February 14th – Valentine’s Day
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Cottage tales | 54 comments
February 14th. It’s a big day as it celebrates love.
Traditionally it was the day when your special partner andor secret admirers espoused love and beyond. Now it has blossomed to include every sort of love. Perhaps the Min Pins are now carefully positioning their muddy paw prints on cards as my fingers fly across the keyboard.
At my grim boarding school there were really pretty girls that used to receive several cards on Valentine’s day. I can still hear their shrieks now as they ripped open the envelopes and honed into the messages.
My mum always sent me a card. With curly wurly writing so that I might not recognise who had sent it. Of course I saw through that but I was so grateful to walk up to the ‘post monitor’ and receive my card.
Opened alone and so appreciated. I even carefully glued them into my one day a day diary.
With Danny, those early days were such a time of hope and joy. We exchanged cards, a bit embarrassed, like teenagers. Most of these were eventually framed and added to The Love Gallery. These small framed tokens used to give me so much pleasure when I passed them on the way to the bathroom.
Over the past few years Valentine’s Day became a time of stress. I’m sure for both of us. I do remember several supermarket Valentine Meals ending up in the bin a couple of weeks after the event. We’d lost that innocent appreciative mojo.
A friend once said years ago,
“You are one of the last of the old romantics.”
I was surprised – thought most people were like me.
This year, dazzled by the hoards of signs reminding me that Valentine’s Day was approaching, I reckoned that it might be a bit of a struggle for a newby singleton.
Last week a bulky card arrived from America. Intrigued, I carefully opened the envelope.
I pulled out the longest Valentine’s card that I’d ever received. It was ‘signed’ in absentia by a few blog readers and CSH forumites.
I flopped down onto my old fur lined chair at the kitchen table and wept with a strange mixture of despair and delight. I’d been dreading Valentine’s Day but suddenly I felt cherished.
Thank you Michelle and Dan from Oregon and everyone who connived with this glorious plot. You have made this Valentine’s Day so special for me.
I need to go out and find a page a day dairy now that’s big enough to cosset this card. That drive into town will be a pleasure and I’m sure that I’ll smile all the way there.
Leave a reply
Fiona,
I’ve got a little job for you, you’ll love it. I’ll leave a post on my blog as it might take up too much space here.
Amalee
You know there are people who sends and don’t really, “really” love the person they are sending them to. In December with a new calendar in front of them, they fill in the boxes of dates with names – and before those days, they send a birthday/anniversary card – and then go on to the next one they need to send. We who read your blog, may not send cards but you are in our hearts and minds daily as we check in to be sure you are alright. I send my belated greetings but I carry you close and always have since I started reading your blogs, oh so many years ago. I wish you and the wee ones only the best and know, just know, you’ve graduated from sandwiches to cooked meals, yet once again! Its almost gardening time in England and I wish I was there. Instead I sit here in New York up on the Hudson River, waiting for yet another snow/ice/sleet storm. If I didn’t have a little granddaughter who ties me here, I’d be offering to rent your attic for the summer. 🙂
I keep checking in, and, like Maggie, would like a few more posts as WE DO WORRY ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW! I want to know that you are not still eating sandwiches! As for cards, I am a complete cynic. It’s how people behave on the other 364 days that counts for me.
Hello you
Don’t leave too-long time-gaps Fiona or some of us might start worrying about you all over again!
Love never dies but sometimes a compromise is reached….and never underestimate the compromise.
that is lovely. I would frame it and put it near the kettle in the kitchen
What a fabulous surprise! Sending you a rather late but nevertheless heartfelt virtual hug. X
Wonderful. 🙂
Of course you’re cherished you numpty :hug:
Hi just wanted to say I have ollowed your blog for some years. You so deserved this card. Your blg kept me owing through some difficult times – thank you !
Sorry should read – I have followed your blog And your blog kept me going through some difficult times ! X