Valentine's Day

Everyone else is talking about it, so I'll join the bandwagon.

I generally resent holidays that are invented by corporations, but my dear, sweet husband comes from a family that owned a florist shop. He LOVES commercial holidays and feels hurt when I don't give them (him) the attention and enthusiasm they (he) deserve(s).

I am celebrating without giving Hallmark or their competitors any of my money, and here's how.

1. I am making him a card and giving with it a few bars of organic, fair trade chocolate.

2. I am making a huge five-course Italian dinner. Course one: cheese and fruit plate, course two: shrimp scampi pasta, course three: lamb with rosemary and garlic, course four: baby green salad with goat cheese and caramelized almonds, course five: napoleans and whipped cream.

Hopefully this will suffice. My homemade answers to commercial holidays have had mixed results.