That's Amore!

"That's Amore" is a 1952 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks. It became a major hit and signature song for Dean Martin in 1953. Amore means "love" in Italian, giving a general translation in English to "that's love.” Through the years I remember hearing Dean Martin sing this song and it always brought thoughts of soothing thoughts and romantic scenes running through my mind like a corner Italian bistro with a table set for two, a bottle of wine and two lovers holding hands, gazing starry-eyed into each others eyes. Ahhhhhhh....

Well, so much for my daydreaming! Today, I take Valentine’s Day as a chance to show my love and appreciation to those I love, and to be the recipient of same! If it isn’t said every day, then V-Day is as good as a time as ever to say I “HEART” U! So, I look forward to this day, when I know that I will receive flowers and a well-thought-out card from my husband; Bob knows he will get candy, some well-thought out gift, and a well-sought-after card; my boys (and their girls) will be getting something special from me, too.

I posted on Facebook yesterday that Bob has not failed me in the last 20 years with “surprising” me with flowers for Valentine’s. It is usually always red roses, but in the past he has changed it up some. One year it was white roses, one year white calla lilies and red roses and even a mixture of different colored roses. He doesn’t want to get too predictable, and I do like that. I may be selfish, but I love getting flowers for Valentine’s Day. I don’t need the candy or anything else. But the flowers – they warm my heart. It also helps get the through the Winter blues; gives me hope that I will soon be out there tending to my rose bushes and other flowers in my gardens. Call me selfish if you want, but I would have it no other way. And, again, this year he didn’t fail me. When I got home I found a beautiful display of a mixture of a dozen roses with colors ranging from red, pink, white, yellow. It, of course, warmed my heart.

This year, I was doubly surprised because the boys, Casey and Brady, their girls, Nika and Jenne, and their dogs, Pongo and Paris, surprised me with red roses and a card. I was able to meet up with Brady and Jenne outside of a Madison hospital where Jenne’s dad had surgery yesterday. Not the typical location for an exchange of gifts, but it works. Brady and Jenne were able to open up their gifts and they presented me with the red roses. Casey and Nika are coming back this weekend, so they will have to wait for their’s until then.

I always try to change things up every year. In the past, sometimes they have all gotten the same thing. One year, I gave them all a large bowl (which I called their popcorn bowls), filled with candy and chocolates and a little something special to each. Some years they have gotten clothes, CDs or DVDs. Bob’s gifts this year were lots of candy and a couple Packer Super Bowl t-shirts (which he wanted and I was holding off getting for me). Brady got a Brewer’s zipup and Jenne got a Packers t-shirt, and of course, they also got candy. Casey and Nika . . . well, I guess since I am posting this before they arrive home, I can’t tell what I got for them. But I hope they like it.

Jenne told me that after two-and-a-half years together, she finally got flowers from Brady. That makes a momma proud that he has finally stepped up! Way to go, Brady. And on my way home, I talked to Casey and chastised him when he told me he hadn’t gotten Nika anything but a card that he drew himself. Of course, he was joking with me just to get a rise out of me – which the boys know they can do! But he stepped up, too, with flowers, candy and a card. Hmmm . . . maybe they HAVE been paying attention through the years.

One thing Bob and I always traditionally do, too, is we go out to eat. Since we are farmers and I also work off the farm, sometimes our Valentine’s Day dinner date might not necessarily coincide exactly with Valentine’s Day itself. This year, we went out to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse on Sunday, the day before Valentine’s. We were able to get away for a few hours in the middle of the day, to enjoy a meal by ourselves, and hold hands at the bar while we waited for our table. Not anything too fancy or overly romantic, but it works for us. Many years ago, Bob and I had started a little tradition where we always got a heart-shaped pizza for Valentine’s Day. We hadn’t done that for awhile, so last night when I left work, I stopped and picked one up on the way. It was late when I got home, after 8:30, so this was just right for us. On Sunday after we got home for our date lunch, I made, frosted and decorated some simple Valentine Day cookies. I found that one cookie cutter I did not have was a heart-shaped one, so after lunch we had a couple errands to run and I looked for one, but alas, couldn’t find one. So round I went with. That works just as well, too.

Everyone has their holiday traditions and starting a Valentine’s Day one isn’t too bad of any idea. We live in a fast-paced world today and taking the time out of one day of the year to show your love and appreciation for those that you love isn’t too much to ask. And everyone has their own way of showing that love. If it is untraditional or unorthodox, who cares – if it works for you, that is all that matters. It certainly works for me.

It's a Love Weekend

Valentine’s Day is one of those days celebrated by many and celebrated in many different ways. Whether it be little children trading cards at school, lovers anticipating their first or many Valentine’s Day together, parents and children gifting each other, or couples together for years celebrating in various, unusual, romantic or monotonous ways. Bob and I always go out to eat; he always gives me flowers (roses) and he always gets candy and something else special, but practical. The boys usually always get candy and a stuffed animal of some sort. This year I took the boys gifts "out of the box" and gave them something different and more useful. And, yes, they still got candy. I can’t say now what they got because Casey still hasn’t come home to get his and I would hate to spoil the secret. He has been in New York all week for the National Toy Fair and promised he would be home to the farm this weekend to visit, but his plans can always change fast. So, I won’t spoil the surprise.

This year Bob gave me a different version of the dozen red roses; instead, I got a dozen multicolored roses. I was surprised and elated. Don’t get me wrong, but I’ll take a dozen red roses any day. But I like life, I like a little variety. They were gorgeous. He ordered them from a local floral/garden shop that I adore - Blumenladen. They were delivered out to the farm (which he paid extra for because he thought it would be more of a surprise). There were two of each; red, white, pink, yellow, salmon and peach. And they came just the way I like them – unopened. If you get flowers that are already opened – especially roses – they won’t last that long. This way you get to go through a little "life span" with them. My passion for roses is that I like to watch the whole bloom to deadhead process. From the time the buds open to a full bloom to the slow dying process, it is a road I love to travel. That’s why I have quite a few rose bushes in my yard. But, don’t think I’m stupid; even though I have some in my yard still doesn’t mean I’ll turn them away if they are hand-delivered once in awhile.
　
Our usual stomping ground for Valentine’s Day is Red Lobster. We both love shrimp and through the years have chosen this as our love snack shack!! Hahaha!! This year since Valentine’s fell on a Sunday, we figured we would not take the chance of going to eat on Sunday but would do it Saturday instead. So off to Red Lobster we went. The only one around is on the eastside of Madison and for us that takes some planning. By the time Bob gets in from chores, etc., and gets showered and ready to go, we had better be on the road by noon at the latest. To the east side it takes us an hour to drive, plus you need to figure two hours for the restaurant because by the time you possibly wait to get a seat, peruse the menu, order and eat, it’s two hours easily. That takes us to 3:00 and another hour drive back which is then 4:00 and he needs to be back by 4:30 at the latest to change and head out to do chores. We arrived at Red Lobster and there is a half-hour wait. We knew it upon arrival as the parking lot was filled. So, we opted to go next door to Outback. I’ve been there before, but Bob hasn’t. We had a great meal, although Bob’s medium prime rib spoke to him when it was first delivered; he sent it back for another shot at the cooking process. We heard it moo as it entered the kitchen. I had the Victoria’s filet and some crab-stuffed shrimp. I let Bob enjoy my little cut of meat (7 oz.) while he waited for his 18 oz. slab to return. Return it did, not bloody, but still pretty pink. I wouldn’t call it medium-well, more like rare-rare-medium. I tried not to watch him eat it.

We did, however, have a delightful waitress. She was Scandinavian of some sort, I assume, because of her accent and her name was Elsa. But she knew her stuff and anyone whoever has to wait on us, finds out pretty soon that Bob is always full of questions. She caught on right away that he doesn’t like onions or anything spicy and made appropriate suggestions to him to follow those lines. If there is one thing I (we) love, it is a good waitress/waiter. It makes your dining experience a whole lot better and we are more than happy to tip them accordingly. She was attentive and not in a bugging way (you can get some that hang on your table). My meal was great but as usual I ate too much. Bob ate all his meal, too, plus a little of mine. You know, I think I actually heard Bob "beller" a little when we got in the car.
　
On Sunday, actual Valentine’s Day, I wanted a day at home. So I took out some round steak, thawed it in the microwave slightly, pounded/tenderized and seasoned it, cut it into pieces, floured them on both sides and fried them slightly in EVOO (thanks, Rachel Ray!). Next, I poured a half carton of beef stock in a casserole dish and then added some to the frying pan. I took the pieces out and lined them up in the dish and then sliced up one Vidalia onion into big slices/rings, put that into the fry pan with two handfuls of sliced mushrooms. Next, I added about a half cup of beef stock and about a cup of Cabernet wine (leftovers from when either my sisters, Brady’s girlfriend, Jenne, or my niece, Tracy, were at the farm!!). I let the onions and mushrooms cook a little and let the wine reduce down and then poured it all over the steak --who were laying in wait of a little happy juice. Off to the bottom oven with it. Next, I threw together the California Blend Vegetable casserole and it joined the meat to bask in the warmth for a few hours. In the top oven , I threw in some baked potatoes. I chose Goldens, washed and dried them off, poked a few holes in them, spread some butter on the top and the bottom, sprinkled them on both sides with a little garlic/parsley powder, wrapped them in tin foil and off to the top oven for a couple hours. Lastly, I threw together some scotch-a-roos (chocolate – it’s Valentine’s Day, right!?!). Lunch is in the oven, dessert is done and I’ve got a DVD afternoon planned. Once we finished eating, we jumped to the recliners and we did a Vince Vaughn marathon. We had just enough time before chores to watch two movies and my Netflix plan worked out perfectly so that we got to watch Four Christmases and Couples Retreat. I loved them both; Bob wasn’t as enthusiastic about "loving" them, but he said they were okay.
　
Just as we finished up my youngest son and his girlfriend, Brady and Jenne, arrived at the farm. I had texted them (and Casey, my oldest) that morning wishing them a Happy Valentine’s Day and that their V-day gifts were waiting at the farm for them. (Nothing like a little present bribery to get the kids to come visit! LOL!!). They had gone out to eat in New Glarus. Their first choice was the Glarner Stube (where my niece, Maci, works) but they were closed for vacation, so they went to the New Glarus Hotel instead. While in New Glarus they visited my fav store, Blumenladen, (yes, the men in my life are all learning!) and picked up a Cyclamen plant for me. I love this plant and am thinking that now I might need to give it some friends. I think that means I need to make a trip to see Brenda at Blumenladen’s to find some accompanying pals and a pot for them all to hang out together in. Hey, we wouldn't want the little girl to be lonely now, would we! Any girl will tell you that you put her and some pals together in a cute little hangout spot -- give 'em a drink or two --and we're happy campers!

Hmmmmm, Spring might just be appearing in my window sooner than I think!