Cupid's Arrow

Feeling the love yet? Here in America we love our holidays, or more precisely, various retailers and manufacturers love the holidays because it's yet another opportunity to extract money from the American consumer. Woe to he, or she, who fails to at least shell out a few shekels for a Valentine's Day card, or more likely, some expensive flowers and maybe a romantic dinner. We've been conditioned since kindergarten for this. But Valentine's Day is no modern contrivance like Mother's Day and Father's Day: it's been celebrated in Europe since before Columbus arrived on North American shores. If you don't believe it, check out this cave drawing found by archeologists in southern France:

So, what does crankyjewishguy (CJG) have planned today to show his love and affection for Mrs. CJG? Well, first, he's going to continue to chip away at the ice and snow that are still clogging his driveway because nothing says "I love you" more than clear, dry asphalt. Then, if he can liberate his pick-up truck which has been stuck in place for over a month thanks to said snow and ice, he's going to take all the trash and recycling that's been piling up in the garage over to the town dump (that's right, where CJG lives it's self-service) because nothing says "Be my Valentine" more than a trip to the dump. Then, as he usually does because he is compulsive and Mrs. CJG is not, he's going to change the sheets and make the bed, do the laundry, vacuum the carpets, load the dishwasher, and balance the checkbook because nothing says "amore" more than an orderly house. Then, if he's still standing, CJG is going to take Mrs. CJG out to a nice restaurant for dinner and tell her if he had to do all over again, he'd have hired some help. Should be very romantic.

Believe it or not, CJG does about 95% of the
 housework around his place. It takes a toll.