghirardelli, etc. They're good and tasty, but I just don't buy them when I'm in the mood for chocolate. Other people buy these for me and it's much appreciated. But when I buy chocolate for myself it's always Hershey brand. (By the way, Hershey now has sugar-free chocolate, and it's mighty fine.) One of the nicest gifts I ever received for Valentine's Day was a badly wrapped shoe box filled with Hershey kisses. My love, Ben, was a gift-giving kind of guy and thought it up. It was touching and I loved him more for it.

I believe chocolate is the flavor of romance and I'm all for romance, Dear Reader. It's one of the things that makes life worthwhile. I've found two simple chocolate recipes for you to make your love, both from http://chocolate.com, a real nice website. Happy Romance, Dear Reader.

Mexican Coffee Fudge
21/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1. Butter an 8" square baking dish and set aside.
2. Dissolve the instant espresso powder and cinnamon in 3 teaspoons of hot water. Stir until a paste forms, and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, butter and chocolate over a medium heat until it reaches a boil. Do not stir or scrape down sides.
4. Lower heat, add a candy thermometer and heat (without stirring) until mixture reaches softball stage (238°F).
5. Remove from heat; allow to cool to 110°F, then with a rubber spatula scrape in espresso mixture. In an electric mixer, using paddle attachment, beat mixture until it loses its gloss and thickens.
6. Spread fudge evenly into prepared 8" square pan. Let cool for 20 minutes, then cut into 9 squares.
This recipe developed by Kim Steckler

No-Bake Happiness Cookies
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
2 cups chow mein noodles
1-1/4 cups salted peanuts (Chopped walnuts work fine, too.)
1/2 cup raisins
1. Line two cookie sheets with waxed paper. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together according to the directions.
3. Add chow mein noodles, nuts, and raisins to melted chocolate. Using rubber spatula, toss ingredients to coat well.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls (smaller is better) onto prepared cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets into refrigerator until cookies harden. Store in cold or cool place in airtight container.

Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:00am - 4:00pm
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 4:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 4:00pm - 11:00pm
Sunday Brunch: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Friend Chuckele encouraged the Daisy Brother and I to go to Ditka's for supper and that's what we did one blustery cold cold Wednesday evening in January. I was prepared to be dismayed at the excess of food presented (Who on this earth needs to eat a 30 ounce steak in one sitting?) and the high prices ($50 for an entree? $7 for a side?). Not a good attitude, I know, but that was my mindset.

It's a big place with lots of eating rooms. None were bustling that evening. Could be the Recession; could be just a cold cold Wednesday in January in Chicago. The wait staff was attentive. Ditka wasn't there. We ate upstairs in a tavern setting. They have an elevator. The TV was a tad too loud for conversation. Sometimes, the TV was turned off, and Vincent, a good old fashioned crooner, sang mighty good. I ordered da Pork chop, a salad side, and smashed potatoes instead of sweet potatoes; Brother Daisy ordered a martini, then a glass of wine, the 10 ounce filet mignon, and asparagus with Hollandaise. We split the romaine salad, whose portion was big. Da pork chop was tough, both versions, unfortunately, the salad was nice and fresh, and the smashed potatoes were strange, bumps of potatoes in potato glue. Brother Daisy's filet was delicious and the asparagus was done just right. Neither of us had desert. Could have been a bad day for pork chops. Ditka's is a nice, clean, good smelling, well run, well decorated restaurant that's pricey. I would return for a steak.

A good freebie program for putting together your Federal Income Tax return is available at http://www.taxact.com/. It's published by 2nd Story Software, and I've used it for the past few years with no glitches, no problems. If your tax return is a simple one, I recommend you try this freebie program. One caution, make sure you get a .pdf Reader and convert your return to .pdf format, should you want to store your return on your computer. This freebie program stores your return in their program's format, *.ta, and you can't convert this into any Microsoft document format to print it out later in the year.

Pantone Splashes of Sunshine for Spring 2010

Designers bring splashes of sunshine to the runway for spring 2010. Vibrant brights add a sense of excitement to the color palette, while practical neutrals provide a safety net for cautious consumers. “Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Instead of reinventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.” Spring and summer naturally evoke feelings of calm ocean waters and tranquil beach vacations in cool, vibrant, tropical Turquoise. This soothing hue from the blue-green family conjures feelings of escape, especially when paired with Amparo Blue. With more warmth than the typical spring navy, this particular shade of blue is extremely appealing because of its brighter, more energetic attitude. Like the scent of a blossoming flower, Violet lends a romantic air to the warm-weather palette. This intriguing purplish hue is a distinctive addition to any wardrobe. Yellow has made its mark on fashion and spring will further this trend with gleaming Aurora. Reminiscent of the first glimpse of yellow as the sun begins to rise over the horizon, this shimmering, slightly greenish yellow adds a bold infusion. Energy continues to surge throughout the warmer hues of spring, leading to provocative Fusion Coral. This inviting orange connects directly to tangy Tomato Purée, this season’s classic red. Pair it with Turquoise for a retro look. Thoughtful, cautious neutrals provide a dependable backbone to the brights of spring. Kick back and enjoy the bubbly luxury of Pink Champagne. This delicate, wispy tint is the season’s newest neutral. The melding of Pink Champagne, Tomato Purée and Amparo Blue is a refreshing take on the classic springtime combination of red, white and blue. Three additional neutrals round out the palette. Tuscany, a warm beige hue, provides the perfect backdrop and works well as a solid base color with dynamic accents like Fusion Coral or Violet. Dried Herb is the ultimate green neutral, pairing well with all other colors. Ideal for bigger ticket items, cool Eucalyptus is the eternal, practical gray. Choose this nuanced neutral and add brightly colored exclamation points in shoes, jewelry and handbags.

My favorite couture trend info website, http://style.com, has their take on Spring Trends from the couture fashion shows held months ago. Their word wizards have named the couture trends: Depression Chic; Geometry Lessons; Goddess Worship; Marrakech Express; Sporting Goods; and Trash & Vaudeville, none of which sound or look very good to me. I don't like costume clothing and never have.

Couture Ready To Wear shows were less costumey but all over the board in silhouettes. It'll be interesting to see what buyers from Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc. will select for their shops. I suspect none will select much, if any, outré stylings; all will select middle-of-the-road stylings and stylings that worked well last season. These shops are suffering from the Recession and buyers are wise people.

My preference, every season, is for wearable clothing, not make a statement clothing. My work wardrobe is much larger than my casual (run errands and knock about my house) wardrobe and my go out somewhere real nice wardrobe. I rely on pants, skirts, blouses, sweaters, and dresses for my work wardrobe. Since I am a small, lean person, I look carefully at proportion and silhouette. Both must enhance my frame in order for me to reach into my pocket. I never subscribed to the tight tight, low down, belly showing look of pants and low down, short skirts. They never suited my frame. (I stopped wearing jeans when the look went tight, tighter, and tightest.) The lo-rise look and short skirts made me look as if I were walking in a hole, Dear Reader. About 2 years ago, softly styled pants and full skirts were shown in couture stylings. I jumped on these trends and haven't looked back since then. I'm not yet sure what I'll buy to fill in my Spring\Summer wardrobe, probably a couple of dirndl skirts and soft blouses, for I look precious in these. I'll wait and watch for now.

Having said that, I'm delighted to tell you that The Daisy Shop's Spring Collection has arrived. It's marvelous couture, gleaned from the closets of the best dressed women all over the world. Click the text to view our Collection: Spring has Sprung! Here's a taste:

March 19 - The Swallows return to (San Juan) Capistrano (Mission), CA from Goya, Corrientes, Argentina, 6,000-7,500 miles away. (Photo of flock in flight at left.) They roost in Goya's

San Martin Square (That's a blurry photo of San Martin Square at right.), and the residents have no problem with this. (Interestingly, Goya is named for doña Gregoria Morales de Olivera (doña Goya), who had a general store and was famous for the cheese she made. This occurred in 1771. There's no image of her on the Internet and no information whether any descendants of her family still live in Goya.) The swallows leave Goya on February 18. They do not eat or drink, since they fly from dawn to sunset in order not to waste time. They fly at an altitude of more than 6,600 ft. In order to take advantage of the fast and favorable currents (tail winds) and, at that altitude they avoid becoming food for other birds. Their flight plan lasts fifteen hours daily, in steps of 450 kms. They fly with a velocity of 18 miles per hour, always taking advantage of the winds. The flight that begins in Goya follows the valleys of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers, until reaching Lake Mirin, following the dynamic currents that produce large masses of air of the south that move towards the equator. After Mirin, their route changes to the west, in search of the valleys of the Andes and, later crossing the equator, they go to a higher flight altitude in order to take advantage of the dynamic currents that produce the masses of air that move towards the North Pole. They do not cross the Andes until they have reached the Gulf of Mexico, and by way of the Yucatan they look for the west and the Pacific, in order to fly along the shore of Baja California and enter the valley of Riverside. I was unable to find a map showing their route anywhere in the Internet, an omission, I believe, that doesn't make sense. Currently, enough San Juan residents have a problem with the birds' roosting and their droppings that some businesses have torn down the birds' nests and have strung chicken wire under their building's eaves. Bird lovers describe with sadness the sight of flocks circling and circling trying to get to last year's nest. To my way of thinking, the bird lovers are right. Don't bite the hand that feeds you, San Juan residents. You're mad to do so. The swallows return to Goya on November 23. The return journey is 5-7,000 miles. Goya has a ceremony. Tourists come. They're not fools.

March 21 - The First Day of Spring (74 Days as of this writing, Jan. 06, 2010)