Well.... I been married 12 years, and Mister still leaves me surprise Valentines. And I left him one today, too. He gave me a pop-up card with a little angel in it. When he gets home, he will find his prezzies artfully arranged on the kitchen table.

Romance in and of itself, can be a sham. It's like a bad cold - it hangs around for awhile, then you get over it. But love, well, that's something altogether different. It means you still want to be together and laugh and have fun even after you've gotten over the romance part.

One of my most memorable Valentines, though, wasn't from Mister. It was from my college boyfriend (who is now the sound engineer working on our new CD!), when he sent me a singing telegram, delivered to the lobby of my dorm. A friend of his actually owned a singing telegram company, and he came in with heart-laden boxer shorts, little Cupid wings, and one of those Steve Martin fake arrow-through-the-head things. I don't remember what he sang, but I got to keep the arrow. I still have it somewhere.

And in case you're wondering - Mister and the College Boyfriend get along just great. We all get along just great. While I never forgot the good things I liked about him, and how much respect I have always had for his talent, I also never forgot the things that made the relationship not work. (Youth was a major factor.) After so many years, though, it's nice being friends, and working together.

A couple of years ago, my brother wanted to know why my mother and I sent him Valentines. "Valentines are for sweethearts and lovers," he said. I told him to stick it in his ear, that Valentines are for everybody. What a grump. I don't send him Valentines anymore. ;-)