Monday, February 14, 2011

My Funny Valentine


I decided back at the beginning of January that this year I was going to be my own Valentine. I was done waiting for Prince Charming to come sweep me off of my feet and take me to some expensive restraurant for dinner. I wasn't going to wait for pink roses or chocolate. I was going to be my own Valentine.


I think I'm definitely My (Own) Funny Valentine. Mainly because I went through with this goofy idea. And honestly, my figure is less than Greek (all those female Greek statues have tiny hips and feet). Plus most of the time when I say something it comes out wrong. It really does, ask me I can give you plenty of examples. Here are the lyrics I'm referring to.


Is your figure less than Greek?

Is your mouth a little weak

When you open your mouth to speak

Are you smart?



Last week I got an email from Cooking Light magazine with the subject line "Romantic Dinners for Two." Normally I would delete this right away, I didn't want another reminder of a lonely Valentine's Day. But not this year because I resolved to be my own (funny) Valentine!


The gods must have been smiling on me because the very first recipe was Scallops on Linguini!

Perfect! My two favorite things - scallops and pasta!


I went to the grocery store yesterday and got most of the ingredients. On the way home from work today I stopped at Whole Foods for the scallops and some French wine. Then came home to begin on my romantic dinner for two.


While the scallops were searing, I lit the candles in my Waterford Crystal candleholders, poured a glass of French red and set the table for one. I served myself and then sat down to eat with classical music playing in the background.


It was delicious! I even forgot to mix in the ginger and shallots (they were in a reserve bowl - oops). I did think to myself in the middle of my meal (at least I didn't talk to myself), that the ginger and shallots really added something to the meal! (Refer back to the lyrics that say are you smart).


I don't think I could have gotten a better dinner if I had gone out. Unless George Clooney had knocked on the door. Then those scallops would have been tossed to the wayside faster you can say "George Clooney".


Was it a goofy idea? Maybe to some. I did laugh my way through most of it - sitting by myself in candlelight. But now I can say that I have had a candlelit dinner for two (I've saved half for lunch tomorrow - my apologies now to the WE staff if it smells fishy) with romantic music playing in the background.


Erma Bombeck (I think) said to never wait until "someday" because someday may never come. Maybe I'm learning that lesson in a very hard and painful way, but I'm so glad that I'm learning.


Happy Valentine's Day!


Friday, February 4, 2011

It's a Wonderful Life




It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite movie. It reminds me of how important family and friends are in our life. It reminds me that we each have a guardian angel looking out for us, reminding us of just how wonderful our life really is.


We all have a "George Bailey." That one person who makes our life complete. The one person we who helped make us into the person we are. We all have a Clarence too. An angel that watches out for us and helps to see just how wonderful we are.

My George is about to become my Clarence. I'm inconsolable about it.

I have been fortunate enough to call Charlie Lyle my best friend for more than 20 years. Who'd have thought that day I walked into the Broward Community College South Campus Student Life Office that my life would be altered forever. Never have I had a bigger cheerleader, encourager, supporter, and playmate.


Memories have been flooding back the past few days: our stupid Fashion Center game where we tried to out store name each other; the only shouting match we ever had in the parking lot of the Rustic Inn; watching Leon Lett slide through the snow; "It's like being home in the trailer park"; his months in Umatilla; his little white Escort; the truck that talked; the laughter ; when he held my hand when I was in more pain than I thought I could bear.

Who's going to hold my hand through this? I don't know what I'm going to do without my best friend.

Oh I know he'll be here. He's going to be my Clarence. He's still going to laugh at me when I do something stupid, he's going to whisper words of confidence in my ear when I don't believe in myself. He'll be there every morning when I wake up, every night when I go to bed and every second in between.

My loss is nothing compared to his family's loss. He's going to be a very busy Clarence. There's a lot of us he's got to look out for. I know he'll get it done. He gets everything done. He's never let anyone down.

Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. "George" you got yours a long time ago. I love you.