Well, it’s March, and Valentine’s Day is in our rearview mirrors. So, there I was at the dentist’s office waiting to have two root canals; flipping through one of those magazines focused solely on individuals with plenty of money.

It’s clear why I don’t subscribe to this magazine. I can’t afford to! Everything in those glossy pages included items and products and services that were outrageously priced. At least for us regular folks. The issue in my hand was the February issue and it was hellbent on getting people to buy the Valentine’s Day gift suggestions offered.

Case in point: gift suggestion of a crewneck sweatshirt ($98) with matching short shorts ($64). Perfect, if the love of your life is 14 years old. And, if you have no problem shelling out $162 bucks instead of the $16 dollars us regular folks could spend at Target.

And how about this cute Valentine gift for your kiddie: a beaded name bracelet at a measly $40 bucks. $40 bucks for a little beaded bracelet that your kid will probably tear apart in less than six hours. Us regular folks would visit Amazon and find the same bracelet for $5 bucks or less.

You’re getting the picture, right?

Midway through the magazine, I stumbled upon a “love-will-show-you-the-way” recipe for decadent hot cocoa, guaranteed to make your lover purr in your arms. Only ten ingredients needed, including a heart-healthy quarter cup of sugar and heavy cream. Prep and cook time of one hour. One hour! For hot cocoa! And they didn’t bother to mention the importance of running three miles before indulging in the cocoa which weighed in at a whooping 417 calories per cup. Spoiler Alert: whipped cream calories not included.

Of course, for us regular folks, there’s the decadent hot cocoa’s cousin, Swiss Miss with Marshmallows. Prep time a minute-and-a-half, and a manageable 80 calories.

I’d go on and on, but the dentist is calling, and my wallet is shivering because the credit card inside of it knows it will be parting with $2,400. The cost of two root canals for us regular folks.

Until next time. When a martini and a book meet.