Shoreham-Wading River: Valentine’s Day facts and school conferences

How is your knowledge of Valentine’s Day trivia? Did you know that in the Middle Ages, one week before Valentine’s Day, a young man would draw a woman’s name from a bowl to see who his valentine love would be, and during that week he attached that name to his sleeve. As years went by, this evolved into the notion that anyone whose feelings were somewhat transparent was said to “wear his heart on his sleeve.”

Did you ever hear that you’re one in a million? Well, if you purchase a rose on Valentine’s Day, you’re one in 110 million. That’s how many roses are sold in this country for Valentine’s Day, most of which come to us from South America. That’s how many “flowers of love” are sitting in vases representing the “holiday of love.”

I must tell you one more thing about Valentine’s Day because my dog will not rest until it is mentioned. (She’s up at the computer practically tapping the keys herself.) Supposedly, three percent of the population will buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets. That translates to $367 million dollars for pink “I Love You” biscuits and other delicacies that are chewed, swallowed or wolfed down in less than 10 seconds. I think my dog was trying to tell me something; I discovered pictures of T-bone steaks around the house all week and the date Feb. 14 circled on my calendar.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held at Shoreham-Wading River High School from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17. A “Valentine Cabaret” will also take place at the school to coincide with the conferences.

Happy birthday to Carl Scalfani and Christina O’Daniels. Both Tina and Carl are family members who are simply terrific people. Both have wonderful personalities and such warm hearts. Wherever you go, you light up the room.

I hope you had a nice Valentine’s Day and were able to convey “I Love You” to someone in a special way. I also hope that those around you communicated the same to you. I told the dog that we’re saving a little money this week, so I’m making my famous heart-shaped meatloaf. She seems somewhat disappointed. (Is that Pepto Bismol she’s trying to slide toward me?)

Enjoy the climb up out of the deep freeze, bask in the glow of your love, smile and we’ll meet here again next week.