Saturday, February 14, 2015

HAPPY HEARTS DAY!

It's cold and snowy here in southwest Ohio and while my plans for shop-hopping are now on hold, it's a good day for staying inside and baking. I have dough in the refrigerator waiting to be rolled and cut into Valentine cookies. A short time ago, I took peanut butter cookies out of the oven, and I'll be baking Cream Cheese Blueberry Pound Cake later this afternoon. I hope everything will turn out well so I can delivery some homemade goodies to the neighbors this Valentine's Day.

Hubby and I went to the Olive Garden restaurant for lunch yesterday and that will serve as our Valentine celebration. Dining out was truly more than I expected. For more years than I care to remember, I was disappointed on Valentine's Day. I'm finally admitting it and I've recently learned I'm not alone. Each time February 14th would roll around, I'd anxiously await Hubby's arrival from work. If he was later than usual, I would assume (wrongly) he'd stopped to shop for a card or a bouquet of flowers - Heaven forbid I ever receive a box of chocolates, though I bought him many boxes of his favorite, Esther Price, through the years.  I don't know how many times I actually mentioned that a local Kroger grocery store and even the Walmart store, carry nice bouquets for around $7, so the price shouldn't have been the problem. By this time in our married life, he surely knows I'm not difficult to please. No, the problem is that my spouse, though he can be kind in other ways, simply refuses to observe Valentine's Day. I honestly don't know why, but it's true.  I've asked him about it but never actually received an answer. I used to bake him a heart-shaped cake or cookies, prepare a candlelit dinner, buy a romantic card, and even had flowers sent to his workplace a few times - which I thought were very nice gestures, but he claimed receiving flowers at work was embarrassing. Really? He did say some of the other men in the office were envious, yet my guy is just embarrassed. One thing my dear spouse can do well, is rain on my parade. Again, I know I'm not alone there. 

So, after many disappointing Valentine's Days, I finally stopped observing it too. It wasn't what I wanted to do, because I love hearts, flowers, and expressions of love, but for too many years, I'd been fighting a losing battle and I was weary of being disappointed. Since I wanted to celebrate the day of love and he didn't, I began to do a little shopping for myself.  I'm not sure why I didn't "wise up" sooner. I'd visit a favorite primitive shop or an antique mall, and enjoy browsing through all the treasures. It's one of the few times I'd indulge in the pleasure of purchasing something I wouldn't ordinarily buy for myself.  While I never bought anything extravagant or expensive, I did often find some little thing that turned my head and made me feel happy. 

These days, I'm no longer disappointed when no flowers, candy, nor cards show up on Valentine's Day. I've finally embraced the fact they're never going to appear - at least not from my spouse. That's why I was hoping to do a little primitive shopping today, especially since most of the shops in this area are participating in a "shop hop".  As my luck would have it, today is not a good day to be out on the roads, but I've learned to "regroup". I'm enjoying the snow and I've been content baking cookies and browsing online. The idea of sharing home-baked goods with others is pleasing to me and if my spouse doesn't quite appreciate them, I know the neighbors will - they've always been very affirming. 

However you choose to celebrate this day, do so with love in your heart. Make your own fun. Share your love with others. That's really what this day is all about anyway. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!         

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