Happy Hearts...

I'm resisting temptation and refusing to get too mushy-gushy, lovey-dovey on this Valentine's Day. Personally, I don't particularly like or loathe this holiday. I'm about as neutral as Switzerland to it. But I know that this day can bring utter, dumbstruck joy or dismal, depressing pain to people thanks to their current relationship status. So, I'm going to try not to dwell on the occasion for too long in hopes that I will not either a.) encourage the silly sappiness that infatuation evokes, or b.) discourage my friends and family members who may not be especially enthused about today for their own various personal reasons.

All that said, I have to give Matthew at least some of his due credit in this public forum for being such an awesome hubby. We had agreed that we didn't want to exchange gifts this year because we didn't really need anything and because we wanted to save our money for our upcoming down payment on a house in Houston. Well, I should have known better. I awoke this morning to a package on the kitchen table.

Foot warmers! They have this crazy gel on the inside, so when you click this enclosed disc, the gel heats up. As it slowly cools, it molds to your feet, enveloping them in customized hotness. Haven't tried them yet, but the night is young. So creative and practical! That man sure knows what I need... or maybe he's just tired of my cold feet seeking warmth from his body heat.

So of course, I felt like an awful wife for taking the "no presents" policy literally. Luckily, Matthew had class until later in the afternoon, giving me some time to improvise. A quick bike ride later, I hit the jackpot and came home with candy "crack."

The Cambridge market has a booth that sells all manner of candy and sweets. Matthew is addicted to the strawberry cables. I don't know what's in them, but it is a white powdery substance ( hence the reference to an illicit drug.) I know the presentation was lacking, but I wanted a festive nod while maintaining a somewhat sanitary barrier between the cables and the germy desk. Last minute decision. I know my future doctor appreciated the cleanliness more than he would have appreciated artsy-ness.

Tonight our fancy, romantic dinner will be whatever the Wolfson Court cafeteria is serving. No cooking, no cleanup, a two minute walk, and a lower bill than that of a restaurant in town? Sold. Happy V-Day to us! Maybe we are just lame, but I kind of like the no pressure approach to such a hyped up occasion. Don't get me wrong - there is a time and a place for wining and dining. But when you are married to your best friend, you don't need to overemphasize or overcompensate on February 14th. Anyway, I hope that anyone reading this can feel the love today. Not necessarily from your spouse or significant other, but I hope that you find it somewhere. And remember that people are guaranteed to fail us, but the love of Jesus never will.

On an unrelated yet exciting note: my dear friend Asha has bestowed upon me a ridiculous surprise. She scored us tickets to London Fashion Week for this Saturday!!! She didn't even know that part of my undergraduate degree involved apparel related courses and that this would be right up my alley. Funny how things work out. We are going to the local show tomorrow night, and I will hopefully be blogging about it later in the week. The designer was selected by the Botswana High Commission to create a line for The International Fashion Showcase during Fashion Week. I'm not exactly sure what all this means, but I know I'll get the chance to document some runway action with my DSLR and then to write my first official style review. Here is a glimpse of the designs from the BHC facebook page.

Should be fascinating! Thank you, Asha!!!

Of course, my imagination has been exploding at the possibilities of London Fashion Week and all the famous people that could be there. An Issa show is scheduled for Saturday night. For those of you who don't know this particular design house, you might at least recognize a now infamous Issa dress, worn by none other than... Duchess Catherine!!!

The former Kate Middleton sported this blue number when she and Wills announced their engagement. She has repeatedly worn Issa on several high-profile outings, and minutes later, those styles have sold out entirely. Ah, the potent power of a royal celebrity.

So my plan is to track down some paparazzi on Saturday and inquire as to whether Her Highness will be attending any of the shows. (Is she even called "Her Highness?" I've heard her jokingly referred to as "Her Royal Hotness," but I guess I better figure this out so I will know how to properly greet her on the off chance our paths should cross.) If she is rumored to show up, I will shamelessly camp out until all hours of the night in order to catch a glimpse of her. I am not afraid to admit, she is my dream girl. And I mean that in the cleanest way possible. If I could trade bodies/wardrobes with anyone, it would be her. Maybe when I die and go to heaven I can request a Kate-style body for my eternal frame. Or maybe in heaven, everyone already looks like Kate. Afterall, she's practically an angel. But enough unabashed drooling. Everyone and their dog will know if I get the chance to see her in real life. 

Well, I suppose that pretty much covers it for now. Love. Foot warmers. Candy. Fashion shows. Kate. All in a day's typing. Cheerio.