Valentine's Day

I remember Valentine's Day 1994. Dan and I were newlyweds, living in an apartment on Bellevue Avenue in Upper Montclair. Moey already had her adorable baby boy, Kevin. He was born in 1992, and they lived in a house across town. I was longing for a baby; we had been married for three years. It got to the point where I felt like every woman I knew or passed in town was a mother--everyone except me. I walked by a blonde mom in a yellow slicker on a rainy day, over on Cooper Avenue. I felt pain as she walked with her children that afternoon. She was yet one more mother in a town of mothers. Wasn't anyone else like me? But she was kind. She noticed me and smiled.

I decorated the hallway door to our apartment that February with red and white heart-shaped paper doilies. We found out our baby was on the way about nine months later, in November 1994. Figgy was born in August 1995.

I love Valentine's Day. Sis just received the La Maison du Chocolat French chocolate from me and my family.  

Good night, love.

TCOY

1. Jeff's 8 AM Basic Yoga class.
2. Short walk with Sug.
3. Cappuccino, not dark hot chocolate, at Vesta.
4. Ate pretty healthfully...but not at the right times. Breakfast 12 noon; lunch 4 PM; dinner 9 PM.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Montclair Bread Company, loaf of bread, $5.
• CVS, valentines to mail to Maine, Mimi and Sis and valentine treats for my family, including Godiva chocolate, plus Differin face wash, paper products, huge Listerine [had $3 in coupons], dried apricots, Dove exfoliating scrub, $82.
• Howell Montclair, special frame for Punchy's school photo, $26.66.
• Vesta Chocolate, cappuccino, single Val treats for 2 family members and one beautiful signature ceramic cup from Fefostudio in NY, plus $1 tip, $53.35.
• Joyist, had to work on writing deadline in town when drove Punch in for appt., healthy blended shake and avocado toast for her, $20.
• Parking meter, $1.50.
• Daikichi, dinner for three, paid cash to save 10 percent and picked it up to skip delivery fee, plus $1.50 tip, $39.

Total daily spend: $227.51.

Ongoing monthly spend as of Feb. 12: $785.11.

Avg daily spend: $65.43.