Next Sunday’s Valentine’s Day. HH and I are retired. We’ve been married a long time. Our idea of romance isn’t what it used to be when we were young. These days, to celebrate, we usually go to a pricey restaurant that’s more upscale than usual for us. We order an appetizer, a salad, a meal and dessert, along with our drinks, and refuse to have heart attacks when we look at our bill. It’s our treat to ourselves. This year, though, we’re mindful of Covid. We get our first vaccinations on Feb. 10th but don’t want to push our luck and throw caution to the wind when we’ll only have 21 more days to wait before we get our second shot. So no restaurant for us.

The thing is, though, I try to cook a good supper for the man almost every single night, so lighting candles and eating something nice doesn’t feel like a celebration. That’s why we decided to invite close friends to our house for a fancy supper instead. HH found an extravagant Black Forest Cake recipe that he wants to try. He’s trying to learn to bake, so we’ll make that together. I want something luxurious, so I’ve decided to make Steak Oscar and mashed potato casserole for the meal. Steak Oscar comes with roasted asparagus and Bernaise sauce, so the vegetable’s covered. One friend’s bringing a salad, and another the wine. We should have a good night.

I know some of you are weekend warriors as writers. Sunday’s your day to pound out words. Whether you glue yourself in front of your computer or not, I’m wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Maybe a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers…or a flood of words and ideas.

Happy Writing!