Please bring out the shamrocks

This afternoon I went to get a few groceries and literally lost my breath when I entered the stores. There in front of me were at least a million Valentine's Day balloons! I wondered why there was a pick up truck in the parking lot with 30 air canisters on it. They just blew up all those danged balloons! It was like drowning in a fog of pink and red. Aaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh!!!!!

Everywhere I turned there were more thing pink and red. Candy, dishes, flowers, napkins, cakes, cookies, cards, stuffed animals, pasta, fruit salad, candles - anything that can be dyed pink or red was there.

Each year I look forward to taking my Christmas decorations down so my house gets back to normal. And I can go shopping without a bunch of gyrating Santas and head bobbing wire reindeers greeting me at every turn. But then comes V-Day. First of all, I'm not crazy about things shaped like hearts. Just a little too cute for me. Second, who thought pink and red looked good together?!?!? It's one of those Hallmark holidays that makes people without someone in their lives feel like a real loser. Not to mention that I married he-who-shall-not-be-named on February 14th so the day holds an extra special meaning for me.

When Ed and I first started dating it was close to Christmas and I told him - please DO NOT buy me anything shaped like a heart. I know him, had he not been warned that is exactly what he would have done. But, he took my advice to heart (pun intended) and did not buy heart jewelry. Although he did find this little plastic heart cookie cutting kit with 5 different nesting hearts which he wrapped as a gift. Ha, ha, ha.

So, now that my countdown to retirement is over, my new countdown is to February 15th when the heart stuff comes down and the cute green shamrocks pop up everywhere.