Redefining the Meaning of Wealth

Me with my Valentine Flowers and Shylo in the foreground stealing center stage

I had a wonderful three day weekend. Yes, even unemployed people look forward to three day weekends and Fridays as well!  We jobless people do a mammoth amount of work during the week-looking for work, housework, soul searching work, etc…

Saturday was a gorgeous day and I savored the red velvet cupcake my friends dropped by on Friday night. A better description of the “cupcake” might be a big slice of cake, as it was enough for two people. Red velvet cake is not a dessert I would make own my own so it was quite a treat!

Of course Valentine’s Day was Sunday. I’ve had several conversations with friends over the last few days about how people seem to be scaling back this year for Valentine’s Day.  People seem to be spending time together as opposed to having a “buy fest”. As one of my friends says “Every day is Valentine’s Day when you’re in love!”  I like this statement. Maybe it’s one reason why David and I have never gone all out on Valentine’s Day with expensive dinners, pajama grams, bouquets of expensive flowers, and Godiva chocolates. It’s a fun day but every day is special with David.

We woke up on Sunday morning and he make me breakfast. I then reciprocated and made a decadent shrimp casserole that evening. That evening we watched reruns of CSI.  No romantic classics like “The Way We Were” or “When Harry Met Sally” for us! No Sir-ee! We like watching the Vegas crime lab team secure and investigate a murder scene, perform autopsies, and decipher DNA coding. It was a great Valentine’s Day! Spending time with the love of my life and watching crime shows. We’re such a great match!

Monday, was President’s Day and David had the day off. I got up and went to an early morning yoga class. When I got home, David had a beautiful bouquet of roses waiting for me. He bought several bunches of flowers and arranged them himself. The kitchen looked like a messy floral shop, but I didn’t care. My flowers were beautiful. I’m not one to get excited over jewelry and other extravagant gifts, but flowers get me every time.

In addition, he bought me dark chocolate and a tiny stuffed dog which the cats are afraid of but are warming up to as I write. I had mentioned to him earlier that flowers would be nice but we are watching every penny we spend so I didn’t completely expect him to come through. But he always does, he always comes through for me. At times it seems this holiday is nothing more than a Hallmark driven over-commercialized holiday. But at its core, it’s well meaning and the perfect time to splurge on little luxuries and say I love you to the one we love the most. If splurging on little luxuries is not in the cards for you, then splurge on time spent with your significant other. Like my friend says, “Everyday is Valentine’s day when you’re in love.” May we all carry the spirit of Valentine’s Day with us throughout the year!