It’s Valentine’s Day today. Do you know how I realised this? I was sitting exactly where I’m sitting now this morning at 6:30am, trying to wrestle my next manuscript into some kind of submission ready shape, when my husband wanders in, gives me the sweetest kiss and says, ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.’ Then he got the boys ready and kept them away from me for as long as he could so I had a little more time to write before I had to drive everyone to school/the station. A truly thoughtful gift.

Now, I know all you non-writers out there might think it doesn’t sound like much, but you know, a girl really doesn’t need all the fluff and carry on of V-Day after 20 odd years of being together and 15 years of marriage. It’s the little things that count. It’s the knowing your partner well enough to know that some time to write is the thing that will count the most. Young people at work were talking about the flowers they’d got, the chocolates they were looking forward to munching down on, the extravagant dinner they would go out on, and I just hugged my husband’s sweet gesture to my chest and thought to myself – you’ll learn.

I had actually forgotten it was V-Day. I know, bad romance writer! (slaps hand) But I’ve been so busy lately turning around edits on my next book in next to no time as well as being wife, mother, working, doing my volunteer committee and contest coordinating stuff for RWA, that my head has been a little on the explody side and I just didn’t even think about what date it was. I knew it was Friday (must know what day of the week it is to make sure kids are dressed in correct school uniform and have right books/musical instruments to take with them, not to mention knowing if it’s a swim teaching day for me or not), but the date…not so much.

But my husband reminded me. And it was sweet and it was heartfelt and I felt it to my little tippy toes. We don’t do things for V-Day – we prefer to do the romantic thing in our own time – but it was a lovely way to start the day, being reminded I am loved and treasured. And I hope I make him feel loved and treasured in the little things I do for him all the time during the year. Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.

And just as a special shout out to my beautiful friend, Helen who came down from Canberra for a surprise visit (making me feel special and treasured and loved by both her and my hubby as they’d kept it a secret and played their parts very well so I never guessed) here is a tomato sauce heart just for you.

I know, not as spiffy as the image at the top, but still choc full of love. Are you laughing yet and feeling special?

I didn’t have any tomatoes, (for everyone else, it’s a long story involving a funny card and tomatoes she left on my doorstep) so this will have to do. But I laughed and thought of you.

I hope everyone else is treasured by someone too – husband, wife, partner, family, friends – and is reminded they are loved, not just today, but in little moments of surprise and sweetness during the year.

Now, to get on with writing about romance and love. I’m a lucky, lucky girl. 🙂