When our daughter was 8 years old we bought her a boat for Christmas. It was a dinghy that had a sail, oars, and a small outboard motor.

Yes, this is a little unusual. No one bought us our first boat. We had to roam the boatyards to find some abandoned boat, or build our own, or even use our own money.

It was too big to put in the house, so we put it on the deck that faced the living room and kept the blinds drawn.  Christmas morning our child opened up boxes of clothes, books, craft supplies, jewelry, a sewing kit. Then with a drum roll we opened the blinds and presented the boat.

My sister, who knew about the boat, called her. ” What did you get for Christmas?”

” I got lots of books. I got some clothes and a necklace. And a sewing kit.”

My sister pushed. ” Did you get anything else? Something special?”

My daughter thought hard. ” Oh, Oh yes.  I got a THIMBLE!”