Valentine's Day Dates Gone Bad

Valentine's Day 2007 was our 20th anniversary, and we lived in Annapolis, Maryland, at the time. My husband suffered a stroke Christmas 2006 and had a heart procedure scheduled for February 2007. Our plans to go on a special anniversary trip to New Mexico and Arizona got canceled. During his recovery from the stroke but before his heart surgery, he felt we could still have a special night somewhere for Valentine's Day. He made a secret reservation at the Imperial Hotel in Maryland to surprise me.

Well, a major ice storm blew into Annapolis that day and canceled all our plans—the Bay Bridge was closed to traffic, which prevented us from getting to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to the hotel. As we looked out our window, the ice broke onto the telephone pole, causing the tree to burst into flames and our power to go out. We looked at each other and started laughing hysterically. Time to accept the inevitable and realize we are not in control of our lives. Can romance possibly survive this day of calamities and this year?

We got into the car, made it 2 miles down the road to a Ramada, took the last room before thousands of other stranded folks arrived. Ate our anniversary/Valentine's celebration [dinner] at Panera Bread. Love conquers all!

— Arleen of Lansdale, Pennsylvania