Hearts & Flowers

It's a “wow” kind of day – after the frigid temps we've been enduring, today has bright sunshine and lower-40's temps. The street is almost clear, the icicles have let go of the guttering, and the snow has melted off the vehicle. It's a welcome change, indeed.

So far it's been a quiet day. We got out this morning to pick up our income tax papers, and that's been about it. I woke up with a headache behind my eyes, so I haven't found the energy to do anything else. Maybe before the day is over I'll get something done.

Two Valentine cards arrived in today's mail. I feel a little bit bad that I didn't buy any. But, that's just one of the things we decided to cut out of our lives for the moment. Hubby knows I love him, and we will have a wonderful home-cooked meal for lunch tomorrow.

And speaking of Valentine's Day, I don't think I'm alone in the belief that guys are hard to buy gifts for. The first Valentine's Day hubby and I spent together, I was able to use a comment he made one day and scored big by buying him a Red Ryder BB gun. It didn't matter that he was in his mid 50's at the time. He'd wanted one, and that's what he got. I've never been able to come up with as perfect a gift since.

Guys have it so easy when it comes to buying gifts. Most of the females I know are so happy to get a gift, especially if a little thought has been put into it. Some of us are flower gals, others are happy with a nice piece of jewelry. Still others are contented with a gift card to their favorite store or, better yet, the spa. About the only way a guy can bomb out is with a toaster or toilet brush.

Guys, though, are so likely to just go get anything they want. And that makes it tough when it comes to the gift-giving holidays. If they want a new tool for the garage, they go get it. If we tell them they need a new shirt, they'll usually get it so we're not picking out their clothes. And if they offer any gift ideas, it's usually something like an expensive new gaming system or a monster truck.

When I was little, I enjoyed Valentine's Day. Dad always went to the dime store and bought two heart-shaped boxes of the Brach's chocolates – one for Mom and one for me. From year to year I tried to remember what shape my favorite candies were. It was harder, though, to figure out the ones I didn't like. That usually led to a tiny bite out of the bottom of each candy, to see what was in the on the inside without completing committing my taste buds.

I loved the candies with chocolate crème centers, and I could always recognize them. The caramels were good too. I didn't mind most of the fruit-flavored crème centers, though I didn't really care for the orange ones. What I absolutely despised, though, were the ones that were vanilla crème with a layer of jelly on top. Yuck! I would spit those out if I accidentally bit into one and got a mouthful of that jelly.

Mom and Dad, of course, caught onto what I was doing. They weren't always appreciative of my offering to share my candy with them since I'd already taken a test bite! In my defense, it was always a tiny bite, and out of the bottom edge of the candy. It wasn't like I'd already devoured half the piece or anything!

Once I graduated high school and left home, I missed that annual box of chocolates from Dad. And he probably missed my “sharing” with him.