It is a sunny but windy Valentine’s Day with the weather already in the 40’s. It sounds like a good day to take a ride. This winter Gracie and I have only made short forays to do errands because of the cold so a warm day is an invitation to go about and explore. She’s outside now burying a new bone.

I remember being eight or nine on Valentine’s Day, a day so special I’d be jumping out of bed eager to get to school. I’d bolt down my breakfast and start off for school carefully carry my treasured valentine box all the way. We made our boxes in school during art a day or two before Valentine’s Day. My box started its life as a shoe box, but all the decorations have made it a work of art. Paper frills are around the edges. Red crepe decorates the sides and red construction paper is on the top around the mail slot. Last night was spent at the kitchen table writing out my valentines and picking and choosing the lucky recipients. The valentines aren’t fancy but they are fun and colorful. I wrote my name so big it didn’t fit on the first few valentines, but I did much better with the rest. On the front of the envelope I wrote my friends’ names. I didn’t want to forget anyone. In my school bag my mother put the cookies, my contribution to the party.

Lessons on Valentine’s day lasted an entire week, or at least it seemed that way. All of us were excited and barely able to stay in our seats. After lunch was one lesson then time to put the books away. It was party time. The nun had us bring out our boxes and we had to go one row at a time to put valentines in our friends’ boxes. I remember sitting there hoping someone would drop an envelope in my box. I was never disappointed. After all of the rows had finished, it was time for cookies and candy and opening our valentines. Lots of munching and lots of giggling finished out the day.

We’d walk home talking about day. When I got home and out of my school clothes, it was time to look over my valentines again and again.

Happy Valentine’s Day

May your valentine boxes overflow!