Ah, Valentine’s Day: that’s a favorite of mine. As a cashier down to the A&P, I get to see first hand all the nice stuff folks buy for their honeys: cards, red roses, and sweets for their sweeties. Plus, I get to wear red, which looks good on me (it’s in my color wheel). And, of
course, it’s a chance for Charlie to give me a box of chocolates and for me to bake him a batch of his favorite cookies. They’re your basic oatmeal raisin, except I use Raisinettes, so you get the chocolate and raisin thing going. Try it. They’re delicious!
Valentine’s Day also signals that we only have about six more weeks of winter. That’s encouraging. This year Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow, so I guess we’re supposed to get an early spring. History has proved that a rodent is no more or less accurate than the weather folks on TV, yet hope spring eternal.
Remember Valentine’s Day when you were a kid? Those little Valentine’s cards you’d give everyone in class? I loved the tiny candy hearts with the messages on them. And Valentine parties where we had chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting and red sparkles on top. This is before lactose intolerance and allergies to gluten, before we were so concerned about our weight. How wonderful: a chocolate cupcake with no strings attached!
Our first Valentine’s Day as I married couple, I tried to cook us a roast beef dinner. I must have spent half our grocery budget for the week on that supper! And I didn’t know what I was doing. The vegetables came out mushy, the meat was overcooked and the gravy pastey. Poor Charlie! What a sport he was: chewing that leather-y roast beef, diligently working his way through that god-awful meal. Charlie kept reassuring me, telling me it was delicious. He even asked for seconds. That’s my guy!
This year, instead of battling the crowds at The Sky Lodge, Charlie and me had a quiet dinner at home. I asked him what he wanted, and he insisted on his favorite: baked Spam, mashed potatoes with plenty of butter and that green been casserole with the canned onion rings on top. You can’t go wrong with that!
Happy Belated Valentine’s Day, everyone! Remember, if you don’t have a Valentine at the moment, be your own Valentine and treat yourself to something special. It’s not too late. I’d suggest one of those little daffodil, crocus, or hyacinth plants we got blooming down to the A&P. They’re only about five bucks a pop. Splurge, why don’t you? You’re worth it! Heck, I bought one for myself just because.
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
P.S. A friendly reminder: if you’ve been following me for awhile you know that Groundhog’s Day is the cut off for all Christmas decorations, including wreaths. I’ve given you a generous grace period this year. There’s hardly any snow on the ground, so no excuses.
Hear Ida Tell It: February 14th
Upcoming Shows
February 29: Makin’ Whoopie!, Franklin Opera House, 7:30pm, Franklin, NH
May 1 & 2: The Moose in Me, The Moose in You!, The Footlights Theatre, 7:30pm, Falmouth, ME
May 13: Book Reading, Windham Public Library, 6:00pm, Windham, ME
May 14, Book Reading, Wiggin Memorial Library, 6:00pm, Stratham, NH
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