Ladies of a Certain Age ~ for those invisible powerful, dynamic, vital women

Make Valentine’s Day Special Just For You!

(What a radical idea!)

If you’re like me, you have done extra special things all of your life for Valentine’s Day—cards, flowers, dinners, cookies, for family, friends, pets, and business associates—and spent lots of money, honey.

Well, I say, “Make Valentine’s Day special just for you this year.”

We have been taught since we were little girls to give Valentine’s. Did you ever hear, “And, yes, Sweetie, be sure and do something just for you that day?” I never did. In fact, I would have been reprimanded for being selfish and rude. My actions might have even merited severe punishment by the church my family attended.

This year, I am planning on giving special Valentine’s first to me.

To start with, I’m thinking about what brings me joy at the ripe age of almost 79 and how to include them in my day.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

I love to wake up when I wake up.

Enjoy a great cup or two of coffee.

Eat a special lunch, like the raspberry salad I featured in the February 2026 newsletter.

Go for a drive in the mountains that surround this spectacular valley I live in.

Play with my dog and cat.

Delight in an early dinner at the nearby French restaurant.

Get ready for bed early.

Think about special, unexpected things or feelings that happened that day and write them down in my pleasure journal, which I have started to keep. (I noted these in the February 2026 e-newsletter—sunshine warming me up, cedar waxwings in my yard, and cocoa)

Hop in bed without asking Alexa to wake me up at 6 a.m.

Of course, I will give valentines to all the folks, including a certain dog and cat I have always given them to.

But—believe it or not—my priority will be me!