I tried, but I just couldn't let my LEAST favorite day of the year go by without venting! I can hardly type the occassion without letting out a deep groan and a mean scowl across my forehead. I have always felt that this is the one occassion that is sooo over rated! I worked in the floral industry for many years and we even owned a popular shop in our hometown. Most customers think that the event was conjured up by some bored card making, flower poking, chocolatiers, that needed to rack up some sales between Christmas and Mothers Day! And if I would have been able to cancel it, I would have! It was the costliest, least profitable event. The prices of roses were at a premium, staffing the design room a sheer headache, scheduling the delivery trucks, and this was in the days before credit cards, so then the billing and the blah, blah, blah. Wow! That felt good to release all of that negative energy! Anyway, now I get to make fun stuff out of old junk, have little overhead, make people smile and no one has to pay an arm or a leg. (Maybe a table leg!) Little did I know then, that there are alot of people lovin the rusty junk as much as I did! That is really the point I have been trying to get to. We have all heard that the economy has had the bottom ripped out, chewed up and spit out. But, through it all, finding ways to say or show that you love someone or appreciate friends and family does not have to have a dollar amount. In fact, some of the best gifts that we get, are giving our own love to others. Forget the 110 million red roses that will be sold in a three day period, the 1330 different selections of greeting cards, or the eight BILLION conversation hearts sold between January 15th thru the 14th of February. Even at a very young age I always knew that I was loved. And, I also knew that some people were loved but weren't told or shown. Call it peer pressure, but I did not know how many people bought and sent themselves roses. All in the name of St. Valentine. The important thing to do is let others know that they are loved. And if you happen to show it with a little rusty, chippy, shabby or junky treasure, it will make your own heart glow! Lastly, I want to express the appreciation I have for all of you fellow bloggers, readers or stumblers. You are all loved.