I started a thread that is similar on the Conversations side, so great minds! We were to travel this weekend. Well, Pax had other plans for us so find ourselves with a free weekend at home! Couldn't snag a last minute reservation to anywhere that I wanted to go, so decided to cook at home. Picked up some tenderloins and lobster tails, some dessert from a local bakery. I love getting dressed up to go out, but usually eat dinners at home in either PJs or work out clothes so, now that you mention it, perhaps I should dress for a dinner in too.

To those snowed in, light some candles, start a fire, open the GOOD wine!

Bringing dinner to Mom. Too icy for her to come over. Should be nice and cosy.

Our original plans were that I would go to my office in the city today, DH would meet me after work, and we were staying in town for two nights; tomorrow night we have tickets to see Richard the IIIrd; we just saw 12th Night in Dec. The cast is wonderful.

Well, 20 inches of snow later ... it's a family day. We played in the snow a bit, I'm making dinner, and then we are going to the movies. Tomorrow DH and I will go in to city for the day.

Does anyone recall the story of the five tier tray I spotted in a consignment shop, that got scooped up before I could buy it, and then ended up in a local favorite overpriced furniture store (Lillian August). They marked it up 200%. Well, DH presented breakfast for the family on it this morning, as a surprise. It was on sale, too. That and my favorite pale pale pink roses.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

aww, tfitz, so sweet

Patricia, hmm, I didn't dress up, but I did shower, LOL! Honestly it will be much nicer to have a dinner date when it's not so zoo-ey!

I also am snowbound, and spending the evening inside with my husband and the cats. We'll get a fire going and settle in for a nice evening of reading and listening to music ... IF I can hide the TV remote!

We aren't doing gifts this year, but as soon as the kids get home from school, we're going to see the Lego movie in 3D. It's getting great reviews, so we're all looking forward to it. Afterward, we'll go out for a casual dinner and then come home to the pink-frosted cake I made and some chocolate ice cream. After the kids are in bed, my husband and I are opening a bottle of wine and watching House of Cards.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

If you want to live vicariously, you'd do better than to follow the Deighnaughs...we celebrated last week so I can start my cleanse this week. Tonight it was green goo for me and watching curling. Gotta admit we're pretty wild!

DH presented me with roses early this morning. We had to spend part of the afternoon doing banking.

Tonight we had dinner at a local favorite restaurant. It attracts an older crowd, so a quiet vibe. I also noticed how many men and women were wearing red. (Me excluded.)
We don't particularly dress up, but I wore a nice sweater and black jeans. i also wore a silver heart that I received last Valentines Day. (It was a surprise and what I like the best is that DH picked it out himself.)
Home early so now I"m on the computer and DH is watching TV

DS decided on the spur of the moment to come visit for dinner so we ordered Chinese. We hadn't planned anything for today since DH might have to take work calls tonight. Tomorrow I will make his favorite dessert and together we we will make our favorite dinner and probably watch House of Cards. A lavendar rose bouquet was delivered Wednesday just before the snow (good thinking DH!) . Went to Starbucks on Wed to get him coffee flavored candies but they don't carry them anymore, so will go out tomorrow and pick him up a little something. And yes, we will probably eat in our pj's.

I have enjoyed reading these. Don't stop posting. It sounds like, in each post, there is a sweet heart enjoying great moments, albeit in some cases, quite restrained due to weather, with family and loved ones. How sweet this is. Valentine's Day and love live on, whether the love is a child, a spouse, a significant other, your parents or just great friends.

Turned on the fire to warm the room and we went to W/D and found they had lovely pork chops on sale for $1.29...Bogle Merlot $10...home again...and DH put the chops to marinate with EVOO/garlic and s&p and scrubbed the potatoes, placed them in the oven and headed upstairs to meditate for 30 min. together. Downstairs once again DH made salads and I poured the wine and lit the candles. We ate in the "2nd DR" in front of the fire.....but first we danced to Steve Tyrell...Give me the simple life...

Folks are blessed who make the best of everyday living by their own
Philosophy everyone who needs the sun must find a way and I have found the
Only way for me I don't believe in frettin' and grievin'; Why mess around
With strife' I never was cut out to step and strut out. Give me the simple
Life. Some find it pleasant dining on pheasant. Those things roll off my
Knife; Just serve me tomatoes; and mashed potatoes; Give me the simple
Life. A cottage small is all I'm after, Not one that's spacious and wide. A
House that rings with joy and laughter with the ones you love inside. Some
Like the high road, I like the low road, Free from the care and strife.
Sounds corny and seedy, but yes, indeed-y; I like the simple life Life
Could be thrillin' with one whose willin' To be a farmers wife it's calling
Me pappy sure make(s) me happy Give me the simple life.

43 Valentine Days together...and may you all have the best evening and weekend. c and r

This post was edited by trailrunner on Fri, Feb 14, 14 at 21:28

DH is just leaving work now and has an hour drive home. It's been a tough few weeks there with lots of problems, and he's been wiped out when he gets home. He asked if he could have a "rain check" on today's celebrations. I've had this week off, so I'm feeling fine and am cooking roasted chicken, salad, and rice pilaf. He'll get a nice foot massage when he gets home and dinner, then we'll see after that. We've been married coming up on 24 years and he's still the nicest guy I know. We'll do something fun tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening.

Predawn gifted DH with flowers and a plane ticket to join me and my sisters in Florida next month. Then powered up for 12 hours with my 3 year old nephew: making breakfast for DH and crockpot dinner for all, popping in for a Valentine's party at his preschool ("Are you David's grandma? over and over... Kids, it is complicated.), lunch with DH, snow play and losing/finding one of the dogs at the dog park, baking cookies for Daddy, story time & the increasingly futile nap wars, and then a video before Daddy picked him up. Somewhere in there DH was home for some stew for supper then out to a meeting. DH is back now and playing billiards in the basement to wind down from work stress. I am sitting here in the blissful quiet with a glass of wine. Not quite a romantic day but a good one.

There is nothing, zero, nada, on deck tomorrow, and DH and I are looking forward to the whole day together. What a treat. We may sleep in, then shovel out the grill and cook ribs. Ah. Happy Valentine's.

DH and I are being very very low-key. Planning to cook a nice dinner tomorrow night.

This is DD and her DH's first Valentine as a married couple. I love how they celebrated. Last night they went out for a fancy dinner. Before they went, DD gave her husband a bag containing slips of paper with different activities on each. He could pick 5. They don't work on Fridays, so her gift to him was to spend the day with him doing all of the things he had chosen. Most of activities were either free or inexpensive. He chose have a special breakfast, go for a long walk, go to a local sweets shop for malteds, go to the art museum, then cocktails at a new restaurant they want to try. I thought it all sounded very romantic and sweet.

Love hearing about the ways you spent your romantic day and they are all romantic! All I want is a room somewhere far away from the cold night air. Someone's hand resting on my knee, oh wouldn't it be loverly!

We had a wonderful evening ... dinner, Bernadette Peters at the Genesee Theatre, after show drinks & dessert & now catching up with the olympics ... ahh, a good Valentine Day indeed.

Due to work commitments DH and I celebrated Valentine's Day, which is also our anniversary, having dinner and seeing Art Garfunkel in concert last Saturday. Valentine's is also the day(s) our children were christened, so two of the three came home for a family dinner to honor that occasion.

We usually don't do much for Valentine's Day. For years we both worked in restaurants, so it was always a big night to work. I worked at home yesterday, packed up DS and his friend and made it to NH at about 9. We had ginger pear martinis and some pretzel goldfish and went to bed early.

I knew it would be hectic so I bought cards for him ages ago, and left them at home. :( We're gong to have a nice dinner out after the school vacation weeks are over. He got me a spa gift card that I can't wait to use!

Beth P.

Great thread, Patricia. I've been in a dark mood the past couple of weeks. My mom passed away and I was too sick to go to the funeral in another state. Plus icy roads.

DH also got sick this week so doing anything was out.

But my good mood came back due to a couple of things that happened on VD..

First, when UPS delivered a package a little tuxedo cat (about 12 weeks old) jumped out of his truck! We're in the country so no telling where the cat got on board, but most likely came from a farm where there are outside cats who are mousers.

I fell in love instantly. It took all of ten minutes to rescue her. See, my beloved Rexie, another kitten stray I caught about 6 years ago showed up during the coldest time of the year. It took me three weeks to get her from our garage. She had a cold by the time I caught her. AND...she was also a tuxedo. She passed away though. I knew I'd never have another tuxedo, I've never seen them in litters.

Then my DS came and brought a large box of chocolates!

Nothing can beat a new kitty (who used the litter box) and a box of chocolates.

We still haven't named her. But she's so cuddly. A black cat and a full moon on Valentine's Day. Hmmmm.

Well, Valentine's Day is over, but I'll share.

DH and I and another couple signed up to cook dinner and run card games at our (small) country club on Valentine's evening. I took the day off work and cooked (see my other thread, "I have to bake 30 potatoes") four different desserts and potatoes and did all the decorating, bought prizes, etc.

It went well, except that DH and his buddy were supposed to grill the steaks on an LARGE outside propane grill. But the wind was blowing so bad it wouldn't stay lit. Thank goodness the stovetop grill in the Club's kitchen still worked!

A good time was had by all. Now we have to go back to the Club this morning and clean up.

I bought DH a pizza peel and ceramic grill pan for veggies, fish, pizza on the grill.

He got me an orchid and a gorgeous poppy plant. I love orchids but have a problem keeping them going, so I never indulge myself when I see them.

We spent the afternoon outside watching the kids play their made-up Olympic sport, Scooterslope. We drank a little wine, ate some spinach bread, and had leftovers al fresco.

I told the kids (17 &20) I wasn't cooking but made them chocolate chip cookies.

DH and I went to a new swiss & german restaurant. It was nice. I actually ate things I usually don't. (trout, sauerkraut, asparagus). Had a wonderful black forest cheesecake for dessert.

We stopped at Lowes afterward which is funny. I used to joke with other couples about spending Friday nights at HD or Lowes. There was actually lots of couples there! We were looking at tile to surround a gas fireplace which will be in our bedroom (A life long dream of mine).

He gave me roses and I gave him some fancy mixed nuts (he loves that stuff). We became engaged 29 years ago on Valentines day.

Love the story Oakley - how awesome.

You should name her Cupid!

Alex...so jealous...no snow!

hmmmmm, i do feel for those having such awful weather. I'm in Austin where we've been fortunate to have some extremely nice weather, and actually had dinner outdoors at Central Market, with live music to boot, a nice suprise. Their food is totally organic, and homemade, with a cooking school above the market, also wonderful wines. I enjoyed 5 cheese/spinach ravioli with salmon, as well as a glass of red Sangria. Italian wedding cake for dessert, which I brought home. It's was DD's Valentines Day treat to me. ;)

Some very charming, some very romantic, some heartwarming and some sentiment attached. Oakley, I would have to assume the tuxedo cat was sent by your mom. I think it works that way. She knew you needed some love and someone to love.

Dh is extremely busy at work right now plus he is the head coach for ds' little league team and they had their first real practice yesterday. Dh warned me that he had made no plans and I responded with, "I bought the stuff to make fudge and thought that would be good for all of us." Dh said a very heart felt, "I love you." I think he was just so relieved I wasn't upset. Lol. I did give the kids a book each, as I always do for the holiday.

bbstx - love hearing how the newlyweds celebrated their first V-day.

We don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day, but we always celebrate - rather low key. As I mentioned on the conversations side, I much prefer a nice dinner at home; that to me is much more intimate than a restaurant. However, this year, because I happened to work on Friday (which is not the norm), due to this week's schedule changing due to snow, we went out to dinner. Enjoyed a good meal, our favorite waitress (who has been on maternity leave) and each other's company. Great way to end the evening? Sitting in front of the fire, music playing, snuggling.

tina

We flew from snowy Boston to warm Miami -- not for romance, but for school vacation week with our three kids. When we got to the hotel at almost 9 pm, we found that all the restaurants were booked, of course, so we ordered room service for dinner and ended up eating around 11 pm when we were all half asleep!

My "romance" for the day -- we went out onto the balcony to admire our view, and when I turned around to walk back into the room, I walked RIGHT INTO the glass door. With my face, mostly. My top lip got cut and I was bleeding all over the place and my forehead had a big red egg. Not my finest moment. DH was so upset and ran and got me ice, was very attentive and sweet.

This morning I guess it was also nice when he looked at me and said, "well, you don't look TOO bad." I look like I got some kind of injection in my upper lip.

Sueb20, I hope you can enjoy the rest of your Florida vacation.

Oakley, please keep us posted about your new friend.

You have all impressed me with the ways you spend your time, family, doing things that are meaningful to you and savoring the time with loved ones.

Count us among those who don't go overboard with celebrating, but we always remember each other in some small way on Valentine's Day. We did go to eat last night with some other friends at our favorite Thai restaurant. It's almost a Friday night ritual, so really no big deal. Last night it was just 4 of us, but fun just the same. DH and I don't usually exchange gifts but I gave him some dark chocolate covered strawberries (handmade by a friend), and he surprised me with a pretty blooming hydrangea.

So nice to hear of the ways everyone is spending time with the ones you love.