Those are my 4 valentines on an expedition to see snow a few years ago.
I love them more than I could possibly say,
and they know it.
But,
I don't do Valentines Day well.
It seems silly and contrived, as if it were some kind of mandate.
Generally, I dread it.
It's not that I'm an insensitive lout, I just find Valentines Day to be a painful exercise in finding some external symbol of love.
They should just call February 14th, "Dentists Day", because it's almost that painful for me.
22 comments:
It looks like they are standing in my front yard! Yesterday we got hit with snow, then ice, then rain, then ice, and finaly snow again!
I'm working from home again today so I'll try to get some photos out.
Dave,
This is that Cherokee National Forest we were talking about!
Miss the snow and ice, do we? One reason I left Florida was the fantastic weather got monotinous.
One of the best Valentine surprises Treebeard ever came up with was a little something he tucked into my lunch once. I was teaching at the time and quite miserable about it. Treebeard fixed my lunch everyday because he didn't trust me to take the time to do it :) When I opened my lunch that Valentine's Day I was greeted by apple slices cut into hearts and a bunch of little paper hearts scattered through out my lunch box - he had cut the hearts from a Valentine sale flyer.
It didn't take a card, a box of chocolates, or a piece of jewelry. All it took was a little time and a lot of love. I still have the little hearts he cut out...
I bet your 4 valentines know how much you love them and don't require some overt show on a day designed to put money in other people's pockets ;)
Snow in florida?
I confess to the Scrooge mentality myself, as you well know, FC. However I think that you have comported yourself quite well in remembering the *spirit* of the day, and that's all to the best.
Happy Valentine's Day to you all.
Ususally, it's just another day for us. Hub surprised me with an orchid plant this morning, knowing how much I love orchids but never buy them.
We don't always celebrate V day, either. It's just another commercial holiday in my opinion.
But it was nice to get a surprise for a change! He did give me a corny card that had a coupon in it which I could redeem for full use of the remote control, however. lol...
And I heartily agree with Swamp4me's last paragraph!
Someone told me once that you spell love "time". I didn't buy junk to give for Valentine's Day but will cook a special dinner tonight instead. I would rather have someone show me their love all year round than once a year in a showy way. From what I read here, you are good at that. Give everyone an extra hug, hide a chocolate bar under their pillows with a promise of time doing something fun that they enjoy and show them this post!
I'm a Valentine's humbug myself. It seems to grow every year. Bring home a Valentines flower bouquet for the wife and the daughters want to know where theres are! Humbug.
.....Alan.
It made me smile to tune in over here and see snow- and all these happy faces. It IS contrived. Apparently, some people need reminders to demonstrate/receive their love for one another but the best of people just live it.
We don't celebrate Valentine's Day at chez Bums. It does seem like a contrived hallmark holiday. When we were at the market yesterday, both people ahead of us in the checkout line were both buying flowers and heart-boxed chocolates. It made me feel a little nostaligic for my dad who really loved to buy those things for my mom. Maybe in an earlier era, the marketing of the holiday was a little less overwhelming.
Nice pic of your very beautiful and happy family.
Beautiful family - you're a lucky man!
Turns out almost everyone is rebelling against the marketing message and ignoring Valentine's Day (or celebrating it by showing actual love, without spending money).
I hear more and more about people both single and coupled that resent the marketing of affection. So long, stupid Hallmark holiday!
Just ignore it and it'll go away.
Don't do that with dental problems though.
Lovely family you have there..
We don't bother much either. Especially this year when we are having a blizzard, or so the warnings say.
Anyhow, happy Dentist Day to you and yours.
Great family pic! I'm not real keen on V-Day, either. I'd much prefer a thoughful attitude the other 365 days a year to roses - that'll be dead by the weekend - today.
I'll bet that felt good. That's about the loveliest non-valentine - ever. The tyranny of these artificial holidays can be maddening. Congratulations. You're free AND in love. Doesn't get much better than that.
OH My goodness...that is the cutest family I have seen in a long time...You're a lucky guy.
Hey! ZZZZZZipppp...I have DSL. Bet I'm so fast you can hardly read this.
Happy V-Day.
Whoa...I think I hit a nerve. I have to respond later this evening due to a need to get to work on time, but thanks for the thoughtful comments. I feel better now.
:)
That about sums up my thoughts on V-day. What really irks me is the message "If you don't buy your wife or girlfriend something or take her out to dinner, you're in trouble!" It makes all of us women look like we're greedy and incapable of unconditional love. Needless to say, it's a non-holiday around our house. But the day after, that's another thing! I'll post about it tonight.
Mac,
I've heard people say that, but I can never quite see the monotonous part. I do get tired of heat and humidity around September tho.
Swampy,
Very true. Small personal gifts really say it best, and it doesn't matter what day it is.
Anon,
Snow flurries in the forecast tonight.
Wayne,
Thank you. Happy Valentines to you too.
Laura,
LOL! You mean you can find the remote at your house? Must be nice.
Cathy S,
That is excellent advice. We did exactly that.
Alan,
To quote a weinie, "I feel your pain".
Vicki,
Here, snow makes us happy.
Robin,
Seems like Valentines day every day at your site anyway ;)
Aikane,
Thanks!
Betsy,
So long and good riddance.
Rurality,
ROFL!
And how true.
ThreeCollie,
Thanks!
Getting stranded in a blizzard to buy a $2.98 heart shaped card does seem pretty silly.
Sophie,
Thoughtfulness goes a long way in the romance arena.
Cathy,
Well said. I like that vision of freedom from artificial holidays.
Hick,
I am soooo glad you are back! And sooooooooooo envious that you have DSL while I am forced to live on dialup here in the remote woods of Pure Florida.
Deb,
Okay, I'm hooked. I'll be clicking over to find out about the day after.
If you have love in your heart you're never a Valentines Scrooge!
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