Mint-Day 2008

For the last 5 or 6 years, my Grandma, Mom, Aunt, Sister, girl Cousins and myself get together a couple of weeks before Christmas and spend about 8 hours make chocolate mints. Every year we regret not taking better notes the year before and screw up a batch or two. Every year we end up with more wasted chocolate than we did the year before. Every year we gobble up more of that wasted chocolate than we did the year before. And every year, without fail, it snows like crazy on mint day.

With so many women and so much craziness in one spot, you would think the men would keep their distance. And they do, with the exception of one; my Dad.

Two years ago, he ran around in the treacherous snowy conditions trying to find the perfect stamp so that we could display "Hand Made with Love" on every box of chocolate.

Last year, he took specific lunch orders for each woman and again weathered the storm to assure we were all properly nourished.

This year, he perfected the ruler used to make the cuts in the chocolate and found some type of gripper thingy to help hold it in place- oh, and he got us lunch again.

All the while, he sits there quietly with the ever-so-often witty comment, just being with us.

I am not sure if he actually eats any of the chocolates, so his purpose in being there is not to indulge in the sugary snacks. So, why, you ask, would any man put himself in the position to hang around with so many women; taking orders, fixing things and being subjected to women gossip?

I think he really just likes us.

I am wondering if we would ever successfully get through mint-day without the help of my Dad.

Thanks for everything Dad! I love you!