Early last week Amazon reminded me of my own husband's upcoming birthday. I wouldn't have forgotten! Not me! So I ordered him a couple of books off his wishlist. Then in clearing out some email I saw a message I've been sending to myself all year as ideas occur to me. So RDC got another present.
After the kitchen was done, we bought ourselves new china--actual china to replace the Service Merchandise stoneware. In addition to plates and bowls and so forth, we bought a teapot and some serving dishes. RDC wanted the gravy boat too, since it would increase our outlay for the day by only a weensy percentage, and I said we didn't need it because we have a gravy boat that was Granny's. We ended up not getting it, and the very next day when GJW arrived for the annual ski trip and RDC made waffles, I served heated syrup in a Pyrex measuring cup. "Gee," said RDC. "That gravy boat would sure come in handy." Thus was born a faux argument. But wouldn't a gravy boat be a swell present just before Thanksgiving, one of the handful of occasions in a year we use the thing.
When he unwrapped the logo'd box he mock-grumped because I had ruined his fun. He was going to buy it and put it in the china cabinet so when I climbed over the fridge to retrieve the good china on Thanksgiving, there it would be. Aha! I win.
I had bookclub tonight. It is usually the first Monday but I had dive practice so asked if I could shift it (before I asked the group, I asked RDC if he minded it was on his birthday). Someone asked if she could cook and I gladly accepted that offer. I made a double batch of ginger-chocolate cookies, of course, but after the meal and giving everyone a half-dozen to take home, that was that for them. We talked about Holly traveling and the unnamed Fred staying at home, and evidence for Fred's being gay (I didn't notice the first time I read it), and bird cages.
Scarf had spoken of a progressive Thanksgiving, but I didn't know that had no momentum so didn't invite her chez nous, and by the time I invited London and Wolfman they had made plans, and everyone else has local family, so Thanksgiving will be only Maven and Mr. Maven (and Morgan! they have to bring Morgan!) and RDC's mother, sister, and nephew, and us, and London and Wolfman for pie, and Kal and Neal and her aunt and uncle dropping by. Scarf said she was angling for an invitation but I wasn't taking the bait--when did this happen?--and so made plans with another neighbor, and I am continuing my bad behavior by encouraging her and Drums to blow them off and bring Monkey and Mia to my house.