It was a fun day in kindergarten....everyone dressed in their pink and red. The decorated shoe boxes full of cards and candy were in every classroom. The parties were in the afternoon so the kids were beside themselves all day......lots of moms and dads came to watch the kids eat the red icing off the cupcakes. I am so glad this holiday is still celebrated in public schools as it was one of my favorite memories from my elementary years. I am pretty sure we made memories today.
My own Valentine, Chuck,and I aren't the most romantic couple. Our love is deep and true...but not very romantic. I think I killed Chuck's romantic instinct the first few years of our marriage.
In the early years, when we had no money left over after paying the bills....he would give me flowers for V. Day. I would get so mad because if we had $50.00 to spend, I wanted a new shirt, a new pair of shoes, new make-up.....not flowers that would just die in a day or two.
Then in the years of babies and small children, we would go out to eat on this busiest of nights. These outings always proved to be most miserable. One evening I remember in particular....V. Day was on a school night but we loaded up the kids and headed out to eat anyway. After stopping at 2 different restaurants and leaving because the wait was over an hour....we stopped at an unknown Mexican restaurant in a strip center. There was no wait....should have sent up a red flag but didn't. The meal was awful (and I am not picky at all) and their plumbing had backed up so the bathrooms were closed. Ugh. Just thinking about a restaurant with backed up plumbing will suck the romance right out of the evening.
My point is....the romance of Valentine's Day is alive and well....just not around the Hackney house. It's just a fun day full of red and pink and hearts and candy and a celebratory mood. Now I buy Chuck some wine and chocolates and a funny card....and he gives me a couple of funny cards (he always buys 2 or 3 cards) and we still head out to eat. It's not so romantic, but it works for us.
My parents' first date was on February 14, 1955. They were married by June 18 and stayed married until February 28, 1998, when my father passed away from heart disease. It was always a very romantic holiday for them.
So whether you are a romantic or not, I hope you had a nice Valentine's Day.
Edit to post.....it's 2 hours later and I just had to add that Chuck came home with roses.....awwwww.....grrrrr.
The last few years have been drips and drabs of VD but this year I finally took it off the calender, set a moratorium, no pretenses, no stress. I've never had the nerve to tell Paul that I don't like roses! I mean if they are surrounded by lots of other kinds of flowers but a dozen roses is completely wasted on me. And I do remember those days in elementary school when Valentine's Day was my favorite holiday of the year or at least a close tie with Halloween. We did have a fun childhood, didn't we? I'm so glad to hear that you are carrying on the tradition of doing the boxes and trading, etc. P.S. It was so sweet of you to email Mellie, it meant so much to her, you are so sweet and thoughtful...like a box of chocolate covered cherries...now we're talking! XXOO, Stephanie
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