Although my husband derided my month and a half of restraint – no new clothes in Ireland or Egypt – he did relent and gift me the purchase of three new items for Valentine’s Day. Now this is traditionally a holiday I deride as purely commerical.

"A reason for men to say women are materialistic and for women to say men are thoughtless," used to be my line in graduate school. One voice from the back one of those years during this mini sermon muttered "bitter much?".

Well, no, I wasn’t bitter, I did have a valentine that year that I was cancelling class to see (assigning out of class homework). I’ve always resisted the flowers and candy, probably because I went to a woman’s college and for six years – I stayed on to work while finishing graduate school – I saw tables full of elaborate bouquets that dreaded week and the disappointment in the eyes of my unlucky hallmates.

But this year, I was so thankful for a reason to get some calf length boots, and a pair of trousers. Amazingly, I didn’t use my third option. I guess I do have some discipline after all.