Bearhands and I have a terrible Valentine’s Day record. Even if we try to forget our first V Day together, our celebrations have never quite turned out as planned. Our first year on the farm, I set a table out in the back paddock, to the spot where the mountains line up. My plan was to watch the sunset, then dine by candlelight under a chandelier of stars. We didn’t even make sunset before the mozzies carried us away. So while our V day plans are simple – a couple of rib eye steaks on the bone sous vide, then seared – I can list fifty things that I’ve loving straight off the top of my head.
Number 1: Memories of a weekend away with my girlfriends.
We take turns organising the weekend and surprising each other. This year was my turn, we laughed, we ate, we sipped, we cruised and we ticked off a bucket list item – riding horses on the beach.
As a young woman approaching my 21st birthday I wrote a list of things I’d like to do before I turned 21. They were things like “get a high distinction” “visit <insert home town of current boy crush>” “eat more <insert food home town of current boy crush is famous for>. Over the years I ticked all but one off. “Ride a horse of the beach” took me a good while longer, but it was worth the wait!
Number 2: The Big Sister’s response when I lovebombed her room.
I’ve been a bit worried about my eldest daughter’s self talk lately. I’d hate her inner voice to be as mean to her as mine was to me.So I lovebombed her room while she was at school, hopeful some of the words I wrote might replace the less complimentary ones. She loved it.
Later I discovered she’d returned the favour.
Number 3: Good Humans.
I found out on the weekend that our school banking program is run by a Mum who volunteers her time each week and donates the “cut” to charity.
Number 4: My favourite coffee cup & my husband’s exemplary driving.
I accidentally put my favourite coffee cup on the bull bar of my car while helping Bearhands pack up for a night away in Brisbane. It rode safely on the bull bar travelling at 110 clicks per hour for much of the journey until a passing motorist pointed it out at the lights 85kms from home.
Numbers 5 – 50: The 46mls of much needed rain that dumped on the farm last night.
We danced, we laughed, we shouted at the sky and I cried a few tears of relief. The fancy new harvester that we’ve been working toward for years arrives on Friday* and with a month’s worth of rain in the dam, we will actually have some grass to cut with it.
There’s lots to love here today. I hope wherever you’re spending Valentine’s Day, you’ve got something to be happy about too.
A x
* Remember the year I got a bobcat for my birthday?
This year Bearhands has outdone himself; I’m getting a harvester for Valentines Day!
One year I was brave enough to ask for bling for Mother’s Day… the shiniest air cleaner for our 66 mustang revealed itself amongst all the pretty tissue paper on the appropriate day…. hmmmm bless his heart….
Ha ha love this post!!!!!! I was thinking wow it’;s going to be long and got to 5 and snorted my coffee. Hubby drove around with hose attachment on front of his ute, so maybe our men both have nice skills. LOVE those notes, am going to copy, but then I think they boys will be jealous so might have to do the ENTIRE house! Love you long time and that smile on the horse, priceless! xx