Valentine’s Day!

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We didn’t do anything special to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

I actually made a great pasta sauce - steak, olive oil based.

I was dishing out Kathy’s and I felt the beginning of a drool.

Problem being, neither of us was much up for walking!

Getting older ain’t for the weak. My right ankle started to swell up on Thursday. There was a bit of pins and needles, and a ton of pain.

No idea why.

It got worse on Friday and Saturday and I was limping pretty good.

So, we lived vicariously through Jake and his girlfriend.

“Looking for a place to go eat,” Jake texted me. “Italian.”

Which is ironic because he only recently started eating Italian food.

“I like Marco’s on Niagara Street,” I answered.

(Buffalo has some good restaurants).

I told Jake about lunch trips to Marco’s with a couple of work buddies. I like the stuffed hot peppers and the steak sandwich. Of course, I’m a pasta fan, as well.

But that wasn’t the big visit there. I went to Marco’s one time to pay off a lost bet to Jeff. It was supposed to be a lunch between the two of us.

“Let’s bring the family,” Jeff said.

I finally agreed, knowing that it would cost me more, but it would be great fun.

Turns out, Jeff had a plan. They ordered wine for the table.

I didn’t look at the price.

We ran the wine order back 3 times.

Appetizers all around. 

Everyone got steak AND pasta.

Only I got the bill.

My eyes gave me away.

“How much is it, pumpkin?” Jeff asked.

It was more than $300. I didn’t let him see me sweat as I paid it. An overreaction was what he was looking for.

I told Jake the story and he laughed. “Sounds like Uncle Jeff.”

I wanted Jake and Maggie to like the place.

I dished out our pasta at home. Took the first bite.

“Damn, it’s good,” I said.

My phone chimed.

“This place is fantastic,” Jake texted.

So, a successful Valentine’s Day.

I even baked some cookies.

And by the end of the day, my ankle felt a little better.

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