The Great Romance
So today is St Valentine’s Day.
Otherwise known as Hallmark Day.
Today is the day when partners are presented with a bunch of half dead flowers bought at the local forecourt. If they’re lucky they’ll get a box of chocolates too.
For the last while I have been inundated with spam from various florists, chocolate people and the local supermarkets all hinting that love is measured solely by the amount spent. If I don’t spend a three figure sum then I don’t love. After forty eight years [or is it forty nine?] of marriage I made Herself a mug of tea this morning. Who says romance is dead?
It reminds me of the old definition of Irish foreplay – “Brace yourself, Bridget”. Now that’s romance?
Today is also Ash Wednesday – a religious thing. It’s supposed to be the start of Lent [another religious thing] when we all are supposed to give something up for the next forty days. I’m not quite sure what that’s supposed to do but I do remember my mother [who had converted to the Catholic mob] half starving us for the period. Having tried to dry us out for the month of January they now want us to give something else up. They can fuck off.
I stuck a couple of bottles of Jameson’s onto tomorrow’s grocery delivery.
I’ll give up Heroin for Lent.
It is all great marketing con. All to boost the retail lull between Xmas and Easter. That and Mothers’, Fathers’, Aunties’ Day, Partners’ Day, Mother’s-Good-Friend-That-I-Call-Uncles’ Day, Halloween and the rest, all imported from the US of A.
When I were a lad the sender of the Valentine was meant to be secret, unknown to the recipient. And those of a feminine gender ( before all this modern confusion) could send them too.
Father Jack has a few apposite words.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wvcvZfbGNOw
You old cynic! It’s a wonder they haven’t copped onto the equinoxes and solstices. Give them time…..
Lent for Christians, just like Ramadan for the ‘religion of peace’ and similar rites for others, is simply a device for each hierarchy of god-bothers to validate regularly the degree of control they have over aspects of your daily life. Submit and they know they’ve got you under control.
I’ve given up Lent for Lent.
I think I gave it up for Lent years before I even resolved to give up New Year’s Resolutions.
“…all imported from the US of A.”
Hold on there Doonhamer. I’m relatively certain that we got it from China (or maybe Mexico). No doubt you folks got it the same way.
It’s amazing what one can get from the Chinese? Curries? Viruses?
My dad was a staunch churchgoer, and gave up smoking his pipe for Lent and giving the money to the local church.
One day, the vicar told him that wasn’t the way to approach Lent, there are deper meanings etc., so he said ‘Sod it’, and never gave up again!
I gave up smoking because one Monday, I had the worst hangover I’d had in years, and spent the whole day, ‘Nil by mouth’! I told my wife what I’d done , that evening and she gave up as well!
But it all bloody well hurt I can tell you…
I think Halloween is the stupidest Yank sort of ‘celebration’ at the moment, but there again, they all have some sort of flag outside their doors, all year long for some odd reason!
You’ll get into trouble with the Mercans with that last crack. That flag thing was always something that puzzled me. I have never seen an Irish flag outside a house here. Not one, in many years of travel.
You see loads of flags when driving in the Republic! Having said that, they are almost universally GAA flags; the sports supporters marking their territory.
Ah yes! We have a Wicklow supporter down the road who nails a flag to the telegraph pole at regular intervals. I assume it’s a Wicklow flag as I have little interest in sports
Nah, we are actually super easy to get along with. As to the lack of flags in Ireland, we can send you some.
Irish ones?