Let me tell you about my most romantic Valentine Day date.
When my husband and I were dating, we lived in South Florida where the weather in mid-February is often lovely.
For our first Valentine Day together, he surprised me with a lovely evening. I got to his house after work, and he had fired up the hot tub in the backyard. On a small tray next to the tub sat a bottle of Dom Perignon and two crystal champagne glasses. I was immediately charmed.
However, he’d also ordered a catered finger-food meal from a nearby restaurant.
We spent the evening relaxing in the hot, bubbly water, sipping champagne while nibbling on shrimp cocktail, lobster chunks, crackers and cheese. It might not have been the healthiest of menus, but it was good.
That night might have been why I fell in love with him. Well, maybe not completely, but it certainly helped.
So, tell 
me about your favorite – romantic, fun, disastrous (?) — Valentine Day date and I’ll enter you in my $10 Amazon Gift Card drawing. Also, I’ll pick one scenario to include in my next book – with your permission, of course.
Pat Keelyn
When I was single, my girlfriends and I would go out for drinks and to celebrate our single status. It was fun and had NO pressure.
What would we do without our girlfriends?
One of my favorites was when my husband purchased me a car for work. It was a little red Honda and was a very serviceable car
Okay, now that’s cool.
My husband always used to sign all notes to me, with “10-22, I love you.” He called me one morning, and told me to look out my window. I was on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex. He had spray painted in the parking lot, “Will you marry me? 10-22, I love you!” To this day, no one knows who did it or who it was for. We have since moved on, and every once in the while, I ride by there, and you can still faintly see it.
So, what does 10-22 mean? Or is it the rhyme?
He took me to one of my favorite restaurants for our first date. They aren’t even open anymore after 24 years. He meet me at my door with a dozen pink roses. Opened my door all night long. After dinner we were suppose to go out to a movie but by 1 year old had been sick so instead we went back to my place to check on her and watched TV for the rest of the night. I had long hair to my butt back then so he took my brush and brushed my hair for about 30 minutes. It was great. We have been together for the last 24 years every since that first date. He still likes to brush my hair but it is only past my shoulders now.
I love the hair brushing part. . . wow.
Twenty six years ago on this Valentines Day coming up my boyfriend came over & in front of my parents & brother got down on one knee with a ring & little teddy bear & asked me to marry him.
Oh, wow. Well, you can’t beat that.
My valentine date was many years ago when our children were teenagers and my husband traveled occasionally. I had a lovely dinner planned. The children were with friends for the night. Weather was bad; my husband did not make it home. I had worked all day, was exhausted and fixed my steak and almost fell asleep with my face in my plate. Happy ending…we all celebrated a couple of days later!
So it all worked out in the end. 🙂
I had been in a sour relationship where the guy I dated had abused the word “love.” The fellow I dated after that relationship, Bryan, suffered for my lack of trust, but he was persistent. We had been dating consistently for about two months and Valentine’s Day was approaching. I think Bryan picked up on my less than enthusiastic response to the holiday, but he swept me off my feet anyway. He surprised me with an hour scenic drive to a local city where he treated me to delicious seafood and dessert, (I rarely ever eat dessert after a meal). We talked about our hopes and dreams. On the way back to my home, he put my favorite music in the CD player and we laughed and sang together, promising not to quit our day jobs. Bryan was the perfect gentleman all night. He walked me to the door and asked me to wait a moment for him to get something out of the car. When he returned he had a bouquet of long-stem roses and a card for me. He kissed me tenderly, held me close for the longest time, and finally whispered goodnight. He promised to call me when he made it home. I thought to myself, “This was the first Valentine’s that I truly enjoyed.” Ah, but it didn’t end there. I went inside to put the roses in a vase and took a moment to reflect on the evening and read his beautiful card. In the card he had written a sweet poem and at the end of he note he told me he loved me. Needless to say the tears flowed, because it was the best Valentine’s I had ever had, but I was so afraid to return the words and trust in our relationship. When he called I hardly knew what to say, but I told him my fears, and I promised I would work at trusting him more. He told me he would wait as long as it took to win my heart. A few months later I knew he was definitely the man I loved and he asked me to marry him in July (Again, taking me to the door of my house, asking me wait for him to get something out of the car, then coming to kneel and present me with a velvet black box holding a diamond ring – but that is a story for another day.). Pat that was 18+ years ago. Bryan and I will celebrate our 17th anniversary next month. He tells me every day that he loves me and our marriage has grown better and stronger as the years have passed. He will ever be my true Valentine!
Oh, my, Stacy. You got me crying — in a very good way. What a lovely memory. Thank you for sharing this will all of us.
I remember when my husband was in college and I was the one working. He had shaved his beard off (as a surprise) and then picked me up from work and we went out to Olive Garden, my favorite place! Money was very tight at that time and we had saved to go! It was a wonderful date!
Nice. Thanks, Beth.
My hubby cooked my favorite meal lite candles and had wine and rose petals in my bath. He washed my hair and dried it and cuddled up to a chick flick all just for me wine Included. Debbie
Very sweet, Debbie.
Y MOST DISASTROUS VALENTINE DAY:
02-14-1991: I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE BEST VALENTINE DAY THAT I HAD EVER HAD. STANLEY AND ME HAD NO BIG PLANS BECAUSE WE BOTH HAD TO WORK. WE WAS JUST GOING TO SPEND A QUITE EVENING AT HOME. HE WAS GOING TO PICK UP SOMETHING FOR SUPPER AND RENT A MOVIE FOR US. IT DID NOT MATTER WHAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT I WAS 5 MONTHS PREGNANT AND I WAS SICK ALL THE TIME. WE WERE SO HAPPY THAT I WAS PREGNANT. WE HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR 3 1/2 YEARS. AND I WAS TOLD I COULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN. BUT GOD BLESSED US WITH ONE. WELL. STANLEY DID NOT HAVE TO WORK SO HE WAS HOME PART OF THE DAY. I CALLED HIM FROM WORK ON MY LUNCH BREAK. HE HAD SOME FRIENDS WITH HIM. HE SAID HE WAS GOING RIDING WITH THEM FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. I SAID OK JUST BE HOME WHEN I GET HOME.THAT WAS THE START OF THE WORSE VALENTINE DAY AND WORST DAY OF MY LIFE. I HAVE WISHED A MILLION TIMES TO ASK HIM TO STAY HOME BUT I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS TO COME. I FINISHED WORKING MY DAY OUT. HAVING A BAD FEELING BUT I THOUGHT I WAS WORRYING ABOUT NOTHING. I RODE TO WORK AND HOME WITH A CLOSE FRIEND. WHEN I GOT HOME STANLEY AND HIS FRIENDS HAD JUST PULLED IN THE DRIVE BEHIND ME. I GOT OUT AND WAVED BYE TO THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ME HOME. HERE STARTS A BAD DAY, THE WORSE ONE IN MY LIFE. I NOTICE REALLY QUICK STANLEY HAD BEEN DRINKING. HE HAS NOT DRANK ANY THING IN ABOUT 2 1/2 YEARS. WE WENT IN THE HOUSE AND EVERY BODY ELSE LEFT. STANLEY WAS NOT OUT OF THE WAY BUT HE KEEP TELLING ME NOT TO BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY. I KEEP ASKING WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT HE WOULD NOT SAY. HE JUST KEEP SAYING DON’T BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY. WE SIT AND TALKED FOR ABOUT A HOUR. BUT IT WAS LIKE HE HAD NOT DRANK ANY THING. THEN HE GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND FELL IN BETWEEN SLIDING GLASS DOORS GOING TO OUR BEDROOM. HE COULD NOT GET UP AND HE WOULD NOT LET ME HELP AFRAID I WOULD HURT THE BABY. THEN, HE TOLD ME TO CALL MY DAD TO COME HELP HIM AND STAY WITH HIM FOR A WHILE UNTIL HE DRINKS SOME COFFEE AND GETS TO FEELING BETTER. I DID. MY DAD WAS NOT 5 MIN. AWAY. DAD COME HELP STANLEY GET UP, GOT HIM A CUP OF COFFEE AND TOLD STANLEY THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN ME TO MOM. I HAD BEEN HAVING HEART TROUBLE THE LAST WEEK AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING ME IN THE HOSPITAL FOR AWHILE. I WENT WITH DADDY TO STAY WITH MOM BUT STANLEY FOLLOWED DAD TO THE HOUSE. IT WAS SNOWING AND IT WAS ON THE ROADS. DAD TOLD STANLEY HE WAS GOING TO GET HIS COAT AND THEY WOULD GO BACK TO MY HOUSE AND DRINK COFFEE AND WATCH TV FOR AWHILE. STANLEY SAID OK AND HE WOULD BE WAITING OUTSIDE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN THEN. STANLEY LEFT. DADDY WENT TO FIND HIM AT MINE AND STANLEY’S HOUSE. HE WAS NOT THERE. DADDY STAY A FEW MIN. THOUGHT STANLEY WENT THE LONG WAY. I LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTY, THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACK WAYS OR ROADS YOU CAN GO. WITHIN 30 MIN. 35 MIN, MY MOM GOT A CALL THAT MADE HER LOOK AS PALE AS A GHOST, BUT SHE WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING. MY SISTER, DEBBIE, HAD FINALLY TALKED ME INTO LAYING DOWN AND RESTING. DADDY HAD COME BACK WITHOUT STANLEY. AND I DIDN’T KNOW WHY BUT MY MOM WENT OUT TO TALK TO MY DADDY AS SOON AS HE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, DADDY LEFT AGAIN. HE WAS BACK WHAT SEEM LIKE A MINUTE. MOM WENT OUTSIDE AND TALKED TO DADDY. THEN DADDY LEFT. WHEN MOM COME INSIDE THE HOUSE, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. MY MOM TOLD ME SHE HAD TO TELL ME SOMETHING.SHE SAID, PLEASE FOCUS ON THE BABY. THEN SHE TOLD ME STANLEY HAD BEEN SHOT. OK, WHAT HOSPITAL IS HE AT? BABY STANLEY HAS GONE TO MEET THE LORD. THAT WAS THE WORSE NEWS I HAD EVER HAD, EXSPECIALLY TO A WOMAN 5 MONTHS PREGNANT, WHO HADJUST LOST MY SOUL MATE. I WAS EVEN MORE LOST WHEN THEY TOLD ME HE KILLED HIMSELF. I WILL NEVER BELIEVE IT. THE LAW IN STEWART COUNTY IN 1991 WAS A DISGRACE. THEY NEVER REMOVED THE BULLET FROM HIS NECK. THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING. THEY SAID A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY REQUESTED FOR IT NOT TO BE DONE. BUT WHEN ASKED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHO. MY HUSBAND WAS A BIG HUNTER. HE HUNTED DEER AND SQUIRREL, HE SHOT TURKEYS. HE WENT HUNTING WITH MY DAD A LOT. I AM SAYING THIS TO SAY HE HAD 4 OR 5 GUNS IN THE HOUSE NOT LOADED. THE LAW JUST ASSUMED THE GUN NEXT TO HIM WAS THE ONE HE SHOT HIMSELF WITH. AND THAT GUN WAS STANDING UP ON THE BARREL OF THE GUN IN A NOTCH OF THE PANEL. HE WAS TO HAPPY OVER OUR BABY. HE WENT TO EVER DR APPOINTMENT AND THANK GOD HE GOT TO FEEL HER MOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE NIGHT BEFORE THINGS HAPPEN. THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT I DON’T THINK ABOUT HIM BUT GOD GAVE ME A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL THAT WAS BORN ON 06-20-91. AND SHE REMINDS ME OF HER DAD. IT HURTS THAT SHE HAS NEVER GOT TO SEE HER DADDY. BUT I TELL HER THINGS EVERY DAY ABOUT HER DADDY. I JUST WISH I KNEW WHAT HAPPEN TO STANLEY. I GUESS THE LORD DOES NOT WANT ME TO KNOW. I THANK GOD FOR MY DAUGHTER. ‘LEANNE, SHE WILL BE 26 THIS YEAR’. I HAVE HAD SOME REALLY BAD TIMES BUT GOD HAS BROUGHT ME MIRACLES. I HAVE 2 BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS. AND MY YOUNGEST ONE IS ABOUT TO HAVE MY FIRST GRANDSON. HE IS DUE FEBRUARY 24. HER DR. SAYS SHE WILL GO WITH IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. MY GIRLS HAVE BEEN HOPING FOR FEBRUARY 14. THEY SAY IT IS TIME FOR SOMETHING GOOD TO HAPPEN ON THAT DAY. THEY ARE THE LIGHT IN MY LIFE. FOR A LONG TIME I WOULD NOT EVEN ALLOW TALK OF FEBRUARY 14. MY SISTER DONE THEIR VALENTINE PARTYS AND CARDS FOR A LONG TIME. GOD BLESSED ME AND GOT ME THROUGH ALOT OF DEPRESSION, GRIEF AND HATRED. THAT WAS MY MOST DISASTROUS VALENTINE DAY!!! DOROTHY PORTER
Oh, Dorothy, I am so sorry — for your loss and that you really don’t know what happened. You are so brave to share this with a stranger. Thank you . . . I wish I had words to convey how sincerely sorry I am. I don’t. So I’m sending you prayers. Please keep in touch.
We were living in southern California and I had planned a picnic for Valentine’s Day. We had to move it indoors, however, because it was pouring which it isn’t supposed to do there. He had sent me roses and we had chocolate fondue for dessert. When he ran upstairs and yelled down that he had something he wanted me to try on, what would you have thought? Well, I was wrong because I found him on one knee with a ring in his hand. So, on Valentine’s Day in 1994, I got engaged and on Valentine’s Day in 2005, I was in court for our divorce hearing. I guess you could say I came full circle.
Well, it was a really nice proposal . . . sorry how it ended. I was married young as well — the first time — it didn’t last long. My current husband (hot tub guy) and I, however, have been married over 30 years. so there is hope, Shannon.
I’ve never been a big celebrator of Valentine’s Day, but my first Valentine’s with my husband we had only been dating for a few weeks. I told him not to do anything because I thought it was like every other day. He made me a special dinner and bought me flowers, saying that if he was supposed to treat it like every other day then he still wanted me to feel special and treasured.
Very nice. I’d say he was a keeper.
My most-memorable Valentine’s date wasn’t romantic. It was a double date to a John Mellencamp concert in 1988. All around me were drunk guys waving BIC lighters. In the interest of not having my big 80s hair (well starched with Aqua Net) turn into a Michael-Jackson-Pepsi-commercial disaster, I spent much of my evening blowing out all the lighters around me. And these guys were so drunk they were completely mystified that their lighters wouldn’t stay lit!
LOL!!! Okay, you’re funny. What a great memory.
We went to a BBQ on the beach. We were both very young & he still lived at home. His father never let him forget that coming home at 3am makes for one very long BBQ.
We just didn’t want the night to end. It was so beautiful under the stars with the waves crashing and the moonlight on the water. Very romantic.
Sounds great. I lived in South Florida into my early thirties and understand just how romantic the beach is. Love it!
My most memorable Valentines day is one I will never forget. I had a date with the kindest, smartest, sweetest person whose unconditional love will always be remembered. It was the day we buried my mom. It was right after that I bought a beautiful antique bowl to have on hand. The antique to me represents something that lives on, is quality, is beautiful, and is something tangible I can hold on to. The memories will always be there, but this was just something more. I’m probably not expressing it well, but there you have it. You did start out your comment with a Valentines day memory and changed horses midstream so to speak.
Actually, Mary, this is lovely. And what a beautiful tribute to your mom. Thank you for sharing.
My husband and I have done the same thing for the last 43 years, lol. Dinner and a movie–whether at home or away. Early years were romantic to the hilt– flowers, candy, lingerie— after 4 children we were home more often. Most important thing to us is that we are together.
Absolutely, Linda.
This is not a Valentine date, but it is one of my favorite Valentine memories. I did not have a love interest at the time, so I decided to celebrate by myself. I treated myself to chilled Asti Spumante, while taking a chocolate scented bubble bath, surrounded by candle light, and listening to the audio book Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. It was narrated by Phil Gigante and his Scottish burr for the main character was sexy as hell! I had a wonderful evening and Cian MacKeltar became one of my all time favorite fictional boyfriends.
What a lovely memory. Thank you, Edwina.
When me and my ex were together one Valentines day he cooked me dinner and gave me my favorite hard cider and make chocolate covered bacon for me that was a good Valentines day