Valentines shamentines !!

So it was Valentines Day on Tuesday  - the day that makes single people feel inadequate and long term couples feel like unromantic and miserable has beens. In fact, I reckon that there are more arguments on Valentines Day than any other day of the year!!! Scores of women with shattered illusions of faultless romance and sloppiness, only to be greeted by a dogeared Tesco value card given half heartedly by their hopeful partner. 

Surely romance should be spontaneous, heart felt and unprovoked - all lost on the big V. It dawned on me on Monday morning, when i awoke late, as usual, had to wash my hair and iron a blouse ( the later I usually avoid like the plague). Rushing into the shower, I slung by crumpled M&S best onto the ironing board with the intention of passing an extra hot iron over it after my shower. 5 minutes later, dripping wet, I ran across the landing to see a perfectly poised boyfriend, suited and booted, smelling of Hugo, calmly finishing his hair in the mirror. My dish rag of a shirt is now immaculately restored to its former glory; smooth, crisp and neatly hung on the radiator 'to keep it warm.'

It was at that moment - I thought of my preconceived understanding of romance. A childish dream of Hollywood films and 80s hair rock. All Fictional, made up and insincere. As I buttoned my shirt, tucked it into my pencil shirt, and put on my heels, I thought how thoughtful, how unprovoked and how real that one romantic moment had been. It cost nothing, but meant everything.