FEB 14, 26.. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2026

HAPPY 

VALENTINE'S 

DAY 2026  

To one and to all!

Let's all take a look at what our friends at NATIONAL TODAY have to say about VALENTINE'S DAY..

Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14, and we are ready to shower our significant others with love and tokens of our affection.

This day of love is celebrated in so many ways, it is always exciting to see what new traditions are included or created year after year.

We believe that it came from the feast for the patron saints named Valentine, by the Catholic Church around 496 A.D. Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine.

It was during the 1400s that the day was associated with romance. Messages, or ‘Valentines’ as they were called, began to appear. Hand written letters and poems declaring affections of love became more and more popular. In the mid-1800s, Valentine’s cards began to be commercially produced and traditional gifts were candy and flowers, especially red roses symbolizing love and beauty.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY..

Cap and Patti

FEB 12, 26.. TODAY IS ZILLA'S BIRTHDAY..

Dating back to the Autumn of 1975, when we met in Frankfurt, West Germany, Jim (who I have nicknamed Godzilla or 'Zilla for short) and I have been friends for over 50 years.

February 12th is Jim's birthday.

Patti and I along with Jim, enjoyed one of our most memorable Birthday Dinners together at the Idle Spurs Steak House in Barstow, California.

Senior Moment. Not one of the three of us can, searching our three brains, recall the year we went there.

Sadly, the Idle Spurs Steak House, that opened in 1974, went out of business in late January of 2020, after 46 years.

A happy, and at the same time, a sad memory.

Happy Birthday Jim..

Cap and Patti

JAN 25 (5 / 5).. DAY 4 OF THE 2026 HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL..

 I begin by saying.. 

"Yes! This is Day 4" of this year's Lake Havasu Balloon Festival but I want to also clarify that "This is the final day".

The party's over,

It's time to call it a day,

They've (we hope not) burst your pretty balloon,

And taken the moon away..

Nat King Cole

Below is today's schedule.

Our local newspaper is still actively covering the festival.

Below is a photo from the Saturday / Sunday Edition.

You will notice that it reads "signaling start of Balloonfest".

The start was last Thursday.

A close up of the article on left above..

So the Saturday / Sunday edition refers back to last Thursday.

It is with some sadness to be signing off after our 5th Lake Havasu Hot Air Balloon Festival, four as a participating volunteer, because, at our ages, who knows what our future holds for us.

The Balloon Festival has become a real part of our lives here.

Cap and Patti

JAN 24, 26 (4 / 5).. DAY 3 OF THE 2026 HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL..

 Saturday, the 24th of January, is Day 3 of this year's 2026 Hot Air Balloon Festival here in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Our good weather has carried over into today! The wind speed remains an excellent, very low, 1mph.

Oddly, although very low in wind speed, the pilots and the crews of the teams were confused by the wind constantly changing direction. One crew would be blown to the North. Another crew blown to the South.

Today was my day as an active volunteer with the festival. I signed in half an hour early ready to go.

My assignment was to assist with the 5K / 10K walk / run. 

One area was to have water ready for the participants at the halfway point of the event.

Another area was back at the main festival grounds where the event actually began.

Below are additional photos of the 2026 Hot Air Balloon Festival here in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Saturday night, on the festival grounds, is an absolutely chaotic scene and crowd beyond description.

There you have it! A look at today's Balloon Festival.

Cap and Patti

JAN 23, 26 (3 / 5).. DAY 2 OF THE 2026 HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL..

 Day two of this years Hot Air Balloon Festival was another very good (weather) day! Very little ( 1 mph ) wind, no rain, and all was well.

I got up planning to be at the Festival Grounds by 8am, hoping to see the filling and launching of the balloons. 

I was there by 8am and I was "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" so to speak.

As.. You.. All.. Can.. see in the below photos.. 

The Balloons were up and the Balloons were flying when I drove off to the Festival Grounds at 7:45am.

Our morning skies were "filled with" Hot Air Balloons.

See what I mean? 

I truly was.. "A Day Late and A Dollar Short" 

The below photo shows the main launching area of the Festival Grounds. 

This is where I wanted to be to view the activities before they were all up, into the sky, flying.

Above is a photo of a balloon as it is being inflated.

Below is a photo of the above balloon now ready to "take to the sky".

There are some "truly unusual" Hot Air Balloons!

Two clippings in today's local newspaper, The New-Herald.

Tomorrow, Saturday the 24th, I am "on stage" at 8am to assist as a volunteer with the 5K / 10K run / walk.

Cap and Patti