It’s that time of year again Valentine’s day is here, it also happens to be my Dad’s birthday (Happy birthday Grandad Duncan!)

So what with all the events this year we said we wouldn’t really do presents on Valentine’s day, instead we would just have a nice meal and exchange cards, it’s quite tough to resist the temptation of buying a little something or two and neither of us manage to hold out to that temptation it seems.

So after a little lunchtime shopping I was met with a wall of children and a shout when I got home and tried to put my bags in the kitchen, it seems a surprise was in hand… I like surprises, who doesn’t!!

I could hear lots of beavering around and all sorts of nice smells were wafting there way towards my nose and the hunger was definitely set in and was relieved when I was finally called into the kitchen, and what a lovely sight I was met with, Paula had gone to a lot of trouble to make the kitchen table look nice and romantic with scented candles to really set the mood.

I was treated to a 3 course meal courtesy of Marks & Spencers and of course the loving touch of my good wife, we didn’t manage to get the exact meal we were eyeing up after all of those delectable adverts on the TV in the run up to V day, but Paula certainly found some cracking options anyway.

First course was a lovely stuffed mushroom and was followed by a main course consisting of new potatoes, a medley of chopped vegetables with melted garlic butter and a yummy marinated chicken breast, the pièce de résistance was a simply amazing salted caramel cheesecake.

So valentines day shouldn’t be complete without pressies from the kiddies, Paula got her card and some thorton chocolates in the morning and I was instructed to sit down and close my eyes for my little treats from the kids, a lovely card with lots of drawings in, especially Daizee-Mai who at three is able to draw astoundingly awesome pictures of people, such a clever girl that one, we’re going to have to watch her in the future! Also came my favourite marshmallows (naughty!) and some chocolates.

And of course the kids can’t get left out on valentine’s day can they, they were all treated to a mini versions of the colin caterpillar chocolate cake also from Marks & Spencer, I think they were most definitely feeling the valentine’s day too!

Till next year…