Valentine prep began two days ahead. I prepared yeast dough that rose in the refrigerator overnight. I baked one set of strawberry rolls, washed the heart-shaped baking dishes, and baked another set so that all were ready by the afternoon of the 13^th. The most difficult part was finding the neighbors at home to deliver them.

We wanted something special for neighbor Logan (7), something not edible. I picked out the mug decorated with hearts. Inside the red tissue paper was John’s choice – a black truck with a friction motor. I don’t know what happened to the mug, but Logan played with the truck the whole time we were chatting with his parents.

Do you ever give things away without tasting them? We had a rather late breakfast on Valentine’s Day, as we do most days. I assumed the rolls were edible. The thought just struck me that if the neighbors had been sickened, they could have been on the way to the hospital before I suspected anything was wrong. If you are really good at worrying, you can worry in reverse like I do.

John surprised me with a balloon and chocolates. He ran errands with our son the day before and hid the gifts in the garage. They were in the kitchen long before I went in to get breakfast ready. We had one bought donut each and a strawberry roll.

I apologized to John for not having bought him anything, and he said, “You did buy me something.”

My open-book face showed perplexity. “I bought you something?”

“Yes,” he said, “at the supermarket. When I commented on liking chocolate-covered raisins as a child, you threw the pack in the cart.”

And they say men are oblivious!!!