It Begins

Forget the military-industrial complex that Dwight Eisenhower warned us about. As Valentine's Day nears, the real threat is from the flowers-candy complex.

I went to the grocery store today to pick up the fixin's for the Valentine's Day dinner I'm cooking for my wife. All the way there I was bombarded on the radio by ads warning me that a Valentine's Day without flowers is like a day without sunshine. Inside the store there was display after display crammed with roses and chocolates.

Evidently if one doesn't overwhelm one's Significant Other with blossoms and calories than one is an unfeeling insensitive cad.

I must admit that I shamefully caved in to the pressure.

Well, partially, at least.

The planned dinner includes a Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with Vanilla Bourbon Frosting (I'll let you know later how it turns out). So I passed on the heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.

I did, however, spring for a dozen roses.

But I am expecting a return on my investment...