The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

February 14th – Valentine’s Day

loveFebruary 14th. It’s a big day as it celebrates love.

Traditionally it was the day when your special partner andor secret admirers espoused love and beyond. Now it has blossomed to include every sort of love. Perhaps the Min Pins are now carefully positioning their muddy paw prints on cards as my fingers fly across the keyboard.

At my grim boarding school there were really pretty girls that used to receive several cards on Valentine’s day. I can still hear their shrieks now as they ripped open the envelopes and honed into the messages.

My mum always sent me a card. With curly wurly writing so that I might not recognise who had sent it. Of course I saw through that but I was so grateful to walk up to the ‘post monitor’ and receive my card.

Opened alone and so appreciated. I even carefully glued them into my one day a day diary.

With Danny, those early days were such a time of hope and joy. We exchanged cards, a bit embarrassed, like teenagers. Most of these were eventually framed and added to The Love Gallery. These small framed tokens used to give me so much pleasure when I passed them on the way to the bathroom.

Over the past few years Valentine’s Day became a time of stress. I’m sure for both of us. I do remember several supermarket Valentine Meals ending up in the bin a couple of weeks after the event. We’d lost that innocent appreciative mojo.

A friend once said years ago,
“You are one of the last of the old romantics.”
I was surprised – thought most people were like me.

This year, dazzled by the hoards of signs reminding me that Valentine’s Day was approaching, I reckoned that it might be a bit of a struggle for a newby singleton.

Last week a bulky card arrived from America. Intrigued, I carefully opened the envelope.

I pulled out the longest Valentine’s card that I’d ever received. It was ‘signed’ in absentia by a few blog readers and CSH forumites.

I flopped down onto my old fur lined chair at the kitchen table and wept with a strange mixture of despair and delight. I’d been dreading Valentine’s Day but suddenly I felt cherished.

Thank you Michelle and Dan from Oregon and everyone who connived with this glorious plot. You have made this Valentine’s Day so special for me.

I need to go out and find a page a day dairy now that’s big enough to cosset this card. That drive into town will be a pleasure and I’m sure that I’ll smile all the way there.


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54 Comments

  1. FRIENDS tut

  2. As it would seem that Fiona has now deserted us i thought i would let you know that i am still using her Web Site. 4 Litres of Gooseberry Gin made plus 4 Litres of Raspberry Vodka to look forward to. If like me you still check the Web Site of use the Recipies then please comment, I am sure Fiona will be watching and maybe it will inspire her to return to chat with her frinds one day ????

    • I definitely intend to visit this site as its a great resource but I am missing the daily updates and new creations for items in the CFC. Fiona, you have many friends out there that are worried about you 🙁

  3. All i know is that she is selling her Lead Toy collection of on E Bay. I left a message on there some months ago but no reply

  4. Patricia

    Does anyone have the home email address for Fiona? Or her snail mail address? I’m really worried about her and the dogs. Don’t want to intrude on her privacy but simply want to know that she and the dogs are ok, if there is anything I can do to help – it has to be hard – with “him” gone, I’m sure the money situation is super hard to handle – I’m praying she isn’t going to lose their home.

  5. schnauzer-dog

    Fiona, have you reached the “mad as hell” stage yet??

  6. maggie L

    Fiona, come on, it’s been nearly 4 months and I might have to start checking those Suffolk paper reports again!…..

  7. Terry

    Hi Fiona – I hope you are well. I regularly check on your blog. In the past your blog kept me entertained and has been a major influence on my education in the “dark arts” of self-sufficiency and quite selfishly I miss your writing. I hope all is as well as can be and that each day bring you something to smile about. Thinking about you. Terry

  8. hey Fiona. Hope you are well. What are your up to?

  9. wendy

    Fiona, I am dumbfounded. I am just getting uptodate
    with all my blogs (won’t bore you with the reasons for
    the delay). I had such a shock when I came to yours.
    I was looking for updates on my fav MinPins and couldn’t
    believe what I was reading.
    I have read all your comments and they are all such lovely
    people trying to give you comfort.
    I just want to add my good wishes to you and hope that
    things are looking just a bit better.
    Wendy x

  10. Think Julie just summed everything up Fiona, we care a lot and no matter what you are going through please let us know just how you are xxx

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