Since it is Almost Valentine's Day...

When I began dating , (long ago) I knew there were certain qualities I had to have in a potential husband. A sense of humor was one of them. I tested every guy I seriously dated to see what kind of person they were in this capacity. My sister and I to this day call it the "dirt clod test."

Why? Because there once was a guy I dated in college who traveled over 8 hours to come see me one time. Since most of my family happened to be there and we all went out to the front yard to watch everyone practice golf swings. As they bent over, I would take tiny little clods of dirt and try to hit the obvious "target."

Everyone was cracking up except this guy. He kept a complete and expressionless face the whole time. Not even a slight smile....and he was like that the rest of the day. Ok, not everyone thinks things like that are funny. That's fine, but I knew then he wasn't for me.

When I began dating my husband of 20 plus years, we had just dated a short time when I decided he needed to be tested. ( I lacked dirt clods at the time, so I tested him another way... )

We sat in his living room and he got up to go to the restroom.

I saw a coat closet by his front door and saw it had slatted door. I got up quickly and hid in it and waited. Sure enough he comes back, looks startled, and begins wandering all over the place looking for me. He even went outside. I was terrible...I stayed in that closet for at least 15 minutes and watched him going and looking and looking so puzzled.

I finally called to him from behind the door and told him I was in the closet. He laughed and sort of shook his head at me. I think that was the beginning of what was to be a pattern in our marriage.

He still does that head shaking and chuckling at me , and with good reason I must confess. But at least I knew and still know he has a sense of humor, otherwise he would have never married me!

Wishing you all a special Valentine's Day with those you love!