Still Time to Shop

Since my last blog, the television, radio and store advertisements have been reminding us all that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  I even received emails from some of the establishments where I like to eat offering deals.  Yesterday I walked into a store and picked up the store sales flyer; the top of the first page listed the deals they were offering.  I did notice one item not on the shelf, I asked about it to a store employee who told me they sold out of it last week.  Hmm, I wonder who will be drinking the bottle of Strawberry Irish Cream.  Whoever, do hope they find it tasty. 

A few days ago I made a trip to a dollar store.  I was amazed at all the items they had for purchase to help celebrate the day.  During this trip I had seen items that I did not notice on prior visits.  There were men’s ties; red in color with white hearts.  I thought of getting one for my husband, but decided to save my money.  He’d never wear it anyhow.  They had sun glasses with a rose tint; the lenses were heart shaped.  As I continued on my way through the store, I noticed that a woman did buy both a tie and a pair of the sun glasses.  I hope whoever the recipient is, they appreciate the thought. I mentioned to my husband I could use a new pair of sun glasses.  He just ignored me and continued on his way toward another part of the store. 

After arriving home, I worked on the card I planned to send to my six year old grandson.  Happy with having that task complete I began to rack my brains on a Valentine for my husband.  Finally came up with something on the 10^th day of February.  I composed two verses for inside the card; one a short acrostic verse using the word “LOVE” and the second a longer poem.  I still have to find clip art for the card and print it off but I have a few days yet.  I also decided upon his gift which happens to be a few books which I hope will arrive in time.  If not, I have a back-up plan ready.  Unfortunately I have not figured it out as of yet.  I still have three days to do so.

My husband must have paid attention to my last blog as he decided to do something totally different this year.  Each day since February 7^th, he has given me a whimsical little gift.  The first day it was a pair of heart shaped earrings; the second day a coffee mug with red and pink hearts on it; the third day a bouquet of lollipops (six total).  I put the lollipops into a vase on my book case.  On the 10^th of February, he gave me the pair of pink tinted sun glasses I had seen at the dollar store. This gift came in handy, the sun was out and my other pair of sun glasses needed to be replaced (the lenses were scratched).  He said as he handed me the glasses, “Now you can look at the world through rose colored glasses”.  (So original).  Today’s little surprise is three small boxes of conversational hearts.  Like my candy corn tribute on Halloween, I always eat fifteen of those little hearts during this time of year. 

Since there are only a few days left until Valentine’s Day, I am wondering what else to expect.  Perhaps he will find a little skunk stuff animal and hand it to me with the endearing words written on a piece of paper, “Love Stinks, but do love ya”; hard to tell at the moment.  I could luck out by having him tell me to download a romance novel to my Kindle.  Well whatever the remainder is of the gifts; they will be welcomed and quite appreciated.

Once the day of hearts, flowers and chocolates becomes a memory, my husband has only one day left to try to come up with the next gift to me.  My birthday is two days after Valentine’s Day.  Not sure which really stinks, Valentine’s Day or having another birthday.  I go with the second choice.

Until next time…..today is February 11^th, you have today, the 12^th and 13^th to get that special person a Valentine.  Of course you could always just celebrate on the 15^th when all Valentine’s Day items go on sale. 

L’AMOUR…..NOW AND ALWAYS

©Scottie-ann Murphy (2013)

Love can not be purchased at the local mall

But a wonderful gift that one freely gives to another

There is no promise that each day will be filled

With roses, soft music and laughter …,

Love is…… believing in all things possible….

Hoping for the best each and every day….

Enduring uncharted paths taken….

Dark rainy days and stormy seas

No problems too small or great to solve together

“For love conquers all” someone once said

Love is a constant when two people

Unconditionally give their hearts to one another

Love is a warm wonderful feeling within

And a true love is always….it never ends

Hearts, Flowers, Chocolates.....Valentine's Day Approaches

Words of love……but what can one say that has not already been said?

Heart shaped boxes of chocolates and red roses….what can one give that would be different from the traditional?

Valentine’s Day seems to put pressure on those in relationships. 

The search for the perfect Valentine card with sentimental words

or perhaps one that is a bit on the humorous side.  Deciding on which box of chocolates to give….there are so many to choose from.   During my trips to different stores to shop, I have seen more than my share of boxes of chocolates being sold for the holiday.  Some boxes had a red satiny ribbon; a few were just a plain red heart.  One store had a twenty pound rectangular box. I have no idea who would be able to consume that much candy, but no doubt the recipient would consider the thought behind the gift wonderful.  I have seen teddy bears in various sizes wearing a red bow.  They seem to be shouting out “buy me, buy me”.  One store had cute little stuffed animals; my favorite a little white dog which I though about getting for myself.  Mylar balloons, ceramic heart shaped boxes and silk roses sit upon shelves.  Of course the floral shops will be busy creating arrangements for those who will be sending or giving flowers in person; they also will be having a large supply of red roses on hand.  The jewelry stores will be doing more ads on television, radio and in the newspapers.  Diamonds and rubies will most likely be the gems that will adorn the heart shaped rings, pins, necklaces, earrings and bracelets that will be featured for the holiday.  More of the color red will be worn on February 14^th with pink coming in a close second.  Restaurants will be offering special dinner deals for the day.  Bakeries and bakery sections of the stores will have heart shaped cookies, cupcakes frosted with pink and white icing with a red heart on them and heart shaped cakes will be decorated with roses and hearts.  Booksellers will hope to rid their shelves of romance/love novels and poetry books.

Each year I try to write the perfect verse for the card I create for my husband.  After twenty-three years, it is hard to think of something to say that I already have not said.  For my husband, trying to come up with something special to present to me has become more of a chore than something fun to do. I do not need another piece of jewelry, another stuffed animal, another heart shaped dust collector (knick-knack) or a box of candy.  At my house chocolate sits in the refrigerator and is thrown out evidently.  We go out to eat often, so a nice dinner out someplace is not special to me.  I like roses but they make me sneeze (allergies).

So here I sit, with less than two weeks to Valentine’s Day unsure of how to declare my feelings of love.  A few years ago I had the same dilemma.  I ended up writing a silly verse that I created on a 4”X6” card.  It went something like this:

Today’s the day for hearts and flowers

And boxes of chocolate candy

So here’s a heart

Here’s a rose

And here’s a box of candy.

I gave my husband the following gift that year. I went to a dollar store and purchased a red gift bag.  Inside I put a red cardboard heart I cut out; put in a single silk red rose I found at the dollar store and a box of Junior Mints.  Hence he got his heart, flower and box of candy.  I may do something similar this year.  I am leaning toward the purchase of a small water globe that has a heart inside.  I happen to see a flower in a flower pot that when activated by the sun the flower moves back and forth; as for the candy I plan to buy a box of Butterfinger pieces.        

Sometimes I think ‘love’ stinks.  A few years ago my husband said it all when he gave me a picture of Pepe Le Pew holding a heart.  Next to the little fellow he wrote the words… “Love Stinks but Happy Valentine’s Day anyhow. What more can one say?”

Until next time…..I am getting ready to go out shopping for my husband’s Valentine’s Day gift.  Well come to think of it, he likes hoagies (subs)…maybe a gift card to a sub shop will be fitting as well as a container of his favorite fruit this time of year Plant City strawberries and a card I actually purchase at the dollar store….works for me.