Chicago Friday

If I lived in Chicago, I would do this so often! I'd come to my daughter's house just to hang out.  Especially when she is still on maternity leave. I'd say good morning to Juniper...

I'd watch her do her tummy time...

I'd eat breakfast at their table, all the while keeping an eye out on the little one; she bathes in the kitchen sink, I munch on granola.

Lovely moments, all of them!

Yep, that's what I'd do: evening hangouts at my older girl's home, mornings here, with my younger girl. With school pick ups of kids, a cup of coffee here, a glass of wine there. Or the other way around.

Of course, no one's life is really like that. Time is precious, for her, for me. Schedules permit too little down time for anyone and most especially for working parents.

Still, today I have this lovely image of being that ensconced in the trivial routines of an average day. A chat with my son in law about an article he'd read, a discussion of the superior qualities of baked goods for lunch, and the freewheeling cuddles, stories and games with their ever magnificent children.

Toward noon, I break from the small routines to do something I haven't done for years! Not since I twisted Ed's arm to gift me a session for Valentine's Day (or was it my birthday?) many many years ago. What is it?  Oh, a session with a local massage person to work some magic into ancient limbs and muscles, kneading and grinding and knuckling them into some kind of a divine wonderfulness. I have a friend back in Wisconsin who subjects herself to this every single week. She says it's life saving. Me, I don't want to find out that there are even more expensive life saving items or strategies out there, so I prefer to think of it as a luxurious treat that happens once in a blue moon. And it happened today and it was superb! My muscles feel so coaxed and cajoled into a state of relaxation that I feel I could move mountains once again. Or at least play with a baby on the floor without groaning when the time comes to get up.

Lunch, from Kasama, a Filipino eatery in Chicago's East Ukrainian Village. Exquisite baked goods.

And in the evening my daughter and I walk over to pick up Primrose at school. It's raining, it's windy and freezing cold, but as is her habit, we walk. An adventure to be sure!

And at home, Primrose and I return to our play module, starting off with one story line, but ending somewhere altogether different and unexpected.

Dinner, en famille. Delicious food from the Valle d'Aosta region of Italy.

Bed time should  be early, because tomorrow we need our wits and energies to be in top form. It's the birthday  celebration for the (nearly) 4-year old among us! But, there's this lure of downtime together with the older guys once again. When the children are asleep. 

In other words, when you visit your adult kids and their families, there is no such thing as a good night's rest. It's simply too much fun to be... awake.