Breakfast tray

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When my husband and I celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary at our favorite restaurant, Lenny, the pianist, asked, “How did you do it?” I knew there was no simple answer, but as the weekend approached, I wondered if one reason might be our ritual of having breakfast in bed every Saturday and Sunday. It all started with the breakfast tray my mother gave us as a wedding gift. It had a glass top and slatted wooden side pockets for the morning newspaper – the kind you used to see in movies. My mother loved movies, and although she rarely had breakfast in bed, she had high hopes for her daughter. My loving husband took this to heart. Feeling guilty, I suggested that we take turns. Despite his complaints about having crumbs in his bed, on Sunday mornings he would eagerly wait for his tray. Soon, these weekend breakfasts became such an integral part of our lives that I never even thought about them. All I knew was that we cherished this special time to read, relax, and forget about the things we needed to remember. Looking back over the years, I recall how our weekends changed, but we still continued with this ritual. We started a family; as new parents, we spent more time sleeping after breakfast than reading. But we always managed to return to our old routine – having breakfast together, once on Saturday and once on Sunday. When we had more time, my breakfast tray became more festive. At first, it contained fruit slices arranged in geometric patterns; later, it included flowers from our garden, sometimes just a single blossom taken from a grapefruit half. I developed a talent for decorating the tray, using everything from amaryllis to maple tree buds. My husband said that my efforts to decorate the tray inspired him. My mother would have approved of this. Perhaps it was on that Saturday when the strawberry wore a daisy hat that I began to wonder how I could make it even better. One dark winter night, I had an idea: a snowman on the tray. That Sunday, I gathered some snow and quickly created a snowman. I then placed a miniature pinecone on his head. As I handed over the tray, complete with the beautifully crafted snowman, I waited for a reaction. There was none at first, but as I walked downstairs, I heard laughter and someone saying, “You’ve won! Yes, sir, you’ve won the prize!” ” I know that this question cannot be answered simply. But as the weekend approached, I began to think: perhaps one of the reasons is that we have breakfast in bed every Saturday and Sunday. It all started with that breakfast tray, which my mom gave to us as a wedding gift. The surface is glass, with a slender wooden side pocket on each side for holding the morning newspaper – just as it was often shown in movies in the past. My mom really likes those movies; although she rarely has breakfast in bed herself, she really hopes her daughter will do the same. My beloved groom keeps my mother’s words firmly in mind. Feeling a bit guilty, I suggested that the two of us take turns preparing breakfast. On Sunday morning, although he grumbled under his breath, “I hate it when food crumbs end up on the bed.” ”——But I still saw my husband waiting anxiously for his breakfast. Weekend breakfast soon became a part of our lives; *we took it for granted and stopped thinking about it. I only know that we both cherish this happy time, which is different from other times—we read the newspaper, relax, and forget those things we should keep in mind. Reflecting on the years that have passed, I recall the many changes in our weekend routines, but this old habit has still remained. We built this family (when we first became parents, after breakfast we would usually take a nap rather than read), but we were always able to find our way back to the starting point – just a breakfast for the two of us, once on Saturday and once on Sunday. When we have more time, my breakfast tray becomes even more festive. At first, there were fruit slices arranged in geometric patterns, followed by fresh flowers picked from one’s own garden – sometimes just one flower, growing inside a half-peeled grapefruit. I never expected this to unleash my talent for decoration and embellishment; various things, from single-stemmed flowers to maple tree buds, all became materials for my decorations. My husband says that the breakfast I prepare inspires him, and my mother would agree with him. Perhaps it was that Saturday, after placing a daisy as a hat on a large strawberry, that I began to wonder: how could I surpass it? On a dark winter night, I woke up from my dream and it seemed to me as though there was a snowman standing on a tray. That very Sunday, I scooped up a handful of snow and quickly made a snowman. I gently pressed a miniature pinecone on the snowman’s head. I carried the breakfast upstairs; on the plate was that frozen snowman. I was waiting to see his reaction – nothing happened – but as I went downstairs, I heard him burst into laughter. Then he said, “You won!” Without a doubt, you have won the prize! ” Reposted from Hai Ci Happy English, for sharing among Hai friends