I am not a couple with plans to mate today. There are no flowers, no candy and, unless I get very imaginative; no sex. So I wasn’t expecting much.
Nate’s sweet signature on my personalized Valentine’s Day card.
I started the morning with a beautiful handmade valentine from my nephew Nate, who is five. Then I spent 2 hours on the phone with one of my best friends from college, who acted as therapist as I detailed every pathetic shortcoming in my life. Not only did she listen, as usual, she offered heartfelt suggestions, all of which I just acted on.
She’s the Key West artist who creates amazing things you can see at: Heliographics.com
Then I got an email from a new blog friend and discovered that she just forwarded her many followers a link to my blog about my mom and Bob Barker, along with links to other blog posts she liked. Her website is called Two Cannoli.com. (How do you not love that?)
Then my son called and wished me a Happy Valentine’s Day.
Right after that, my nephew sent me a text about how he’d just given a ride to an older Italian woman in Pittsburgh, who used so many of my mother’s actions and classic phrases, (they’re in italics) it’s more than a little eerie. She was clutching lottery tickets, as she said he looked like a nice young boy (he’s in his late 30’s) and asked if he would give her a ride home. She explained that she couldn’t take the bus in the snow because she was no spring chicken and that God would bless him in abundance for taking her home. That blew me away.
It was a reminder that the world is a strange place and you never know what forces are out there tweaking things to bring a smile to your face. It was also a reminder that I have wonderful nephews. And I just got a phone call from another friend inviting me over for dinner, followed by a phone call from another nephew and his wife and their sweet kids, Dominic and Julie, who were with my brother and sister-in-law.
Not a heart shaped box or flowers anywhere and yet, my day was great. Go figure.
From one of my son’s grade school creations.
May your Valentine’s Day be unexpectedly wonderful.
No Comments
Mary
February 14, 2015 at 4:56 pmAwwww, . . .I LOVE that! Sweet little Nate sent me a Valentine too & his cute Mom sent me a Thank you card for a very tasteful Beatles Yellow Submarine Hoodie & a dancing hippo 🙂 she received for the new baby. Fun gifts to give! I hear ya. It’s the little things that make the difference though, like getting back & forth to work safe & sound through this horrendous snow we’ve been having here in the east, not being aggravated by some things at work one can sure do without, and finding nice rugs that work perfectly for your new residence that you have been looking for, for over a year, to name a few. Glad you had a nice one Fran. I guess, . . . . . . . . . me too.
And yes,(the woman in Pittsburgh?) that WAS an eerie resemblance in many ways to Snag, the Queen of Price is Right, . . . .:-0 Maybe she stopped by momentarily, to say hello?!
Fran Tunno
February 15, 2015 at 12:11 amYeah, gratitude is a good thing.
margaz2013
February 14, 2015 at 7:42 pmI always enjoy reading what you put on this site! Yes, there needs to be a book! I think Valentine’s Day is a reminder for all that we are loved by many. This is not just a day for being loved by a significant other, but a day that maybe realizing you are loved by many makes YOU significant! Thanks for all you write, Fran.
Marianne Gazzilli
PS… today is a special day as it marks 45 years that Al and I moved from snowy upstate NY to sunny California. And… do you think I may have been reminded by my very Italian father about this move on Valentine’s Day… “what a gift you gave me… my daughter moves, pregnant on Valentine’s Day! ” I wonder if that was said more than once?? I think I can safely say, every year until he passed. I guess that means I know I was loved and missed!!!!
Fran Tunno
February 15, 2015 at 12:09 amAwww Marianne, I love that. Your dad definitely missed you — and never missed the opportunity to let you know. Italian parents are good at that! Lucky you!
Nicol Zanzarella
February 15, 2015 at 9:09 amFran, I think you are a valentine to many and just don’t know it! These last few years have been full of learning the difference between the real kinds of happiness this life can offer and the kind that the stores, television and radio say we are ‘supposed’ to have. It has been a great and truly life affirming lesson, and your post sounds exactly like that! It may sound easy coming from someone who is lucky to have the man I have, but we actually don’t ‘do’ Valentine’s day. We treat each other like it is Valentine’s day all the time. And being on such a tight budget most of the time, we find the real fun in all the little things… (Plus, I love chocolate ALL the time 🙂 sounds like you had a truly most perfect day for reaffirming life and love. You do that for so many of us on a daily basis and it sounds like you’re raising some pretty terrific kids with the same set of beliefs. And you are our Valentine, always!
Fran Tunno
February 15, 2015 at 9:40 amAww Nicol, you are a true sweetheart. Thanks for the wonderful words which went straight to my heart. You’re right, you and Martin do treat each other like it’s Valentine’s Day every day, which is why it’s such a pleasure to watch you two together.
Donna Tunno
February 15, 2015 at 10:23 amAnother eerie coincidence happened on Valentine’s Day. (Maybe Grandma did “stop by to say hello yesterday!”) First, Matt had an encounter in Pittsburgh with an elderly woman who spoke in phrases reminiscent of Grandma … and you, Frannie, made reference to The Price is Right and Bob Barker in your blog. Last night my son (your nephew) and his family came over for fun and a movie. We were not able to access a movie, so I found the 1983 Price is Right video where Grandma won the entire showcase and popped it in. No one had seen it before. And there it was on the video … THE BAR that Grandma won and is now sitting in our basement where we were watching the video … with, of course, an autographed photo of the beloved Bob Barker. Coincidence? Maybe not, maybe it was a Valentine gift of “hello and love” from Grandma!
Fran Tunno
February 15, 2015 at 6:20 pmOooh, eerie coincidence! I love those. Gramma always did love Valentine’s Day. Thanks for reading and the call, it made my Valentine’s Day even better!
Patty Tunno
February 16, 2015 at 10:35 amLove the post! It sounds like you had a perfect Valentine’s Day!
xo
Fran Tunno
February 16, 2015 at 4:48 pmI really did Patty, it was wonderful. Ended it with making dinner for my kids, it doesn’t get much better than that for me!
Chas Madonio
February 16, 2015 at 11:22 amI have to ask – regarding your first sentence – did you get imaginative?
Fran Tunno
February 16, 2015 at 4:47 pmChas, you dog you! Sadly, no, I fell asleep on the couch after making dinner for my kids. Still, a good Valentine’s Day.