LOVE IS IN THE AIR THIS WEEK

YES it's that time of the year again when men cringe and women sigh, but whatever you feel about Valentine's Day, LOVE FEVER has undeniably hit Bahrain this week. Some of you think it is over-commercialised claptrap and others embrace it enthusiastically but a quick trip to any of the malls will soon remind you that Love Is In The Air!

Red is the theme in all the stores, restaurants are gearing up to fire edible Cupid's bows and florists rub their hands in glee as they triple their prices with a wry smile.

Love needn't just be romantic love so do something unselfish for someone else and spread some goodness around. If, like me, you are single, then get together with your girlfriends and celebrate all that is good in your life.

If you know a lonely single then include them in your plans ... you never know when Cupid's arrow may strike!

Me? I am off to play golf in the Shaikh Faisal Memorial Cup then dinner with a group of girlfriends who will try to convince each other that they are happy to be single!

Valentine tips

Dining at home? Create the mood with lots of candles and aromatherapy oils. Use some patchouli mixed with sandalwood, geranium and lavender for a heady, romantic blend.

Romantic music will depend on your taste but make it mellow and memorable with Michael Buble who appeals to both sexes.

If you are cooking then prepare everything that you can in advance. Keep it simple and light.

A grilled Mediterranean vegetable salad with parmesan shavings and roasted pine nuts followed by oven-roasted salmon filets with asparagus and a chocolate mousse and fresh strawberries for dessert.

Chocolate is considered a powerful aphrodisiac as, when we eat it, our brain floods with phenylethalamine which is also the chemical released when you are in love!

So, if you forget about the big day then a gift of chocolate is a sure way to beg forgiveness, but make it good quality chocolate for maximum results.

Betsy's whipped love cream

THIS beautifully-scented body cream appeals to both men and women and is suitable for even the most sensitive skin.

Use it after bathing for luscious scented skin or for giving each other a gentle sensuous massage.

Store in a screw top jar to keep it fresh. ( if there is any left).

1 drop geranium essential oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops rose essential oil

3/4 pint of rose water

3 tablespoons glycerine

3 tablespoons cornflour

Put the glycerine in a pyrex bowl and place it over a saucepan of hot water on a low heat. Slowly and carefully whip in the cornflour a little at a time, stirring constantly. Add the essential oils to the rosewater and add this liquid a few drops at a time, stirring constantly until it is firm and creamy.

Put it into a screw top jar or lidded pot.

Makes a lovely gift if you can find a pretty jar.

If you only do one thing this Valentine's week

You must watch Dreamgirls my favourite movie at the moment. This thinly disguised story of Diana Ross and The Supremes' rise to stardom has some superb acting and amazing music. It is not your run of the mill musical so don't be put off by that, especially you guys who might think it's totally a girlie movie. (Well, maybe just a teeny bit).

Highlight for me is Beyonce's showstopper Listen, something we should all try to do now and again.

Powerful vocals, even more powerful words. Bet you can't get through the week without being haunted by at least one track.

BETSY SAYS RELAX...

Have a lovely warm bath to combat those damp, wintery evenings.

This will be even more relaxing if someone else prepares it for you.

Let me set the scene for you; fresh clean fluffy towels, candles, soft music, a fruity beverage, scented bath oils and bubbles and a pair of comfy slippers and a snuggly bathrobe.

Leave this article in a prominent place to provoke acts of selfless love by your significant other.

If someone loves you enough to run a bath for you then they are worth keeping around.

Best love oils for the bath? Ylang-ylang, sandalwood, jasmine and tuberose.

Disappointed and Disillusioned finally sees the light

Dear Betsy,

We thought your reply to 'Disappointed and Disillusioned' was excellent. Some people need to hear the facts of life in a no nonsense fashion.

He/she was complaining that your advice was too soft and you need to be more realistic, so he/she got what they asked for as far as I am concerned. I hope they take it to heart and give themselves a good shake.

As for the writer who suggests you need valium and treatment for mental illness, my advice to her is to put her own house in order first. She could have made her point without making it a personal attack on you Betsy and what planet is she on, getting your name wrong.

We think your column is great and we look forward to reading it and discussing it each weekend. You are doing a lot of good - so don't stop being you.

Laura, Meg, Anu, Helen.

Dear girls,

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

As you can see from the next letter, my advice was taken in the spirit it was intended by 'Disappointed and Disillusioned'.

We are all different, that's what makes the world go round.

Can you imagine what it would be like if we all thought the same, liked the same foods, drinks, clothes, colours and fell for the same guys? (I mean there is only ONE George Clooney, right?)

It doesn't bare, I mean, bear thinking about!

Controversy keeps us thinking and that can only be a good thing ... can't it?

Dear Betsy,

At last! Someone gives me advice that makes sense to me. Your reply was exactly what I needed.

Wish you could have met my old mum, you two have a lot in common, she would have told me the same thing although her language would have been a bit different!

What really cheered me up was the "Betty Bashing" letter to your Editor, (have you changed your name?) complaining about your negative advice to me.

It gave me a great laugh to realise that there is someone out there even more uptight than me! Poor love, she really needs your help Betsy much more than me.

Anyway, thanks for giving me that wake up call and by the way my wife's friend brought me in a bottle of lavender oil to try and you know what ... it ain't half bad.

Greta girl, give it a go.

Me, I am off to the Jamsheer House this weekend. The wife says thanks for putting me straight, she's been trying to do it for years.

Motivated and Manic (previously known as Disillusioned and Disappointed)

Dear Motivated and Manic,

Sometimes you have just got to be cruel to be kind and I always follow my initial instinct when I read a letter and compose my reply.

I am happy to hear that in your case it hit the right spot despite some readers being unhappy with what they perceived as a temper tantrum on my part!

I love to get feedback from our readers, whether negative or positive, as everyone's opinion has its importance to someone out there and I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I say, or see things the way I see them.

I never take criticism personally and I thoroughly believe in the power of 'writing therapy' to help us get things off our chests and ease stress so if it makes someone feel better to write a letter giving me a piece of their mind then my purpose has been fulfilled.

Glad to see you are 'motivated' now and for the manic bit, just keep using the lavender oil!