And every day, no matter what, I remind her I love her.
Instead of buying something for each other every year, we make a gift — a card, or a short story. Last year, I made a board game. It was awesome. One year she made me a Death Star cake with a pudding center. It was more awesome.
In the history of Valentine’s gifts, it’s hard to top the gift Nancy Valentine got in 1975 from her then-boyfriend: a heart-shaped diamond engagement ring.
When your last name is Valentine, you get a lot of looks when Feb. 14 comes around, Nancy said.
“Nobody believes it,” she said. “For years we’d make reservations and they’d say, ‘Yeah right.’ And then they’d say, ‘What’s your real name?’”
Sharing your name with a holiday does have its advantages, the North Kenwood resident said. For one, most people immediately know how to spell it. When she wants to be remembered, it’s hard to forget the redhead with the fitting last name — it’s one of the reasons she kept the name after she was divorced.
I asked what one does on a Valentine’s Day when trying to avoid the incredulous responses of restaurateurs taking reservations. This year, she’s staying in: after a massage, her boyfriend is cooking dinner for her.
And since you can’t get a diamond every year, the next best thing is dark chocolate — that and flowers.
“You know, every girl’s dream,” she laughed.
I do know. I should learn how to make homemade chocolates.
BRYAN MAHONEY is a recent transplant from the East Coast. When he’s not tasting each chocolate in the box looking for the coconut cream, he can be reached at 818NewGuy@gmail.com and on Twitter @818NewGuy.
