It Takes a Gingerbread Village
Let me tell you what husbands love. When they’re in Thanksgiving Mode, bustling around in to-do mentality, consumed with the tasks of preparation, they love-love-love it when you say, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. We’re making gingerbread houses today.”
“You and the boys can do that.”
“No, I got one for you, too.”
“Tricia.”
“Yes?”
Silence.
“I mean, you don’t have to. It’s just that I already built it for you. And we were all hoping you would do this with us.”
Husbands love this.
But then, here’s the crazy thing: Said Husband stays at the table for an additional 45 minutes after everyone else has finished, because his project has consumed him, and he’s carefully matching candies to shingles and putting colorful hair on his gingerbread people. And then he wins the family award for Gingerbread Housing.
“Honey, you don’t have to feel bad that mine is better than yours.”
~ Peter
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Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. May your piping be sweet.
Julia says:
I had a dream about Tricia last night and we’ve never even met! (BTW…I like the second house from the left the best. All. The. Candy. Spilling from the door. Yes!) I called her to say that I had been off of FB for a long time because life had thrown me a curve ball and when I got back on…..Peter! We chatted like old friends and then she asked if she could call me back when Peter got home. I said,”Oh, you need some time quiet time to write?” and she said “Yeah.” I told her it wasn’t necessary. I just wanted to check back in with her. Hung up feeling so sunny inside and glad to count her among my friends. Happy Thanksgiving to the Giver of Good Dreams!!!!
Jessica Renshaw says:
Ignore this P.S. I just forgot to check the box to notify me of new comments via email.
Jessica Renshaw says:
Tricia, I love going to your posts when all the other emails are about imminent nuclear holocaust and neighborhood complaints of thefts of items laid and then forgotten on the tops of cars and invitations to boring events (or GREAT events in cities beyond our reach (like your book signings)). I save your posts for last–unless I get overloaded before I get to the end of the other mail and need oxygen right away. Thank you for pretty much always making my day or at least (and that’s a lot) making me smile. No pressure, though, okay? (Heh, heh)
Peter, thank you for giving Tricia something to make me smile about! (I am sure you probably censor the posts she WISHES she could write about you. Give her a little slack to include some of the funniest and most–well, maybe not embarrassing–but most characteristic of you. We like everything we know about you so far. Thanks in advance. Jessica)