Valentines Day

[idun]

 Last Saturday after noon I went shopping. Of the things I was looking for, like cream and steak were sold out and there was little choice of quite of few things.

So for once, were my fellow citizens making a big day of Valentines Day or, were the shops just short of stock.

I would rather it was the former really, as people probably need something to celebrate at the moment.

Was it the same in France for those who may have shopped last Saturday, a distinct lack of some food items?

[Gardengirl]

Still in the UK, as it fell on a Sunday this year I ordered Waitrose’s £20 Valentine’s day meal for 2 online as our normal Sunday lunch, delivered with our weekly groceries on Saturday morning.

Starter, main, 2 side dishes, dessert and a bottle of wine - which should have cost an extra £13.72, so quite a saving! Too much food for us, so we had the starter the next day.

I really don’t know how such deals as that and those at M&S make money for the stores, but I suppose the answer is that they order and sell it in bulk.

Mt favourites were the large rack of lamb - delicious, very tender, and the chocolate and caramel tarts, but the whole meal was very good.

We don’t ‘celebrate’ Valentine’s day, but we did exchange cards though.

[anotherbanana]

Not noticed any shortages here apart from at the beginning of the first shutdown and then only for a short time.

My village mayor had the brilliant idea of starting a small market for the village and those around. Brilliant, can get all the basics weekly and have a chat with loads of folk.

But back home and shut down by 1800hrs.

[idun]

Last Saturday, the rayons for steak and cream were just about  bare, well they had sour cream, not what I wanted, a few pieces of cuts of steak that I never buy.

The few shortages we had, were for such a short amount of time, that I can hardly remember. Flour was being bagged in the supermarkets. Pasta had reduced choice, but that was about it really here.

[mint]

The 18.00 hrs is a real bugbear for me.  Makes the day very short as though we are still in the midst of winter.  I'm clock watching from about 16.00.  Have I time for a walk, have I time to pop to the shops and back before couvre feu, will there be a queue at the pharmacie if I left straightaway, etc etc?

Still if it serves the purpose of slowing down the spread of the virus, I am not complaining.

Other thing is, more than ever, I have to watch out for speeding cars if I AM out walking; everyone driving even more like demons than usual to beat the clock[:'(]

[idun]

And that is the thing I have never really got over, shop opening hours in the UK.

My local High Street in normal times has everything closing by 5. And the butchers seem to close at 3.30. Not helpful to me who likes to shop late afternoon.

I know that the supermarkets are opening a long time, but I do try to shop 'locally', Saturday being an example, I was out and about at 4 o'clock, so no hope of our local butchers.

I wish that they would start a curfew here too, not sure if 6 would be a good time, maybe around 7 or 7.30.

[Lehaut]

Leclerc seemed to have over ordered on their "nothing says happy valentine like a heart shaped box of sushi"

as it was widely available here with a heavy discount!

[Lori]

We made our large monthly order on Friday, 12 Feb with Auchan online.  I was hoping for a delivery the next day, but there was no créneau available.  So, I had to take Monday the 15th for delivery.

I have never done that before.  Normally if you shop online (at least from this address) on a Saturday or Sunday, there are LOADS of items that are unavailable (out of stock).  So, I figured by the time our order was packed up on Monday, it would be missing items - particularly the fresh items.  Nope, got every single thing.  I was surprised.

I would say that, on a regular basis, fresh beef and fish and any fresh fruits/legumes that are on promo are the first items to go en rupture.

[Gardian]

I have to say that I’ve never been in to this Valentines lark.

However, we were talking to our younger son this afternoon - he lives and work in the Czech Republic, and is very happy there.

He ordered a dozen red roses for his partner from a florist friend. The florist said “It can’t be an even number of flowers, that’s for funerals. It has to be an odd number.”. ???

OK, done. Eleven. Seemingly very well received.

Son then told us about another (female) friend. She was going round the local supermarket last Sunday with her husband and he said “Here’s few quid (Czech Crowns) - go and get your self some tulips”.

She was less than impressed !

[idun]

We have never really done the Valentine's Day thing, but one Valentine's day, many years ago, my husband was out with our neighbour at the brico place and the neighbour said whilst they were out, he had to buy his wife something for valentines day.

And so, my husband thought it would look odd if he didn't too, and they both bought mini fours as  presents.

The temptation on my part to throw it at him was great. I was so annoyed that he would buy something so naff, it was naff,  and it was for the house........ stuff for the house are not presents for 'me' as far as I am concerned. It went back, as did the neighbour's.

We have not done valentine's day since. In fact for all we buy presents for others, we don't buy presents at traditional present times these days. Usually if we want something, we buy it. And sometimes do surprise one another with things we have seen that we think that the other would like, that is a really nice and pleasant present surprise.

[Lori]

We don't do Valentine's Day either.  To me, it falls within the same box of silly as Mother's/Father's Day, National Pizza Day or even Thanksgiving.  I think they are all really silly.

Must have saved us a small fortune over the years.

[Gardengirl]

Lori, is there really a national pizza day? I suppose I could look it up, lazy, that’s me today!

I’m not into Mother’s day, but Mothering Sunday, although I haven’t had a mum or mum-in-law for a very long time

I’ve celebrated Mothering Sunday for as long as I can remember, which was passed down the generations - but have never gone in for all the expensive flowers or gaudy nick-nacks.

Mothering Sunday occurs on the fourth Sunday of Lent, March 14th this year.Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family.

I first met it as a tiny at Sunday school; for us it was a crêche and when handed a small bunch of mimosa to give to our mothers, it was just a lovely thrill. When I first saw mimosa growing on a trip to France I was amazed to see how prolific it was; I still enjoy seeing it growing, or used to when we could still visit France.

The handing over of mimosa to give to our mothers continued until I stopped going to Sunday school/church, but by then I’d been able to save up and buy my mother something myself - usually flowers, but back then they were bunches of reasonably-priced flowers in season, not imported roses etc at huge prices.

I’ve never been one for bunches/bouquets of roses, I much prefer beautifully-scented freesias.

If life was normal, on 14th March this year we’d be having lunch with our 2 sons, their spouses and our grandchildren, celebrating our younger son’s birthday (2days earlier) as well as Mothering Sunday.

As it is, I expect that flowers and a card will arrive by post from our elder son, who lives at a distance. Our younger son will pop round the corner with our young granddaughters, bringing flowers or a plant and cards. They’ll put them in the porch, ring the bell, step back, and we’ll have a chat at a distance - just like with the postman!

It will be wonderful when we can be together, hug, have meals together. Not with the postman! ?

[Judith-aka-Judith]

I hope the imported roses last longer than I find they do .. hope it is not a sign of the lengevity (or not) of the relationshop.

Totally agree, Lori, Mothering Sunday yes, a small token, though not being a mother, and with my mother long gone it isn't done in this household, apart from in church.

Other celebrations, no, birthdays, anniversaries, yes .. commercialised fete days, no way!

[idun]

I don't do Mother's Day either.

However, my MIL was a sensitive soul and so I would send her a card, thing was that

it is not the same date as in France, which she simply could not understand, but felt she had to make a point to everyone she knew that she got her card. It was  just at a different date, and they didn't understand either.  Durham pit villages used to be very strange places.