Once everything had slowed down to some point, and I was in New Braunfels, I lived with my daughter for perhaps a month. The family at that time consisted of her, my son-in-law, two dogs, and my granddaughter, who was still in school. I usually roll out of bed pretty quiet and not till around 7:30 or 8:00. I’m up for coffee first. So, naturally, everyone else is up as well, wanting breakfast. So, I thought. Coffee first, and yes, the dogs need to potty.
Now, Mitch and I were married 43 years, and for the last 10, it had been him and myself. Yes, we too had dogs — three to be exact. It was nice having a fenced-in backyard, and you would just slide the glass door, and out they would go. So, with all this going on around me, I’m truly at a loss with myself. I can’t get to the coffee pot. AHHH! Maddie is trying to get the two dogs out to potty and then feed them, and my daughter and her husband need to clock in to work because they work from home.
I go back to what is now my new spot, the bedroom, and wait for the dust to settle. Maddie is gone to school, and the dogs are walked and fed. But the other two adults are doing Zoom meetings, so yes, I need to be as quiet as possible and not be seen. I get my coffee and wait a minute. Where is the oatmeal? They do not eat breakfast, but sometimes Maddie will eat cereal. Thank goodness.
Now remember, I would sit quietly drinking my coffee, maybe two cups, eating my oatmeal while the boys begged for me to share. I would maybe vacuum or do a little laundry and, of course, go into the shop. The shop — Heartfelt Gifts and Tea Room. We opened at 10:00. I was there sometimes till 5:30. So, I stayed busy. This is… the morning.
After the morning has now changed to afternoon, I walk the dogs again. Gotta get a little exercise, you know. I come in and am told, “You can turn on the TV, Mom.” They, of course, are in Zoom meetings, so I need to not only be quiet but also not be seen. So, I watch a little TV, meaning I watch a movie, maybe two. Better yet, binge-watch something on Netflix. I would browse a magazine or, better yet, go into the backyard and try to get in those, what, 6000 steps going around and around in circles.
I was so bored at one point because I was sitting so much that I would get sleepy. Now, mind you, I have never, and I mean never, taken a nap. Well, maybe if I were sick. Is it time for lunch yet? Wait a minute, I don’t eat lunch. When I was at the shop, I would usually snack on my favorite chicken salad, made with these hands, and pair it with the special crackers I made that everyone loved. But mostly, a lot of coffee. Remember, I stayed busy. We were a Tea Room, and I loved what I was doing. When is supper?
Finally, Maddie was coming in from school, and it was getting close to 5:00. I thought Dawn, my daughter, would be finished with work and start cooking because, at this point, I was getting a little hungry. Come to find out, my daughter no longer cooks. Maddie is now the official cook.
“Did we lay anything out to cook?” It’s ok, Nana, it won’t take long for the chicken to thaw. So, you may be thinking I could have done this, but remember, as my husband would have said, “She didn’t know how to boil water till I taught her.” This is true! Maddie is a very picky eater, and my son-in-law was an eater of mostly Mexican food at the time as well.
It was usually around 8:00, maybe 9:00, before we ate, and then we washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. What? “Do I want to run to Walmart to pick up something Maddie needs for school tomorrow?” I’m thinking Mitch usually came home from work around 6:00 and fixed a wonderful meal while I sat in my spot on the floor in my comfy clothes with the dogs, aka “the boys,” waiting on him to bring me my plate, and we sat and watched his favorite show.
Mitch did the cooking. Then, if I was lucky, he might run to the DQ and bring us back a Blizzard. We would walk the dogs one more time, then I would go upstairs, crawl into bed, read my favorite book, and then off to Dreamland I would go. Can you relate to any of this?
I’d love to hear from you.
