My Valentine's Day Solutions

Love Hurts
Valentine's Day has always struck me as an unnecessary holiday. There are so many special days already available for people to declare their love. There are the obvious hallmarks of a relationship that usually generate a gift or card. Wedding anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas all come once a year. For those that are not married but committed they often celebrate an anniversary of their personal choice. Such as, the day they first met or moved in together. The whole hearts and flowers thing on Valentines Day is just too contrived for me. Think about it. Everywhere you look, there are red, chubby, angelic babies wielding a bow and arrow and wearing nothing but a strip of strategically placed cloth. Love is supposed to mystically happen if we are lucky enough to get shot in the heart the second we lock eyes with our predestined soul mate. Now, I know this is all very make believe but we're adults now. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are for kids and Cupid should be too. Love shouldn't begin with a piercing arrow to the heart. That happens much later in most relationships quite naturally, if you're in them long enough. Real love hurts now and then. It is much more than hearts and flowers. Real love sticks around long after all those butterflies have left your belly. After thirty one years of marriage I can honestly say I still love my husband. I wouldn't want to go through another valley with anyone but him because I know that peak will be coming around again. Still, I don't want to receive a "sickly sweet" Valentine Card from him either. I want to get hit with the truth not a flaming fantasy. I want him to hit me where I live.

Love Is Yarn
I live with knitting needles clicking away in my hands. Love is yarn. After all these years my husband knows the way to my heart. The perfect Valentine card is a 3" x 2" Michael's Craft Store or Joanne's Fabrics gift card. Oh, if he wants to get a pink one with tiny hearts on it, that's fine. As long as there are enough zero's and signed, "I Love You", Ron, he is golden. If you have a crafty wife and you are always at a loss on Valentine's Day do yourself a favor. Walk past the chocolates, run by those ridiculous stuffed animals, and saunter past the lingerie. You can still dream the dream as you finger that black lacy thing but continue on to a craft store and purchase the card her heart longs for on Valentine's Day. Who knows, she may reward you with something black and lacy after all. It might not be available for modeling until St Patrick's Day but at least that holiday may bring you more luck than usual, if you play your Valentine's Card just right. Give your valentine what she loves and she will return the favor. I guarantee it. Maybe my husband always comes through for me just the way I like it on Valentine's Day because my knitting needles are so arrow like and can easily be shot through a bow? Nah, he just loves me.

Good Vibrations
On the flip side, I know how to keep him feeling those good vibrations. It's Best Buy, New Egg, Steam Powered or otherwise anything electronic that he picks out himself. Generally, he would prefer his Valentine gift to come by way of Internet. A Valentine sent via e card extolling the generous gift of his choice complete with free shipping really gives him goosebumps. Seriously, I could stand on my head in a black lacy thing and he would still crane his neck to see his computer screen on most days. I'm not offended. I'm more of a realist. Love is electronic for him, as love is yarn for me. I don't want him pawing me when I crack open a new skein of luxurious yarn in that perfect shade of green. I want my moment with my new love. Running my fingers through the silky fibers and casting on those first titillating stitches. I see that same look in his eyes when he opens the door for the UPS man. He licks his lips and rubs his hands together and throws open the door with reckless abandon. Not caring that the winter heat is escaping. His package is all that matters for those first few minutes. Love is letting your loved one lose themselves in whatever turns them on for however long it does.

Bed Fellows
At the end of the day there are no fluffy balls or electronic devices in our bed. It's just me and my Valentine. My needles are stashed safely in the Valentine's gift, that was well received the year before. A beautiful yarn tote that has an extension carrying handle. There are pockets, zippered see through pouches and slots for all of my new crushes. Every time I look at that rolling tote a little sigh escapes my lips. I think, 'I am the luckiest girl in the world" and then I usually glance at my husband. Although, I smile sweetly, his face is normally illuminated by the glare of the T.V. or computer screen and I'm never quite sure if he sees. There is no doubt that he feels my appreciation. He never fails to mention his happiness before we drift off in slumber. "I can't believe I get to wake up tomorrow and play with my new toy" he whispers. We kiss and declare our love every night. His hand usually clasps mine but not too tightly as I have knitted away my thumb joints. He loves me enough to know what he can squeeze and what he can't. I love him enough to know that he is happiest when challenged electronically. I make sure he stays plugged in and he sees to it that I am up to my eyeballs in yarn. On Valentine's Day we like our love just a little on the sick side but never sickly sweet!