August 25, 2008

Halloween costumes

Do you remember last year when I painted my face for Halloween? It turns out I don’t make a very convincing clown. I think I frightened more children than I amused. I’m not into scaring little children, so I’m already thinking about what I can do this year that will add a little fun to Halloween for the neighborhood kids. Back in “the old days” I always costumed at least twice a year - Mardi Gras and Halloween - and I’ll admit that my prime consideration then was “How hot can I look?” My criteria these days have changed - it’s no longer “all about me.” Now I’m more interested in Halloween costumes that will amuse and entertain the the little folks. I noticed last year that several adults in the neighborhood costumed for Halloween, so I’m hoping there will be even more this year. I wish our homeowner’s association would do a block party for the kids and encourage everyone to make it a family affair. We did that once in the years I’ve lived here and it was a great success, but I don’t think that’s going to happen this year. The good news is that there are more kids in the neighborhood this year, so I think I’m obligated to now that it’s taken me a while to sort through them all and narrow down my choices, but I think I’ve finally found one that just right. That’s it over on the left. What do you think? Once I decided on a pirate costume I had to sort through them until I found one that was appropriate for a woman of my … ahem … mature years. A lot of them are pretty sexy and just the sort of thing I’d have worn in days past, but I’d look a little ridiculous in them these days. This one, though, is all about pirate fun, so I think contribute to the spirit of the thing for them, don’t you? I’ve been looking at costumes for a couple of weeks. I really like the period costumes - something from the French court or reminescent of a Jane Austen heroine - and those fit well with my own interests, but I don’t think kids would “get” them. Kids are more interested in acton and adventure and whatever is hot at the moment, so I’ve pretty much decided that Pirate Costumes are the way to go. There are so many wonderful costumes availableit’s right for any woman, regardless of age. I’ve pretty much settled on it, but I have a ittle time before I have to commit, so I’ll keep checking for udpates at blog.halloweenadventure.com until it’s time to make up my mind. Since online orders can be delivered so quickly these days, the only time constraint I have to be concerned with it that I have a coupon code that expires on October 10th. You’ll want to make a note of it for yourself, of course: Coupon Code: PPP05BLOG2008 will give you 5% off TILL OCTOBER 10th, 2008.

Hey, maybe we should make a pact to have an online Halloween party this year. We can all costume and pass out virtual candy to each other. You’ll have to post a picture of yourself in costume in order to participate, but I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours. What do you think? Any takers? We could have some fun with this! Ha, now that I’ve thought of it I’m liking this idea! Let’s just do it, okay? Comment below, let me know that you’re interested and tell me what costume you’ll wear. I’ll see if I can find someone to make us a badge for everyone’s blog and we’ll have some fun trick-or-treating at each other’s places. You on board? Please, please, please say yes!

Technorati Tags: costumes, Halloween, Halloween costumes, pirate costumes

August 22, 2008

I’m creating a second empire

I registered a new domain yesterday. I’m really excited about this one because it represents a tangible foundation stone in some major changes that are building in my life. The new domain is a name domain - my real life name. I’ve operated my business under my own name for quite a few years now. I have some new business interests that will also be tied to my personal identity, so it makes sense to have a name website to serve client needs and to publicize my services to potential new clients. It’s also sound business to establish the new website in a way that will be totally unassociated with the skeet empire (you do know I’m an empire, right?) The people I do business with don’t need to see me with a mud mask on my face or know about my affinity for white cotton. Having two separate empires will allow me to keep sharing my personal life and interests here while maintaining a buffer zone between business and personal life over there. Towards that end, I am now shopping for new webhosting that will help me maintain those separate identities.

I won’t be diving in and hooking up to the first host that offers me a good rate this time. The new domain will stay parked until I’m sure I’ve found the right host for my professional website. While I love Blue Host, I’m not sure that Multiple Domain Hosting with a single host is the right way to go. I’m not in a huge hurry. The changes I’m anticipating will transpire with or without the new site up and running. That means I can take my time and make my webhosting decisions without the pressure of a short timeline. I’m studying the options with several differents hosts and doing some other homework. My new website needs to be an enhancement to my professional image. It will form a first impression for many future clients, so I’ve got to make a selection that will help me make that impression as good as it can possiby be. Webhositngrating.com offers unbiased data and reviews of all the best-know hosts, so everything I need to know can be found there. It’s good to have a service like that handy when you’re taking a major step into the future. Whether you’re starting a new blog or building a professional empire, check them out before you commit to your next web host. Reviewing the services that are available before you take the plunge can save you from a world of misgivings later, and wehostingrating is the place to do it.

Technorati Tags: business website, domains, hosting, web hosting

August 13, 2008

Mabel’s Labels for Back-to-Shool

Have you finished your back-to-school shopping yet? I know it’s a chore many of you dread - the crowded aisles in the stores, the impossible-to-find items that your children just have to have, the expense! I enjoy watching all the hubbub (yeah, I know - easy for me to say!) The excitment in a little girl’s eyes when she spots the perfect Dora notebook, the unbridled glee of a preschooler picking out his very first knapsack, even the supposed indifference of a teen who can’t quite hide the gleam in his eye as he reaches for a goth-themed binder. Watching from the sidelines is a nostalgia trip for me - you’ll understand one day when your kids are grown and gone! Right now you’re probably just hoping to survive all the preparations and get the little imps back in school. Here’s my tip-of-the-day to help you get it all organized: Label everything! As surely as the sun comes up and the sun goes down, kids lose things. You know it’s going to happen. The jacket left on the playground, the notebook under the bus seat - kids have so many important things on their minds that it’s a real chore for them to keep up with their stuff. Labels make it easier for their stuff to find its way home and are a great help to the teachers, coaches, office staff and bus drivers who have to sort though it all. Mabel’s Labels is the way to go! The giant Ultimate Back-To-School Combo has all the labels and tags you’ll need for all their stuff, and at a great price.

Tag-Mates make it easy for you to label all the shirts and gloves and coats. They stick right on the clothing care tag with no ironing or sewing for you! Don’t worry - they’re super-durable and won’t come off in the laundry or peel away when the coat gets rolled up and used as a kickball.

Shoe Lables have a protective overlay that will keep them firmly in place, despite sweaty little feet and rainy days.

Bag Tags are made of sturdy metal and so durable your kid can use the same ones all the way into college.

Skinny-Minis go on everything else and the teachers will love you for using them! Label the pencils and glue, the sandwich keeper and toys - everything!

You’re spending a fortune on all of this stuff, right? Mabel’s Labels can help you (and your children) keep track of the stuff kids lose so you won’t be buying so many replacements. Your Mabel’s Labels agent is Nicole Lee and she’s offering the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo at a great price until September 30th. Let your children help you pick the right colors and icons to represent their personalities, fill in their names and selections and let Nicole take it from there. She’s even got a skull-and-crossbones icon you can put on black labels to make your goth-child smile. Well, okay, goth-children don’t smile at adult authority figures, but you know they’ll love you for it!

Mabel’s Labels - for the stuff kids lose (and for your sanity!)

Technorati Tags: back-to-school, labels, Mabel’s Labels, tags

August 3, 2008

A pair and a spare - of eyeglasses

Mrs. Stevenson was my second grade teacher. She had the most amazing silver hair, which she tinted pink or green or blue to help us celebrate holidays throughout the school year. She was also quite perceptive and had a genuine concern for each of the students entrusted to her care. She was the first to notice that I was not seeing well. She moved me to a front-row desk and sent a note home to my folks saying that I needed a vison check. Sure enough, I was nearsighted, and I’ve never been without glasses since then. Figuring a new pair every other year, that means I’ve been though about twenty-five pair of eyeglasses in my life, give or take a spare pair or two. You see my picture every Sunday. You know I’m never without them. The only time I don’t wear them is when I’m in the shower (Trust me - you don’t want to go there with me!) or when I’m swimming (I wear corrective lenses in my dive mask.) I don’t lose glasses like some folks, because they are either on my bedside table or on my face. The only pair I ever lost are probably still endlessly circling in a permanent eddy in the Brazos River. They got ripped from my face when my tube tipped over and I had a miserable, blind ride home with friends that afternoon. That was when I learned that it’s a good idea to always have a spare pair. It’s been my habit since then to keep my last pair each time I get new ones. I didn’t get to do that when I got my current pair, though, because my old ones had a badly scratched lens (darn termites - or maybe the tools I was using to look for them - jumped out and scraped my lens during an inspection.) I find myself, for the first time in years, with a spare pair that is two corrections old instead of one. That’s kind of scary when you’re as dependent on your glasses as I am. I paid over $300 for these glasses at my favorite warehouse/big box store optical center and they didn’t offer a significant discount for a second pair, so I had to pass on that. It’s always possible I could get attacked by termites again, so I need to have a spare pair of eyeglasses with my current prescription that I can carry around with me, just in case. That’s why I was so glad to find out about Zenni Optical and their very reasonable prices. Their glasses start as low as $8.00, and the progressive lenses I need start at only $37.00. They have a huge selection of frames which they sell direct to the consumer, so there’s no middle-man markup (which was probably the biggest part of the price I paid last time.) Zenni Optical has a pair which is almost identical to the ones I’m wearing. They’re $19.00, and that includes the Polarized Magnetic Snap-on Sunlens that I paid $30.00 extra for last time. Anti-Scratch coating, UV protection and Lens edge polishing and beveling? Always free with Zenni Optical, and Shipping and Handling is always just $4.95, no matter how many pair I order. Zenni Optical was recommended by Clark Howard on his nationally syndicated consumer advocate program, The Clark Howard Show, so maybe you already knew that you could get eyeglasses at a fraction of what I’ve been paying. It’s news to me though, and news that I’m glad to have heard. I need my glasses in order to see well enough to drive. I wouldn’t even attempt it without them. It would be disasterous if I broke my glasses while I was all the way across island and couldn’t get home. I’m feeling pretty good about knowing I can get a spare pair to keep handy, just in case. You should check them out, too. You never know when termites might attack!

Technorati Tags: eyeglasses, glasses, Zenni Optical

June 18, 2008

I love my tile floors!

I won’t have carpet in my home. Maybe if I lived in a place that gets cold I would consider it, at least for the bedrooms, but I really don’t care for carpeted floors. They’re hard to keep clean, especially when you share your home with a dog. I’m not talking about piddling - though that does happen from time to time. The thing I really hate is the way that hair clings to carpets. The world’s best vacuum cannot get all of the hair up, never mind the regular dirt that filters into it. Being a termite inspector, I’ve pulled up the edges of carpets many times. Have you ever seen the crud that collects down there? If you had, you’d never have carpets in your home either, especially if you have allergies or someone in your home has asthma. The tile floors in my home were a major attraction for me when I was home-shopping. They’re so easy to clean, and when I’ve cleaned them I know that they are really clean - everything comes up easily and there’s no place for crud to hide. An added bonus is that my home is as much as twenty degrees cooler than my neighbors’ homes on some of our hot tropical days. Twenty degrees - that puts me in a nice comfort zone when my neighbors are sweltering. My only disappointment is that the previous owner had no sense of style. My tile floors are beige. Can you imagine choosing beige when there are so many design possibilities with tile? Remember I told you a few weeks ago that I’m getting ready to start painting inside? The paint is already on hand and the color is terra cotta. I’d love to swap out the floor tiles for terra cotta, too. I’ve been reading about Mexican saltillo tile and that’s what I’d like to have. Authentic Saltillo Tile only comes from Saltillo, Coahuila Mexico and it is made by hand. I love the color variations and slight imperfections in natural, hand-made terra cotta tile. I inspected a home near Diamon Head recently that has it, complete with dog paw prints on a couple of the tiles. How perfect would that be for me? Tile floors can last a lifetime, too. They don’t wear down like wooden floors or carpets and they don’t get scuff marks. Well, we don’t wear shoes inside in Hawaii, so I never get them, but if you do get a few they’ll come right off. I don’t know when I’ll get to re-do my floors. I’ve already got the paint for all of the walls and the wood for new kitchen cabinets and the pre-made cabinet and vanity for my master bath. Those jobs have to be finished first, but one of these days I’m hoping to install Mexican Saltillo tile to finish things off and bring it all together. I’ll enjoy having it for as long as I own my home and it will be a huge selling point if I ever decide to sell. If you’re thinking about some changes around your own place, check out Saltillo Tile. I’ll bet you’ll find something you like!

Technorati Tags: flooring, Saltillo Tile, tile, tile floors

June 4, 2008

Improving my desgin

I’m finally working on my house again. The first big job will be painting the interior. I’m prepping now, so don’t mind the paper on the doors and the patches on the walls, please. Several years ago I had the open-decked lanai torn out. In its place I now have a screened lanai/multi-purpose room. My washer and dryer are out there, I have plenty of built-in storage and there are two benches beneath the large screened windows out of view to the left and behind me in the picture above. My tiny side yard is also behind me, and my herb and tropicals garden. I use the screened door to the left to enter the house from the front lanai. It’s really convenient because I can set anything I’m carrying inside, go out for another trip (and another and another if I found some shopping bargains!) and not worry about Lance getting out (the baby gate is temporary - it will be replaced with a screen door soon.) We don’t wear our shoes inside in Hawaii, so it’s also a convenient place to take them off and have them ready to go for next time. All-in-all I’m pretty happy with the room. It’s got some design flaws, though. I acted as my own general contractor and I’m not exactly an expert. A licensed contractor would have pointed out any problems with my plans and helped me find ways to correct them. The carpenter I hired just went along with my original design. Notice my lovely tile floors? They’re very practical when I come in from outside during our rainy winters, or when I’m dirty coming in from the garden. They’re also very hard! I came out of the house with a load of laundry one day and toppled off of the deck to the tiled slab below. I’m very lucky to have had only a few bumps and buises to show for it. A contractor would have seen the danger in having an elevation change so close to a door and would have insisted that I have guard rails along the upper level and the stairs. I’ll have to have them retro-fitted now, but I’ve found a great place to get just what I want. Picketed rails look great on the lanai outside, but I want something open and airy inside, to suit the room.

This is exactly what I’ve been wanting! Tempered glass inserts will provide safety without blocking all of the lovely sunlight that floods into my dining area or blocking my view through the room into my garden. The metal components are fitted together with self-drilling/self-tapping hardware, so I could probably do the work myself except for needing someone to hold the glass while I install it. Yeah, like I would be that stupid again! No, this time I’ll let a pro do the work, but after we discuss what I want we’ll be going to the link above to get everything we need to make the room safer without compromising the design. I’m a - ahem - mature woman now, and a broken hip would put a serious crimp in style. I’ve already bought some no-skid patches to put on the stairs. Now I just need to find a contractor bold enough to tell this old gal the right way to finish making things safe.

Technorati Tags: building design, guard rails, home design, safety, stair rails

April 28, 2008

Birthstone jewelry for Mother’s Day

My son came to visit me for Mother’s Day last year. It’s not something he can do every year, as his time-off schedule is subject to the whims of other people. If he can’t come for Mother’s Day this year he’ll try for my birthday. I’d rather he make it for Mother’s Day, simply because it comes first, but it’s always a good time when he visits, no matter the time of year. We work in the garden and go to the beach and to restaurants for the local foods he misses. I can’t seem to get it through his head that by the time he arrives I’m excited about the prospect of cooking for him - he seems to think his visits should create no work for me, silly boy! I guess he’ll understand when he has kids of his own that parents revel in doing things for their kids. He thinks that should be a one-way street, with him giving and me recieving. And, oh, he knows how to give! I’m not sure where he got his talent for selecting presents. Since he was quite young he’s had a knack for picking just the right gifts to make my heart sing. I’ve told you about he insect jewelry collection he started for me shortly after I began my career in pest control. He also started and frequently contributes to my collection of kaleidoscopes, and likes to give me board games which we play when he visits. Whatever else he gives me, he always includes a Border’s gift card, too, since one can never have too many books. I can’t wait to see what he gives me when he finally gets around to blessing my with grandkids. Lots of framed photos, I’m sure, and maybe some birthstone jewelry, something to which I can add a charm with each addition to the family. I’d love to have something like that, with a tiny jewel I could touch each day to bring babies to mind. It would start with a garnet for his own birthstone, of course, and one for the love of his life. Then another and another as the years pass and his family grows. Oh, yeah! I’d like that lot. It won’t happen for me this year, but I know it will someday. Until then I content myself by weaving dreams and by making wish lists and wondering whether his first son will have my unfortunate family nose or his father’s amazing eyes. Ah, the stuff of dreams! I think I’ll go browse the birthstone jewelry again and work on those wish lists. I should be prepared, don’t you think, for those happy crowded-house days that will come someday!

Technorati Tags: birthstone jewelry, gifts, grandchildren, jewelry, Mother’s Day, sons

March 21, 2008

These cufflinks must have been made for me!

My friend is on the mainland this week. Her son graduated from bootcamp in Georgia yesterday (Congratulations, Drew! I’m so proud of you!) I wouldn’t call her a frequent flyer, but she certainly travels more than I do, usually going to the mainland about twice a year. She has the same problem that I do with clutter, so she doesn’t keep a full cold-weather wardrobe. Since most of her travels are in the summer it’s not a problem, but this time there was recent snow where she was going. I offered to loan her my leather jacket and a trench with a zip-out lining. She wanted to travel light, though, so she only took what she could cram into one suitcase and is probably freezing. At one time I had a closet full of jackets, sweaters and suits, having lived in chilly San Francisco before I moved to Hawaii. They’re all gone now, donated to United Cerebral Palsey when I first started my de-cluttering frenzy a year or so ago. I kept two long-sleeved shirts that I used to wear with suits, but rarely get to wear them. The reason I kept them is because they are both timeless classics with French cuffs and I love that look. Somewhere along the line,though, I’ve lost most of the cufflinks that I used to wear with them. I think I have one pair of plain gold button cufflinks left. It would be silly to invest in a whole jewelry box full of them, but I do need to get a few more pair and I really like these Modern Cufflinks a lot. The last time I wore my green silk shirt with the French cuffs was at a pest control conference, so wouldn’t the skeeter cufflinks be perfect for next time? Not to mention, of course, that they provide a little opportunity to play with my online name, which none of my professional cohorts know about. I have a few pieces of insect jewelry that I’ve collected over the years, but no spiders, so the spider cufflinks would be nice, too, don’t you think?

For those of you with a less whimsical fashion sense, take a look at the rest of the jewelry at Tateossian.com. I promise you don’t have to love insects to love their stuff! The contemporary designs incorporating semi-precious stones, fiber optic glass, and CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements, are all classy and elegant (don’t you love they way they even make pesky bugs look elegant?) Robert Tateossian is the “King of Cufflinks,” but there’s much more than just cufflinks in his collections. Every piece reflects the same fine hand-finished craftsmanship as the ones I’ve shown here, and there are stylishly unique designs for both men and women. They’re in better department stores everywhere, in addition to their own stores and in-flight magazines on some airlines. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day will both be here soon, so it’s not too early to shop for a special piece to surprise your loved one. My boy always treats me well for Mother’s Day and my birthday, so I’ll be dropping some heavy hints about those cufflinks soon.

Technorati Tags: cufflinks, jewelry, Tateossian.com

March 11, 2008

Naked Naturals for your hair

I love getting free samples. I have several “free sample” websites bookmarked and my mail carrier frequently comments on all the goodies she gets to deliver to me. It’s a great way to try out products before you buy. I’ve recently changed toothpaste and mouthwash and have added some tasty foods to my pantry, too, after trying samples first. I was looking forward to trying out a natural shampoo recently, but when the sample arrived I was a little disappointed. I have a lot of allergies and the shampoo I got contained citrus, which I can’t use. When that happens I try to find someone else who is interested in the product, and I knew my friend would be interested in trying Naked Naturals so I gave it to her. She and I are both big fans of natural cosmetics and toiletries and both try to find products that aren’t tested on animals. Naked Naturals qualified and she really enjoyed using it. She mentioned that it didn’t overlather and leave her hair feeling like it was full of residues. Her hair feels lighter and cleaner and she liked the citrus fragrance. Her endorsement is good enough for me, so I’ll be trying the Naked Naturals Awapuhi & Lavender shampoo and conditioner. Some of y’all already know that I grow lavender and that it’s my favorite scent. I also grow ginger (awapuhi) and have some shampoo ginger seeds I’ll be starting soon, so how perfect is that for me? Naked Natural contains no drying lauryl / laureth sulfates or other harsh chemicals, so that’s good for my hair, which dries out too easily in our tropical climate. The Naked Natural shampoos contain Keravis instead, a natural plant protein that can make your hair up to seven times stronger. If you prefer natural products for your own hair, check out the site and then come tell me which formula you think will be best for you.

Technorati Tags: hair care, Naked Naturals, natural shampoo, review, shampoo

February 10, 2008

Turning Valentines roses into the ultimate romantic statement

This is for all of my male readers. It’s especially for those of you within my own generation. Actually, there’s something of substance here for the gals my age, too. Let’s face it: our memory isn’t what it used to be. Raise your hand if you meant to go out shopping for a Valentine’s gift this weekend. Now raise your hand if you actually did it. Uh, huh! See what I mean? We’re so full of good intentions, but much too easily distracted. I’m at that age now where I wander to the kitchen for a glass of water, notice a dirty coffee cup in the sink, wash it … and my memory is suddenly a clean slate. Half an hour later I realize that I’m still thirsty. It seems like we’re always meaning to do certain things and then just forgetting! You wanted to take some time over the weekend to pick out a really special gift for Valentine’s, one that would truely convey the depths of your passionate devotion to that special person. You really intended to do it right after you washed the car. Then you remembered that squeaky hinge and the investment brochure you wanted to read. I can’t read without falling asleep these days either, so don’t feel bad about the nap that sucked the life out of the rest of your Saturday. Today you’re watching that sport’s special, even though you know that the nap thing will keep you from seeing the end. Your Sunday is going to wind down just like Saturday did and you still won’t have gotten a Valentine’s gift. That’s okay, though. Your pal Skeet is here to help you stay out of the doghouse. You’re going to send valentines roses and you’re going to do it just right. Pay attention now, okay?

First, follow that link above and scroll down the page to the box that says “What kind of flower is your Valentine?” Click on that. See the descriptions of different personality types and the flowers that suit them best? Give it a quick read. See the flaw? Your woman fits every category! She’s funny and passionate and classy and utterly devoted to you, isn’t she? You’re going to use that knowledge to make this Valentine’s the one that she’ll remember for the rest of her life. You’re going to make a bold statement that says “I love everything about you!” Starting tomorrow, she’s going to get flowers from you every day until Valentine’s Day.

You probably should start with daisies and a sweetly sentimental note that says something about not wanting to wait until Valentine’s Day to tell her how much you love her. She’ll be totally floored and she’ll probably cry, but you know her well enough to know that it will be happy tears. On Tuesday pick another facet of her personality. Tuesday would be a good day to let her know that her wildly exotic side is the reason you’ve never needed that little blue pill. Say it with orchids. Remind her that you haven’t given her an orchid since that ghastly prom corsage that you’ve been meaning to make up for all of these years. Make sure she’s sitting down when your gift arrives, though. She’ll still be weak in the knees from yesterday’s thoughtfulness. Now, she’s a pretty clever woman, so she’ll see the pattern and is going to be expecting flowers on Wednesday, so you’re going to have to pull out all of the stops. I’d suggest tulips along with a note telling her how proud and amazed you are that such a classy and glamorous woman has chosen to spend her life with you. She’s going to be dizzy with excitement by the time Thursday rolls around! Thursday is Valentine’s Day, and that’s when you’ll give her roses. They’re the most romantic of flowers, so she’s probably going to expect them, but you’re still going to take her breath away. Hold them behind your back and drop down on one knee. Tell her that the love you share is timeless and that you regret every single day that you didn’t let her know that she’s the center of your universe. Lay the roses gently in her lap as you vow that every day you have remaining will be a celebration of the love you share. Siiiiiiiiiigh! I’m getting all teary-eyed just thinking about what an amazing and romantic guy you are.

There’s only one way this plan can fail, but you’re not going to let that happen. You’re still reading, so you haven’t gotten into your Sunday afternoon nap yet. Don’t even distract yourself with a trip to the kitchen for that glass of water before you set the plan in action. Your online florist will help you set up the right deliveries for the right days, so you can do it all with a single phone call or visit to the website. Actually, there’s one other call you should probably make. You’re going to be … busy … every night this week and you don’t want exhaustion to derail your romantic Valentine’s night. Call your doctor tomorrow and get yourself set up with that little blue pill you’ve never needed before. You’re almost guaranteed to need it by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around!

Now ladies, I haven’t forgotten that I said this was for you, too. You’re probably way ahead of me, but just in case you haven’t figured it out, here’s how you can let this plan go to work for you. Copy this post, but cut off this paragraph. Ask your man to read it because you’re wondering if you should share it with your brother/cousin/friend who needs a little help in the romance department. See how he drops his chin and turns his eyes away? He doesn’t want to let you read in his face just how clever he thinks he is. Make sure you act surprised when your daisies arrive on Monday! And make sure he doesn’t know that you’re going to turn the tables on him. The only time he ever got flowers was when he got his appendix out, right? Any man romantic enough to follow the Skeet Plan for a Romantic Valentine’s Day is going to have a problem not turning into a sobbing mess when you present him with a dozen long-stemmed roses on Valentines Day, each with a little fotune cookie-like note declaring the ways that you love him. Do yourself a little favor, though. If he forgets the Monday-morning call to his doctor, do it yourself. You’ll thank me for that reminder as the week progresses.

Technorati Tags: florists, flowers, romance, romantic advice, roses, Valentines