Valentine’s Day

February 20, 2015

Kathy & Beth 

Valentine’s Day

I was recently having a discussion about Valentine’s Day with my personal trainer, Leigh. She and her significant other never celebrate it, feeling strongly that it is one of those Hallmark holidays that are merely designed to sell stuff to consumers. Why a special day to let those in your life know you love them and care about them? Shouldn’t this happen every day?  In addition, she pointed out that Valentine’s Day can be downright miserable for singles, who may feel the unseen pressure to be paired on this day that is so focused on couples.

Rock

Tony Baltimore

While many good points were raised, I am still a big fan of Valentine’s Day, what’s wrong with a day to celebrate love, it sure beats having a day to celebrate a bunch of old President’s and while we should all show our feelings to loved ones all the time, there can never be too much when it comes to celebrating those who mean so much to us. It doesn’t have to be a significant other either, singles have good friends and family who mean a lot to them and Valentine’s Day is as good as any to let them know it.

Bree & Michele

Kathy & I had a great Valentine’s weekend, sharing good times with each other as well as with good friends made for a great way to recognize how important each other as well as our friends and family are. Friday night, I attended a fundraising event at the Bottlecap Lounge for the miracle baby Aurora, the surviving twin child of our friends Rock and Michele, who despite being born, very, very premature has managed to survive and thrive. It is a pretty special story and the Key West community has, as usual, come together to help raise funds to offset the huge medical expenses that they have incurred as the baby has fought to get through. It is always inspiring to see our wonderful and generous community band together to help out one of our own.

Karri Daley

Ray & Carla

The party at the bottlecap featured live music by a variety of musicians and bands from town performing free to help entertain the crowd and raise money. The bands included the wonderful band Happy Dog, singers Melody Cooper, Tony Baltimore and Karri Daley. There was also a silent auction and all the bar tips went to the cause. It was a fun evening.

 

Next I headed over to our friends Carla & George’s house where a beautiful huge mosaic mural was being unveiled on the side of their place. The house is owned by Joe Weatherby but Carla & George are long time renters and the ocean themed mural is absolutely stunning. The party was great as well, with a warm fire, food and libations to heat up the cool evening, another fantastic get together.

On Valentine’s Day itself, Kathy & I were back at yet another party, this one to celebrate the birthday of our friend Beth at the New York Pizza Café. Beth hosted a Cowboy-themed dress-up party so Kathy dressed as a Cowgirl and I came as a Cow. It was another fun Saturday night, though I am not quite sure what the regular diners must have thought as costumed locals kept wondering through the restaurant back to the private party room.

Sunday we went out to the artisan fair at the Key West Botanical Garden, where they have on display among the beautiful grounds, a number of vessels that Cuban immigrants have actually used to flee Cuba and try to reach America. It is a stunning realization of what some people will sacrifice to try to find a better life here in the US. The boats, most looking like they would not last five minutes at sea all transported people from Cuba to the Florida Keys across the dangerous Florida straights. Pretty thought-provoking and insightful stuff.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend of friends, family and fun, the sort of thing that Valentine’s Day should be about. We are so fortunate to have each other and wonderful family and friends that we love and what better way to show it than to spend some quality time with each other and our friends.