My Valentines Week Celebration

L to R:  John, FoohFooh, Maxie, Pepper, Willow, Lucky Lucy
with a dozen long stem roses, cards, tea and cake.

I have 6 valentines, and we all mostly spend each evening together in our cozy LR watching our favorite TV shows.  Getting all 6 of them to face the camera at the same time, with Red Velvet cake behind them, was quite a feat, and the pose only lasted for one nano-second. I can't believe I got all eyes on me.

This Valentines Day Maxie, Pepper, Lucky and I were at a trial in New Iberia, so we didn't celebrate until I returned.  John brought home a dozen red roses Monday night, I got out the Old Country Roses English tea set we reserve for very special occasions, and we exchanged mushy cards over some red velvet cake and Tiesta Fireberry Tea which a friend had given us for Christmas.  Each dog got a bite of cake, of course.  Fittingly, we watched the latest episode of Downton Abbey, a series we've followed for quite some time now, and sipped our tea with Maggie Smith playing the part of the ancient English dowager, always full of opinions and snippy comments delivered over her teacup.  We love her.

Now, each evening for the next week, I'll brew tea of various kinds that various people have given us and we'll sip that and dip cookies of various sorts each evening rather than sitting down with a big mug of coffee.  We keep the Valentine's celebration going for a whole week, and experience some different tastes as well as sampling the diverse Christmas cookies people brought our way in December.  I don't even take my Christmas decorations down until after Valentine's Week because it doesn't seem over until we've properly explored our Christmas goodies.  We prolong Christmas as long as possible.

A word about Long Stem Roses:  They are expensive, but even so they don't come scented any more, unless you pay a lot extra.  I frown on such added expense (told John I'd rather spend it on a new iPad so I can take and study my agility videos on the spot), but I do miss the delightful smell of roses.  No matter, I devised a solution.  Years ago I bought a bottle of "Tea Rose Eau De Toilette Spray" from Marshalls, for about $13.  After arranging my roses and ferns in a vase, I spritz one or two squirts on the leaves (not the roses themselves), and my roses smell fantastic for a week.  Cost:  about 5 cents.  I also have some silk roses at the end of my hall, and if I'm having a party I'll spritz those.  They make the hall smell wonderful.

 

A word about Old Country Rose:  I've had my tea set for over 25 years.  It is full of wonderful memories.  When momma brings the tea pot out, you know it's a special occasion. If my teapot broke for any reason, I'd have to go out and buy another one immediately no matter the cost.  I don't think I could bear to be without my ceremonial tea set.  I have 6 tea cups and saucers, 6 6" pie plates, 2 11" dinner plates & 2 8" plates I use as trays, a sugar and creamer, and the tea pot.  I don't need any of the other pieces, as it's not for serving dinner, just for having tea.  Between times, it lives in a glass case in my living room, and there's not a single chip on it yet!

So, Happy Valentine's Day to all!  May you feel loved, and may your heart be filled with love for your partner, your kids, your family & friends, your pets, your car, your house, your hobbies, your garden, your dishes, pots, pans, meds, toiletries, rugs, TV, and most of all, yourself.

Upwards and onward!