VALENTINES DAY

February 14th was always an extra special day for our family. My Mom and Dad were married 70 years ago on Valentines Day. My Dad died 12 years ago, and my Mom still cries when we talk about him. They were romantically in love their whole lives. He never failed to kiss her when he was coming or going, and if their song "It's been a long long time" came on the radio or TV they'd get up and dance. She told me once about how much she missed him holding her at night.

When we were kids, my  crazy cousin and I grabbed any excuse to throw a surprise party, and every year we'd celebrate my parent's anniversary along with  his Mom and Dad's which occurred on Feb. 7th. My Mom says that they'd dread coming home and seeing the draperies all closed....a sure sign that my cousin and I had decorated the entire first floor with red and white streamers and those "chains" you make from strips of construction paper. Closed draperies meant that we'd also been at it in the kitchen, where we'd make everything we could think of...jello, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, toast, old fruitcake from Christmas with chocolate sauce, celery with peanut butter...( get the drift..?) ANYTHING we could find.

My Mom and Dad seemed to actually encourage my larger than life imagination...from the get go, while my Aunt would just keep saying things like " Oh my GOD ! " while my uncle and my Dad would crack a beer, and eat a hot dog. We have some of those old movies of course, and almost all of them feature one of these SURPRISE! parties. My cousin and I flit around like crazy little pixies...pointing to the giant cards we'd made, or dancing with each other...just to get everyone in the mood.

I was out last night buying cards and flowers for my Mom and for my partner...I love all the hype...all the political incorrectness of the consumerism...bring it on, I'm a sucker for all of it.

I still have to find one of those gigantic hearts filled with candy...even though I can already hear the groans of the household..."oh we shouldn't be eating this stuff". I will of course be undaunted....I was already looking for Irish soda bread recipes and eyeing those tacky bright green shamrocks for the front door.....bring it on...I'll take a dozen.

Celebrate your loves today....past, present, and still to come....and always remember that it's never too late for happily ever after.