My mother-in-law told me to get up at 4 a.m. to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her 30 guests. My husband added, “This time, remember to make everything really perfect!” I smiled and replied, “Of course.” At 3 a.m., I took my suitcase to the airport. – usnews 0/2

By noon, I’d been working for six hours straight and had barely made a dent in what needed to be done. My back ached, my feet throbbed, and I hadn’t eaten anything except a handful of crackers.

That’s when Hudson wandered into the kitchen, still in his pajamas, coffee mug in hand.

“Wow, you’re really going all out this year,” he said, surveying the chaos. “Smells good already.”

I was elbow-deep in turkey stuffing, my hands coated with a mixture of breadcrumbs, celery, and raw egg.

“Can you help me get this into the bird? I can’t manage it alone.”

He glanced at his watch.

“Actually, I promised the guys I’d meet them for a quick round of golf. Pre-holiday tradition, you know. But I’ll be back in plenty of time to help with the heavy lifting tomorrow.”

I stared at him.

“Golf today?”