EVERYONE  asks me if I have a BLOG, so I'm familiar with the word, but not really sure what it is.

My husband Todd tells me it is like a personal newspaper.  How personal, I wonder?

I write a column for the Lynn Item. That's not too personal.  It is about food etc.

But years ago when Todd was both the editor of a newspaper and the program director of a radio station in Nashua N. H. I wrote a column called "Delicious Encounters."  And because I was "The Wife"  I was front page AND I had a radio show by the same name.  Of course I got a false sense of my own self worth as a writer and as a talk show host but that didn't get in the way of my having a blast doing both for two years. Experience is the best teacher. Now I am not sure what I learned but it was fun.  So here goes.

Today was the day after Valentines Day.  I didn't get my usual large boquet of roses but to tell you the truth I was glad.  I hate how expensive they are.  I bought myself a very cute boquet of pink roses at the Stop and Shop for 7.95 and they lasted over a week.  My best friend Susie's sister and brother came in to Boston for her 50th Birthday and asked us to help celebrate. Would I recommend a hotel and a place to eat?  Would I!  Perfect choice was our favorite which has become Suzie's too is Scampo at the Liberty Hotel.  We love Lydia Shire and her cooking is to die for and how convenient to have as much wine as you like and go to bed upstairs at the hotel.  We had a delightful time.  Her siblings are a riot.  We had a great time.  You cannot miss at Scampo.  Last month we had a fabulous dinner there with our friend Allain who came in from London and everytime we eat there it never disappoints.

Thursday nite we went to a goodbye party for our good friends Paolo Laboa and his wife Mercedes.  They are leaving the area to take over a restaurant in Napa and they will be sorely missed.  He had a short run in Gloucester where people experienced his amazing talent.  I am happy for them that they get to live in one of the best parts of this country.  They met in California and so it will be like going home. Paolo is from Genoa and the weather there will be more like  what he is accustomed too.  They were suppose to come to our house for a goodbye dinner today but because of our fifth snow storm/blizzard they had to cancel for another nite before they leave.

Appropo of that here is a letter to our new governor Charlie Baker who is awesome.  He's a natural for this job.

Dear Charlie:  Thanks for giving us several heads ups since you took over last month.  We appreciate all your warnings about road safety and how you enjoy giving us the measurements of the snowfall.  But we really appreciate your advise to people to"Look in on your neighbors, especially the elderly".  Well our neighbor Jeremy must have heard you because he has shovelled us out more than you can imagine.  We're not even that elderly!  Thank you Charlie.  We hope that the weather will improve so we will get to see your other areas of talent.  You are very good at the weather warnings.

Because I like to cook, Jeremy, the snow removal neighbor gets a reward from us.  Today it was chicken soupe and rice crispy/chocolate cookies with ganache and chocolate covered strawberries. I enclosed a card that I sort of recycled.  It was Todd's valentine.  It said "BE MINE"  I crossed out Mine and substituted OURS and signed both our names.  I hope he gets the joke.

By the way I am waiting to hear from my friend Suzie to give me a report on The fifty shades of Gray.  Todd wasn't interested so we saw Mr Turner and we bought liked it.  The paintings at the Peabody Essex were amazing and it was interesting to see his take on SEX.  I was a little surprised by it.

If you would like to make a simple dessert you can melt a couple of cups of chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate.  So just simmer the water without the top pan submerged.  Stir in enough rice crispies, about three cups or more to coat them well with the melted chocolate.  With a mini ice cream  scoop , scoop out generous portions onto a jelly roll or cooky sheet, about two inches apart.  Make a little more and dip strawberries. Allow to cool and enjoy.