Valentine's Day

Ah, isn't it romantic? Wifey was up in the wee hours, not feeling too great. She's fine now, but in younger days, being up half the night on Valentine's Day might have different connotations.

And she'll be spending the day taking her elderly father to the doctor. As I wrote to her, the day won't be like the Cosmo articles she used to read when we first met.

I have work to do, today, but we DO plan on a lovely evening: jazz under the stars at the Deering Estate. We've been several times, and it's terrific -- the water reflects the starlight, and the big, coral rock house is all lit up.

We're going with Jeff and Lili. If it gets too cold, Jeff and I can cuddle up, while Wifey and Lili listen to the tunes...

One of our favorite memories of D2's grade school years involves Valentine's Day. I think she was in 3rd or 4th grade, and the teacher assigned the students the task of writing something nice to a random classmate. D2's partner was a boy named Jake. He wrote: "You're nice when you make people laugh. You don't bother me as much as other people do."

Wifey and I LOVE that card, and keep it tacked up in our kitchen. Really, is there higher praise one can offer a partner?

We've adopted Jake's young wisdom. When people ask how we stay married as long as we have, we each answer "He (She) doesn't bother me as much as other spouses would."

And of course the laughter is essential. Wifey and I are blessed with the ability to laugh, or at least see the humor, in most of what life throws our way.

So it IS romantic.

I wrote to the Ds this am, reminding them that, even though they have fine young men in their lives, I am their FIRST Valentine. I also affirmed that they don't bother me as much as other daughters do.

D1 has a late class, and so has no major plans tonight. Not sure about D2, but we get to see her in a few days at UF.

And so, on this highly commercialized, sell billions of dollars worth of flowers and candy and cards day, I am truly blessed with true love.

It IS romantic.