Seriously, Valentine's Day?

What's to love about Valentine's Day? This sordid Hallmark holiday mocked me many a year while I was single. One of the wonderful things about Michael was that we could agree that this is such a contrived holiday that it deserved to not be celebrated.

We began dating in January 1996, so with February right around the corner, Michael wasn't sure how to treat the holiday. I believe he asked me what my Valentine expectations were. I informed him that I usually sat home, alone, rented a jaded movie and slogged down a bunch of pizza. So, that year we decided to do that together.



Last night we were off to see Roller Derby, not realizing that it is the Saturday night of Valentine's weekend. Doh!!! Just try and get in for dinner someplace. So, we dined in the bar of The Red Tavern. And we secretly laughed at all the dressed up people who reserved a fine dining experience in honor of the holiday. I wonder how empty it really felt to them? I wasn't even having a holiday and had a great date night with Michael. What's not to love about a pomegranate cosmo followed by watching people with names like Slappa Ho race around a track in tarted up uniforms and trip each other up. It was the Valentine's Day Massacre. Norcal totally won. It was fantastic and very un-valentiney.



Anyhow, back to Valentine's ... now that I have kids it is a whole different ball game. Now it's the holiday that mocks me in the craft store! I am not a crafty person. I have always admired people who are.

While Rex maintains the "sugar fest" celebrated at the standard public school, the Waldorf school is quite different. I was informed there was no party filled with sugary treats, but that the children could make their own version of a Valentine and exchange them at school. With the exception of having to come up with an idea and go down to the craft store, I quite liked this idea better than the pixie stick/cookie/chocolate/brightly colored candy feast.



I decided to get those cute little puff balls and glue googly eyes on them and place them on Popsicle (craft) sticks. Then the kids could write "from ..." Also, this year the kids were old enough to handle the glue without gluing the entire house!



Then because the kids still had some sort of expectation, I decided to make a really nice dinner and have some friends over. On tonight's menu:

Braised short ribs (from grass finished beef of course!) served over wilted chard and a reduced sauce over the top. On the side will be a green salad (from my garden) and garlic mashed potatoes. For dessert I have homemade meringues filled with strawberries and fresh whipped cream. I'm serving a Cabernet with dinner.

Naturally the kids won't feel impressed with tonight's dinner. But the fact that they are getting dessert ought to feel special! Of course, my friends just canceled. So, this totally sucks. Well, for the kids. I'm still going to have a nice dinner.

Come on March!