Saints and Lovers

With a proclaimed day of love approaching I've been reading articles on planning a perfect Valentine's Day. Mostly this is just fun entertainment for me—any real planning causes panic; I don't expect to be doing any of it. While reading these great articles I noticed how many people caustically wrote that we don't need a holiday to do something nice for a loved one. That it's a Hallmark tradition meant to bleed wallets. In general a slight disgust for the holiday they try to promote with ideas of gifts, rendezvous, date activities and romantic dinners.

I decided that in honor of my first Valentine's marriaged to Gripper, and in honor of Vegas Stacey who L-O-V-E-S this day, I would stick up for the Saint who risked his life to marry lovers. Though the Roman Emperor decreed marriage illegal during time of war (he believed men without families were better soldiers), Bishop Valentine married couples in secret, and was executed for it.

Maybe Valentine's isn't such a rip-off. Maybe it's a day to appreciate marriage, your spouse (present, past or future) and believe in a binding love.

The chocolates, candy conversation hearts and possible flowers? Party favors.



More Valentine's trivia:
http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/articles/807655/fun-facts-about-valentine-s-day

February Where Have You Gone?

The shortest and coldest month I push Feb. to the back of my mind. It's a place of ugliness, a time when I want to shut out the world and hide under 50 blankets. Even if you took one off everyday I'd be safe until Spring Break. Plus it's the month of my least favorite holiday—Valentine's Day.

I'm something of a romantic in my own warped, optimistically pessimistic way, but a national holiday that forces people to show affection seems wrong. Flowers on the 14th smell of desperation and conformity, but flowers on the 15th bring the aroma of love. And so this year for the holiday I've tricked Travis into a road trip to California. Just me and my brother braving Donner Pass.

In anticipation I thought it wise to prepare some treats, and I do enjoy all holidays even bottom of the list Valentine's Day. (Actually I love making Valentine's cards; a certain someone received one of my best. I don't think he understood it though...) I searched for the conversation hearts that mark the season. Many years I agonized about giving those candies to undeserving boys. I carefully read each one and tried to give away the generics; Awesome, Hi, Stay 10 ft away. If only.

The shock of not finding them equaled the disappointment of seeing Easter candy already. It's not enough that Mother Nature screwed with my summer sending me snow into June. Marketing now takes my holidays ending them before they've begun.

I didn't even get my yearly cream puffs on the first. It's as if February didn't exist, a leap year of the month in 2009.