For the past decade I’ve been going to the Friends of the Minneota Library’s Chocolate Affair. The first time I went was before I started seeing Ross. I recall it being a good meal, good entertainment, chocolate, of course, and an overall good time. Since then, it’s been our “go-to” date for Valentine’s Day with the exception of last year when we went on a candlelight hike in the rain at Lac qui Parle State Park.

We got a late start this year, and when we arrived at the Legion in Minneota, dinner was already being served. I think we were a couple of the last ones to arrive that evening. We got our numbers to bid on silent auction items and looked at a few offerings. But I was hungry, so I got in line before we even claimed a seat at one of the tables. The food smelled good (Rusty’s of Taunton was catering), and I could not wait to dig in. There were many familiar faces at the event, and the evening passed quickly. Before we knew it, the serving table was being taken down to get the dance floor ready.

The Route 68 Big Band started to play, and that’s when we went to look at silent auction items and chat with folks we knew. Honestly, I didn’t find anything I really wanted to bid on. Ross put in a couple of bids toward the end of the evening.

The Chocolate Affair is really the only time Ross and I hit the dance floor. And it’s pretty awkward. When it comes to couple’s dancing, I have two left feet. I try to follow Ross’ lead and fail epically. But I always have a big smile on my face as we join hands and make our way across the dance floor. Every year, there’s a couple, Seth and Teresa Myhre, that always entertain event goers with their swing dance moves. If only I had a minute portion of dance ability that those two have. Yet, we did have fun dancing.

Back to the silent auction. A few of the items were American Legion whiskey decanters that were part of Virgil Ufkin’s collection. They were donated by the Legion and still had whiskey in them. Ross won the bid on the Salt Lake City-themed decanter. Salt Lake was the first big trip we took together back in 2009.

And what would a Chocolate Affair be without chocolate? There’s always plenty of baked goods on the dessert table as well as a chocolate fountain. I didn’t indulge too much this year, but don’t get me wrong, I was tempted. Just three goodies on the plate this year.

I brought Ross back out on the dance floor for the band’s finale — we did one last spin (and I didn’t do too badly). After that, tables were being cleared, and people were paying for their silent auction items, or buying boxes of leftover chocolate treats for $5 a box. I went healthy and bought a container of strawberries (chocolate fountain fare). All in all, it was a good night.