Morning

I am a morning person. Early mornings. VERY early mornings.

I'm not sure if my body is programmed to like the morning best or if I learned it from my family. My mom was a single mother and in college, I was the first grandchild and we lived with my grandparents for a few years. I spent a LOT of time with my grandparents, Paw-paw and Gang-gan, until I moved away from New Orleans nine years ago. I think because I grew up in their house, and then later blocks away, help me have a close relationship with them.

I "ran away" from home a handful of times in my teens - well, I ran to my grandparent's house. I had my own room and another set of pets there. What always bothered me is that my mom never looked for me. Sure, she'd call my grandparents and talk about her day, but she'd never ask if I was there. Years later she told me that she knew I was there...apparently she and my grandmother had worked out a system.


Living with my grandparents meant hearing Paw-paw get ready for work while Gang-gan made his breakfast at 4am. At first I'd sleep until I heard my grandfather leave the house. Then one winter, I realized that if I got up with him my grandpa would share the hot cocoa my grandma made for his thermos.

And from that time on I got up early with both of them and I still get up early. At work I like the early shift and up until three years ago, I woke at 5am and was at work by 6am. There are benefits to going into work early - no traffic. (And I'm crazy in traffic.)

I'm babbling now. My point is that I love mornings; they connect me with my grandparents, now in their 80s.
The mornings are full of possibilities...which sometimes become realities....or not. With work and school it can be easy to forget that the day ahead could bring something unexpectedly great and clarity on some issue/problem from the day prior.
Recently I agreed to take a photo a day for one year, starting 1/1/09. Robin and Wendy are doing this also, so I don't feel so alone. And again, I HATE photos of myself, so I'm trying to get myself ready.
These are photos from my morning:
3) Bootini - since Noona passed he's taken up the role of following my every move in the mornings. Noona would be proud...or annoyed.
2) Second step of the morning - Gabby and his quest for the elixir known as shower water. Seriously, he goes nuts if I don't do this right away.
1) Me - with both cats in the exact same positions. It's a tough crowd sometimes.