Yesterday DH and I went together to Bloomingdales to exchange a birthday gift. But....we had to drive past the shopping mall. I thought to myself "Now would be a good time to stop at the Godiva!" I guess he read my mind.

We picked out a nice box of assorted milk chocolates. He picked up a card for me that was across the way.

Later today we will exchange cards and dig into the box of chocolates. We used to go out to dinner, but now I'm past it.

ETA: Amylou.....show off!!!!! :) Beautiful flowers and cute gifts.

Littlebug, what lovely roses.

Scott, nice of you to share your bounty.

ETA ((((Phoggie)))))

Phoggie, I will be holding your hand today...

If it helps, when I feel like you do, I find that Barnes and Noble is my place....There are people. I don't look silly for being alone. I can get lost in a book. I can convince myself that I had to go for something (Isn't there ALWAYS a reason to go to a bookstore?)...Plus coffee and lemon pound cake...

no & no

Scott...would you care to expand???

Is there a possible romance in the air??? Inquiring minds want to know...

Shrimp & Grits @ fave seafood restaurant.

He's quite lovely, really...

Card sent to me by my former co-worker, neighbor and card buddy. Last night another neighbor brought me up a small plate of iced sugar cookies decorated with red sugar. That's about it.

I heard from the kid so now my day is complete :-) As with 99% of the younger generation, she communicates almost entirely by texting but that's fine with me. She is still able to convey her love by text! Unfortunately, her SO is not very demonstrative at all and tends to ignore almost all holidays so nothing special going on for her either. When you are only 27 and in your first "serious" relationship, Valentine's Day should be special!!

We usually have heart- shaped meatloaf for Valentine's day. Been doing that since the early 70's. However, my DD and SIL happen to be in town at the moment and they invited us over for dinner. I baked my DH's favorite cookies (pecan bars) for him. He was going to go out today in which case I probably would have gotten some flowers from Trader Joe's but didn't get off his butt. After 59 years, it's not a necessity. Happy Valentine's day Scott and everyone else, too.

Since my husband passed away 4yrs ago I usually feel really bad on Valentine's day. I'm not doing too bad today. Either I am getting used to it or it is because I went out to lunch today with some friends from high school.

We don't do anything for Valentine's day...which is okay by me. What we are doing today....we are in Bastrop, TX, about 2 1/2 hrs. from home, picking up a cannon. Yes, a cannon. My husband's brother made it and when he died, and sil sold the place, she gave it to my husband. I have no desire to own a cannon..... I hope we can sell it. Anyone want a cannon? It really does fire.

.

I'll have to say that a cannon - and a working one at that - is one of the more unusual Valentine's Day gifts I've ever heard of..........

I helped a friend who has a small flower shop with deliveries. The reaction from some of the recipients was priceless, kinda made my day. As for me personally, not doing anything special. Being as it's Wed it's spaghetti night, so that's what I'll make for GGS.

Gosh no, never. Everything is a money-grab, from cards to dinners.

I will make a nice meal this weekend for him, which suits us both just fine.

Today was spent doing his first radium treatment at the hospital. We found out a couple of weeks ago that his oral chemo pills aren't working, that the bone c. is spreading.....not a lot, but there are more spots.

Thankfully, it hasn't spread to any lymph nodes or organs! So he's a perfect candidate for this treatment combined with his monthly bone injections.

The drug comes from Holland, and we HAVE to make sure we keep the app't as it costs $5,000 each injection, and it's brought in specifically.

Wishing him well, Jasdip. Such an incredibly stressful time for you both.

Well Jody asked me if I wanted to drive by "our" place in Centerville. I said what will people think with us hauling a cannon around? He said they will start dragging out their Confederate money. Sometimes he can be almost funny.

Prayers for you and your DH, Jasdip.

Echoing all of the good thoughts for you and your husband, Jasdip.

I picked up a box of Godiva chocolates at Costco the other day for dh and some other boxes of chocolates for the kids. Dh got me flowers and heart shaped box of chocolates. I needed gas so for fun we went to Bucee's (Texas gas station) wearing matching Buccee's t-shirts and got a couple of their bbq sandwiches, No. We don't usually dress alike. We only did it today to be silly.

My daughter made chocolate mini heart cakes for her friends last night. So I'm cleaning the kitchen!

Enjoying a date almond roll! That's it :o)

Nope. We're still newlyweds but we don't do any gifts anymore. We have too much "stuff" as it is. We're going to a nice restaurant this weekend for a combined Valentine's/Birthday celebration. I'm excited, and saving up my calories!

We planned a lunch date at Wine on High, but the baby grandson was sick so we kept him for the day so mom and dad could work. We spent the day together and saved $100.

We don't go out to eat but I made hubby one of his favorite meals. Chicken Parm. with spaghetti. For dessert it was homemade tiramisu which takes quite a while to make but well worth it.

I bought flowers for my mother and a cookie for her and one for my son. My sweetie gave me a cupcake and I bet I get flowers before the evening is over. I got a cookie for him, too!

We don't do anything special. DH just cooked himself a steak on the grill, I did Brussels sprouts and baked potatoes. Nothing special, just as easily could have had it tomorrow or yesterday.

I told him years ago that I'd knock him silly if he spent a bunch of money on flowers!!

I have core class tonight so my DH is having left overs but I bought him a couple of pieces of his favourite lemon cake. He had a piece last night and he'll have one tonight. No chocolates for me - we still have some left from Christmas.

We'll make dinner at home. We got each other the exact same card!

cooper that's kind of lovely!

We've never made a big deal of Valentines day. But dear husband did bring home some chocolate cookies for after dinner :-)

Sending long distance ((((hugs)))) to you Phoggie and you too Rose.

Marilyn-hubby said to let you know that he'll take your cannon..oh boy!

Jasdip-hoping this treatment helps hubby.

We went out to dinner,exchanged cards,did our lottery thing(I won a little bit) had a bit of chocolate and are waiting now at home for our fav tv show.

No flowers here-I am having too many allergy issues lately to even think about having flowers around currently...but all in all,a fine day!

Jasdip healing well wishes for your hubby.

We had to go to Costco to get a TV. We lost ours and didn't want to take the one out of the motorhome. I saw a pretty black leather tote purse I was admiring and he said happy valentines and put it in the cart. It's my first new nice purse. The TV is for both of us. Ate a sandwich at Jason's Deli.

My garden club ladies showed up this morning with some presents. Some of them had extras that they could give to us and then they got together and bought us some things they knew we needed. Like a house warming. I was blown away. My neighbor at the old house moved to a new house. The people offered to sell them a lot of the furniture in the house, they agreed. Turns out they not only left the house full of gorgeous expensive furniture but the cabinets and hutches are full of dishes and antiques and serving ware and pots. It's unbelievable how much stuff they left her. So she now has a lot of doubles and extras she is sharing with us. So nice to have good friends and neighbors.

Terilyn has made a generous offer of dishes. Just wonderful that people are wanting to help.

We have a canon in our 'neighborhood' too. the guy used to fire it off several times a year. but since all the city folks have moved out here (new developments built - ruining the desert) - they must have complained about it.

I was fine, once I found out what it was - and it wasn't someone bombing us.

Haven't heard it for maybe 12-15 yrs tho. He might have moved away when all the building started out here.

I went down to the drugstore for some pepsi and picked up a small box of chocolate covered cherries. When I got home, I put on a pot of spaghetti soup. It's chilly and damp here today and soup sounded like the thing to make for dinner. I love it and my dog loves it too.

My husband and I exchanged cards this morning. Then this evening I made him chocolate chip cookies. Something I've done for him for several years.

I have a cannon story to share - and I really hate to be a Debbie Downer on this happy thread.

Our small town high school had a very active athletic booster club about 10 years ago. Somehow they acquired an old cannon that they moved to the endzone of the football field for every game and fired it off when a touchdown was scored. Not a cannonball, of course, but some kind of wad that was ejected from the cannon. It made a nice loud boom that could be heard all over town. One night a thunderstorm came up and the game was stopped. Teams were herded to locker rooms and the booster club guys scurried to secure and move the cannon. Unfortunately, it went off at pointblank range into one of the booster club guys. He was 42 and had a son on the team. A terrible, unbelievable tragedy. So please, Marilyn and Jody, be very careful.

We don’t do Valentine’s gifts but we do exchange cards. Normally we don’t go out to dinner any longer, as we find our favorite restaurant meals just aren’t the same with their fixed price menus and prices. However, there is a small place 5 minutes from our house in the country that normally only serves a country breakfast and lunch. The owner is a dear person, recently remarried a couple of years ago after being a single mom raising 5 kids, and is a true servant to this community. She cooks Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for those in need, gives boxes of food to those who need it, and on and on. So this year she decided to do a Valentine’s dinner. DH got one of the last reservations. Her proceeds will help fund a mission trip to Uganda this summer she, her daughter and a friend are taking. It was a delicious 3-course meal, home cooked, and accompanied by music provided by a couple of guys who get together to play there once a week. Perfect!

I really don't subscribe to the "Hallmark holidays" .... aka those where someone (or some company) tells us we should celebrate. My husband and I do random things for each other through the year. That said, we did go out to dinner last night and declare that we are, forever, each others' Valentines. We also exchanged nice cards (ranging between cute/funny/romantic).

As far as gifts/cards, etc. for people other than our "significant others" .... I don't get it. I thought that Valentine's Day was for romantic relationships. I don't recognize friends, offspring, other relatives, etc. as a Valentine. Seems kind of odd to me, but what do I know.

Don't worry. We are not going to fire the cannon. I hate noise...repetitive or loud noises.....can't stand gun fire or fire works or anything like that. Barking dogs send me over the edge. Alarm clocks set my nerves on edge. The cannon is now at a friend's shop. She said she thinks she can sell it for us. Sell it and more money to buy horse feed.....that is how I look at it.

" No chocolates for me - we still have some left from Christmas."

I don't understand...how is that even possible? ;-)

1. I found a box of chocolates that had been under some things since last year.

Good wishes to you and hubs, Jasdip. Offering some prayers for healing of body and quietness of spirit, through these difficult times.

Also some kind thoughts to several of you for whom this time brings to the surface again some sad recollections due to losses of loved ones.

ole joyful

Just another day, as usual. I did go see Lauren at her work place after I got off last night and she was wearing a cute Valentine outfit. She back working at her old sushi restaurant now. Had a roll, appetizer and expensive alcoholic drink that she basically paid for since she gets a discount. I gave her a large tip, though. Don't normally drink but have been feeling bad (just a cold I hope) and this drink you can't taste the saki in at all and it's really good.

When my sons were little, we used to do a Valentine hunt. I'm pretty sure I've posted about it before. When they were done eating, I'd have them turn their plates over and taped to the bottom was a heart with a clue. That would lead to another and another. When I started, the younger boy couldn't read yet, so his clues were pictures not words. The final valentine led to a small gift, such as a pack of character underwear. I don't remember how old they were when we stopped. They each got only one thing and like I said, it wasn't something expensive or extravagant. It was just for the fun of it.

That sounds like a lot of fun, carabubble.

That sounds like a lot of fun, carabubble.

I was out of town at a conference in DC most of the week. On Wednesday I met up with a friend I used to work with years ago. We went out to dinner at a pizza place in his neighborhood. I got food poisoning. That was pretty special. :-(

My wife and I did a special dinner at home on Monday before I left for the conference.

Oh no. Hope you are ok.

I'm ok now. Thursday though was rough, I missed most of the day's sessions at the conference, and only made a brief appearance at the evening reception at the Library of Congress.

Luckily no. No gifting. DH & I are weird. We still fall asleep holding hands...then say we aren't romantics. :0)

Bob...sorry about the food poisoning. Glad your alright.

Nothing for me... but I did buy my mom a box of chocolate covered cherries. Black cherry cola flavor and they were delicious! She'll be 88 in April and still gets out the first Valentine card that my dad got her. He passed in 2008.