Tomorrow is the church Men’s Retreat, so Mr. Man will be spiriting Frick away for an overnight and a cookout. While they’re shivering in a pup tent in 30-odd degree weather, Frack and I will be getting our X chromosome on.

Admittedly, mimi doesn’t stray far into the female end of the spectrum. I somehow missed the Cute Shoes and Darling Accessories alleles in my genetic profile. Pink has never been a favorite color–unless it’s on something from Lilly Pulitzer, and then I’m all over it. But that’s my latent preppy side emerging, not my inner Barbie. mimi loves to argue politics and geeky stuff and once humbled a room full of male Mensa members by correctly identifying and applying the infield fly rule. mimi was so determined not to cripple her daughter with gender stereotyping that she pitched a hissy in three different stores until she could find a little girl’s two-wheeler that wasn’t hosed down in estrogen, i.e. pink with white tires. Basically, we don’t do girly at Chez mimi.

mimi will admit, however, to loving two hugely feminine indulgences (some would say necessities): massages and pedicures. So while the boys are freezing their collective hineys off and shooting at things, we gals will be relaxing in the foot spa and planning a movie trip to something that would make my son gag. Then I’ll go watch my sporty girl kick some butt in softball. We’re Southern, after all. There’s plenty of steel in our magnolia.