Tim and I aren’t huge into Valentine’s Day (I refuse to buy gaudy decor 😝), but we usually do something to mark the day even if we don’t celebrate on the day. Usually, it’s just eating out (a treat for both of us), or spending a bit more for a fancy meal at home (salmon’s a favorite). This year, we headed to IKEA. 😆
Tim made a joke about it in December when we were couch-hunting, and I didn’t let him forget about it in the months that followed. I was eyeing those cinnamon rolls on the way out. But then I got wind of their $1.50 ice cream, so that became the new priority…
caleö (v) {Latin}: be in love
We passed the IKEA on our way home from Sunday’s hike, so we stopped to wander through its maze. While in Europe, we’d walk through an IKEA or home store for a morning/afternoon walk after we had checked off our list of local sites and couldn’t fit in longer travel before the day’s work was scheduled to start. It was fun to dream of the home we’d one day have, and though we now have an apartment and our own things, that tendency to dream of a future home hasn’t quite gone away. When will the housing market suit our budget???
We had no plans to buy anything, but when Tim caught sight of the candles on clearance (less than $2!), he couldn’t resist. Then I got strawberry sorbet twisted with the vanilla frozen yogurt – it’s so smooth and creamy! 😋 And Tim got a lingonberry slushy. We also got a pear soda to go. A delicious (and cheap!) Valentine’s date.
But today isn’t just a holiday. It’s also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This would’ve put a damper on our Valentine’s celebration if we hadn’t gone out early – Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence. As it is, I have a batch of King’s Cake cinnamon rolls sitting on my counter from my mini Mardi Gras celebration yesterday – I’ll be staring at those all day long…
During Lent, as Catholics, we’re encouraged to give something up or do something extra to acknowledge and correct our spiritual shortcomings, using the time to strengthen our relationships with God. Last year, I focused on learning about the lives of the saints that I encountered during our travels. Lent ended before we made it to Greece, but I still kept a list of names, so I’ll finish off that “series” this year. As for my actual Lenten promise? Well, I haven’t figured that out yet, so we’ll see where the season takes me. That may not be the best way to approach things, but I’m trying to embrace what life is bringing right now, so I’m just going to leave the doors open.
The Logophile's Bookshelf 