Chocolate

Things that went right today:

1) Valentine's day. I am a sucker for holidays. Even the overly commercial ones.

2) Beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table from my sweetheart

3) Recovering more each day from my surgery. I feel half human again.

For Valentine's Day my husband sent me flowers and chocolate, just as he has for most of the 23 Valentine's Days we have known each other. And just as in all of those previous years they made me blissfully happy. It would seem that over time something like that would get old, but yet it never does. Chocolate is one of life's few constants I think...it never fails to bring us joy! Seriously. Now don't get me wrong I am not addicted or anything. I just like it. Ok I like it a LOT, but I could stop if I ever wanted to. I could. But why would I want to? It comes in so many wonderful varieties and all of them make me smile. Just in this one box I have found caramel filled ones, orange and strawberry creams, and nut clusters for that added crunch. The toffee ones make me swoon and the butter creams are a bit like what I know heaven must be like. On a day when life is feeling rather drab and ordinary, a Toblerone bar can take me to Europe. They really know how to do chocolate over there don't they? While sitting through a movie what is better than munching on delectable chocolates? Junior mints are perfect for the funny ones. Rolos for the scary ones. Heath bars for the action films. And what suits a romance more than dove chocolates? M & M's are always good. Regular and peanut both. They are so versatile. As are Snickers, which in my humble opinion are the ultimate chocolate bars. Except perhaps for those new bite sized Ghirardelli chocolate squares. Having grown up near San Francisco those connect me to my roots right? So they are important. I have many fond memories of visiting Ghirardelli square and of the intoxicating smell of melted chocolate that filled the air. Ahhhh that was great! Oh and how could I not mention Reeses? I am not sure who ever thought to pair chocolate with peanut butter in the first place, but I feel deeply in their debt. Chocolate, in addition to deliciousness, seems to have the power to calm the troubled heart. On a "blue" day a bowl of ice cream can make the world seem a little brighter can't it? Come on now, you know it's true. And date night is even more fun when sharing a brownie sundae with hot fudge sauce. My mind is racing now as I think of all of the chocolate loves of my life...Butterfingers, Milky Way, Twix, chocolate oranges at christmas, and the ever popular Girl Scout thin mint cookies. What is it that makes those so darn good anyway? I could seriously eat a whole sleeve of those in one sitting (Not that I actually would of course...well ok maybe I have which is how I know I can? I'll never tell)

It has just now occurred to me that perhaps I AM addicted after all? Oh dear. I am mildly alarmed at this realization, but have to be honest and admit that I don't intend to reform too soon . Hot chocolate on a snowy day makes me feel all cozy and warm inside, and we are having record snowfall this year. So in a way it is medicinal right? I will see if I can change in the Spring. But not until after Easter. I need at least one more Cadbury egg in this lifetime. For today I am grateful for chocolate. And for my Valentine who gave me some. Thanks honey! Kisses to you (no not just the chocolate kind). Love you!