Sun up, covers off, feet down, robe on,down the stairs leaving one snoring behind. Lights on, dogs fed, coffee on, laundry sorted, check the list. Computer on, journal opened,bills splayed, which one first? Dogs out, dogs in, coffee poured, smell the cream, cream poured, coffee stirred, brain stirring. Quiet house. For now. Journal open, journal open. journal open to the page I have yet to finish, need to finish. Check face. Sigh. Age. What to do? Start laundry, the darks. Coffee cup is, where? It’s Monday. It’s Monday. It’s Monday. Check this, start that, sit down. No. Get up. And what about? Foot steps, snorer up, quiet is gone, dogs welcome another riser. Kiss, kiss, love, love, dogs jumping. Little footsteps now, grumpy start for a nine year old’s day. No, no, we won’t have this. Kiss, kiss, love,love. Breakfast? Darks out, whites in. Dryer started. creaking, creaking, creaking, a dryer complains with every turn of the drum. Thump, squeal, thump squeal. How much is a new dryer? Oh. and new tires. Before winter. How much are new tires? Coffee. New cup. Is there anything worse than cold coffee? One leaves, kiss, kiss, love, love, the other goes up stairs,to change,now, right now,there is no way you are wearing that to schoo, because I said so. Off she goes hitting each stair with defiance. Lunch packed, teeth brushed, pass by journal open on the desk,get in the car, drive. Wait. For the line of cars to go. Kiss, kiss, not in front of everyone, mooooom!, door slammed, drive. Coffee. is. cold. again. House is quiet. Again. Except for the dryer. That damn dryer. Dog throws up. Hmmmm? Ham bone not a good idea. Bone fragments and ham bits blended into a semi wool shag. Journal open. Sit. Write. Phone rings, insurance questions. Am I dressed for today? Will this do? How vocal do I want to be today? Do I care? Really? Breathe. Journal open. Write.