It was the February of 1989. We had just chosen our wedding rings. The plan was to receive my engagement ring for Valentine's Day...
...so much for well-laid plans.
A week before our first official Valentine's Day together, Tim's boss took his small company on a bonus trip...to Disneyland. Um...what? Tim sort of uncerimoniously gave me my engagement ring early. That V Day should have been a clue. Tim's been traveling on almost every V Day for several years: 23 out of 27 to be exact. Um...yes, I kept count. It was easy because every one that we've spent together has been memorable.
There were an additional two dates together where I flew to be with him. Nice trips to Maui and San Francisco. Don't get me wrong...they were very nice dates. LUUVVED THEM.
Need a better date for Valentine's?
Try February 16th. It works for us.
If Tim isn't around and I can't fly to his work location, we've celebrated on different days. Sometimes before, sometimes later. Okay, I admit, sometimes not at all. We've even had a momet in a store and jokingly exchanged cards without ever making a purchase.
On the subject of cards. . .
The best Valentine's Day card and gift from Tim was well-thought out ahead of time. It's precious to me and in my office. Total surprise. I had no idea he'd been working on it in his shop. Along with a poem appropriately titled: Another Valentine's Day Apart. The second best was jewelry from Basque. (yes, he went without me)
Together or not. We'd gotten in a rut.
Three years ago I came up with a plan that's sort of worked. Tim didn't have any imagination when it came to planning a date. If we're celebrating, trying to make a decision where we go or what we do is a MAJOR decision. So I decided we'd take turns. I went first, with a day of massages, dinner and an action movie (no chick flicks). Last year, Tim knew he was up and didn't disappoint. He decorated our truck, had dinner reservations and a wine tasting class. VERY well thought out. We had a great time.
?? THIS YEAR ??
He's traveling home on V Day. I'm not making plans for that night. Our date will be on Sunday...it's my turn to plan. Definitely keeping those to myself for the moment.
So, if your dates are repeating themselves, try taking turns planning --switching years. Who said the one with romantic plans had to be the guy? Nope. Do what you want and bring your fellow along for the fun.
~Angi
I gotta know . . .
What did you do on your favorite Valentine Date?
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My best Valentines date was a walk through the city at night. We stopped along the way to eat at a cafe that caught our attention & finished the night by walking over the harbour bridge, looking back over the city lights.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
That sounds perfect, Mary.
DeleteI still count the classic: movie, dinner and then... you know :D
ReplyDeleteThat would be a perfect date, too ! Nothing wrong there at all !
DeleteMy favorite Valentine's Day was when we spent the day out shopping and going out to dinner.
ReplyDeletemce1011 AT aol DOT com
Now that's a life partner! I won't even go shopping all day! Hang on to them.
DeleteAlina, I'm totally down with the ... you know. ;)
ReplyDeleteROTFL . . oh my. I can see the direction this is going.
DeleteI'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. ;)
Delete:D
DeleteI have to admit we don't do anything special on or around Valentine's Day, because every day together is special. <3
ReplyDeleteOh man. . . You are a couple I want to be. Tim and I have been married 25 years. But actually we've only lived together half of that. So we're still working on it.
DeleteMy favorite Valentine's Day was spent inside by the fire watching movies and sipping hot cocoa :)
ReplyDeleteNOW THAT I can relate to. We've turned a day without electricity into one of those days. We read, then watched a movie (or two).
DeleteTee hee - I'll be talking about my favorite Valentine's Day next week! (That's a Teaser!!)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait !!
DeleteHi, Angi! Sometimes, life... Like Handsome having to travel 3 days after the birth of my sons, or surgery, etc. And on Anniversaries. I learned early to embrace celebrating with him anytime anywhere, and that became especially true when he went through cancer. But one Valentine in particular was the one on a plane to Paris. He'd surprised me with the trip at Christmas (along with a Walther!) and had even pre-arranged baby sitters. We arrived on V-day and I turned to him, handed him a card, and a chocolate kiss. We had the best time.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome. I think I'm going to have to take my own advice and arrange my own trip !! LOL
DeleteEvery day is Valentine's with my hubby.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to tell him you said that ! You're a sweety.
DeleteMy husband and I met on February 12, 1993. I met his family two days later on Valentine's Day. This was on a weekend. Met on Friday, our first "date" on that Saturday, it was a double date and met his family that Sunday. Now we've had special ones since then, but those three days are another anniversary of sorts.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great memory for Valentine's Day, Normandy!
DeleteI love your engagement picture, Angi! :)
ReplyDeleteTHANKS!!! Haha, Anne. We all had Brooke Shields eyebrows back then. I loved the perm...hated to lose that.
DeleteHusband has to work on Valentine's Day but we usually don't do anything anyway.
ReplyDeleteAwe... I bet every day is special then!
DeleteI'm pretty easy to please. I don't need anything but a nice candlelit dinner for two and a movie. Chocolates and flowers are appreciated! :D
ReplyDeleteSWEET !!
DeleteWhen the kids were small this was impossible. But I hired a babysitter to go to a movie once, packed a picnic, and we ate by ourselves in the back of our mini-van before a movie. Not Valentine's...just a date. :)
We went for a romantic car ride up the coast of California. Had a romantic dinner and spent the night is a nice hotel.
ReplyDeleteSounds great...love the drive up the coast !
Deletewent out to eat
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Always a good choice.
DeleteI was so surprised when we got tickets to see my favorite hockey team! That's something different from the old dinner and movie routine!
ReplyDeleteVERY COOL.
DeleteMy husband has a friend that was going to propose at a hockey game...his friends admitted that she reallywasn't into hockey and advised him to pick another venue. LOL
My birthday is 3 days before Valentine's Day. We usually celebrate with dinner out for one of those days and dinner at home for the other. Just being together makes it special. (We did have one Valentine's when he went to a business dinner and we still laugh about it.)
ReplyDeleteLaughter is the key !!
DeleteAND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLEN !!
My favorite was a lovely home cooked meal and a night in watching movies and snuggling on the couch. That's my idea of a wonderful date.
ReplyDeleteWhen Tim cooks, he's yelling asking me what goes in next.
Delete:)
Aw, I love your story :) Sorry your DH has had to miss so many, but I love that the ones he's been there for have been so memorable.
ReplyDeleteI went through a divorce over two years ago, so I'm rebuilding my memories. This year, my daughters and I (along with my boyfriend of one year) are going to rhinestone plasticware and paper plates, make cupcakes, make real valentines for everyone and cover the house in pink streamers :)
I hope you make lots of new memories that are super special.
Deletehonestly, neither myself nor my husband really feel a need to celebrate Valentine's day. It's just not something for us. All it is is an excuse to go out to dinner. One year, we went to a now closed restaurant, that specialized in game. We had a fabulous 4 course meal with wine pairings. Very delicious and a lovely meal that took about 4 or 5 hours to complete.
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome Rhi. If it's cooked correctly...yum !!
DeleteI normally hate going out for dinner on Valentine's Day because its impossible to have a nice, quiet evening. But last year I bought tickets to a Lady Antebellum concert and we went for an early dinner. Mr. Wonderful had to work the next day (his usual time: 2 AM!) and so he fell asleep about thirty minutes into the show. I stood and sang and danced to every song. On a normal Valentine's Day we have a contest to see who can buy the mushiest card. It used to be me, but after 28 years, he's getting pretty good at this!
ReplyDeleteWOOT !! on all of the above.
DeleteMy favorite Valentine's Day was when my niece bought me a new book. She was only thirteen and I thought that was very sweet of her.
ReplyDeleteAwe...you're right. Very sweet.
DeleteMy four-year old daughter picked out a Dora cake with my husband at the grocery store. Not exactly romantic, but pretty adorable.
ReplyDeleteIt came from her heart and you'll always remember it !! That's cute.
DeleteMy favorite was a home cooked meal for the first time which turned into one of my favorite dishes. I'm sure that helped it become one.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome.
DeleteAmy2Read
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS
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