Valentine’s Day
You know, I’m not real big on Valentine’s Day. I’m not down on it, but the pressure to be romantic on one day of the year simply doesn’t thrill me. I know I told you guys about how my dad sends me cards and my daughter makes me presents and my husband sends flowers…all wonderful, but I could take any of these things on any day of the week and be happy.
Today, I just want to ruminate on people and things I love, but that I might not send a card to because, well, I’m just not that into the day.
I know I’ll leave stuff out. But here goes…
I :love2: the plotmonkeys. You all know why!
I :love2: our readers…especially those who hang out here and play a few minutes every day in our jungle. I know how busy the day is, so the fact that you come and comment (or just come and read!) really means a lot.
I :love2: my family. From my parents to my brothers and their wives and children to especially my husband and daughter. To my mother in law, her children and their wives and husband, nieces and nephews (and grand nieces and nephews) that I don’t get to see nearly enough.
I :love2: my friends!
I :love2: all the family pets! At our house, Lady and Button. At my brother’s various houses, Lieba and Cannon and Buddy (especially Buddy!) and Schmoo Bear. My neighbor’s dogs, Leia and Angel and even Kelly, the yappy little poodle. And Pal! Big fuzzy Pal. :doggie:
I :love2: my doctors and the staff at St. Joseph’s Emergency Room for making my fourteen hour stay bearable yesterday. Especially to Kat, the patient advocate, who might stop by the blog today! (I’m fine, btw…it’s sad when the only way to get diagnostic tests done quickly in this country is to send a patient to an ER)
I :love2: food! From pasta to pizza to gourmet fare…all the stuff I cannot eat right now. I’m hating chicken broth and bland potatoes, to say the least. Apparently, my body does not react well to dyes.
I :love2: Heroes. Awesome episode this week.
I :love2: books! I read a bunch while trapped on a gurney yesterday, so yeah for books!
I :love2: hospitals who have free wireless internet, even if I didn’t realize it until hour 11 of my 13 hour stay.
I :love2: the internet. And google! I love me some google…especially when the daughter has been assigned yet another science project that requires pictures (this time of animal parents and their offspring.)
I :love2: cell phones.
I :love2: being able to drive, something I couldn’t do today, but will definitely do tomorrow.
I :love2: Steak and Shake. Okay, I already talked about food, but this place deserves a notation all its own.
I :love2: my 3lb laptop.
I :love2: pajamas.
I :love2: chocolate!
I :love2: the ocean. Not sailing on it, but looking at it. I love sunsets on the ocean. Oh, what the heck, I :love2: sunsets!
I :love2: my neighbors, who make it feels like we’re still living in the 50s with our kids outside playing all the time and borrowing butter for Valentine’s cookies (I was only the butter supplier) and chatting by the mailbox. Who says this life doesn’t exist any more?
I :love2: my church. ‘Nuf said.
I :love2: my writer’s groups, the Tampa Area Romance Authors, as well as Novelist’s Inc.
I :love2: my sucias, whom I miss very much. (Email group…had to unsub while I dealt with life, alas.)
I :love2: life.
So, what or whom do you love on this special day of love?
Hey Julie, thanx for showing us the love LOL. Here’s my list, which will probably be incomplete - but it’s a work in progress, always changing and growing:
- I love my family, crazy as they all are
- I love my friends, who put up with me and stick by me when I need them
- I love the Plotmonkeys, and everyone who stops by
- I love Romance by the Blog, because bella Michelle makes it fun and has lots of great hotties!
- I love the internet, and my internet friends that I’ve met here
- I love the hotties!
- I love all the great romance books I’ve read over the years
- I love the authors who write these great stories
- I love chocolate too!
- I love sleeping
- I love my french vanilla coffee with a chocolate cake donut
- I love warm spring breezes and the smell of lilacs
- I love movies and how they can make me laugh, cry, and/or imagine
- I love Las Vegas!
- I love romance. Long live romance in our hearts.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Comment by Stacy ~ — February 14, 2007 @ 7:39 am
Julie, sorry to hear that you’ve been sick. 13 hours–egads! Sending a little prayer your way.
As for what I love…my family and friends, particularly my husband this morning as he remembered that I wanted a James Blunt CD for Valentine’s Day. :love2: I love central heat and air, my mother’s meatloaf, having my hair brushed, my dogs, pajamas, the internet and my new computer, Reese’s Crispy Crunch candy bars, House, Lost, Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy and Men in Trees, my church family, my writing family and my online family, my daughter’s laugh and my son’s dry smile, Sonic ice, towels right out of the dryer, daisies, summer rain and money. (Who doesn’t love money?)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Comment by Rhonda Nelson — February 14, 2007 @ 8:47 am
HI julie,
I’m so gald you are okay. 14 hours at the hospital. egads. I would have been climbing the walls. Like you said than goodness for books to read.
I:love2: my husband of 23 years sooooo much.
I:love2:my two daughters
I:love2:my :doggie: Bridgette.(she is my sweetie)
I:love2:my mom, dad,:love2: brother and his family.
I:love2:my mom’s:doggie: Belle
I:love2:visiting the plotmonkeys site
I:love2:reading the PM’s books
I :love2: visitng with all the members of the plotmonkeys
I:love2: reading romance books
I:love2:romatic comedy movies
I:love2:my car
I:love2:Thursday nights Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy
I:love2:tuesday nights for House
I:love2:chocolate preferably dark chocolate
I:love2:flowers-pink roses and stargazer lilies are my favorite
I:love2:scented candles
I:love2:a bright blue sky on a spring day.
I hope we have one soon.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY:love2: Everybody:love2:
Comment by Gigi — February 14, 2007 @ 10:01 am
Julie….hopefully, you will be okay. I hope everything gets better!
I :love2: my family (especially, my hubby and my three little boys)….you all make me a little ‘queasy’ every once in a while, but that is what I :love2: about you (you know what I mean), especially when they say, “I love you” (this took my oldest with autism the LONGEST time to say, so I am so blessed everytime he tells me)
I :love2: waking up in the morning (this sounds strange, but to realize that I made it through another day and I am so grateful to see another)
I :love2: chocolate, Grey’s, reading my books, checking the PM site (including all of the PM and the posters and the hot pix that Janelle always puts up, lol), email (so I can keep in touch with people who don’t live near me), digital pictures (ditto), fattening food (although, this is a no-no), chocolate decadance cake and little things in life like sunsets, sleeping in late or curled up in bed with a book or watching a movie
I :love2: my friends and family…they listen to me when it is tough and celebrate with me when things are awesome!
I :love2: my sons’ teachers…they are so patient with each of them and me (okay, mostly me)….they don’t give up on any of us!
There’s many, many more things I :love2:, but you know….
Comment by katie — February 14, 2007 @ 10:48 am
I love staying in bed until noon, drinking coffee and reading a book.
I love my 4 year old.
I love my job. (Hard to believe.)
I love books.
I really love books.
I love music.
I love people who create music.
I love my friends.
I love my sisters.
I love babies.
I love chocolate.
I love coffee.
I love the internet.
I love blogging.
I love Larry the Cable Guy.
I love being weird.
Comment by SHERRY — February 14, 2007 @ 10:55 am
I :love2: my hubby — check out the picture on my blog today and you can see that the best presents aren’t always candy and flowers. And agree, love happens everyday, and in different ways.
I :love2: my pets — 2 dogs, 2 cats, and they make our days with their antics and unconditional affection (well, okay from the dogs — with cats, it’s always iffy…
.
I :love2: my beautiful house and the newly decorated family room which os so cheerful, even on a snowy, miserable day.
I :love2: writing, and the fact that I get a chance to do this every day.
I :love2: my family and friends. They are such a great bunch, so supportive and fun.
I :love2: to travel, and the ocean and the desert, and that I’ve had a chance to visit both.
I :love2: life, chocolate, cheeseburgers, and good wine.
Thanks for the chance to say so — what nice way to start the day!
Sam
Comment by Sam Hunter — February 14, 2007 @ 11:01 am
GREAT blog!
I :love2: my hubby.
I :love2: my girls.
I :love2: Buddy my Wheaten.
I :love2: my parents.
I :love2: the rest of my whole big family.
I :love2: my plotmonkeys.
I :love2: my friends.
I :love2: my readers who buy my books.
I :love2: all readers for reading books even if they aren’ t mine.
I :love2: all of you who come visit us here and I :love2: our lurkers as much as our posters!
I :love2: my laptop with it’s new red case.
I :love2: my red nano.
I want to :love2: my iPod video but need to find things to download and watch!
I :love2: the Nike hookup for the Nano (but I hate exercise).
I :love2: my soaps (ABC).
I :love2: Grey’s Anatomy and House and 24.
I :love2: email.
I :love2: cell phones.
I :love2: books.
I :love2: vacations to hot places.
I :love2: Alias and Jennifer Garner.
I :love2: Mike Piazza and Michael Vartan.
I :love2: brownies.
I :love2: icecream.
I know I’m forgetting a lot …
Comment by Carly — February 14, 2007 @ 11:15 am
I :love2: life
My blue eyes are my best feature for sure.
I am with Julie Valentines Day should be everyday.
I :love2: God
I :love2: making people smile
I :love2: Kind people (which is one reason I am a Plotmonkey)
I:love2: the sound of rain in the tree tops, sleet on my window and
the hush that surrounds us after freshly fallen snow.
I :love2: a wood stove and a roaring camp fire
I :love2: a star bright night that seems like you have just never seen that many stars before.
I :love2: rainbows and soft warm rain
I :love2: :lightbulb:ing bugs.(I saw so many of them one night last year that was amazing.
I love to watch the smallest ripples on a pond, the waves of the ocean and the rushing water in a stream
I :love2: my small intimate family (only 8 of us) and my best friend.
I :love2: the great memories of those friends and relatives passed
I :love2: my yorkie she’s old and I worry I’ll lose her soon. She is a treasure for the heart.
I :love2: soft music that relaxes and the oldies but goodies.
I love technology that has saved my husband and myself (twice)so we have more time to :love2: each other.
I :love2: my romance reading to the point I know I am obsessed
I :love2: dark chocolate and really good ice cream
I :love2: animals of any species (except snakes)
I :love2: friends and flowers. Wild or greenhouse matters not.
I :love2: that I can ramble here and you still like me here.
I :love2: love my silver hair and it matters not that I am old and my skin has wrinkled (ok laugh lines.) But all over can’t be. I don’t mind that gravity has taken over and I now actually need a bra.
Most of all I :love2: my husband. He is far from the candy and flowers type. Although to my surprise, I came home from work to some pretty pink carnations last night. He has matured ( I won’t tell you how long it took) from a spoiled only child who lived his life after his Dad died with his Mom and Grandma. Need I say more? He is everything you could want in a lover: Kind, funny, thoughtful, sensitive yet strong and he cooks and does laundry. It’s me he loves no matter what and it took me a long time and some serious health issues to understand just how deeply he felt about that. Can you say Robert Redford.
Yes Ladies he is For Sale!
Ha, Ha think again. Anyway I love this list I don’t wander the internet too much. At my age it’s eat, work and sleep. But I want to wish you all the best day. You most often put a smile into mine.
But my :present: to you is a special spot in my heart for your laughter and your tears. Thanks for sharing, you are a wonderful bunch.
Comment by jeannie — February 14, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Awww, Julie, so sorry about what you had to go through at the hospital!! Wish I had been close enough to bring you more books and a pillow to sit on rather than those uncomfortable hospital chairs. And to hold your hand!
I am so blessed and have so much to love in my life…more than I could ever name, really, but I will offer a few.
I :love2: Bruce and our girls more than anything in the world.
I :love2: the rest of my big, crazy, zany family, including amazing sisters who open their homes to family without a second thought.
I :love2: my Plotmonkey pals who make me laugh and give me support every single day.
I :love2: our Plotmonkey visitors who are a constant source of comeraderie and good will!
I :love2: my wonderful editor who gets me through this job.
I :love2: having written a fabulous scene (don’t particularly like *writing* it…I just love it after it’s done!)
I :love2: my writer friends from all my email loops & RWA chapters.
I :love2: to get lost in a good book.
I :love2: scary movies.
I :love2: being in bed.
I :love2: Christmas & Halloween.
I :love2: holding hands with my husband.
I :love2: to travel.
I :love2: sex.
I :love2: Starburst. And Utz Barbecue potato chips. And Betty’s spaghetti.
I :love2: being a woman.
I :love2: lazy snow days when nobody has to go to school or work and we can go sledding and drink hot chocolate and cuddle up together watching Star Wars. Oh, that’d be NOW.
I :love2: sitting at the dinner table every night looking around at my family and wondering how on earth I could have been so lucky to have such a blessed life.
Comment by Leslie — February 14, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
family, friends, health, and a job.
happy valentine day ! to all you ladies and guys.
:love2::kiss:
Comment by kim h — February 14, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
I :love2: my Paul – he is everything and so much more to me.
I :love2: my kids – Melissa and Joey
I :love2: my family and Paul’s family
I :love2: my 5 month old babies – Meisha (Shih-Tzu) & Sassy (Chihuahua)
I :love2: my best friend Willis (aka Dorothy)
I:love2: my new car – It’s my first SUV and I love it.
I :love2:the Plotmonkeys – I read it everyday, sometimes I comment and sometimes I only have time to read it but I love reading it.
I :love2: writing
I :love2: reading
I :love2:TARA – I’m not sure if I could do the writing part without TARA and all the wonderful people there.
I :love2:the beach, even the sand. I love to watch the sunsets, sunrises, and even the few moonrises that I have seen.
I :love2: the mountains – for vacation time. Sledding is so much fun. Of course with Paul behind me, arms around me, who wouldn’t love that
I :love2:, :love2:, :love2:romance and anything to do with it. I love to write it, create my own, and be surprised with it.
I :love2: to give to others, don’t get me wrong I like receiving thing but there is something wonderful to me about giving to others and seeing their faces light up with joy.
I even :love2: my day job. Not that I wouldn’t rather be writing full time but I work at a great place with really great people.
Okay, I could go on but I’ve taken up enough space….I’ll just say I love life and I’m thankful for my life.
Comment by Vicki — February 14, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Julie I hope you feel better soon
I :love2: my husband of 11 years today is our Anniversary
I :love2: my son Brandon
I :love2: family, friends
I :love2: PLOTMONEYS
I :love2: reading
I :love2: Christmas
Comment by Cherylann — February 14, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
I :love2: this blog and after reading everyone responses the easiest thing to say is that I :love2: life. I :love2: my family. I :love2: God. I :love2: books. Life is great. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Comment by Patty L. — February 14, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Great blog. I :love2: my family, :love2: books and just am glad to have found this blog………..
Comment by Cryna — February 14, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Cyrna…life is pretty great over here, too. I wish you guys over on the East Coast were having a good time (we’ve been there last month!).
Comment by katie — February 14, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
I :love2: books, cats, my computer and blankets for the extra cold days like today!
Lois
Comment by Lois — February 14, 2007 @ 4:46 pm
the clock is off by an hour. Time here in Cnnecticut is 7:29 p.m.
Comment by Cherylann — February 14, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
I am also glad that I found your blog. I have read it everyday since I found it, but this is the first time I have commented. Keep up the wonderful dialogue.
I :love2: my kids - even when they are a pain in the you know what.
I :love2: email. I couldn’t do my job or correspond with new and old friends with out it.
I :love2: my job, most of the time.
I :love2: the new writing adventure I finally got the courage to begin (after 10 or more years of stops and starts).
I :love2: the internet, for many reasons.
I also love many of the same things mentioned in the other comments.
Have a great VD!
Comment by Lynn Matherly — February 14, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
Julie, I am sorry to hear that you spent a day at the hospital. I hope everything is going to be okay. :thumbsup2:
What a great blog. Thanks.
I :love2: that I have good health
I :love2: my daughters, grandchildren & son-in-law
I :love2: my family, especially my brother that is always there for me & his wife that is okay with that.
I :love2: all my friends for the caring & support over many years
I :love2: books, reading & authors that give me such a wide variety of good reading
I :love2: my car, traveling to new & old places & seeing new things & repeating things that I enjoy
I :love2: Mother Nature, the ocean, mountains, the forest, flowers, rain, sun, etc.
I :love2: living in Wine Country & the diversity that is nearby
I :love2: the blogs that Plotmonkeys & some of my other favorites authors do to keep us entertained & informed
I :love2: movies, Netflix & all my favorite TV shows
I :love2: to walk & look at people’s yards, improvements to the houses, just looking around enjoying fresh air & friendly people.
I :love2: having the chance to let you all know I feel blessed.
i :love2: my computer, the Internet & all my on line friends & eHarlequin
Happy Valentine’s Day to all :love2: I hope whatever you do you enjoy.
Take care,
Donna M
Comment by Donna M — February 14, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
Welcome, Lynn! I hope you come back and comment when the mood strikes! We :love2: that you’re here!
Wow…there’s so much love on the blog today. Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing.
As for my health, I’m going to be fine. It’s an old malady coming back to rear the ugly head. :wallbash: But this time, my Plotmonkeys will NOT let me put things off, so testing and treatment will be the order of the day for a while. More later, I promise!
Comment by Julie Leto — February 14, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
Oh, wow, have I :love2: ‘d reading all your “I love” comments! This has been just wonderful.
Donna…you live in the wine country? Woo-hoo! I sense a field trip coming on!
Happy Valentine’s Day again, everyone! Here’s to another year filled with lots of love and happiness for all of us.
Comment by Leslie — February 14, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
“Old Malady” You’d better test and treat or no more banannas for you.
:love2:
Comment by jeannie — February 15, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
HEROS rocks hardcore!
Comment by Qua — February 16, 2007 @ 1:02 pm