It’s funny how Valentine’s Day changes the longer we’ve been together.

The first few years we were together we showered each other with pounds of chocolates, dozens of roses – all of the Hallmark-trappings of the day.  There’s a lot of pressure those first few years.  The pressure recedes as the love grows.  The heart above is from a pound of See’s candy from one of those early years.

16 years later it’s “Let me cook breakfast for you” and “I’m going to the drug store to get something for that cough of yours.”   That’s love.

I’ve been fighting a cold all week, but it’s been a losing battle.  And you know the saying “Feed a cold, starve a fever”?  Well…  we’re feeding the cold!

Victor cooked a really good egg pie this morning – eggs, white asparagus, fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, peppers, cheese – but the surprise part of breakfast was Trevor’s Pepper Jelly!

Trevor sent us a jar at Christmas and it’s been sitting right in front of the cabinet, staring at us every time we opened the cupboard door.

I can be of two different minds when it comes to special foods.  One is to just go for it and eat it all up – enjoying every bite and morsel with abandon.  The other is to kind of hide it away because there isn’t going to be any more, sneaking a peak now and again and imagining how wonderful it would be.

I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for just the right moment to open it up.

So… what could be a better day than Valentine’s Day to enjoy a gift from a good friend?  You’re right.  There isn’t one.  And I’m glad we waited until today.

The Pepper Jelly is unbelievably wonderful. Repeat. Unbelievably wonderful.  A rich pepper flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness.  Spread on thick slices of toasted and buttered whole wheat Italian pane, it was the nectar of the gods.  I had to stop myself from eating by the spoonful right from the jar.

I think I’m going to be making some really soon!

The egg pie was just what the Doctor ordered.  And alternating bites of egg, potato, toast, and jelly – with sips of coffee in between – was the perfect way to start the day.  Fortunately, my taste-buds are still in full operation.

We passed on dinner with Victor’s family tonight.  No sense spreading this around.

I see a chicken noodle soup in our future.  And maybe a pepper jelly crostini…