BE MERRY

Ah…it’s that time of year again. The time of year when it’s nigh impossible to read a paper, magazine or watch a televi­sion show without being bombarded by visions of chocolate and diamonds. (Sorry, guys, the season appears to be largely marketed to the female persuasion.) The time of year when you are to, in the words of the clergyman from Princess Bride, “tweasure your wuv.” If you haven’t seen the movie Princess Bride, you absolutely must. As a matter of fact, that would make an ideal Valentine’s Day activity, in itself. It’s even kid-friendly enough for the whole family to enjoy.

As a woman who was wooed with homemade sausage and car repairs rather than chocolates and diamonds, I’ll admit that I may be slightly less romantic than the average gal. If your loved one is more traditional in her (or his) preferences, and you’ve failed to plan ahead, Waitsburg Grocery has a cooler of lovely floral arrangements that are likely to get you off the hook. Go ahead and grab a card while you’re there. Just don’t do like my husband who bought me the same card three years in a row. I guess he liked it.

Follow that with a Prime Rib Valentine’s Day Dinner at Waitsburg’s Town Hall and you’re sure to win bonus points. This year’s event includes prime rib, dessert and a beverage for a suggested donation of $20. Your heart is sure to be extra “warm” knowing your donation will fund the maintenance and operations of Town Hall. Valentine’s gift baskets will be auctioned off throughout the evening and Daergan Guy, of Dayton, will be providing musical entertainment. I’ve yet to hear him play, but am told that his folk/modern classic style of guitar is quite enjoyable. Call 337-6186 for tickets.

If you’d prefer to celebrate in a way that’s a bit out of the ordinary, consider stopping in at Mace Mead Works in Day­ton, which just reopened after taking the month of January off. As one who detests beer and has a low appreciation of wine, I was literally forced to visit Mace Mead Works by my son, who is enrolled in the Enology and Viticulture program at WWCC. He uses words like “feet” and “sniff” (those may not be the exact terms) to describe wine, while I use words like “good” and “bad”. Enlisting a friend for moral support, we hit the bar at Mead Works only to be pleasantly surprised. The cocktail list is full of highly creative offerings like Bee Sting, Peary Mason and Orange Creamy (Yum!). We had a ball, each ordering a different, reasonably priced, drinks and sharing tastes. If you hit it right, you may even be fortunate enough to enjoy Willy Weppler on the piano.

Music lovers will want to be sure and stop in at the Coppei Coffee in Waitsburg from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on the 15th for their monthly Bluegrass Jam. Order up a yummy drink, relax and enjoy the tunes!