Sweetness and light.

Thank heaven the holidays are over---at least in the United States, where Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday after January 1 rather than on the exact date of January 6. Not that I am sick of Christmas. I'm just looking forward to tapering off the sweet stuff. You know, even I can hit the wall, but it's hard to lay off the candy when you're in the habit of stuffing it in your mouth. And I have 31 sweet teeth (one rotted away).

So I'm glad to have some time away from the sugar, because---

AAAYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

What the HELL?

This was the supermarket on Sunday. And they still haven't unloaded all the Christmas sugar. If you look closely, in the center of the picture are a couple of boxes of Christmas-themed animal crackers.

I think the love of chocolate is the main love being celebrated with this stuff. No guy in his right mind thinks it's a safe bet to chuck a sack of M&M's at his true love for Valentine's Day in lieu of really fine chocolate, unless she is obsessed with M&M's. And I mean so obsessed she wears M&M's pants.

Yeah, like that.

But if, unlike me, your loved one is serious about avoiding candy or all sugar or something for health reasons (not just because she or he wants to brag about being on a sugar fast), avoid giving them candy for Valentine's Day, and especially five weeks before Valentine's Day. It's hard enough to resist temptation. When it comes from someone you love and trust, it's even harder.

Just send the candy to me. I love you and trust you, but not that much. You can keep the M&M's pants.