New Valentine's Day Traditions

So here we are. For most of us, Valentine's Day was the last "normal" holiday we remember before it all went down. 

Though to be honest, we don't normally go out to celebrate in the 14th itself, since it's a guaranteed night for prices to increase and places to be busy. But we usually try to get out to do *something.* Last year we went down to Northfield for a mini day-trip and to see our awesome friend Sarah, and then went to the Walker After Hours the next night, before having a German circus artist come on Monday to stay with us for a few weeks.

Today was a different kind of celebration....

We did some online yoga with Viv from Yoga and a Pint, who we miss seeing in person desperately (last year we did yoga with her this weekend in person and there was henna afterwards, and we got beer from Joe....)

We opened our presents — a bag of vintage clothes and winter accessories for Beatrix, a "Books will save us" package with a puzzle and a miniature library set and some other things for Patrick, Yorkshire tea and a cozy outdoor blanket for me. We did the puzzle tonight and it was really fun (I would like to have  room like this in our house, and honestly as Patrick and I age this is looking more and more like us...)


Both Patrick and I spent several hours on work, but I also snuck in some time to read a little of my book and the Sunday Times.

I had fun with science making a color-changing cocktail with my Empress 1908 gin.




Patrick made a delicious risotto dinner. I really miss going out, but he's been knocking it out of the park with meals.


We got cupcakes from our friends, delivered despite the cold (and I got a mailed valentine from our friend Debra, and an incredibly fun looking women's history puzzle from my friend Carolyn). 

My friend Rachael just gave me the game Dixit, which we had last played with my friend Nisha's family at Grand Shanghai when Sixth Chamber used to do game nights there (now THERE'S some nostalgia for you!). It was just as fun as I remembered.

There's a lot to be said for this quiet kind of scaled-down celebration, where each part of it means a lot more than perhaps it would have in the past. Gwen showing up at our frozen front door with cupcakes almost had me in tears. We can connect with Viv, even if we can't see her in person. And we can spend some great time together, as Beatrix seems to literally grow up right before our eyes.


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