Mornings at Michele’s

By Mamo

This was written weeks before our current situation…I’m just getting around to post it.

When planning my 2 trips to Spain, Michele asks me what I want to see.  I say I want to see and do their daily life.  This is what school mornings are like:

First Michele creeps downstairs six-ish.  Being very quiet, hoping not to wake kids, and carrying a large hamper of dirty clothes (2 sets a day on soccer days for Oliver).  Starts a load of laundry.  It takes at least an hour and a half.  Longer when the washer decides to recycle itself.  Laundry has to be hung up.  Usually outside on the third story patio.  (Say thank you to your dryers.)

She unloads the dishwasher and makes snacks for morning “recess” for the boys.

Then starts breakfast.  Somewhere in there Leo comes in wrapped in his blue blanket, usually with his earphones on.  

“What’s for breakfast?”  He always wakes up hungry.  And she starts the first parenting coaching of the day.  “Good Morning Leo.  Say ‘Good Morning Mommy.  Nice to see you.’” A muttered “Good Morning.  What’s for breakfast?”   Anything made on the griddle is good.

Then it is time to get Oliver up.  Never easy.  He just can’t get to sleep at night.  He comes down silent, wrapped in a red blanket.  Drapes himself over the table.  Finally says “I’m so tired”. And generally has some comment about what he thinks Leo should or should not be doing (another chronic parenting issue). He has to be urged and prodded to eat, dress, do teeth, get his school bag ready.

Then Todd comes down amid all this.  Often makes eggs for all.  Starts first political or Tesla commentary of the day.

There is a brief discussion as to who is escorting who to school.  A parent cycles with Oliver first about 8.  The other parent cycles with Leo about 9.  Rain or shine.  Often in the dark.  Leo is known for cycling so slow he almost cycles backward.  

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Oliver,  who dresses very sharply and with his hair well combed, is known for stopping about 2 blocks from the school, handing his helmet to his parent and hugs there  (not at school in seventh grade).  Not sure what has happened to that well combed hair.

Then comes workouts and grocery shopping.  Michele goes for a run, sometimes Todd does too.  But not together.  Different paces.  On the beach is a fine “gym”.  Many different kinds of bars at all levels, balance beams, etc.  They have a tough routine they do together.

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Before heading out to the workouts, garbage and recycling are gathered up and hauled to the bins a couple of blocks away.

As a personal aside,  I was parked in my wheelchair on the path beside the “gym”.  Something drew very elderly Spanish men to me.  Trying to talk.  Wanting to push me in the wheelchair.   Then they would bid me goodbye by patting my cheek and  caressing my shoulders.  Happened 3 times.

Grocery shopping is carefully planned. Only so much you can carry on a bicycle.  And often you need to go to 2 or 3 stores.  You have to guard your place in line to check out.  Or some pushy older woman will shove in front of you.  Michele became adept at manuveruring the wheelchair to block them.  It is very much a Mom-and-Pop store economy.

On a well ordered day, there might be time to go for coffee and toasties around 11 or 12.  

Then it is quickly time to pick up Leo,  start the big lunch meal cooking, and pick up Oliver.

The daily business of life takes up nearly all of the time.

I can almost hear the boys telling their grandchildren about this.