Been My Valentine

I’m on vacation in Florida and have been away from my family long enough to feel nostalgic, so yesterday, when I stopped at the drug store to buy nail polish remover, the shelves of shiny red hearts filled with Valentine’s Day chocolates called out to me.

To be transparent, I am a sucker for holiday candy because I assume it is freshly made this year, certainly newer than the other stuff on the shelves. The day after the holiday, I stock up on Easter marshmallows and Halloween candy corn and, it is true, the candy is always tasty in that special chemical way reminiscent of childhood. Same for Valentine’s Day chocolate.

For my family, I do not wait post-holiday for gift purchases. I bought two boxes, the small ones that a mom can give to her children without it being icky. I got one for each offspring. They were on sale – advertised, as  ‘buy one, get the second box half off’,  but I might have gotten them anyway.

They fit in my suitcase, so it's easy to take them home. I had under-packed badly for my trip, worrying about the weight of the bag and consoling myself that I had credit cards with points, and Florida was not a third world country (I pause here for your thoughts). I could always shop in one of the boutiques here. I haven’t. There is something unappealing about taking pastel resort wear back to Chicago in winter. It’s a bit like getting on the plane in New Mexico wearing a turquoise blossom necklace and feeling embarrassed before we even takeoff.

Back to the chocolate candy. That night in my hotel room (they pride themselves on their vintage vibe), I couldn’t get Netflix or Prime, so I had to watch a show that specialized in finding oceanfront property. This second marriage couple in North Carolina were searching for a waterfront condo for under $200,000. The miracle had to occur so this blended family of six – 4 teenagers - could enjoy the beach.

It was like watching a horror movie as they inspected teeny places. I turned the TV off when the couple examined a studio apartment of 480 sq feet…but the complex had a waterslide where I assume 2 of the older children will sleep. It was brutal to imagine their upcoming vacation. I’m trying to justify what happened next.

I ate one box of chocolates. I said it was a small box. Now, this morning, I have to decide what to do. I can’t give a box to only one child. Page one, paragraph one of the mothering handbook expressly forbids that sort of behavior. I could go back to CVS and purchase a full price box….or… you know where I’m going.

I moved to a different hotel for my final week. No water slide but it has both Netflix and Prime. Tonight, I will enjoy the second box of chocolate. Happy V Day to me!!

For a little bit of joy in your life if you don't plan on squeezing 6 growing half-related bodies into 480 square feet of family fun, but Not The Trip We Planned. It has fewer calories than chocolate.