V Words

The first 'V' for this entry is Valentine's Day.

Last year Monique and I had just started dating before Valentine's Day, and I think I sent her an iCard; it didn't seem quite comfortable at that point to go overboard for V-Day, since we'd just had our first date a few days before. Other than that, it's been about seven years since I was last dating someone on Valentine's Day.

Since I was playing Ultimate on Thursday (a fact which apparently really griped Debbi's brother-in-law, though I think he was mainly giving her a hard time), we made plans to get together on Friday. Now, lent had started on Wednesday, and Debbi gives up chocolate for lent, which meant that my usual ace-in-the-hole (I'm really good at finding good chocolate for people) was out. Debbi says I could have gotten her chocolate anyway and she'd have just held it 'til after Easter, but that's just not the same. So I decided to get her a card and flowers.

The flowers turned out to be the easier of the two. I found a good florist near my home, and the fellow who helped me there was very helpful and I came away entirely satisfied.

As for the card, well... I have the worst luck finding cards for people. It doesn't matter that I was looking late, since past history suggests that it doesn't matter when I look, what event I'm looking for, or whom I'm getting the card for, it just takes me a long time to find the right card.

Debbi, on the other hand, found not one but two neat cards which she sent to me. And my Mom also found a very entertaining one (Mom seems to something send cards just because it's Thursday or something, which I appreciate, but I envy her ability to find nice cards). Anyway, I did finally find a card which expressed the sentiment I wanted to express, and didn't seem cutesy or sappy or sarcastic or dirty.

It all seems to have gone over pretty well. I even set up a nice little presentation of the flowers on my dining table, surrounded by the cards I'd received! And then we went out for Italian food, and came back and I poured us wine and built a fire. So it was a cozy little day-after-V-Day.

(By the way, this is way, way more thought than I put into most holidays. My family doesn't really observe holidays other than Christmas or birthdays, though we something put extra effort into Thanksgiving dinner. But that's about it. I often don't even know when holidays like Presidents' Day or even Labor Day are until they sneak up on me. Holidays just aren't significant to me. And certainly I have nothing but the utmost disdain for the Hallmark Holiday that is [gack] "Sweetest Day".)

The other 'V' for this entry is Visitors.

Long-time readers might recall my friend Matt visiting me three years ago, and yesterday he arrived to spend a few more days with me. Matt and I went to high school together (along with Debbi; turns out Matt and Debbi don't remember each other at all), and we've kept in contact. He's just finished up a degree in architecture, and is driving around the country to see things and visit friends before looking for a job. Now that I've got my new place, it's easy to put him up for a few nights.

Thursday I picked up the futon I bought last weekend, and Friday night (before Debbi arrived) I assembled it, so last night I put sheets and blankets and pillows on it so it was ready for Matt's arrival. The futon, by the way, folds up into a really comfy chair, which is over three feet wide (I'll probably buy some extra pillows for it), with a pull-out extension to add a built-in footrest if desired, and it's really comfortable and restful to sit in my study in the chair with the windows open and light streaming in, enjoying the nice weather. I think I'll get plenty of use out of it. (And so will Debbi; she'll likely sit in it at times when I'm on the computer.)

Matt drove up from Los Angeles and arrived around 10:30 pm, a bit earlier than expected, truthfully, but maybe I'm just a pessimist. He seems much the same as ever. Debbi took off to leave us alone, and we nattered until a bit after midnight before turning in.

Today Matt did some laundry, and we had lunch at Amici's (since the other pizzeria I wanted to go to is closed Sundays), and then picked up Debbi and we headed into San Francisco for the day. We walked all around Pacific Bell Park, which it turns out is actually open to the public - in a limited way - during the offseason. So we went inside and saw a bit of the Giants' fantasy camp from a distance (it looks like Barry Bonds was there and in uniform), and Matt got to see the right field wall and the left field bleachers and fan areas. We also walked along the promenade beyond the right field wall, which I'd never done before. And the weather was nice!

We then went and walked all around Chinatown, the financial district, and down to Ghirardelli Square, where we had ice cream, and then took a streetcar back to our parking lot. Lots of walking - probably over 3 miles - but it was fun. My foot has been smarting from the punishment it took during Ultimate on Thursday (more running then usual due to fewer substitutes, combined with a hard-as-clay ground), but it held up pretty well.

Matt's here through Wednesday. I'm not taking any time off (I don't have tomorrow - the aforementioned Presidents' Day - off), but we'll likely spend time together the next couple of nights, and he'll have plenty of time to cruise around the Bay Area and see whatever he wants on his own schedule, which I think is what he wants.

And boy, it sure is nice to have this larger and more centrally-located home to host him in.