Happy Valentines

So here is another native custom that is different over here, Valentines Day seems to be a sort of friendship day for children.  I had prior warning but I kind of ignored the lists of who's in who's class that we got from school last week, this was a mistake as it seems that the giving of valentines to all your classmates, be they girl or boy, is vital until you are about 10.

I discovered this truth on Wednesday morning so Rose and I hastily made a lovely card out of hearts cut from a floral calendar, she wrote her name 'Roze' (very rock and roll) on it and I photocopied it until we had the required number.  She brought home this big bag of stuff, there were presents and sweets and all sorts in it.

Jacob insisted that he didn't need to send cards and was the only child in his class who didn't, oh dear, I know to nag him about it properly next year.  Not giving didn't stop him receiving though.

This is all a far cry from the furtive, teenage 'secret, but really I want you to know' cards I recall from growing up, only the 2 prettiest, most popular girls in class ever got any and it was very important to not care when you didn't.  My only proper Valentine was from Jimmy Nail (It's ok Jimmy, I know it wasn't really from you) The romantic rhyme in it is so good that I still have it.

Perhaps now it has been recorded for posterity I can throw it in the bin.  As you can see I cleared out all my unnecessary stuff very efficiently before I exported all my worldly goods to Canada.