I hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day, dear reader. The Bibbed Wonder and I spent the day together, which isn’t unlike every other day. Despite The Bibbed Wonder announcing that every day spent with him is Valentine’s Day, go ahead and roll your eyes, too; we had a nice day. Yesterday was a reminder of how our relationship has evolved over the years.
When we were younger, our Valentine’s Day celebrations were more elaborate. I would cook an elaborate meal; we would drink good wine, smoke good cigars, and exchange gifts. Then The Bean came into our world, and we would do more kid/family-oriented activities like go out for heart-shaped pizza, watch cartoons, and have fun kid-friendly treats. Now that my bean is fourteen, she is more concerned with celebrating Valentine’s Day with her friends…sigh.
Our Valentine’s Day was spent driving to a doctor’s appointment in Monroeville. Eric has taken to driving me to all my doctor’s appointments in the Pittsburgh area. I don’t enjoy driving in urban areas, but I’m capable of doing so. I appreciate my bib overall wearing wonder buns driving me around, although he calls it his driving Miss Teenie duties. I believe his attentiveness is twofold. First, he’s just very considerate of me and my needs. He knows I stress about driving in the city, especially if I don’t know where I’m going. Secondly, I believe he fears I will blow off said appointment and go shopping instead. His fears are not unjustified, if I’m being honest. I hate going to the doctor and am admittedly a reluctant and difficult patient. I would much rather go shopping than to the doctor.
We left for my appointment a few hours early and stopped to have a romantic lunch at my favorite restaurant ever, Dick’s Diner in Murraysville. Dick’s Diner has been my favorite restaurant since I was a kid. It’s nothing fancy, but they have delicious home-style meals and THE BEST PIE. When I was a kid doctoring in Pittsburgh, my parents always stopped at Dicks Diner on the way home from my appointments. I continue to get the same meal I have enjoyed for the past forty years, a hot turkey sandwich with french fries and gravy, pickled beets, and Boston crème pie. Yum! It was just as delicious as I remember it. It also helped I had great company to enjoy with my meal.
Dick’s Diner has a very mature clientele. I firmly believe one can gauge a restaurant’s credibility by its clientele. If the parking lot is filled, and the majority of the diners are elderly, one knows its good food at affordable prices. Dick’s Diner has not changed much in my lifetime, which is good. Eric and I enjoyed our lunch, people-watched, and laughed at how our “romantic interludes” have changed over the years. Our Valentine’s Day celebration was not elaborate or fancy, but we enjoyed ourselves. To top off our day, we stopped at Gene and Boots Candies to pick up some sweet treats for The Bean and Grambarb. It was a perfect day spent with my ideal partner.
Although the day was not filled with flowers, jewelry, or wine, the fact that The Bibbed Wonder wasted a day driving me to an urban area, sat in the car while I attended my doctor’s appointment, took me to my favorite diner, and stopped at a quirky little candy store to make me happy shows me how much he loves me. It truly is the little things that matter the most. Just as I have enjoyed every stage of life with my bean, I also enjoy every stage with my husband. Life is indeed good.
I hope your life is filled with a million little things that make you happy, feel loved, appreciated, and special. On this record-breaking warm day in February, stay safe, be smart, appreciate the little things, enjoy evolving relationships, and keep washing your hands.