Deutsch Schuetzen's Awash With Swashbuckling Husbands.

A case of last minute shopping.

Driving through Deutsch Schützen a few minutes ago I was struck, perhaps even dumbstruck at seeing a few men exit our village shop with nothing but a rose in their hands. Three guesses who for...

Valentine's is alive and well with chocolates and flowers being given. It made me chuckle to myself seeing a husband ( of course I know whose husband it is ) emerge victorious from the village shop. He might have been one of the last lucky ones to evade the spousal silent treatment. Who can tell how many flowers Frau Wachter ordered. Honestly I didn't think that so many romantics still graced our village. Unexpected but brilliant.

The Bobster and I aren't that sentimental or rather, we don't like to follow the herd. As I mentioned to him earlier this morning, every day is like Valentine's with him. He still opens doors for me, he makes me a cup of tea now and then, he asks me how my day was and he complements me for most suppers made...the flip side of ignoring my culinary excursions and experiments would be a few of his least favourite dishes six days a week...

A local high school girl was also walking alongside the road as I drove home and I noticed that she was holding a flower bouquet of sorts. It took my mind back to school days and the nervous jitters some of us endured hoping that somebody might have been kind enough to leave a trinket for Valentine's.

Biggi

Valentines On A Saturday - Oh How Convenient.

The day of endless possibilities and broken dreams.

Woe be the man who has the gumption to forget Valentines Day in regard to his true love. Or so it has been made out in folklore or rather the media.

Valentines is one of those momentous days where even the petrol station sells out of iffy bunches of flowers. The type of flowers that look almost artificial and pronounce loud and clear to the recipient that it was a close call.

Bob and I were reminiscing about our school days and the pressure of a Valentines day. Yes, quite horrid to live up to expectations. Unless one was part of the A-team at school which neither of us were, ( the jocks and pretty slim girls, who by the way mostly lose their lustre after school ) there was no guarantee of receiving one of those so longed for Valentines cards or a rose dangling knowingly on your desk.

Fast forward to work life, and I can recall many Valentines Days where spouses of co-workers, only by the skin of their teeth managed to send a public display of love. A gift basket, a card or a bunch of flowers. In order to keep up appearances of a happy relationship, a few hushed phone calls were placed to a hapless husband.

Name me one person who is able to resist the lure of a bar of chocolate or even a fancier Valentines creation of it, but still, the strength of a relationship should not depend on this one public day.

That person by your side through life, the one that is a constant in your thoughts deeds and actions, even in the odd fight or two, doesn't need an annual reminder of your love....

...but a daily one. Those little thoughtful gestures we make daily are what it is all about.

• Making coffee first thing in the morning and bringing a cup to them.
• Opening the gate for your love just before she gets home from work, to save her getting out of the car.
• Making soup when the other spouse is too sick to get out of bed and secretly phoning a parent to get the exact recipe.
• Holding hands in public....even after being together a long time.
• Going for a long walk together.
• Showing kindness to others, because that is one of those deeds that makes one feel fuzzy around the heart...

So, if you went all out and bought flowers, chocolates or lingerie ( men, don't think we are fooled by that! ) by all means, hand those rare treats over,

but please don't forget the true Valentines Day...Everyday!

Biggi

A Burgenland, or rather Eisenberg bunch of red roses.

Complemented by a white rose. Eisenberg has many treasures...