The Fine Art of Surviving Valentine's Day

This is not my first Valentine's Day alone, so I have developed my own way of acknowledging the day, which involves a delicate balance of wallowing, laughing, and avoiding. All three elements of this plan are essential, but its best not to do too much of any one of them.

Ahead of time, I think its best to decide a treat for myself.... this year, a box of chocolates, as you can see above I have chosen 8th Sin, these have whole macadamia nuts in a soft, creamy blend of white, milk, and dark chocolate and are appealing in appearance. This is like my reward to myself for not turning into a bitter man hating cynic and at the same time help cheer me up if I get a bit sad about my life situation.

I also choose to read a book, or watch some movies, its a creative way to think about my life and get my feelings out. This year I have chosen to reread an all time favourite of mine, The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger... because it is a love story, but its tragic, so I don't have to experience someone else's happy ending, and its also such a fantastic, original, story that I don't focus on myself too much (remember: delicate balance!).

I usually decide on these things ahead of time, this way I can avoid going to the shops and its not a day I usually feel like being with other people on... but I broke my unwritten rule today and went to the shops (I had to get the chocolate!). Unfortunately there was an... how should I put this.... unpleasant? moment which has clouded my day, though my family finds it hilarious.

Sitting on a mall bench (unfortunately it afforded me views of both the florist and the bakery, very bad choice of locations) a woman began to talk to me. By freak chance, my Dad comes along and leans all over my shopping trolley, so the woman says 'is this your husband?' MASSIVE FREAK OUT I'm insulted, horrified, also worrying how old do I look today? since Dad is nearly 80 years old. I said 'no this is my dad', and get this, she has the nerve to say 'are you sure he's not your husband'!!!! I'M QUITE CERTAIN, THANK YOU.

Dad thinks its hilarious because he can guess exactly what my reaction is, I'm sure he saw the look on my face which she seemed to miss. I am not ready to be married to someone with prolific amounts of nasal and ear hair, with a stooped back, leathery face, and badly disguised baldness.

I'm usually mistaken for being 10 years younger.... its my baby skin. I know, I know, old dudes score hot chicks all the time now.... but my father could never, ever, score another woman in the rest of his life, if mum goes, that's it for him!

So I'm freaking out! Its totally distracting me from my habit of laughing at relationships past. I'm checking my head for grey hairs, looking closely at my face, thinking what happened to my 'lovely' time tested method of spending V-Day?

I will never leave the house on VDay again!

On Valentine's Day, with Love

Myspace Comments

To all who read this, you are wished a wonderful weekend, and a Happy Valentine's Day, whether old friend or new, relative, or passerby, I have found great happiness through founding this blog, and you are the reason for this enjoyment. You have taught me that my passions, and ideas and kind words are wanted and welcome in this world, so thank you, and enjoy your day.

I am single but I believe this year holds great promise for me, I have already met some very fine fellows and am finally ready to move on in my life. It looks like it may be beginning to rain men, how can I complain, I am dizzyingly, spinetinglingly happy (yes I know they aren't proper words, I am after all, a writer) but I made up my first word very early in life when I declared that it was 'a puddly day' in a story for school. The school librarian who was filling in as a substitute teacher ummed and arhed and finally said, 'yes, I suppose it was a puddly day, good girl'.

So from my heart to yours, have a great Valentine's Day, xxx Starry

Easy Valentine's Day Treats

'I Love You' French Toast.

2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 6 slices of stale bread, 1 teaspoon of margarine, 1 teaspoon of orange zest.

Lightly beat the eggs, mix in the milk, cinnamon, and orange rind. Heat margarine in a large frying pan. Dip the slices of bread in the egg mixture and fry on both sides until golden brown.

I like to make a smiley face with a thin slice of orange on a piece of toast, and two eyes made of raisins. You could use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make a heart shape by sprinkling sifted icing sugar or castor sugar inside the perimeter of the cutter on top of a slice of toast.


Message Cupcakes

cupcake mix ingredients, heart shaped candies, marshmallows.

Simply prepare your usual cupcake recipe, or if you need a timesaver, I love Green's or White Wings packet mixes, you can get Pink Ribbon fundraising cakes from the supermarket that are a vanilla cake with pink frosting, ideal for Valentine's Day. Make the cakes, and when you frost them, apply those little heart candies, the ones that say things like 'be mine', or 'true love', etc, if they seem to be dissolving into the icing, you can wait to apply them until you are presenting them to the recipient, or try resting the heart candy on top of a marshmallow.

Marshmallow Necklaces

packets of marshmallows (pink and white ones for contrast), a clean sewing needle, cotton thread.

If you have ever strung popcorn onto strands of cotton for Christmas, then you know what to do, simply pass the needle through the centre of each marshmallow to make a necklace, I like to do this for children.

Easy Paper Mosaic Heart Card

I use one sheet of A4 cardstock, and shreds of high gloss magazine paper from adverts that have large sections of space without print, my card (at top of post) uses tones of aqua and purple shredded paper, but you could use all pinks, reds, or rainbows of colour as you prefer. Tearing the paper into pieces gives the heart a patchwork look, like a mended broken heart, cutting the pieces with scissors is neater but doesn't have the same folk craft effect.

Draw or trace a heart shape on the card stock (folded in half to make a card) and then randomly attach the pieces of shiny paper using glue, Uhu gluestick is good because the paper doesn't get too moist (moist paper shows print from the reverse side). This is one of the most economic card projects I have ever completed and is easy for children to do for their parents, grandparents, or friends.

Embellished Gift Boxes

I buy very cheap boxes at Spotlight, and then I decorate them myself, this box, given to a dear friend, has a gold filigree glued on with stainless adhesive, then a metallic dragonfly charm glued diagonally over the filigree. The box suits any gift from a truffle or rumball, to a shell, blossom, cyrstal, or jewellery.

I hope you have some lovely plans in mind for Valentine's Day, remembering that it is the thought that counts, and it is a great day for finding out that you are thought of. Tell anyone, friends, family, partners, just how much you love them. The message is free, and it doesn't get easier than that.

Love, Starry

Valentine's Day for Men Who Oppose the Concept

Girls, please pass this on to all the men you know, I have written it with them in mind.

Fellows, my friends, I understand that you do not like Valentine's Day. It is commercial, it is materialistic, and it's annoying to be expected to shower someone with love simply because of the date on the calender. Have you seen the look on your girl's face when you run through these objections? If it were simply a case of their unreasonable disappointment and let's face it, probably a hissy fit as well, I would tell them to suck it up. Instead I'm telling you.

So you don't like commercial holidays? Really? Haven't heard you complain on your birthay, father's day or Christmas! As for the being told to to celebrate love because it is February 14 have you considered doing it on any other day? It would make a wonderful surprise.

I don't like commercial giving either, its the reason I founded this site. I like gifts from the heart, not the hip pocket. There are plenty of things you could do for free - write a note, place a flower from the garden on her pillow, give her a shell or piece of quartz you found on a walk. Serenade her with a song, even if you can't sing, to hell with the neighbours! Do that job she's been asking you to do for ages, surprise her with a willing heart, tell her you're sorry it took you so long to get around to it.

It would be a tremendous to surprise her any day of the year, but don't let her feel alone and unloved on Valentine's Day, tell her you love her. Tell her she's the most precious thing in your life. Don't do it to end the argument, say it because it's true.