February 8, 2018 – My funny Valentine

         Waking yesterday to a remembered wisp of Frank Sinatra crooning “My funny Valentine” running through my brain, I dragged myself up by the bootstraps as I am still dealing with this cold/flu.  I decided first thing I better finish decorating the house with my Valentine stuff before I miss the holiday completely.  I consider it a “HIGH HOLIDAY”.  Who can’t enjoy LOVE in one form or another?

         I scrounged around and found the 4-inch tall heart shaped glass bottle tipped on its side now filled with red food coloring laced water. My Mom sent this heart shaped maple syrup bottle to me years ago.  It was two gifts in one, maple syrup now and she knew her daughter would keep it forever.  One of those ‘perfect’ gifts you get from a loved one.

Next, I dug for the three giant [15-inch width and breath] red felt, lace cut-out hearts that don’t fit in any drawer in this house. I have to stack them in a special place in the back closet every year and then have to remember where I stashed them.  I just now taped them to the front glass storm door.  They are bright and gay and the sun coming through the lace cut-out creates a delightful  shadow design on the interior French green door.  Another example of two delights instead of one.

Another treasure is a valentine Nutcracker who holds a gold fishnet bag filled with little wooden hearts which we found years ago.  I remember I begged my husband for this when I saw it in a ‘fancy items’ catalog.  He acquiesced and we admire it anew each year.  The nutcracker is at attention on the mantel keeping watch over everything.

Next I pulled out the 6-inch red velvet heart shaped pillow embroidered with “Heart to Heart” in white reminding us of the “Hart to Hart” TV show we enjoyed in years past tossed into a recycled, frosted glass vase that has a row of hearts encircling the rim.  My Mom found the vase at the Once loved, Once Treasured shop [fancy rummage] at her church.  Again, another one of those ‘perfect’ gifts that lasts forever and can be used in all sorts of ways.

And, a little white fuzzy bear with a red heart shaped embroidered nose and no eyes simply holding a red glitzy heart, which says it all - Love is blind.

Also, the little costume jewelry gold heart that I took off a piece of clothing when I was disposing of Mom’s things last fall. It is sitting on the vanity waiting for me to pin on today’s outfit in sweet memory of her.

         But, the crown jewel of my Valentines on display is the 1997 Valentine’s Day card from my husband.  It is a Hallmark popup Eiffel Tower card with the verse:

“As long as we’re together, we’re in the City of Love.”

It popped up that year and I never could figure out how to unpop it and fold it down.  Off-season, it camps out in the china cabinet and I drag it out every February.  The winter before we had just visited Paris and I never got my picture in front of the Eiffel tower; this was to make up for that flagrant oversight. I remember my husband remarked how outrageous the cost of the cards were that year.  He sure got his money’s worth with this card – it’s now 20 years old!

Here is my Happy Valentine’s to you!

         Just in case you haven’t heard Frank Sinatra’s “My Funny Valentine” lately, visit him at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Are-c0BLyIg

The first verse of My Funny Valentine

My funny Valentine

Sweet comic Valentine

You make me smile with my heart

Your looks are laughable,

Unphotographable

Yet, you’re my favorite work of art.