Valentines day is NOT allowed!

It's forbidden, against the law, illegal! This article was in today's paper:

Red is Out Till Friday

Wednesday, 14 February 2007

VALENTINE’S Day is here, and it is another year of cat and mouse chase between the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice(religous zealot police) and flower and gift shops.
They informed us not to sell anything red until the 16th, said the manager of a popular flower shop in Mohamadia district. The manager instructed all salesmen to take out all their red products. We are not even going to sell red roses this year, said the manager. Although many flower and gift shops still sell Valentine products under the counter for a hefty price, this manager doesn’t want to risk it.
Last year his shop was raided by the authorities. The manager and some of his salesmen were taken by the police and jailed for one month.
Despite being only a branch manager having no control on the selection of products to be sold, he had to sign a pledge not to sell any Valentine products again to get release from the prison. In the shop, all things red were conspicuous by their absence. During the 20 minutes The Saudi Gazette spent at the store, three female customers asked for either red roses or Valentine gifts. One customer wanted a gift, another wanted to commission the store to decorate her engagement reception red, while the third wanted a red bridal bouquet but were all refused.
However, not all flower shops have been turning back their customers. Some are selling red roses under the counter. A SR5 red rose is sold between SR30-50 on Valentine’s Day.
We take orders from our long time customers through the phone. We make the bouquets in our living quarters then we deliver the bouquet to the customer’s house, explained one florist. The stories that are told by florists and gift wrapper designers sound strange. One of the most popular ways in which the opposite sexes exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day or any other days is one person orders the gift to be wrapped in a store then the second party comes the next day to pick it up.

My father's surgery went fine yesterday, after pacing and worrying all day I called my sister, who was at the hospital with him. She said all went well and he was feeling ok. He should be able to go home on Wednesday. A new heart pumper for Valentine's Day. I just hope they don't get the bad storm that is predicted for them.

It's Wednesday so the weekend is here!!

What a sweet husband I have. When I went to sit down in my computer chair this morning, there was a box of Galaxy chocolates and a bag of chocolate bars there with a red ribbon. How sweet! I make him a German Chocolate cake with pecan caramel frosting. I didn't have the ingredients to make him the Red Velvet cake that I really wanted to.