For Christmas he bought me an Instant Pot
An instant best husband of the year pot
And my delight has been, in ongoing ways, unbounded
For Christmas I bought him
Or rather, we bought us
The game of Catan
An instant route to all manner of marital stress and difficulty
So that was pretty much a wash
We started well in the game: generous, fun-loving, slow-paced
Then we went down the slippery slope at high speeds
I try to give him the joy of beating me
But I fail
Because after the first or second settlement is placed
I am one hundred percent committed to winning myself
And because when he takes joy in beating me
I always hate him passionately
While it lasts
Which is not a comfortable thing to feel about
The light of your life
So I decided
That in the interest of saving our marriage
I would not play Catan against him
Again
Only against others, who can win or lose
Without turning me into a fishwife
Now he invites me to play and I want to
And he grins and says
I’m still hoping to win you over
But the iron has entered into my soul
And the roast beef has entered into my Instant Pot
I will be over here stewing
Something delicious
For the best husband of the year
I’m excited about trying a new look for 2018. Have fun looking around!
This post contains affiliate links. Please understand that these items are purchased entirely at your own risk, particularly the Game. The Pot, silver healer of all wounds, should ideally be purchased on Amazon Prime day or Black Friday, when it reduces significantly in price. So don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Well I hope you continue to like your instant pot. I was all excited about mine too that I got greatly reduced for Black Friday deals. It was an early Christmas gift for myself. I instantly went to work the whole next week using it for every meal possible and trying all sorts of things. Everything was going fine and dandy and I joyed it greatly until the day I decide to make potato soup. I wash those potatoes right up , threw them in my instant pot and pressure cooked them hoping to make potato soup very fast. So when the time was up I went to release the pressure and take them out of the pot and hence the lid would not open up. I shook and rattled and twisted and turned ; shock and rattled and twisted and turn but the lid would not come off . I pretended to turn the morning pressure cook them again and let the pressure slowly release this time but still the lid did not come off. I decided on something else for supper and then I slowly cook them again and turned it off and wait to everything cool down and try to release it again…………. still no success. I wait till the next day still can’t get the lid off. I waited for a week still couldn’t get the lid off. As The instant pot set on my counter for the next four weeks I kept wiping around it and deciding that I am not in love with it after all. I can cook in my oven and on my stove top just as easy and I don’t have to worry about lids being stuck . So handsome I went digging for the box pulled out the receipt and took it right back to the store for potatoes and I’m sure works getting quite smelly inside there. Someone’s going to have a nice surprise is the lid does finally come off of the instant pot. I told the lady when I returned that that’s the problem I said I can’t get the lid off and I said my supper is still inside, she looked at me like I was a little bit loony.
This story is very funny to read, but I’m sure was not funny to live.
I’m sorry.
Haha! I get horribly competitive in that game, too!
I love my instant pot! I also like Catan but I started out being nice and everybody took advantage, but when I wanted something it was always a nope. I learned very quickly that there are no husband’s or any form of relatives, much less friends in this game. I still lose but they don’t win because I help them! ?
Haha. This sounds like our Acquire games, or mini golf, or chess. I try to admire his brain and skill, but sometimes I’m just plain grouchy about losing. But a game isn’t fun without some healthy competition. How to find the line between healthy and unhealthy, that is the question.
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on here before, but I’ve been following your blog and reading your posts for quite a while now. You are definitely one of my favorite writers. But doubly more so now because the feelings you have toward your husband when playing strategy games are just like mine. Because although I am just as competitive as he, he is definitely a better strategist than I so he usually wins. And I get all kinds of upsetness in the process. Suggestion: for every strategy game you play with him, be sure to follow it up with a word game. Like Boggle:) It works for me.?
Thanks for introducing yourself – I’m so happy I’m not the only one, ladies!
Kendra, your suggestion for following it up with a word game is positively brilliant.
Things are going to Pot at my house too, thanks to the Christmas gift. So far the best thing I’ve made is Mongolian beef. And, there have been a few not-so-tasty episodes. If I remember to ask, I’d love to talk to you about your successes. I am not yet a big fan of this way of cooking.
I saw that on your counter top! and wanted to ask how you like it but forgot – I didn’t know it was brand new for you too. I LOVE mine. Yes – let’s talk and swap recipes. The Mongolian beef sounds like a winner. My favorite so far was cooking meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the same pot at the same time. The only thing I haven’t been super happy with yet is the slow cooker setting. Pressure cooking has been awesome for me, and yummy; I’ve loved being pushed to try new recipes and styles. You’re right: it is a whole different way of cooking!
Here is a delicious, whole chicken recipe. Maybe you already have a great recipe, but I think this is worth trying. I took what my MIL taught me for a Thanksgiving turkey rub and used it in chicken
1. Combine a half a tablespoon of Ginger and a tablespoon of salt. Rub this under the skin and inside the cavity of the chicken. Use it all, dumping whatever you can’t rub on over the outside.
2. Put the chicken in the instant pot along with some water. I think I use around 2 cups. Add some soy sauce to the water 1/4 – 1/2 cup.
3. Pressure cook for 8 minutes per pound of chicken.
The chicken is juicy and flavorful and makes great chicken salad sandwiches or quesadillas the next day.
The relationship that is ever fun , fragile, and by times frustrating! We are careful about what goes to pot around here. If clay, husband and wife are both very happy. I connected with your description of marriage.
Ah yes! I totally know what you mean about not playing Catan against your husband for the best interest of your marriage! Love hearing that some other wife experiences that! X)
I can identify with this as well! My husband is a serious board gamer, has a very large collection of games, and says Catan is a “gateway game” into the world of serious board gaming.
He and I both have the same level of competitiveness, but he is much the better gamer! I love the suggestion above to follow up with a word game… that’s right down my alley! Unfortunately he is pretty good at those too, but at least I have a fighting chance. 
I love your cleverness in this post.
Too funny!! Dave and I played and played it when I first got it for him-think during supper and everything. (we had no children yet, just to clarify:) ) But yes it went south and the next times we got it out for a marathon round, we both got a little disgruntled at each other. I’m glad to know we are not the only couple like this. And the Instant Pot is a lovely kitchen appliance to own!!!
Haha! I am still very much single, but I enjoy playing this game with my parents and uncle and aunt because the same struggle is very evident on their faces. I expect that should I ever play it with a husband, I would have the same problem.