St. Valentine's Day

This is a day, back many decades ago that you were excited or disappointed by the number of Valentine's cards that were stuffed into the box you decorated in elementary school (prior to teachers insisting that every child bring a card for every other child in the class).  Not being particularly popular, my box was never stuffed very full, but I knew that I would always get a Valentine card from my Dad.

A couple of decades passed, the excitement waned as I was then a secondary educator and high school kids don't give Valentine's to their teachers, but I still received a card each year from my Dad.

In 1977, I was introduced to the law partner of one of my hiking buddies and I can't say that sparks flew immediately, but we became a couple.  For Christmas that year, we went to Vermont with a ski group for my first real ski trip, having only skiied 1 day trip prior to that.  On the first day out, I fell on a bunny slope, separating my left shoulder.  Though it troubled me dressing and undressing and at night, when I was in all of my ski clothes, it was not too bothersome and I continued to ski for 4 more days, getting diagnosis and treatment on New Year's eve after getting back home.  We went out for a drink after the ER visit then home to cheer in the New Year.  At the stroke of midnight, Jim proposed to me (with his shoes by the door in case I said no, he claims that my sking injured convinced him that I was a keeper).  Of course, the answer was yes and we began discussing when and where we would wed.  His romantic (he says practical) suggestion was Valentine's day, saying if he ever forgot it, he would be in double trouble.

He has never forgotten, surprising me with a dozen or even two dozen roses at school, fancy dinners out with my parents watching our children, later as our kids were older, with Bed and breakfast weekends. A couple of these evenings, have been accompanied with a diamond anniversary ring and another with a heart shaped diamond heart necklace, but the first piece of jewelry, a simple band of gold hearts, placed on my left ring finger in front of our family and friends, 34 years ago today continues to be my favorite.