The Training

I finally got results back from my test (the one that started me on this blogging adventure). The score was as predicted – Test 1; Me 1. If this was a game of soccer all would be fine. We would shake hands and say, “Good game,” while each secretly feeling like we were the ones who had really won. But as much as we feel like we are just running around chasing an elusive ball that always seems to be going in the direction we are not, life is somewhat different than a soccer game. In April, we will meet for Round 2; one test, one point available, and no chance for a tie.

Valentine's Day Cards

I was not planning on making Valentine’s Day cards this year. It’s not that I’m anti Valentine’s Day (although I do admit to not being the biggest fan), but my obstinate nature usually refuses to have a good idea for the making of this particular card. It’s like when someone says, “You’re clever – how about coming up with a good tag-line for such and such…” My mind goes completely blank and I can barely form grammatically correct sentences let alone any associated with wit. There are so many cute things out there for Valentine’s Day, not to mention a barrage of commercial cards that my card making abilities hibernate until St. Patrick’s Day which is a lot less pressure packed (and who isn’t fond of getting pinched by a crab).

All week everyone around me began exuberating Valentine spirit; talking of cards, creating very cute cards, having valentine shaped waffles for breakfast, going to the paper store, etc. It was after spending an afternoon punching out small hearts with a friend’s heart punch that I reluctantly decided to make a card.* It was not amazing, and I once again was ready to abandon the holiday. I went to sleep that night thinking of all the great people in my life who really do deserve a Valentine’s Day card from me and of the paper hearts. The paper hearts, so many punches so far without use, but waiting… ready for something. They could be used for ladybugs (too cliché), spots on a giraffe (too obsessed with giraffes), or heart flowers (already tried and looking mushy). Around 1:35am inspiration struck.

The hearts had aligned themselves into caterpillar conga lines. They were a festive bunch and every so often, one of the caterpillars would be whipped out of formation, fly through the air and become a heart-shaped butterfly. It had all the makings of a great card. Outside with the caterpillar – “All this caterwauling to say…” Inside with butterfly – “You’re sort of ok”. To those who might be offended with the “sort of” I would cross that out and put “more than”. I fell asleep secure in the center of the celebrating caterpillar conga line.

I’m always a little suspicious of my “brilliant” middle of the night ideas, but the next morning the plan still contained possibilities. The first snag was hit when I looked up caterwauling in the dictionary to ensure the spelling. The fun word that vaguely meant loud yelling creating general rumpus and ruckus had a much more defined definition for a sound that should never be associated with a Valentine’s Day card and had much more to do with cats than caterpillars. (There were several howls let loose in the sewing stage of these cards, but these never reached a true caterwaul – at least I hope. I was using my couch as a pin-cushion, and sat down or got poked with the needle more than once.) In the end, I decided to let the caterpillars and butterflies speak for themselves in a much more individualized greeting.

Sadly, you should not expect one of these creatures to appear in a mailbox near you any time soon. I’m afraid they may have to be used for next year. Of course next year all the cute caterpillars will have all hatched into butterflies, but this just makes for easier delivery – right?” In the meantime, Happy Valentine’s Day!!


*I know this seems like a strange way to spend an afternoon, when I had no intention of creating cards requiring small heart punches, but I had my reasons.