February 14. 81 degrees outside. My house smelled like Thanksgiving.
I would have preferred the smell of expensive shampoo or hairspray. I was desperate for a haircut. Desperate as in I woke up and my hair resembled the grass creatures we have been growing on our balcony:
But mine is red. With a hundred or so unwelcome grey inhabitants. I guess I can just be thankful that Harry didn’t get ahold of my head. Here is his grass-guy with a Harry-scissor-hands mohawk.
Yikes. We can cross stylist off of his future career path.
So, why wasn’t I in the salon today? Because our (mostly male) Air Force Squadron had a Turkey-cook-off planned for tonight. Aren’t we wives so lucky? Oh, the romance.
It wasn’t even a night free from cooking and doing the dishes – as my sausage stuffing was requested. And a carrot cake.
Really?
Because this week I had only made 2 dozen of these:
And some of these:
And about 60 of these:
But if stuffing and carrot cake is what they wanted, then stuffing and carrot cake is what they would get.
Just when I was up to my elbows toasting bread, and cooking the sausage, and sauteing onions, I got a call.
A dreaded one. Not from the school nurse, but close enough.
“I forgot my lunch.”
Ugh.
One of my darlings needed her lovingly packed, gluten-free lunch, that she’d left on the kitchen counter. And I was called to the rescue.
My drive to the Army post included a few thoughts.
Cooking instead of pampering.
An extra hour of traffic due to carelessness.
A turkey pot-luck instead of a romantic dinner.
It is safe to say that I was not exactly counting my blessings.
And then my drive brought me by the local prison.
The view begged the question: “how about spending Valentine’s Day here?” Nothing says romance like tying a heart-shaped balloon to some barbed wire.
And so, the forgotten lunch was my reminder.
If they can put up with my crazy hair for one more day, I will take the time to enjoy being loved and needed.
Happy to make copious amounts of rice krispie treats. Grateful for all the sticky hugs and handwritten cards.
And honestly, I throughly enjoyed a room-full of friends while I dined on my Valentine Turkey.
A glass of wine didn’t hurt the situation either.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
