Strengths Of A Woman

Have you ever taken the VIA  Character Strength survey? It's a lovely little exercise in self-absorption self-awareness. You do a fifteen minute quiz and then you receive your list of personality traits. Here's mine and why they could be considered strengths. Or not...

1. Forgiveness.

I am a forgiving creature. If you say you don't even like the Carpenters, I'll forgive you.  After all, it's not your fault. We can't all have exquisite taste. Besides, I think holding grudges is a waste of energy. Forgiveness helps me in life, because I avoid wasting energy thinking over things. Especially because I do tend to be an over thinker! 


2. Humility.

Humility is a strength because I'm not vain or full of myself. Sometimes, however, it feels like I can take this a bit too far. For example, I am terrible at self-promotion. That would explain why this blog has lain languishing in the far corners of the internet for approximately five years... Look, I'm sure there's a strength there somewhere. I'll let you know, when I figure out what it is...

3. Honesty.

This speaks for itself. Honesty is a strength because I have strong sense of what is right or wrong and I live my life in line with those values. Consequently, I have never been arrested. I tend to view this as a positive thing in life . I'm funny like that. Well, there was that one time when I accidentally forgot to pay for an avocado in Coles and I didn't go back... But this was back when smashed avo wasn't such a thing and they weren't really expensive... And I swear I'm a good person! HONEST. 

4. Prudence.

Apparently I'm a prim and proper Pollyanna type. I'm surprised by this because I thought of myself as a rebel and risk taker. Cutting edge and all. I mean, sometimes I even have TWO cups of coffee in a day! That's daring. Isn't it? On the plus side, at least I don't do or say things I regret later. Unless they involve cake... 

5. Love.

Well yes, I do love cake. Cake Love is everything. Valuing and loving my family is a strength, because basically I've got nothing else to offer them. Not a thing. I'm like a puppy.Cute to have around, eats a lot, but is utterly useless. But even if I suck at everything on a practical level, my boys know that I love them. That's the most important thing. I think. I hope. Of course it is! HMPH. 

6. Fairness.

It probably doesn't feel very fair at the moment that I am making you read this. But I do try to be entertaining. And fair. Always. I like to play fair. It's just the way I am and I'm proud of it because I treat everyone the same and am not judgey at all, even I'm supposed to be prim (see no 4. Prudence. What's that about...?)

7. Judgement.

I am not judging you. If you're sitting there in your PJ'S at midday, eating your body weight in cheese/chocolate/chips... Who am I to judge? Ahem.  

8.  Love Of Learning.

I'm learning about myself and life all the time. Just when I think I have a few things figured out, something perplexes me again and I'm back where I started. But I never give up.  That, in itself, has to be a strength. Doesn't it?

9. Kindness.

How could anybody think this is not a strength? I certainly sleep better at night because of this trait. I'll call that a win. 

10.  Humour.

Humour is essential and a strength because it allows me to see the lighter side of the most ridiculous and challenging things. And let's face it who wouldn't laugh at my Kath n' Kim 'fro'. It's noice. Unyewwwsual.

11. Gratitude.

I am grateful for all the small blessings in my life. Not just cake! 

12. Appreciation Of Beauty & Excellence

Being able to appreciate books and music has definitely been a strength and comfort in my life! 

13. Leadership.

Not surprisingly, this trait comes in at 13. I am a quiet soul.  These days us introverted souls can still lead in our own quiet ways. Don't laugh. If I choose not to, that's my prerogative. Shut up. 

14. Hope.

I was hoping I could think of something to say about this. Nope. Nothing. But I never give up hope. See? 

15. Perseverance.

This one is a little dispiriting. To see it so low down the list. In part I believe it's because I'm easily distracted. This prevents me from getting tasks done. However, I'm improving. Sort of. In increments. Okay, it's a two steps forward, three steps back kind of thing, but I never give up. See? I have perseverance! 

16. Perspective.

I change my perspective and get confused about what I believe easily.  I don't really know what to say about this. At least I am flexible about changing and understanding new information. Yep, definitely a strength. 

17. Teamwork.

I would like to say I'm a team player,but actually I hate people. So, no. Just no. 

Okay, hate is a strong word. I just don't understand them. Especially myself.   But I think we've established the fact that I'm actually some sort of creature from the planet Zorg. 

18. Creativity. 

To be honest, I've only just truly understood what creativity really IS in the last few months. To my chagrin, I am not as creative as I'd like to be, but again, I am changing. One of these days, I'll be a creative genius. See my hope and perseverance? 

19. Zest.

Yes, well. What can I say about this? I do feel full of zest quite often. Unfortunately it's the zest of a sloth creature on Valium. No surprises, that this trait features so low on my list. Having admitted to this, many ASD folk speak of something called Autistic 'inertia'.
I am going with that. Explains a lot. 

20. Curiosity.

I am a bit odd here. I don't seem to have much interest or curiosity about things the way others do. Again, I think it's something to do with ASD. We're supposed to have rigid and narrow interests. If I really think about it, there are things that interest me, they're just different than others. It's all good. 

21. Spirituality.

Apparently this relates to having coherent believes about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe. Yeah, got nothing. If anyone has any answers I'm all ears. 

22. Bravery.

Apparently I'm a spineless, scaredy-cat wuss. If anyone needs me I'll be shaking and cowering in the corner. 

23. Social intelligence.

Yeah, I think we've covered the fact that I really don't get people. That is all. 

24. Self-Regulation. 

Well, this is not exactly a shock. Self-regulation comes in at the very end for me. Considering my passion for all things cake like, it's sadly true. It's an area with which I struggle. Sigh.

I must admit, this exercise is a bit dispiriting and I do wish I could shuffle some of these traits around.  However, I guess a forgiving, humble, kind, non-judging, fair-minded Pollyanna with a love of learning and a sense of humour isn't so bad. After all, it's all a matter of perspective! 

Joining in for Friday Reflections with the prompt:

• Take the VIA Character Strength Survey and talk about your strengths and how it might help you in life.

What character traits do you consider to be strengths? 

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Must Watch TV

Howdy folks! I am back to talk about must watch TV. 

This time last year my must watch TV was the entire five seasons of Downton Abbey.  You can't really do much when you are being poisoned having chemo, so that was it for me.  

The thing is, I must be the only tragic person in the entire universe who doesn't have Netflix or Stan or Presto, or any of these new-fangled things. So my television viewing is limited to free to air. GASP. Imagine being so broke retro! 

Of late, I have found myself drawn to watching all those true crime documentary type programmes. Murder Uncovered and the like. I totally hate myself and feel icky afterwards.  But it's a bit like passing a car accident, you feel compelled to look yet horrified and ashamed of yourself...

Okay, I've never actually done that. Slowed down to gawk at an accident.... but I can't seem to help myself with these true crime shows. It's a sickness. 

Conversely, I also find myself watching reruns of As Time Goes By starring Dame Judi Dench.  This show sort of slipped by me the first time around. Probably because I was in my 20s back in the 90s and imagined it to be a tedious show about a bunch of crusty old octogenarians. Fast forward a couple of decades and I'm a nanna before my time. I'm loving it. 

Although I always did love The Golden Girls right from the beginning, so I was a nanna even then. Unnecessary details, as I like to say. 

I can't stand all these reality shows. I'd rather watch anything than I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here or My Kitchen Rules. Just the ads for these shows make me want to break out in hives. 

Actually, I lie. I have watched snippets of Married At First Sight because Mickey Blue Eyes watches it from time to time. Shhhhhhh, don't tell him I told you.

The five minutes I saw of it the other night seemed to involve people talking about each other behind each other's backs and someone insisting that a dude should 'come out of his shell'.  Cue eye rolls from me. I HATE that expression. I can't imagine why anyone would go on these shows. 

I do need to find me some good comedy shows to watch. Any suggestions? 

Also, some period drama to replace Downton.  I need this in my life. Binge watching is actually fabulous, but the only time I've done it was when I was sick and supine from chemo. What am I like?

Meanwhile, I need to move my body not indulge in more couch potato shenanigans. Perhaps I need to move my dusty old treadmill to a prime position in front of the TV?  Or get a stationary bike. Those things always hurt my ample arse. But then, I haven't used one since approximately 1984 or something, when my parents had one. My bum was small then, so the seat must have been REALLY small. 

But enough about bums. Back to TV. 

My favourite shows as a kid were I Dream Of Jeannie and Bewitched, which probably explains a lot.

I don't actually even know who a lot of actors/celebrities are these days. I'm so out of the loop with it all. Uninformed. Oblivious. Deprived. It's quite tragic, really.  Cue all the violin music. 

Maybe I should start a Get Ness Netflix fund. It's a worthwhile charity, I think.  Never mind those starving children. My binge watching is MUCH more important. 

What else can I say about must watch TV?

Oh, yes! Remember the old mini-series of the 1980s? Think The Thorn Birds or Lace.  They were always so melodramatic and you had to wait until the next evening to see the finale. 

My favourite was Anne Of Green Gables from circa 1985, starring Megan Follows and Colleen Dewhurst.  Those were the days! 

Kids today will never know the excruciating anticipation of waiting A WHOLE TWENTY FOUR HOURS for the gripping finale of a drama. They're totally spoiled with all this immediate gratification. 

Anyway, apparently I've already blathered on about my guilty TV pleasures before. It has already been confirmed that I'm an airhead who doesn't watch anything meaningful. Oh, well. Never mind.

I still have the entire five seasons of Downton. Who needs anything else? I need to watch it again to see if it's just as good when you're not poisoned. Oooohhh, I can already hear the dramatic them music! 

I love it!

Catch you later. I have some binge re-watching to do! 

What is your must watch TV? 

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Imagination

With my imagination I can behold
Mysteries, stories, tales to be told

Search through the archives of my mind
Ask probing questions, transcend time

I'm sitting, just staring, so it would seem
Dreaming things that make my eyes gleam

Thinking up magical words to create
Making up characters, deciding their fate

Lost in the wonder of words I discover
Finding a rhythm, then writing another

Sitting in bed, pen in my hand
Come to me now, dear words, I command

When I have written, I like how I feel
Something shifts and inside I heal

In a quiet corner where my books all reside
Another notebook, words jumbled, I've tried

With a laptop and imagination, I tap away
Contented and happy in this simple way

Flying away in both heart and mind
Along with the wind, to see what I'll find

Past houses, trees and curious people
A windswept beach, a sombre church steeple

Thinking of questions, pondering answers
Daring to dream, take further chances 

To ancient lands of haughty queens and kings,
Creatures and serpents and sinister things

Grotesque visions that make your heart lurch
Yes, imagination is the highest research!

Outside the window, the rain starts to fall
I'm lost to my imagination's beckoning call

I weave my words, unaware of the time
Oblivious to the washing, now wet on the line!

Suddenly I see my dear Mickey Blue Eyes
Who looks out, aghast, and hastily cries

"Didn't you hear it?"I give a sheepish no.
 It's hard to believe I didn't, I know.

I said it before, but one more time...
Imagination is the place you will find

The research for all the things you ponder
True glory and hope, visions of wonder

Of course imagination is the highest research
It's always a blessing, but sometimes a curse!

Abruptly I have to crash back to Earth,
Be present and focused to prove my worth

So I must explain, I often feel misunderstood
I'm a wistful dreamer whose intentions are good

Although imagination does take me away
It's how I express the things I can't say

It's not laziness that you think you see
This is the magic of imagination for me

I'm sitting, just staring, so it would seem
Dreaming of things that make my eyes gleam

With my imagination I can behold
Mysteries, stories, tales to be told...



Linking up for Friday Reflections with a poem that is inspired by the following two prompts: 


 “Imagination is the highest form of research” – Albert Einstein. Use this quote in your post or as an inspiration for one.

 What’s the one thing you wish others understood about you


Do you think imagination is the highest form of research?

What's the one thing you wish others understood about you? 

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Taking Stock - February Edition

Making : Cups of tea. They do not make themselves. I'm expected to pour boiling water over a teabag. HMPH. I need a lie down after that. 

Cooking : Last week I made roast lamb and vegies and a penne bolognaise pasta bake.  My children actually ate them! Excuse my excitement over such a trivial thing, but this literally never happens. 

Drinking : Tea, water, wine. In that order of priority. I know! I need to change my priorities. Wine should be first! 

Reading: Lots of different library books. 

Trawling: The library shelves. 

Wanting: More time to read all of the above books.

Looking: More like a nanna than ever. A very plump old nanna named Mavis. Maybe I should take up knitting?

Deciding:  Whether to cut my fro short or keep letting it grow. Thoughts? 

Wishing: I wasn't quite so self-absorbed. I'm not, am I?DOH. 

Enjoying: The cooler weather.

Waiting: For our hot water service to be fixed. It died a few days ago and we have no hot water. Fun times. 

Liking: The cooler weather. See: Enjoying. I even ate soup yesterday! Yes, I do need get out more...

Wondering: Where I would go to get out more... Besides the library...

Loving: Saturday sleep-ins. There are good things about having teenagers. 

Pondering: What to make for dinner. It's always about food for me. Shut up.

Listening: To the Today show blathering on about the Oscars.

Considering: What to type here. I have such a boring life I need to make something up.... Nup. Sorry. Got nothing. 

Buying: Groceries and not much else. Boring! See above. 

Watching: True Crime documentaries and reruns of As Time Goes By. Did I mention I'm boring? 

Hoping: I haven't had put you to sleep with my boring as batshit life.

Marvelling: That anyone would still be here reading this. You are? Aren't you nice! 

Cringing: At the number on the scales when I went back to the dietitian last Thursday. Oops. 

Needing: The number on the scales to go down. 

Questioning: Why weight isn't like height. It should get to the healthy range for your height and STAY THERE FOREVER. So rude! 

Smelling: This excellent stuff I bought for my fro. It's called Frizz No More. Totally excellent. Except for one TINY thing. They should have left the word 'No' out of it. Related: My fro is frizzier than ever.  

Wearing: I have a certain style at the moment. It's called 'whatever still fits'. 

Noticing: That hardly anything fits at the moment. See above. Again; OOPS. 

Knowing: I will need to buy new clothes, but I don't want to buy larger ones. Sigh. 

Thinking: I should probably think about something besides food.... Ummmmmmm...

Admiring: Mr 12 (soon to be 13) for making the transition to high school this year smoothly so far. Proud of him! 

Getting: Off my arse to exercise. No, really! I did, yesterday. Consequently I am very sore today. But I will be going back for more. 

Bookmarking: Um. Nothing. 

Disliking: The heat, the number on the scales, having no hot water, endless bills... yada, yada, yada. 

Opening: Bills! GAH.

Closing: My eyes. You know, just to rest them a bit... I don't need a nanna nap... no way... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Feeling: Tired (see above). Bored. Brilliant. Ebullient. Listless. Blah. Then brilliant again. Yep, still my moody self. Yay. 

Hearing: News on the telly. 

Celebrating: Mr 12 will be Mr 13 in a few weeks.

Pretending: I'm normal. At least, I try. Have I fooled you?
 
Embracing: Mr 8. He asked me for a hug this morning and said "Can we hug for five hours?" Lasted about 30 seconds. 


And there you have it. That's me 'taking stock' this fine February. 

What have you been embracing and feeling in February? Um, yeah that....??

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Letter To A Kindred Spirit

Dear Anne,

You don't know me, but I believe if we'd met we would most definitely be kindred spirits. Maybe I wouldn't take the place of Diana as your 'bosum' friend, but I would be a close second. 

I am shy and silent just like your beloved Matthew. You could chatter to your heart's content and I wouldn't mind. 

Like you, I also had red hair as a girl. Unlike you, I wasn't particularly bothered by it. In fact, I felt proud to have something in common with my favourite heroine. I wore a blue dress with puffed sleeves to my year six farewell. I agree. Puffs are MAGNIFICENT. 

I can imagine us together. You would show me all your favourite haunts. The White Way Of Delight, and the Lake Of Shining waters. I think I'll pass on The Haunted Wood, however. My imagination is quite vivid too, you see. 

I would have been a prolific member of your Story Club, Anne. I too, wrote such melodramatic stories as a child. They are hilarious in hindsight, just like your stories: The Jealous Rival and In Death Not Divided. And Rosamund Montmorency is a splendid pen name! What do you think mine would have been, Anne? I'm thinking something like Lavinia De Lovely.  Or, with your permission, I could be Cordelia De Lovely. Yes, Cordelia IS a perfectly elegant name. You are quite correct about that. 

Mind you, I believe Anne is also an elegant name.  And yes, it should be spelled with an E. Remember how when you asked Marilla to be sure to spell it with and E and you said: "Whenever you hear a name pronounced, can't you always see it in your mind, just as if it was printed out?" 

I had such a thrill of recognition when I read that! I do the very same thing! In fact, I often see entire sentences in my mind as if they were printed out. It's odd, but I'm glad I have something else in common with you, Anne. This seems to confirm to me that we are indeed kindred spirits. 

I must confess, I would have been a little jealous of Gilbert's devotion to you, Anne. I definitely have a crush on him! But he would only ever have eyes for you, so you needn't worry about that. I am not a horrible flirt, show off or nasty gossip like Josie Pye! I would dance at yours and Gilbert's wedding, and toast you with currant wine. Being careful not to get drunk like Diana did! 

And when you went off to Queens and Kingsport Ladies College and then to live in Glen St. Mary, I would have been a faithful pen pal. Letter writing is something I've always enjoyed. I do wish that I could be much more determined, like you, Anne. But I'm getting better.

As Miss Stacey said: tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it.  That is always such a comforting thought. Until tomorrow comes and I make the same mistakes all over again. You know, just to be sure! 

There have been many times when I've felt like I'm 'in the depths of despair' as you put it, but you have always been there to comfort me.  Even though I know you're fictional, you'll always be my friend and a true kindred spirit. After all, that's what an imagination is for, right? So thanks, Anne. I look forward to the next 'bend in the road'.  

I will remain yours faithfully,

Ness. 

Joining in for Friday Reflections with the prompt:

Write a letter to a fictional character.

Which fictional character would you write to?

Are you an Anne Of Green Gables fan? 

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Being Grateful

Over the years I've tried on and off to have a gratitude journal. This is the simple act of writing down the things you're most grateful for each day. Apparently there is research to show that this process is effective in helping with things like depression and increasing contentment. I tend to be a bit cynical about these things (surprise!). I will concede that it's a much better option than reaching for the cake every time you feel crappy. That has worked out really well for me. NOT.  

The problem I have with gratitude journals? It gets a bit boring to write the same things every day. OF COURSE I am grateful for my health - now more than ever, having had cancer. OF COURSE I am grateful for my family. I'm also grateful to have some time to myself away from my family now and again (but you're not supposed to admit that?).

During my cancer treatment, I began the concept of a 'happiness jar'. Except I used a shoe box, because I like to be different. The idea is, you write down anything that made you happy that day, any memorable moment no matter how mundane or seemingly insignificant. Then you pop it in the jar. At a later date you can read them and realise there were happy moments among the shittyness. 

I haven't added anything to my happiness box or written a gratitude journal in quite a while.

 And while I'm still somewhat sceptical about the practise on a daily basis, it doesn't hurt to revisit it once in a while and remind yourself that you have plenty of positive things to be grateful for. So, here's my A-Z of things I'm currently grateful for. 

The things I am currently grateful for:


A - Apples, Avocados, Ass burgers diagnonsense, Air conditioning, Australia: I'm grateful I was born and live here; even if it has been like the seventh circle of hell lately!

B - Boys, Books, Blogging, Brain (I think I have one)

C - Cakies, Carpenters music, Creativity, Cuddles

D - Daydreams

E - Exercise, Eating (everything always comes back to food with me...)

F - Friendships ( online and real life ), Family

G - Green (one of my favourite colours)

H - Home, Health

I = Imagination, Igloo (well, I WOULD be grateful if I had one...it's bloody hot here!)

J - Juices, Joy, Jogging (Just kidding, I never jog!)

K - Karen! (Carpenter, of course! )

L - Love ( I am loved and I love my family )

M - Micky Blue Eyes, Music

N - Notebooks

O - Online world

P - Pens, People I love

Q - Quiet time!

R - Reading, Resilience

S- Silence, Stories, Songs

T - TV, Therapy, TITS ( this is what I call my ipod, plus I AM glad I got to keep my tits on after having breast cancer)

U - Unicorns? ( Okay, I'm stuggling, now!)

V- Vanessa being my name,

W - Words, Writing, Water

X - X - rays (since a mammogram saved my life)

Y -  (New) Year

Z - I'm grateful I've reached z so I'm finished!!


There you have it. An A-Z of gratitude.

I just realised yet another reason why I'm uncomfortable with the procedure. I always feel like I'm missing the point and there is some big, important thing that I should be grateful for and I'm such a self-absorbed arsehole  to only think of food! 

Oh well! Oops. 

What are your thoughts about gratitude journals? 

What are you most grateful for? 

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Mrs Picklebottom Is Properly Horrified

Well hello, groovers and shakers. Or shakers and groovers, either way works. I'm back to talk all about LUURRRRVE.

Today is the 13th of February. See how sharp I am? This means that tomorrow is the 14th (razor sharp!), and you know what that means?!!

Yep, it's just another day. Well, it is to me. But for some folk, it's the most romantic day of the year: Valentine's Day. 

This means that Mickey Blue Eyes will be getting some very special treatment tomorrow. I might even make him a sandwich. And, when I serve up the burnt sausages and veg for dinner, I'll even do a little tomato sauce love heart. I'm thoughtful like that. 

Why am a such a cynical little soul? I mean, considering I love the Carpenters who usually sung about love. Birds suddenly appearing, sharing horizons and all that shit.  I guess I'm a weird mass of contradictions. 

The thing is, I don't really need a bunch of over priced roses to know that  my husband loves me. After all, why would he put up with my Carpenters addiction. That shit must be maddening.  Poor bastard. 

I will, however, take a million dollars and a life time supply of chocolate. I'm not greedy. 

Truthfully, I did fall in love for the first time at the tender age of around seven or eight. As soon as we touched I was besotted. My eyes met with the object of my affection and it was love at first sight.

I couldn't wait to meet with my new love for our daily trysts. We were together all the time. In bed. At school. Under the desk. In the playground. Parting was always heartbreaking. It was like leaving a piece of me behind whenever I forgot my books. Yes, books. What did YOU think I was talking about?

Forget about playing kiss/chasey in the playground, when you can sit in the corner with a book! Besides, fictional boys are better. Case in point: Gilbert Blythe. Swoooon. I wouldn't have minded if he'd called ME carrots! 

Books were definitely the first love of my life. This continued into my teens. When I was in Year 9, I had this English teacher. As you do. Honestly, I can't even remember her name, so I should probably make something up.

Let's just call her Mrs Picklebottom. Because if you're going to make up a name, it might as well be something ridiculous.  Now, since this blog is just me repeating myself ad nauseam, there's a good chance I've told this story before. But it's a good one, so here it is again...

It was during this particular time in my life that I enjoyed reading Mills & Boon romances.  Before you judge me, bear in mind that we didn't have the internet in 1985, so I had to find out about sex somewhere. I certainly wasn't the type to be off 'pashing' and being fingered behind the demountables. No judgement whatsoever if you were. I certainly hope you enjoyed it. Just wasn't my thing. So I stuck to the books. 

Mrs Picklebottom was completely horrified by my choice of reading material. So much so, that she immediately contacted my mother and demanded a meeting. The next thing you know, my bewildered mother was being informed by Mrs Picklebottom that allowing girls to read these type of novels would make them grow up to think that if they have sex and have an orgasm, they're in love! 

As my late aunt pointed out when Mum told her, you can have an orgasm masturbating, and it doesn't mean you're in love with your hand! I wish mum had sent my aunt to the meeting. Would have been interesting. 

At this point, I must apologise to my mother, some thirty odd years later. I certainly cannot imagine having to have such a conversation with a teacher. Mum replied that she disagreed. She thought it was just a phase I'd grow out of.

This proved to be true, as I no longer read Mills & Boon  novels. Enid Blyton and LM Montgomery on the other hand... 

Shhhhhhhh, don't tell anyone! 

I can't help thinking that if Mrs Picklebottom is still out there teaching high school English, she would have imploded at the Fifty Shades series. Not to mentions teens ready access to internet porn these days. 

However, maybe Mrs Picklebottom had a point. It was just a clumsy delivery. It's entirely possible that romance novels DO set people up for unrealistic expectations about love. 

That is my whole problem with Valentine's Day. It's so phoney and commercial.  Personally we don't celebrate it. We prefer to leave it for our wedding anniversary which has more personal meaning to us. We'll celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary in November instead. 

One other thing, if you're single and feeling a bit crap because it's Valentine's Day and everyone is posting all their loved up stuff on Facey. Don't. Or, at least, don't feel crap for longer than five minutes. Feel the crappy stuff, then move on.  

Those couples enjoying a romantic meal near the beach will be the same ones who'll be pissed off with each other the next day for forgetting to replace the toilet roll. Incidentally, it's me who always forgets to replace the toilet roll in this house, not Mickey Blue Eyes. Oops. Sorry! 

So I think I finally understand what Mrs Picklebottom was saying. Love isn't about hearts and flowers on one arbitrary commercial day. There is so much more to it than that. It's all the little things your partner does every day.  And the HUGE things; like supporting each other through cancer. (That's a whole other blog post...) It's been a wild 22 years, that's all I can say...

And tomato sauce love hearts are cute sometimes, too.

Maybe I'm a romantic after all? 

What are your thoughts about love, Valentine's Day and Mills & Boon novels? 

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