By Jeff Salter
Before I forget, be sure to pick up your special ** FREE ** download from Amazon – through Feb. 14th only – of the Astraea Press Anthology, Love and Diamonds. Fifteen love stories, fifteen authors — including ME. In fact, my story, “No Love, No Diamonds, actually kicks it off!
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Diamonds-Amy-Mullen-ebook/dp/B00I9MR450/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423704049&sr=1-2
Valentine’s Day
This week, we’re blogging about “unforgettable” Valentine’s Day memories. No particular one of these 64 I’ve experienced stands out, but I will share with y’all something I’ve done to try to make them “unforgettable” for my wife.
I no longer recall when I began this practice, but at some point after my wife began working outside the home, I tried to make sure she received some sort of Valentine’s Day gift from me while she was AT work. No longer do I remember what possessed me to start doing this, but I somehow picked up on the insight that women enjoy a gift MORE if somebody else sees them receiving it. That differs from most men, who value the gift itself equally — no matter where or when it is handed over.
So, anyhow, I’d usually have some flowers delivered to her office. Sometimes, I’d vary and I’d leave a Val Day helium balloon tied to her steering wheel so she could bring it to work with her. But I always wanted her to have something visible (from me) at work on this day.
As a side note, a younger woman I know was working in an office inside a high rise bank building. When Val Day came around, most of the other ladies received flowers, balloons, or some sort of recognition — while at work that day. Not her. And when she went home, she walloped her husband on the arm and said – with icicles dripping from her words – “everybody got something but ME.”
So I figure, if it’s in my power, resources, and memory to do so, I’m not going to let my wife be the one woman at her workplace who doesn’t receive anything on Val Day.
From Valentine’s Day 2013
Two years ago, I wrote about how I sneak at least one heart into my wife’s luggage when she travels:
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/valen-whos-day/
From Valentine’s Day 2011
Four years ago, I blogged about one of the Valentine rituals I remember from Elementary School … and some of my first kisses with females-who-weren’t-my-relatives. For a look at my column for this day in 2011 [“Valentine’s Day in Retrospect … and My First True Like”], please take a look:
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/valentine%e2%80%99s-day-in-retrospect/
Question:
What about Valentine’s Day is memorable to YOU?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
My hubby calls Valentine’s Day “Commercialism Day” and he resents it. I don’t blame him. Especially with all the jewelry commercials out there. Not to mention the costs of cards, chocolate, flowers – its highway robbery! It seems like such a pressure on a guy to get it right. And let me tell you, he has gotten it wrong on several occasions. Still love him, though. 🙂 And he tries, which is what matters.
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yeah, that’s the important part — that both partners make a sincere effort.
In times when money was so tight that we could barely buy groceries, naturally the flowers sometimes weren’t possible.
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Jenn’s husband must be related to mine.
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How very , very thoughtful, Jeff! That lovely wife of yours certainly is worth the effort. I never received anything in public.That would be nice, but I would also feel bad for any who were left out. It is very big with the schoolkids here.I don’t know if I approve of deliveries during school by the local stores.
Quite a number of years ago very young lady with whom I worked would send flowers to her kid sister, who was under stress with the family situation, shy, picked-on at school and frankly, a frump. She grew into an active young woman, sure of herself and she blossomed into a surprising beauty! In fact, I saw her just last night; she showed me a picture of her baby boy. I know her sister’s efforts helped.
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yeah, the thing about delivering gifts (or whatever) to schools bothers me a bit. For one thing, the kid has no place to “put” whatever the gift was until school is over. Plus the potential for vandalism or theft by jealous students.
Not to mention the security hurdles for deliveries being made at schools.
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It is a bit of “In Your Face” to the other kids, and should the schools be laying a part in facilitating such extravagant plays of affection? Hmmmmm.
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I agree
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