Remember ...

If not now, when?

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Love Is For EVERY Day



Happy Valentine's Day to you all!!!

I've realised from reading other bloggers over the past couple of weeks that TP and I definitely are not what you might call romantic types.


Pouting-Pensioner-Valentine's-roses-dusty-pink-cardi-over-60s-styling

We do give each other cute cards with heartfelt sentiments.  
Yes, he does attempt to shower me with roses on the day.


But I direct him to what I see as reasonably priced roses, so I get my roses (thank you very much) but without the taadaaah and the extra Valentine's Day premium.  You see, I'm tight with others' money as well as my own!

We do make some effort though.  TP also bought me a lovely pair of potted flower displays for front of house.


My effort was to add touches of pink to today's outfit with pink Zara cardi and Next blouse.


A pink Primani scarf.


After I'd pinked up for him we went out to enjoy the day in our own way, out and about doing this and that.  Then snugglng by the fire, which did feel a tad romantic.  For a while.  Until I declared that I would pop up to the office to hang out with you guys.  And he said he was going to paint a kitchen stool or two.  Where is the romance eh?


I don't know of anyone who's out celebrating today.  At my request, we NEVER go out for a meal  on the day.  Did that once.  Restaurant with lines of tables for two.  One red rose on each table.  One lit candle.  Soft background music.  It felt assembly line for lovers.

We stay home on Valentine's, though we do assemble a nice little supper.  
Some treat the day as "business as usual".  
Fact is,  I don't know of anyone who's actually out romancing tonight.  
Do you?  Are you?!!

Of course, the pressure is on for the youngsters.  As my bro commented yesterday over coffee, Valentine's Day sees a flux of girls walking out from work,  their arms overflowing with elaborate bouquets, heart balloons with attached cuddly toys and/or chocolates.
Those poor boyfriends are under pressure to deliver on the day on fear of dumping, as the young girls don't want to be seen to be outdone by their co-workers.  Valentine's is a expensive business.

Yes, there's a lot of pressure around for the younger generation on the day.  It was ever thus.  Back when I was about 16 my younger sis, on picking up on all the hype surrounding the day of love, asked if I had a boyfriend.  I didn't and told her so but she persisted, because at her age she believed that all older girls had boyfriends.  So eventually I had to spill the beans.  Actually, I have two boyfriends I said.  Max Factor and Christian Dior.  And then she was happy and told the world about my beaus.  Of course I had to then send myself two Valentine's cards from my guys.  Lying is an expensive business too.



So, call me a grumpy old unromantic but I leave Valentine's romance to the youngsters, to the others.
  Love is around us every day of the year, love isn't just for Valentine's Day.


How are you spending the day?  Wall to wall romance, business as usual, or somewhere in between?


A la perchoine.






27 comments:

  1. Your comment about roses had me laughing out loud! I am the same way with my husband! I tell him grocery store flowers are fine with me! No need to head to a florist and spend a bundle! Love that pink cardi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh you and me are so alike, Laura! Thanks and so pleased you popped in, x.

      Delete
  2. Sounds like us Mary! We did go to see 42nd Street last night, compliments of a pr and it was lovely. We don't make a fuss normally. One year we both went out at separate times to get our cards and bought each other the same card! Pink looks fabulous on you btw. I bet TP likes it on you too xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like you had a nice Valentine's Eve together, is there a remake of the film? So funny choosing the same card! Oh Laurie, I just asked TP if he DOES like pink on me. His reply? "Yes. However I don't want to offend you but the blouse looks like an old lady's blouse" what can you say to that? I clearly need to go shopping with you and Annemarie!!! Hugs x.

      Delete
  3. I made my heart shaped turkey meatloaves for us, lit a candle, ate double dipped peanuts and watched The Punisher, love abounds us daily in mundane ways but I’d have it no other way. Adore you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds perty darn perfik, Andrea. The meatloaf sounds yummy. Thank goodness we have everyday mundane love. Adore you more! X.

      Delete
  4. Oh Ms. Mary, you are not alone in your assessment of this crazy day. We stayed in too. I made a nice dinner and we'll have our yummy cheesecake here in a few. (and obviously I'm conversing with my "Galentines" in the mean time. I'm practical about flowers too. Kent know that Costco ( a big box retailer here) has the sweetest arrangements that I love for a reasonable price, so he brought them home last week. I LOVE that color pink on you and your hair up like that too. XOXO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seems we do all stay at home and we're cost-conscious about V day flowers, that's what The Pout Survey is saying anyway. Thanks for your sweetness, Lisa, happy Boxing Valentine's Day, x.

      Delete
  5. You are so funny!!! BTW, totally love your hair up - beautiful! Brian bought me roses but like you, my sista, I warned him years ago not to spend too much, buy them at the grocery NOT the florist! In fact he used to buy me plants for our yard but we killed them. He also surprised me with two new mouse pads for my two laptops - they have pictures of our family on them and I love them. My old ones were generic, I appreciated how thoughtful he was.
    I do feel badly for the youngsters, way too much pressure! I'll take my sweet little life with love sprinkled in every day - I don't need grand gestures!
    xo,
    Kellyann
    p.s. I love your boyfriends Max and Christian!!! hahahahahaha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my, Bri is a thoughtful guy, what a lovely surprise. TWO laptops, girlfriend? Oh, perhaps one is a work laptop.
      Glad my boyfriends impressed you ... and the hair, I really must put some time into working out how to do it properly.
      Hugs sweetness, happy weekend to you, x.

      Delete
  6. We have been married 51 years but didn't do anything romantic, I think that the roses are priced too high. I did buy us a Danish Pastry each does that count?(trying to be Hygge) Love the pink.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, of course that counts! Anything goes. And you can get hyggelig with your man any time! 51 years, well done, Polly!!! I thought pink showed a bit of effort!
      Hugs to you, lovely lady, x.

      Delete
  7. I'm with you on the money thing. It's all a commercial fa-da in my mind. I did decide to buy him chocs at 5pm on the day but not a card. And I'm annoyed with him as he bought me chocolate liquor which although will last longer in theory than roses, it's still commercial fa-da.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh AM, I hope you weren't too hard on Mr Him!
      I'm realising that those reading me are careful with the Valentine's budget, to a fault. I must appeal to the thrifty reader!
      Hope the weekend is good for you, my model girlfriend! Hugs, x.

      Delete
  8. I'm with you Mary. Hubby bought me a card with a picture of two puppies in a gondola in Venice... which was lovely because we're planning a trip to Italy this year. I bought cupcakes for dessert, and we had a bottle of wine, and watched Inspector Lynley on television. Cupcakes, wine, and mystery tv...what's not to love?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh you two lovepuppies! Yours sounds cosy and you are so right, I see absolutely nothing not to love about that Valentine's package. I like Lynley too, great characters and storylines and easy on the eye, yup what's not to like there too?! Happy weekend, Sue, hope you get some good cross-country weather. Hugs. X.

      Delete
  9. You look lovely in your pink cardi with the roses. We eat in as I do not like the inflated prices placed on everything, instead I made Nigella's chocolate deserts which are heavy on the calories but a real treat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Christy, all my readers are canny Valentine's gals! Your choc desserts sounds dreamy, Nigella never fails us eh. I have a couple of recipe posts queued up, based on hers. Hope you get out walking this weekend, it'll make the calories pale into insignificance! Hugs and thanks, x.

      Delete
  10. I spent it with my daughter this year. I love that you wore a little pink on Valentines even though it's not your thing. I love romance so I love Valentines but I agree I'll take it though out the year please x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure every day is a full-of-love day with your lovely daughter. Seems so many of us aren't too keen on being told when to love! Thanks for popping in, happy weekend,x.

      Delete
  11. We don't do Valentines Mary, since way back when! We had a row on said day when he said he was going out with the boys - card was torn up and artificial flowers were thrown all over the place!! Ah young love. lol
    We don't need an overpriced day to celebrate, we celebrate everyday, doing nice things for each other, cooking dinner or just being together.
    Thanks for agreeing with me Mary, have a nice one and see you soon. x Jacqui
    www.mummabstylish.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What are you like, Jacqui?!! I'd love to have been a fly on the wall that day. Most of us don't seem to follow the hype of the day ... but out with the boys? That's a big no-no! Wishing you a love-filled weekend, x

      Delete
  12. You are always so humorous! I love it! Well, you know I LOVE Valentine's Day. But we don't spend a lot of money and I celebrate all the "Loves" in my life: children, grand baby, friends, etc. I do believe we should show love everyday, but I also believe in having one day in the year where we let everyone in our life how much we love them by doing something extra special. As for leaving 'romance to the young-uns" it's been the total opposite experience for my husband and I. We have become more and more romantic with each other as we got older. When we we met, we were in college and had so much going on with that there was no time for romance. Then came demanding careers, babies, kids...yada, yada, yada. Now that things have finally quieted down for us, we can just focus on each other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amy, loved your comment. And I've realised that over here we're seeing Valentine's in the boyfriend/girlfriend context in the main, but in the US it's become a more universal day of love. And I like that! And it's nice to be at a place in life where there's the space to celebrate our partnerships. Lovely comment, thanks so much. Hugs, x

      Delete
  13. Very pretty Mary, the pink cardi and roses. Mr Mutton and I don't mark Valentine's Day in any way. I agree, it's best left to the youngsters. We always go somewhere nice for our wedding anniversary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Gail, I do need a little fix of roses on The Day. Yes, the wedding anniversary is something to celebrate big time; think your last anniversary was the first time I got a glimpse of the handsome Mr Mutton! Wishing you a happy week, x.

      Delete
  14. Hi there I am not receiving any of your blogs. Have you stopped over this crisis.

    ReplyDelete