Nat’s Birthday-Thanksgiving-Anniversary extravaganza! Aka on being 52 and married for 30 years

Happy birthday!

I’m 52 today and driving up to Cambridge for a family dinner.

I’ve been kicked out of the kitchen-happy birthday Mom!

My adult children have asserted that I don’t need to cook Thanksgiving dinner. They think they are doing me a favour.

The thing is, I quite enjoy putting on a big feed. Food is love made real and wrestling up a load of grub is how I spoil people.

My kids insisted, as it is also my birthday, that they cook. I was offered the choice of location, my place or theirs. I think it’s easier for them to cook at their place. So Michel and I are packing Lucy and our contributions to the feast into the Nat Mobile. It’s just over an hour away.

I remember this type of discussion happening with Gran when I was 10 or so. Surely she was much older we all decided she was far too old to cook for us? Doing the math she might have been 55 or 60. Looking back it was motivated by kindness but currently it feels a little condescending. I’m not THAT old. I do deadlifts!

Michel finds all of this quite funny, the feminist clinging to food making, especially on my birthday.

He keeps explaining to me that the kids want to show they are adults. At 25 & 27 they certainly are adults. It’s hard not to compare my life at those ages to theirs. I had two kids by 27, was an Air Force Captain and owned a house. It’s very different now.

Accepting my fate?

So I’m bringing fancy sodas, homemade cranberry sauce and a side of green beans. The kids have taken care of everything else.

I didn’t tell them I bought a turkey and it’s defrosting in my fridge. It’s tiny, just 10 lbs. It reminds me of a plump chicken. I will definitely be making a smaller meal for the two of us, probably on Monday for our 30th wedding anniversary.

30th Anniversary

If the weather agrees with our plans there will be a short bike ride, maybe with Lucy in her trailer. Or we might go for a hike.

Michel has the week off so it will definitely be a week of chores and moments of rest and activities, anything but his paid work!

More than 30 years of working out

When Michel and I met in 1995 I was in the military college triathlon club. He didn’t think of himself as much of an athlete. He was fast and lean. Male fitness at college at that time favoured a more burly football, hockey or rugby build so he joined me in triathlon. I remain burly and he remains lean and no one would deny that Michel is an athlete.

Collaborating on our fitness goals has been a constant in our relationship. It’s always looked different for each of us but our support and commitment to our wellbeing is the same.

I love that we are able to stay active together. We have our separate activities as well as our shared daily walks and strength training. It’s a good balance.

I’ll be sure to let you know how it all shook down next week. Ciao!