Weekend mornings

Probably the greatest regular lifestyle change is weekends mornings.  No more morning rush hours, off to the soccer field or to Hebrew School or to a playdate.  If it wasn't the race to head out, the youngins needed to be fed because one inevitably woke up hungry. Many a weekend morning was a fun food experience.  We made pancakes, waffles and eggs often and explored different ingredients that added variety.  Chocolate chip pancakes were always a favorite, while cheeses, lox and selected vegetables spiced up the eggs.  As they got older they each assumed cooking responsibilities and learned how to master the spatula.  The messes diminished as their physical coordination improved, but somehow, even till the end, it seemed like Dad had more of the clean-up duties than the culinary kids.

Although I miss sharing breakfasts and the stress free time of catching up on teen weekend exploits or disappointments, I am learning to cherish my new morning ritual. I wake up, roll over, reach down and grab my iPad.  Before even brushing my teeth I am man of the world, immersed in The Times.  In an hour of lazily languishing in bed, I catch up on the news, business, sports and some gossip (yes the Times remains competitive by offering gossip).  One of my many parenting frustrations over the last 20 years was the inability to get to the Sunday paper.  There were far too many weekends when it was placed in the recycling bin, unopened.  Sometimes I would deceive myself and put aside the Sunday Business, magazine and Week in Review determined to get to it on Monday or Tuesday.  Inevitably that just meant it got to tossed unread a couple of days later.  I have learned to love lying around in bed, next to Susan, skimming the paper, er the digital version.