Happy Valentine's Day!

I have never been sure about what to think about this commercialized Holiday.  It's kind of nice in that it encourages people to say how they care and feel about others; which in most cases I think is a good thing.  Or I should say as long as it's something in a positive way of stating one's feelings, it CAN be a good thing. 

But this Holiday also has a way of putting a great deal of people on the "spot" to say something that they may not feel comfortable with.  It could force some one's hand or encourage someone to jump three squares ahead when they are not even ready to proceed.  I, often, wonder if Holidays like this have lead or should I say compounded to the high divorce rate.  I know it's kind of morbid thought on such a day as this.  But these are the thoughts that go through my head.  I might be called cynical for making such a statement, and I don't mean to be a cynic.  It's just one of those off the wall thoughts that hit me every now and then.

I've never felt comfortable with Valentine's Day myself.  I've never really been one for flowers or chocolates.  I'm allergic to gold so that counts out at least 50% or more of the jewelry ideas.  And lingerie, well... no!  So what does that leave for someone to get me?  Well, something for my bike or coffee related would always be a safe bet.  Or how about an expanse of fresh newly stretched canvas?  Yeah, as you can tell I'm a REAL romantic one! (** Note the HEAVY sarcasm there!).

I think the other problem with Holidays such as these.  They sometimes encourage the easy answers which I don't always think are the RIGHT answers.  It doesn't encourage creativity or thinking about the person who you are giving for.  Sometimes, the most romantic things that can be done on a Holiday such as this are the smallest of things that can make that person feel special.  Small things like doing a sink full of dirty dishes for your wife, or going for a quite walk locally just the two of you, or cooking his favorite hard to make dessert.  I think some of the best things don't involve any money either.  Hmmmm... but that could also be the cynic in me too.

But anyway, for what it's worth Happy Valentine's Day!

5th Annual Black Widows Valentine's Day Dinner...

The Widow's-- Laura, Madame Mary, Mrs. Goodbar, and Mrs. Vader.

Happy Valentine's Day!  This used to be the one commercial holiday that I used to hate.  But each year with the Black Widows Valentine's Dinner Party; it seems that this holiday gets better and better every year.  For those of you who wonder about this whole event, let me explain it in a small nutshell.  It's an annual Valentine's dinner party in which some of myself and some single girlfriends get together, dress up like widows, and make up stories & obits about pretend deceased husbands.What FUN we had this last Saturday night. It always amazes me what all of the gals come up with for this night.

Here’s Laura explaining a Ferris Wheel accident in which her deceased husband Sky went disappearing off into the great blue yonder sky.

Madame Mary showing us ballet position #1 while talking about her talented former hubby.

Next, was Madame Mary trying to recruit some ladies into her household. She explained how her late hubby who was a very talented Giant Short Faced Kangaroo perished doing the loop de loops through hoops while on fire at a circus entertainment.

Mrs. GOODBAR talked of her SNICKERS.

Then, the Ever Humble Mrs. GOODBAR told her story of her NUTRAGEOUS-ly funny Hubby with the first name SNICKERS who inherited 100 GRAND from BABE RUTH and disappeared to HERSHEY Pennsylvania for another woman’s HUG & Kisses. She wished him dead!

Mrs. Darth Vader telling her saga.

Mrs. Em Vader talked about her former hubby Darth and showed us with a whirling flash light his story. She quite often would break into that deep husky voice. But she has switched over because she revealed to us that now she’s dating Yoda. This really shocked quite a few of this.

Mrs. Vader wearing the photo badge of her new boyfriend.  SHOCKING!

Mrs. Mad Hatter at front left.

Then, there was myself, Mrs. Mad Hatter who was out for a short evening pass from the Prison of “It’s a Small, Small World” situated in Disneyland. I had been quickly accused by the Red Queen of murdering the Mad Hatter and “THEE” Alice; but no one would believe me that when I told them that it had been the Jabberwocky. The Cheshire Cat had conspired with the Red Queen and I was given the choice of “Off with my head” or “Off with me”….and thus, I’m going MAD while serving time in “It’s a Small, Small World” Prison.

The 3rd Annual Black Widow's Valentine's Dinner

It was as always a very Fun filled event, and such a fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day for us single gals. Here we are as a group...

The widows that survived their husbands this year... Mrs. Walter Cronkite Head, Mrs. Aladdin, Mrs. Gumby, and Mrs. Happy-So-Lucky. As you will notice it was a very creative bunch this year. We did however have two of the widows that were unable to make it... I guess they were just TOO sick in mourning.

First there was Mrs. Walter Cronkite Head, a.k.a. Not-So-Good, read the write up that she did for her dear Walter... "Oh my dear dead Walter... You would have had to seen him to believe him. Walter Cronkite, as the world knew him but his real name was Walter Head, who was born in Idaho. From the very beginning, my folks didn't like Walter. They complained that he had a Big head, a bald head, and too plain for me. In other words, they thought of him as a common "tater". But the first time I laid eyes on him, my heart just melted like butter, or maybe it was sour cream... I can't remember for sure. That was a little less than a year ago. I remember our engagement party. We walked into the room, and all "eyes" were upon him. I picked them off as quickly as possible so that no one would notice... He had a heart of gold; I think that was "Yukon Gold". He was so "sweet" that I wouldn't have traded him for another."

"Walter loved to cook...and enjoyed anything outdoors, where he could get "baked" in the sun. He especially liked the Cowboys and Indians, but then he always come home "scalped"... Walter had his faults... He would just be "fried" when I went shopping and spent too much. When he drank too much he had a tendency to get "mashed", and sometimes in general he was soooo cheesy! He had a bag full of kids." Mrs. Head then introduced us to some of the offspring that she had brought along.

Next there was Mrs. Gumby, a true school teacher who brings along her teaching aids-- as apparent below in the photo of her. We teased her about being married to the first man of "being into green". She kept referring to him as Mr. G. Mrs. Head and myself made "G" jokes and asked if that meant he could find the "G-spot"? Oh, and other interesting info about Mr. Gumby... His father was Gumbo. He was on the moon 13 years before Neil Armstrong in 1956. His creator Art Clokey first combined clay and film professionally while working on commercials for Budweiser in the early 1950's. Gumby's best pal is a horse named Pokey. It takes 1440 still-frame pictures to make just one minute of clay animation-- Holy Toledo!

Next Mrs. Happy-So-Lucky who had left Happy out to park the car. She got concerned when he didn't show up half way through dinner. The next thing I knew my apartment hallway was a murder scene! Oh No!! Thank goodness this was after the main entree and before dessert! Who could eat at a time like this!??! Happy had happened to have his Day and Night Planner on him and that helped to solve the case.

Mrs. Happy-So-Lucky put on her police badge and quickly got to work on handing out warrants that were written out to ... "yes, you!"

Well, through the process of elimination and alibis the suspect happened to be narrowed down to ME!!??! Wait a minute!!?? WHAT?! I had no alibis and I had not place an extra setting at the table for Happy.... So I was arrested! I argued that it was all circumstantial evidence and was allowed reprieve so that I could read my obit for my husband... thank goodness!

Here's my obit picture with the write up about my dear Genie...

Local Amateur Magician Falls
to Death During Flying Carpet
Malfunction
Salt Lake City resident, Genie Abba Dabba Aladdin
fell to his death during a flying carpet incident last
night. The flying magic carpet trick that had become
a staple of his magic show and proved to be a fatal
last flight on Sunday evening. Genie had performed
this magical feat numerous times at various venues
over his 25 years of his magic career.

According to his manager what killed him was
the 20 lbs. that he had gained over the holidays.
“It put Genie at too much weight for the safety
suspension system of the flying carpet magic trick.”

The safety cable snapped while the flying carpet
magic trick was being performed for the Special
Olympics Children at the Villa Theater. Genie and his magic carpet careened the 30 feet to the stage where he died on impact. Thanks to the fast thinking on the part of a stage hand who pulled the curtain shut just as Genie’s actual landing took place, and then the Master of Ceremonies finishing up the show. Most of the Special Olympics Children were not aware of Genie’s last plummet to death.

Genie moved to Salt Lake in November 2003, having lived out most of his prime magic career in Las Vegas. He used to be the opening warm up act for Siegfried & Roy in Vegas but found himself unemployed after the October 3rd, 2003 show where Roy got injured by a tiger at a show at the Mirage. Genie tried to serve as the warm up magic act for several other Big Shows in Vegas but just couldn’t find a good fit for his special brand of humor. He had reached a time where he felt it best to go a semi-retired act route. He then moved to Salt Lake City, and started his own business of entertaining for large groups of children. It was a special segment that worked very successfully for him and business was thriving.

Genie is survived by his wife Red. Genie and Red met on a Bonneville Cycling Club Halloween Costume ride. Genie had done a quick impromptu magic show before the first ride in 2004. Red served as his assistant. It was love at first sight. The magic show had become a staple tradition that occurred before the Halloween Bike ride over the years since. Well, not anymore! (Above photo is Red & Genie performing together before the last Halloween Bike Ride in 2009.)

And so the evening ended with each of us consoling our friends and enjoying a dessert of Grapes with Cinnamon Walnut Cream. A FUN evening and now trying to get ideas for next year's event!