While I've no doubt had enjoyable Valentines as an adult, the holiday completely conjures childhood--classroom celebrations and red and pink construction paper hearts. Conversation hearts and sugar-dusted gummies. Choosing just the right valentine from a variety pack for your close friends or crushes. Deciphering later what the cards given to you really meant. Who gave you prime ones or boring ones or obviously their least favorite. It's all doilies and foil heart stickers. The year my mom and aunt, on a snow day, made us an impromptu V-Day celebration at home with whatever candy they had on hand (random Christmas chocolate and red hots I believe.) and heart-shaped sandwiches. Later, in junior high and high school candy grams and colored carnations presented in classes from friends.
While my Valentines have been a little more romantic lately, with movie dates or at least date nights at home, my routine was once an annual zoo visit with my parents, who would come in around the holiday bearing heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and other gifts. We'd hit the zoo, usually in mildish weather, then go have dinner. This mostly ended with my mom and I don't remember the last year we did it. I only remember 2017 Valentine's Day was when she had her first heart attack that started the downhill slope of that year. Three years ago, J and I went to the movies to see Parasite, not realizing it was the last movie we'd see due to covid for another two years. I used to work on most Valentine's evenings, so would mark the occasion with chocolates and little presents to myself. This I did this year as well, some new tea, a floral dress, a new piece of art, a new satin kimono to replace the one I recently ripped.
J arrived last night arrived at my place with both truffles and very strong edible treats we enjoyed while watching Infinity Pool on streaming, a wild trip of a movie even without the enhancements of weed. It was fun, but made today a little more legarthic than usual. I did manage to do some writing-about the I Am Legend sequel coming and how to decorate your indoor spaces like outside spaces when you live in a city. This week's lessons are about seas monsters and dryads, so are extra fun to be researching, but I am moving slower through the middle of the week than usual.
It was noisy and blustery today, with some snow expected tomorrow. Hopefully, this is the last of it, though I know March can also be quite a beast when she wants to.
