#rivervale_lodge

Sally Mae says "So, the idea is we have a childlling bake off for Pennons, did you already think of that?"

"Hm." Kerri taps her lips thoughtfully a couple of times. "I like it, but doing it as a bake-off, where they cook during the contest, might not work. But if they bring something that's already made, then there's a lot of opportunities for cheating on the part of hovering parents."

"Gotcha, we'll do that" She makes a note "Brogan allowed to compete? he's ahead of most childlings. We could make him a judge for them instead"

A blink. "You'll do what? Which one? And I agree that Brogan has the advantage of experience...I think we leave it up to him. He might not think it would be honorable for him to enter. But I have no specific objection."

"The bring something already made... you think the parents WOULD cheat?"

"I hope not. But some parents or guardians or mentors are more competitive than their childlings"

"Still...let's try it and see how it goes." An encouraging nod.

"Not a lot of time for them to prepare, so that will limit how ambitious they try to get. Let's emphasize that this is for the childlings to have FUN."

"Okay"

A smile and she writes that down "And a note that any sluagh childlinbg food will be tried by a sluagh judge instead, in fairness?"

"Oh! Good idea. Do you think we could get Symon to serve that role?"

"I don't know, but if Lily competes he might for her. He's a softy for her though he'd not admit it"

A smile "or maybe Dagmar would flutter her lashes at him and he'd do it for that reason"

"I'll reach out to him." Then a grin. "Now, now. I know they're sweet, but let's not mock either of them, even gently. This is too new for both of them."

"I suppose you're right, lord knows I felt a fool falling for a sidhe " A smile "Wasn't just rebellion"

"No, it wasn't. All's going well with you two?"

"Oh, I love him, but he's as proud as a troll somedays, I have money, lots of money, but he will NOT let me show him how much I care by buying him things. It's silly but I LIKE giving him nice things." A huff

"Well, have you explained that to him?"

"I'v e tried but I must be doing it wrong" a sigh "I.. I don't khnow. He seems to think it would be wrong to 'take advantage of me'. Not to get all 50 shades of gray or anything, but he's the man I love, sometimes I WANT him to take advantage... as long as it's some advantage we both like"

"Interesting. I assume he's doing well with money?"

"Not well, he works at King's Convience sometimes... and otherwise is doing Liam stuff, helping mortals and looking out for them. AS a mortal I'm glad of that, but still, he dresses like a pauper somedays"

"Sounds like he's embarrassed that he can't reciprocate equally."

"You think I'm... shaming him?" A worried look

"Certainly not intentionally," Kerri assures her. "And I might not be right about this at all. Either way...this is tricky territory. Gender and kith and ego all tangled in a mess."

"Oh my.. I.." A frown "I guess I tend to.. I've SEEN real poverty. Our farmhold is SO lucky compared to some mortal farms, you know? I never meant to act 'better'"

"As for dressing like a pauper, those may simply be his most comfortable clothes, or he's sentimental about them. I wonder if he'd prefer different types of gifts? Gifts of crafting? Or experience?"

"Maybe..." She agrees "I suppose he might like to travel. I've given craft gifts. He likes them fine but worries I spend too much" She stops "You know, Olgar is..he's so at ease with letting you take charge. Has he always been?"

A fond grin. "Oh, we've definitely had our battles in that regard. Just adjusting to Lodge living at first took him some time. And...he wasn't always the open-minded and sensitive individual you know."

"Hard to imagine" She admits "I still remember trying not to stare when he wore that pink protest hat on his head... it just seemed..incongruous"

"But he was definitely NOT close minded"

"Honestly, he learned pretty early that I wasn't going to put up with too much sexist nonsense. And having a daughter...I think that made all the difference. Having to negotiate about how we were going to raise our child really led to a lot of self-examination, on both our parts."

"Once-upon-a-time Olgar might have gone in a much more domineering manner. Thank goodness he didn't."

"Oh, so you hooked him with your eyes, and then Sylvi wrapped him around her baby finger on top of it eh?" A grin "Best thing that happened to him is what he suggests, though I didn't ask as direct witth him as i am you."

A chuckle. "Well, it's mutual. He's one of the best things to happen to me."

"Keep in mind, though, we've been living with each other for decades, and we don't always get it right."

A pensive expression for a moment. "Now that I think of it, if Olgar were saying he didn't want me to get him gifts, I might tell him to suffer and deal with it. But I don't think that would work in your situation."

"No? I suppose not" Thoughtful

"Well, you would know better than I."

"I guess I need to try the experience thing and see how he reacts to it compared to most gifts"

"I agree. Experiment. Make it something you can both enjoy."

"You know, we BOTH were caught up on this special on Andorra? It's between France and Spain?"

"A trip sounds lovely!"

"I'll see when would be a goodd time for us both and for you, wouldn't want to leave the lodge in a lurch"

"I appreciate that. After Yule, if you can. You know how chaotic everything can be between now and then."

"You've got a lot more balls to juggle, but don't worry, you've got hands of others to take a few. Speaking of whicch, I have some food to drop off"

"Oh, don't let me delay you!" She waves the kinain away with a smile.

Other Lodge-tasks demand her attention!

And off they each go!

(End Scene)