it's that time again

They say suicide rates go up around Christmas, on account of people feeling lonely and unloved. To me the festive season is a time to be with family, and that's just fine.

Saint Valentine's Day, on the other hand, celebrates a different kind of lovin'. I can overlook the crass commercial aspects, the crappy cards, the wilted flowers, the chocolates blooming past their use-by-dates... but it's a difficult time to be alone.

Especially on such a lovely sunny day. I half expect to see cartoon woodland creatures gambolling arm in arm.

So, this is a picture I made a couple of years ago:



Isn't it lovely? Yes. Now, by contrast, here's a picture I made this year:



I guess that about sums it up.

Happy V.D., everybody.