Thursday 27 January 2011

A birthday letter to Shaune


Dear Shaune,

I'll bet you're wondering why you married me, huh?

Especially after you saw these cupcakes above. Did you know they took me three hours to make? That's not counting the planning and shopping.

But here's the thing, I had big plans. I consulted a cookbook (a Kind gift
 I am NOT dismissing). I read the recipe and thought - this is exactly what we need,a healthy yet delicious treat. You'll get your blueberry cheesecake and we'll sneak some squash and spinach into Deaglan without him suspecting a thing! Win, win.

Honey, you and I both know that I have no natural ability in the kitchen. But I can follow a recipe. I did everything this comedian's wife told me to do. I pureed fresh spinach. I used the food processor and the electric mixer. Both of these tools make me sweat with anxiety just thinking about them.

I had big plans. I bought candles. I imagined us waking up this morning and walking into the living room busting out the birthday song. I pictured you saying something like you made these by yourself??? ARe you sure you didn't buy them at a fancy bakery?

Once I had convinced you that yes, I indeed did create these works of art, you would have said something like - ahhh but cupcakes for breakfast? We should wait until after lunch. And that's exactly when I would drop that beautiful bomb - they are healthy cupcakes!

I had no back up plan.

I thought the cupcakes could be the entire birthday extravaganza. I imagined you wanting to take a few to work to share with your coworkers. Maybe one of them would send me a quick email to compliment me on how well they turned out. Flashes of all of you standing around the water cooler shaking your heads in disbelief. So good and with vegetables hidden in them.


Thanks for being on my side about this. Thanks for saying that it was the recipe. I couldn't agree with you more. I loved what you said about not believing Mrs. Comedian's Wife actually profited from that cookbook. It felt right when you suggested I just stop using that cookbook. I love when you support me.


And you're right, we didn't need the extra calories a birthday treat would have cost our figures. How nice that we can treat this day just like any other. Happy birthday honey. And when you figure it out, let me know what we're having for dinner. I'll bet you've got something special planned eh?

Love Kim


15 comments:

  1. Aw. I am sorry KIm, the cupcakes did not turn out as you had planned... but you would not have this post come out had they been real good. Your hubs is nice... Happy Birthday to him.. xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Birthday Shaune!! Kim, there was plenty of love in those cupcakes :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Birthday to Shaune!

    I know there are a million reasons he married you. And since he's the chef in the family, you compliment each other nicely.

    I have a friend who's a florist - you can't ever get her flowers for any special occasion. It's like this with someone skilled in the kitchen - it's just impossible to cook/bake them anything. No matter what, it will not meet your own expectations of what you want to do.

    And if it makes you feel any better, I cannot see these photos on my laptop so I am imagining they are perfect!

    Have a great day with your boys!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am going to email this to my hubs. He swears I'm the only woman on this planet that can not cook.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Kim, hope you're having a good day! You won for last week's Thursdays Haiku. See, you are a poet!

    Here's the winning announcement. http://writewithpictures.blogspot.com/2011/01/thursdays-haiku-new-photographer-has.html

    I really loved it! Hugs - Kelly

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a sweetheart Shaune is-and it was definitely the recipes fault! I'll bet even Julia Childs would have had problems with it:)

    And it really is the thought that counts:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh this totally cracked me up! That recipe does sound good though. Is it a good cookbook?

    Happy birthday to your hubby!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ah well, experiments can't always work out!

    ReplyDelete
  9. i laughed and laughed this entire post! you are hilarious. on the other hand i am sorry the cupcakes didnt turn out. Happy birthday to your wonderful hubby!

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh LAWD girlie!! Yeah, I have that cookbook, too...tucked high on a shelf :(

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is why I leave the baking to my husband (who is at home right now, baking cupcakes - with beets in them - on his birthday).
    It seems the "Deceptive" in your cookbook's title has nothing to do with the veggies, and everything to do with the fact that recipes are obviously crap ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Haha! Awesome. Good for you. :) And, I love your sense of humor about it...he loves you just as you are and that's why he rocks. Happy Birthday to your guy.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Healthy cupcakes are an oxymoron. And that book is just moronic. Anything that takes 3 hours to make does not have moms in mind (at least moms who don't have nannies). Happy Birthday to Shaune!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh, bless you! This is too funny. I needed this little giggle today. Happy belated birthday to your honey :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Must have been the recipe! Hope Shaune had a great birthday!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment!