Or should that be “For better or for worse, it’s Valentine’s Day”?
I hope you’re enjoying your day, whether you’re sharing it with your special someone, or just enjoying the warmth of your home on a cold, crappy mid-February day. My Valentine and I are spending the afternoon in our living room – he’s playing Breath of the Wild on one couch, and I’m writing on the other couch. Our two little Valentines are both doing what they do best – sleeping. We had a nice home-cooked breakfast, and we’ll have a nice dinner tonight.
In pre-pandemic times, we usually celebrate Valentine’s Day a few days after the fact, which allowed us to eat out without having to make reservations or wait a long time for a table. Last year, we went out to lunch at Red Lobster the day after Valentine’s Day, which was special because lunch out is always nice, but it was also the last time we went out for a meal in a restaurant. We get more takeout and cook these days, but I’m definitely looking forward to going back to a restaurant once we’re both vaccinated.
I say this as my dishwasher is running – I always love good cooking, but I hate the cleanup part!
I really hadn’t made any concrete plans for a Valentine’s Day article, the way I usually do for a Christmas article. However, I knew I wanted to do something from For Better or for Worse, as I had at Christmas time. I really enjoyed watching the story of the Pattersons and the “Bestest Gift”. That was actually the special that kicked off the whole series, which included six additional specials from 1992 until 1997, and a two-season series. The specials focused on a few holidays, including Christmas and Valentine’s Day, as well as Halloween, along with a few specials about ordinary days in the Patterson family (as the comic was about just that – ordinary days).
The series, which premiered in November 2000 and aired until December 2001, was produced by Ottawa’s Funbag Studios for the Canadian television station Teletoon. These episodes were hosted by the comic’s creator, Lynn Johnston, and featured three segments from three eras of the comics that tied together into one topic. The segments involved a story from “The Early Years” (late 1980s), “The Growing Years” (early 1990s), and “The Later Years” (late 1990s), and the series ran for eight episodes per season. I’ve been able to find the entire series on YouTube, and have watched certain segments in dribs and drabs, specifically the holiday ones.
During the course of the series, there was one Valentine’s Day segment, “A Special Kind of Dad” part of “The Later Years.”
It’s Valentine’s Day, and Ely gives Elizabeth and April Valentines.
John believes it is just Friday, until his receptionist reminds him of the day, but not to worry, as she got a dozen roses for him to bring home to his wife.
Which he conveniently forgets.
Meanwhile, Michael goes to buy a dozen roses for his girlfriend Deanna, but upon hearing his dad’s dilemma of forgotten roses, newly acquired roses that wind up in Elizabeth’s hands, and not having anything for Ely, he helps his dad out…
…only for John to help Michael out, in a dad kind of way.
It’s a cute slice of Valentine’s Day life, if only in the Patterson life.
At just under 7 1/2 minutes, this story is short, sweet, and to the point, with a nice dose of humor thrown in for good measure!
May your Valentine’s Day involve more happiness, and less misplaced roses and singing dads.
Happy Valentine’s Day!