Festive Conversations

Tuesday
RR: Can we talk about this Saturday? It’s going to be a busy day?
MS (puffed up and edging away sideways, like the cats when they see the plumber) It is? I thought you said we don’t have any plans this weekend.
RR: That’s next weekend.
MS: So we do have plans this Saturday? Do I have plans on Saturday?
RR (soothing): It’s mainly me. I’ll be out most of the day. All you have to do is meet me at the restaurant for dinner at 6:30. And bring the gifts. I need you to bring them.
MS: Gifts? Restaurant? Where is it?
RR: The restaurant is in Leslieville, the gifts aren’t wrapped yet. I’ll set them out for you before I leave on Saturday.
MS: Ok. Is this in the calendar?
RR: yes.
MS: The name of the restaurant? And the address?
RR (sighing) You are unwilling to be responsible for anything, are you? Ok, I will put it in.
MS: …
RR: …
MS: Remind me what part of the city Leslieville is in again?
RR: !!! Leslieville IS a part of the city. It’s a neighbourhood. Leslieville is in Leslieville.
MS: No, I mean…east or west? Is it east?
RR: What’s gone wrong with you since lunch? You were fine at lunch. Yes, Leslieville is east of Yonge.
MS: Is it where Queen Books is?
RR: Yes, sure, if that’s how you need to navigate, the restaurant is right near Queen Books.

Friday
(in No Frills, largely empty because Shabbos, freezing out, people have cooler things to do on a Friday evening than grocery shop. But not us!)
RR: They were sold out of the coloured minimarshmallows. There’s a spot for them but it’s empty. So your options are go to another store—
MS: Absolutely not.
RR: —or make do with plain white marshmallows and cut these big ones into quarters with scissors. It’s all they have.
MS: Ok, fine. (throws them into the cart)
RR: If you do that, you have to wash the scissors.
MS: Uh-huh.
RR: Because having marshmallow gunk on the good kitchen scissors will ruin them.
MS: What do you take me for?
RR: Someone who doesn’t care about scissors. You have ink in your ear. Why is that?
MS: …Chocolate cherry ice cream looks good.
RR: Sure, but we can’t get that today. We have to get a seasonal ice cream. We have to take the limited-time-only options. We have to maximize our opportunities!!! We can get chocolate cherry ice cream in 2025.
MS: Uh-huh.
RR: We’re getting candy cane ice cream.
MS: Great.
RR: You still have ink in your ear.
MS: I will meet you at the cash register.

Sunday (part II of above)
MS: It’s harder to cut marshmallows into quarters with scissors than it looks.
RR (looks over his shoulder in fascination at marshmallow hunks sticking to scissors, fingers, bowl, each other) Maybe you could grease the scissors? Like with oil or butter?
MS: No, I don’t want to do that. I want to fight with them. (shakes his hand violently to get marshmallow hunks off) Tis the season!

Wednesday
(breakfast time, Mark appears in kitchen doorway holding a dripping strainer)
RR: What is that for?
MS: Peanuts. I accidentally got the seasoned kind, and when I put them on my cereal they make the milk all tangy. (makes a “yuck” face)
RR: So you are…washing off the seasoning?
MS: You got it.
RR: Are you saving this wet paper towel on the counter for anything?
MS: Nope! (takes it and throws it in the trash)
RR: Did you use that to dry the peanuts?
MS: Yes.
RR: You dry the peanuts before you put milk on them.
MS: The classy thing to do would be not comment.
RR: On Saturday, you can just get a different jar of plain peanuts and have those for cereal, and reserve these for snacking, ok?
MS: You have to keep me from accidentally buying the wrong kind again.
RR: I cannot watch you every minute.
MS: That is what a good wife does.

If you somehow feel still lacking in seasonal Mark content, here is a nice piece he wrote for the Wolsack and Wynn blog (dude gets around) on indie books and cocktail pairings to enjoy over the holidays.

The survey is going to close at the end of day today (Sunday) but please take it before that if you would like to. Things I have gleaned from it so far:

• no one cares about over-frequent newsletters because it is very easy to ignore a newsletter one does not want to read; Rose-coloured is not underfrequent

• Rose-coloured may occasionally be a shade too long, and I will work on getting it shorter at least sometimes (what about this post?? better?)

• the only consensus on favourite types of posts are Mark-related, which is a whole topic of discussion in this household (and potential topic of future anxiety-ridden posts); otherwise it varies widely what people like, widely enough that the topic mix will likely stay similar to as it has been, with perhaps slightly more Mark if he can be persuaded

• I may have invented the term “index toe” (I thought it was real for many years, though)

It’s the holidays now and posts may (or may not) be slightly less regular the next few weeks but from all of us here at Rose-coloured (so, mainly me) wishing you a very happy, peaceful, and interesting holiday, and to all a good night.

<3

RR