BACK TO SENDER

Come back.

Because tonight you are in my hair and eyes,

And every street light that our taxi passes shows me you again, still you,

And because tonight all other nights are black, all other hours are cold and far away, and now, this minute, the stars are very near and bright.

Come back. We will have a celebration to end all celebrations.

- excerpt for a love letter written by Kenneth Fearing

In August of 2008 someone left behind a purple plastic bag on the back of a long-distance coach bus in Bristol, England. In it was the remnants of a love affair told through a series of post-war letters, poems, and photographs between a Miss Anna Paton and a mysterious 'Xavier'. The 70 plus black & white photographs spanned over four decades, and featured the glamorous socialite jet-setting around the world on cruise liners, and attending weddings and parties. Some of her past addresses included Barcelona, Sydney, Antibes, and Lisbon. All the letters addressed to Anna began with 'to my love' and were signed off 'god bless you my darling, my lover, X.' The photographs and airmail letters were bound by a delicate pink ribbon. The bus company having failed to trace the owner of the bag and its contents enlisted the help of the media.

"It's important to love. It doesn't matter who or what, so long as you love." - anna

"T'will be the only pinching I am likely to be allowed, Unless I goose her secretly in the middle of a crowd." - excerpt from Xavier's poems.

"I think so much of you and feel you're very close to me these thousands of miles away." - excerpt from one of Xavier's letter

This past January after almost two years of trying to trace Anna Paton, the letters were finally returned to their rightful owner. Unfortunately, the world-wide interest in the story by both the media and public revealed what the couple had struggled to conceal for so many years, that Anna's passionate affair was with a married Spanish doctor. The still married gentleman, now in his 70's, denied being the 'Xavier' of the love letters. And Anna has chosen not to speak publicly about the incident that inspired such media interest. It must have been devastating to be confronted, in old age, of a past doomed affair through the world-wide publication of a very private relationship. Yet there's something infinitely poignant and touching that 34 years after the exchange of their last letter, Anna still carried with her treasured mementos of their love affair.

photos via mirror, dailymail

SWEETIE-PIE

How about a pie for your sweetie pie? Here's a red cherry treat for the ones you love.

Valentine's Pie

8-oz Neufchatel cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8-oz container of frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust

16-oz can cherry pie filling

1. With electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the powdered sugar until combined. Add vanilla and beat 2 minutes. Gently fold in whipped topping.
2. Transfer mixture into the pie crust. Top the filling with the cherries. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

image: bella muse cards