Vally Day

I don't think I can really remember an important v-day before Mr Guy. I have a sweet stack of valentines from my mom and dad, but nothing really from the previous administrations. I do recall that the SSOS got roses on our last vally day, not from me. They were black and from a secret admirer, his future ex-wife.

I got lucky. That all passed and I met Mr Guy, and I've never really cared about Valentine's Day so much ever since. If you're with the right person you don't need a special day for love.

Some years we decide at the last minute to celebrate the day. One year we ate at the cafe at Ikea and then shopped. Once we wandered from restaurant to restaurant, turned away at each, until one of us realized we had Garden burgers in the freezer. So we went home and were perfectly happy. Another year we went to an Indian restaurant and had the second silliest Indian dinner ever. The owner's nephew was filling in as a waiter. He spilled water on us, drenched the table with beer, lost the bottle opener on our table and then served us our dinner in round copper bowls that bobbled around like tops on the table because they didn't have enough bowl warmers to go around. The uncle came out of the kitchen to tell us what a disappointment the nephew was, a thoughtful touch that made our evening more romantic.

Last night we made reservations in advance, quite unlike ourselves, and sat at the sushi bar. I have learned that I prefer a table, and don't go to a sushi restaurant that has only two sushi chefs when you know the restaurant will be full. But Metallica and some dude from the Houston Oilers love the place.We'll go back on a slow night and pretend it's Valentine's Day again.