I love February.
Oh sure, its grey outside. And cold.
 |
| This is what winter looks like on the Coast of Illinois |
But think about it...
January is the worst. (Except for our
daughter's birthday which is the BEST).
It's cold. It's grey. It's dark.
I mean, come on. I get up at 0530 –
dark. I get off work at 1830 (6:30pm for you non-military/hospital
peeps) – dark.
Try explaining this to our cat, who is
dark grey and wants, no DEMANDS, to go outside in the mornings. The
light and his coat are the same color and unless I turn on the
nuclear reactor light by our back door – which the neighbors have
sanctioned – he is invisible.
The month is THIRTY-ONE days long!!!
That's THIRTY-ONE days of 'new diet and exercise' plans...in the
dark...
But February...
Cold, grey February.
It's spelled weirdly which makes it fun
to say – Feb- brew- airy!
It's only 28 days long. But sometimes
it's 29. And then it's 28 again. Like a lottery power ball, or a
Hollywood Starlet who just can't quite admit she's aging out of the
high school cheerleader rolls.
Tiny green things begin popping up in
the gardens after the evil January warm up which promptly turns into
thunder snow-ice storm-even more frigid cold than before.
It is followed by March. Which is a
pretty fickle month in and of itself, but in my brain calendar March
is the revolving door to Spring, which once you manage to escape the
rotating glass, puts you smack into April which is such a happy name
that you just know things are looking up.
February plays host to two of my
favorite events.
Groundhogs Day.
A day celebrating a fat mid-sized
rodent.
Like all good, weird holidays, its
roots are in religion. Candlemas to be exact. Which has exactly ZERO
groundhogs in it.
February 2 is also our wedding
anniversary.
Suffice it to say, NEVER let your
fiance pick the date....
But after meeting in a airport disco on
a Sunday night and several dates revolving around sky diving it just
seemed appropriate.
 | ||
| please note, this is not me. these are my guys on our son's first jump and my husband's 50th. | I have jumped zero times. |
Of course, with that scene stealer
Valentine's Day jacking up the roses and chocolate prices I have
become accustom to anniversary gifts far less fragrant and delicious
but way more meaningful.
Although I am not quite sure what
meaning to assign the tickets to the dinner and burlesque show* which
is our celebration this year...
The other great thing about February is
Mardi Gras.
February always falls smack in the
middle to end of this homage to fun.
Ah, Mardi Gras.
A holiday based on nothing but food and
parties. The more debauchery the better.
It's probably a good thing I didn't
grow up in Louisiana. I would have to take the entire Mardi Gras
season off work.
We began throwing Mardi Gras parties
when our kids were little. It seemed like a fun excuse to have
friends over when no one could afford to go anywhere. Those little
gatherings evolved into a full house of people complete with a
Hurricane machine, pounds of fried alligator and a turkey fryer full
of seafood.
We only host every other year now, it
takes me so long to recover.
But by the end of the month on
non-party years I am a little sad that I didn't bite the baby and
fire up that deep fryer.
There is no expectation around Mardi
Gras, besides good food. I cook nearly every day anyway. Why not just
cook extra and have a few folks over...
That's such a simple way to let people
know they are important to you.
 |
| where do you get YOUR gator...** |
 |
| Gumbo. Only way to make it is for a crowd... |
And nothing makes a cold grey month
better than filling your home with those people who are important to
you.***
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler!!
This is one of two burlesque supper clubs in ST. Louis. We go this evening, more to follow...
I have ordered gator and a variety of other mardi gras items from this site. always great products and service.
***I should note - we are not doing the party this year. I am still recovering from last year and the Giant Jenga tournament which went with it...
 |
| nothing says party like 100 pounds of wood blocks |
It is kind of interesting that January - with all of its New Years resolution diets - is followed immediately by the excesses of chocolate and all things Mardi Gras. All this, just in time to give up sweets for Lent.
ReplyDelete