Love Letter

Saturday it was pouring rain here. But we had a great Valentine's Day, nonetheless. It may have been non-traditional in a lot of ways - not everyone's idea of a romantic holiday - but I loved it. Here are some snippets from my journal and some of the photos, to illustrate the day and night.

K made me (with his own hands!), a Valentine card (I'd wondered why he was looking for glue stick...) The best card ever. And because we both love letters - he gave us a new Scrabble board. Which for me, was better than flowers. The game we've had, was the same one I had as a kid (yes, we did have scrabble back then - and no, the letters weren't carved on rocks, lol). Over the years, we've lost a couple of letters and a letter holder, the box is held together with packing tape - well, you get the idea. If it were in a little better shape, it might almost qualify as an antique.

He even splurged and got us the SuperScrabble edition. Which is sort of a mixed blessing. It may have twice the letters and spaces, with QUADRUPLE word scores in the corner - but it also takes twice as long to play. Which seems like a good idea, until somewhere between hours three and four, of trying to finish a game...Oh well, we've come up with some strategies to overcome that...

Anyway, we originally planned to go to a restaurant aways away, but we kept vacillating because of the heavy rain. Plus, we couldn't get an answer on the phone there for a reservation, so finally I just called a family restaurant closer to us that's one of our favorite places anyway (the best homemade bread - yum), and THEY answered their phone. So that's where we went.

Though the food is good - really good, homecooking kind of food - some people might not think it the most romantic place to spend Valentine's Day. The decor is sweetly old-fashioned with lots of mint and pink florals, except for several gizmos of the 'push button to play electronic music' variety, lined up on a counter, that many of the (mostly elderly) clientele have given the sweet owner over the years to make her smile.

 She is the hostess and a large part of the wait staff, her husband and son cook. Daughter and son wait tables as well, though there are a couple of other non-family members that bus and wait tables as well. But largely, it's a family operation, and those who eat there, come to feel like part of an extended family, or at least old friends, thanks to the friendly, caring atmosphere the owners have created there.

Over the years, when I see a movie like 'Waitress,' or even 'Baghdad Cafe,' I think of this place. With just the right casting of sassy little old ladies, curmudgeonly yet loveable old codgers - it's the kind of place that might be the backdrop for a quirky little indy film. I have no idea what the plot would be, but the setting and most of the cast of characters is already there, ripe for the picking. It felt a little like we were filming a scene there, Saturday night.

We'd just finished our meal and were waiting for the dessert that came with it (I could have had cheesecake or chocoholic cake - but I chose Kay's bread pudding, because she is an amazing baker and her bread pudding one of my favorite things. I know it makes no sense when I could have had fresh chocolate cake that wasn't a day old, then baked into pudding - but there you go. Apparently I love leftovers, so the bread pudding won). Anyway, while waiting for that amazing bread pudding to arrive, that's when the singing softly started.

It came from a table in the back, that had been celebrating both a birthday and an anniversary. It started with just the couple, then the rest of the people at their table, and eventually spread through the restaurant - not loud and boisterous, just softly. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...'" 

My mom and grandma used to sing that, so I should know all the words, but I only remember the chorus. So I just joined in for that. It brought both tears and a smile. Not only to me, the dramatic sentimentalist - but I saw the same look on many of the other faces around the restaurant. The owner was grinning from ear to ear, with an extra moist sparkle at the corner of her eye, as she carried on, refilling coffee cups, while joining in the singing. As we were leaving the restaurant, she gave me a hug - and a couple of her little chocolate Valentine's cupcakes to take with us. We both still looked a little dewy around the eyes. 

If you saw the scene in a movie, you might think it was overly sentimental, maybe even a little cheesy - thought that those kinds of things just don't happen in real life. Except for when they do - and I guess those are the kind of moments, you just have to be there to appreciate...

Afterwards, we came home, and nibbled some more, while laughing our way through what might have been the world's longest Scrabble game (from 10 pm till almost 2 am). And that's with allowing all sorts of words to be played. Under our newly revised rules (to speed the game up a little) - you can play anything you can get the other player to accept - proper nouns, Latin, Greek - what have you. Next time we may play with 10 letters instead of seven. We're wild around here! Don't tell the Scrabble police, ok?

It might not sound like anyone else's idea of the perfect Valentine's Day - but for me, it was one of the best Valentine's Days ever. There was singing, chocolate, laughter - and most of all, love - and love letters.

The day after, I finished up the love garland  and hung it on the window outside. It's curling in a little from the moisture of all the rain we've been having, and my daughter says it just looks like we forgot to take down our Valentine's decor. That's ok - I still have a pumpkin up there too. And a garland.

I'm leaving it up for awhile, anyway.

 The sun is shining today. Looking at it makes me remember that rainy Saturday night when the sun shone inside, at night - and it makes me smile.

Comments

[miss*R]

your home must be a delight with the love garland hanging.. one of those homes, that I have to drive around the block just to see again.

it was raining here too on Valentines day and we spent the evening with a couple who own an antique shop, having thai takeaway in the shop, using all the vintage bits to set our table..

I love scrabble! have fun with the new edition.. it sounds wonderful, maybe an idea that I can buy the husband-my soul mate for his birthday.

thanks so much for the prayers and thoughts for my family, they are helping I am sure :)

[Janet]

I for one think you had a perfect Valentine's Day/Night. You are so good at describing things that I felt I was right there in the restaurant with you....I could hear the singing, and taste the chocolate cake (I had that instead of bread pudding!)and feel the hominess of the place. There are times when I much prefer a quiet little place like that instead of some dark, dramatic, romantic restaurant! Maybe I'm just getting old!!

[gemma]

It sounds like the perfect Valentines day. Your garland looks so pretty, good food, late night scrabble....sounds like true love
:-)MUAH

[violetismycolor]

I love a homemade card... nothing better. Loving my V-day gifts, too.

[Caroline]

What a wonderful day/weekend you sound like you've had!

I'm ever so slightly jealous that you got a homemade card ;-)

And your restaurant experience sounds perfect (except for the bread and butter pudding - I hope you don't mind but in my own mind I had to substitute the chocolate there!!!)

[tammy vitale]

Wow - what a lovely story! And it's even better that it's cheesy. Cheesy is always wonderfully romantic...why we like the Poconos - as cheesy as you possibly want and the best ever. What is Valentine's Day if not for cheese. =] Oh, and Scrabble. Husband and I play that too (I'm the Champ - let it be known)...so there's a super scrabble, huh? ooooo. Great discovery! (my word for the year). Thanks for sharing that info! Finally - THAT's your journal? Sigh. I am so jealous.

[stephanie]

I think it's lovely how you spent your valentine's day/night...a real event! with the marathon scrabble game!

We opted out of the restaurant scene and had a progressive dinner with friends...traveling home to home...savoring the time.

x..x