Weekend, weekend, here we go again.
Always something to do, somewhere to be, family hanging out together.
Weekend, weekend, here we go again.
Friday, rest up because our weekend will be one with little to no rest.
Get that homework done because there will be little to no time once the sun begins to rise in the morning.
Pulling yourself out of bed, wanting to sleep in, but if you want to eat before the busy day begins, pull yourself out of bed.
Sun already risen, with the warmth and light peaking in through the sides of the window shades, have to get downstairs to be the first to open the cereal box and grab the toy hidden in the cereal box.
Mom and Aunt joining in, telling us to hurry and finish, lots of work to be done.
Can't leave without washing those dishes and completing the kitchen chores.
I have dishes, he has counters, she has to put the dishes away and sweep the floor.
Dressed in weekend clothes, the day is to begin with no Girl Scout trip scheduled. It is an off week. No rushing with weekend cleaning, hair washing, hot comb to the head, and don't forget about the weekly shopping and laundromat visit.
Yes, the time before being blessed with a washer and dryer in the home. No complaints either because there is always fun at the laundromat. Too bad that won't be until tomorrow.
No debate about the weekly cleaning. Everyone knows what it entails. Thankfully Mom and Auntie have a strict chore schedule list so weekend cleaning isn't too bad.
Cleaning house on the weekend. More about organizing, making sure corners are clutter free, and any opportunity for renovation projects or designing was done with love, heart, and passion. Of course after the yard was tidied up also.
Only bad part, cleaning the street lawn after the sidewalk. Darn people should know by now, don't litter in front of the Mills home, we don't do that here, not this home.
Busy, busy, let's get it done, I want to play. Cousin time, hanging out, getting into a little trouble, doing what we shouldn't be doing sometimes, but always bonding and growing stronger as a family unit. Who knows what other cousins might make their way over today.
Close family friends coming over? Who knows, all the kids consider themselves cousins. Blood is not the only thing that makes us family.
Who knows, who knows.
Dinner time, what is for dinner tonight? Adults on the back porch watching us running around. Today, they have us doing flips in the yard, maybe we will get in some volleyball or turn the sprinklers on and run through it free as the birds in the sky.
With the music in the background, maybe we will put together another first cousin routine, or re-do our infamous Pretty Young Thing dance. That dance never gets old.
Who knows, who knows. It is the weekend, always something to do, somewhere to be, family hanging out together.
Sunday morning is here. How do we know?
Waking up to the smell of cheesy eggs, grits, sausage or bacon, and bacon. All making our way down to help finish up the preparation and cooking.
"Make sure those biscuits have some brown on them because you know Grandaddy will remind you we don't eat biscuits with no color. They are not done until they are golden brown."
Everyone at the kitchen table, with the plates full of hot cooked breakfast, in a hot kitchen, the smell of good home cooking breakfast to get your busy Sunday started.
Real butter with salt, no margarine on the table with the knife ready to slap on the grits.
Split that biscuit open and slap that butter in between and watch it melt.
Breakfast plate taken up to Grandaddy, whose ever turn it is to take it up is hoping they are left with enough to fill their plates when they get back.
Always enough, never too little to feed the clan.
Always conversation, getting ready for the busy day, for the upcoming week.
Dishes cleared, kitchen cleaned. Same practice, everyday. Mom not having dishes in the sink or an unkempt house.
Clothes all sorted out, packing them into the van.
Love hanging out and playing at the laundromat and the parking lot surrounding it, hate unloading and loading the clothes. 30 minutes to play while the clothes are soaking in the suds and getting fresh, a quick 5 minutes to unload and then load into those dryers.
Hoping and hoping there is no wait, have to get back outside to play some more.
Another 30 minutes, let's see how much fun we can really get into because this is the last 30 minutes until we get home.
Lots of folding, lots of sorting onto each of our piles, lots and lots of folding. How I hate this part about the laundromat. I just want to play. I am a kid, I don't want to do this.
Now time to go shopping. Doesn't take too long, we have this down and very efficient. The best part of going shopping...I absolutely love double bagging those brown bags, setting them up to get ready while the food comes down after being swiped.
A lesson learned young, bags packed, heavy items on the bottom, light on the top. Two carts, full of groceries, now to pile them into the van
Van emptied, groceries put away, clothes, towels, and linens put away, don't come back down until those beds are made with fresh linen and the bed is made back up.
"This is stupid, I am going to get back in the bed soon enough."
Only said in my mind, never aloud, not even close to being dumb enough to let Mom or Auntie hear my thoughts.
Time to go outside and play with the cousins again.
Not so fast, I am first to get my hair done. That is not fair, I want to play.
Braids undone, nice deep cleaning of the hair and scalp is in progress.
Everyone is playing, I want to go outside and have fun too.
"Hurry up Mom, rinse my hair, put the deep conditioner in and plait it so I can go out and join in the fun also."
Only said in my mind, never aloud, not even close to being dumb enough to let Mom or Auntie hear my thoughts.
"Okay, you're done for now, go outside and let the sun soak up that conditioner in your head.
"About time, my turn to join in the fun!"
"Come get your hair rinsed."
Ugh, again, but at least the next break will be longer. Hair rinsed, plaited back up and again, I am to join in the fun while the sun dries my hair this time.
The smell of dinner cooking while we are playing outside, all having fun. Sunday will be gone sooner than we know.
Time of playing is done, because it is time to get that hot comb to that head of mine. The smell of the grease melting into my head with the heat. The best smell ever. My hair is going to be straight, waving in the wind. The minds of a child so young.
All hair is done, braided up so neat and beautiful, ready for school for the week, dinner eaten, cleaned up and focus is on the week's preparations.
It is bed time, lights out.
"Good night, I love you." Repeated about 10 - 15 times, everyone in the house sending their love.
Yes, every night, not one night not done with this ritual in the Mills home.
Weekend, weekend, you were fun, such sweet memories until next weekend to do it all over again.
Weekend, weekend how much fun you were.
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