Valentine's Continues

So for once in my life, I actually had someone special to spend Valentine's Day with - someone other than my cat. Jarad & I had dinner at my place on Saturday - I made steak stroganoff - then watched Charlie Brown's Valentine's Day Special, exchanged funny cards and candy, and went ice skating at the Depot in downtown Minneapolis.

It was a great evening, made even more special by the beautiful roses Jarad gave me. I've never gotten flowers from a romantic interest before - and four days later, I woke up to the sun shining through the bedroom window, and the roses looking like this:


And I thought, what a beautiful reminder of a wonderful day. And suddenly I get it - why my friends like getting flowers from their sweeties. It isn't about the flowers - it's about the way the flowers remind you of someone special, and what that person means to you.

In my case, I smiled immediately after opening my eyes and seeing this gorgeous sight. It made me think of my sweetie.

Warm fuzzies?

Darn right.

Old Me, Woe Is Me

Yes, I have now completely gone over the edge from just feeling old into official old-person-dom. I received this:

Apparently I now qualify for AARP membership - aren't I lucky? Jesus H.

The Card Lady

I had the great fortune to be welcomed to a stranger's home for SuperBowl Sunday last weekend, and after having a wonderful time, wrote them a thank-you card. It has prompted some discussion & thought...

So I was explaining to my new squeeze that I'm the Card Lady. It's a weird moniker, I know, but I do like to randomly send cards out to people for no real reason. It's just a thing I do. But it got me to thinking about thank-you cards, and birthday cards, and anniversary cards...you know, cards for specific occasions or reasons. Old-fashioned fun, or waste of money in this digital age?

Personally, I am completely tickled to get "fun" mail in my mailbox - as in, "What is this? Something other than a bill!?" It can totally brighten my day! It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but just to know someone took the time to send me something - it's awesome!! So I try to make others feel that way by sending random things in the mail...I send comic strips to my brothers, stickers to my niece, thinking-of-you cards to friends, etc.

And I grew up in a household where thank-you cards were required; they were not optional. I remember my mom laying out cards, envelopes, & stamps for all of us after a birthday or holiday. They were part and parcel of what we did - no question. Where did this go astray? So many people are surprised when I send a thank-you card that I wonder, am I the only one left who sends them?

Anyway, it's a quirky thing about me, for sure, but one I'm not going to get rid of anytime soon. In fact, my "secret Santa" gift from a coworker at TCF was a box of blank, embossed, all-occasion cards and a pack of glitter gel pens - how perfect for me!!

So, coming to mailboxes near you soon...just maybe, a little somethin' from Di!!