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Waking up at 10 a.m.
Picking up my mom from the Norfolk airport. Reunited once again.
Mom: "Wow, Robert. I'm really here!"
It's kind of surreal for the both of us to be in each other's presence – it's been well over a year.
Back at the house. I prepare warm bowls of my usual breakfast: Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Chia Seeds, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Coffee with Cream and Honey. We chat about food education and the recent things we've learned related to our diets.
Time to go run errands. Dropping off a package at UPS, then filing some documents at the courthouse. Since we're already over this way I take us through Ocean Lakes, our old neighborhood, where I spent most of my boyhood and teenage years growing up. Driving by 771 and 769 Goodard Drive I know both of us feel a surge of nostalgia and emotion. Life changing events occurred here, traumatic and wonderful. Up in those bedrooms I developed from boy to man and learned who I was – all the while my mother trying to foster a stable environment for her son. She snaps a couple of photos of the old place and we drive on. I take us down General Booth, the Rudee Inlet, and straight down Pacific Avenue to show her all the new buildings and changes to the oceanfront.
Back home. I fix up a couple of Grilled PB&J Sandwiches with Earl Grey Tea for us. Once again I'm feeding her. But that's what I really looked forward to. I want to share with my mom all my healthy habits. It's the least I could do after all those years she kept me nourished as a growing boy. Now I can return the favor and nourish her. I'm proud of my mom and the man she's helped me to be.
Me: "Ana turned me on to these. It's so simple but nobody every thinks of doing it. Grilled PB&J's!"
She was fascinated by the goodness of the oatmeal and now these grilled PB&J's.
I have to go teach lessons at Music Makers for a couple hours. Meanwhile, my mom takes a nap and later on meets Ana after she gets off work. They hit it off well.
When talking about Ana my mom says, "It feels like we were just catching up – like we'd already known each other for years."
Me: "Yup. That's the kind of person she is."
Off to The Escape to workout. With Mom and Ana.
Back home. Ana and I cook up dinner for the three of us: Sprouted Mung Beans with Onions, Broccoli, Carrots, and Quinoa. Once again, mom loves the meal. It's really nice to have the two most important women of my life here at this diner booth in the house. I knew Ana would take kindly to my mom and vice versa. Sharing Dark Chocolate afterwards of course.
Mom pulls out her old songbook from the 70's and we rehearse our own arrangement of Helen Reddy's "Keep On Singing" and The Everly Brother's "All I Have to Do is Dream". She used to sing in a cover band back in her time. But now she's not used to singing for such long periods of time. I start off with brief vocal lesson to keep her voice warmed up. It's a lot of work going through these songs but these are special and cherished moments for me to be singing with my mom like this.
Sleep 3 a.m.
[i] All images by me.
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