How Does Saturday Smell?

Pancake Syrup, burnt cooking oil, hot blow dryer, fresh laundry and Comet Cleaner.

When I was little deep cleaning our house was reserved for Saturday mornings. The day flowed something like this...I was the first up to take in a few private, meditative, reflective hours of Saturday morning cartoons (ahem, still do). It was my elementary quiet time (if you will). During this time I also made myself pancakes just like my mom taught me. Although, mine looked more like greasy splatter art. I used way too much cooking oil and milk. The fire was always turned up too hot...they were good nonetheless and I was fed while the parentals got some rest.

Mom  or my sister, Mardi, would blow dry my freshly washed hair, think Rudy Huxatable circa 1989.

Dad hand-washed the car in the driveway (wax on wax off), and ran errands to the store and dry cleaners.

Mom and dad's room was downstairs and mom sang old school and contemporary gospel while cleaning her bathroom.

Our upstair rooms were filled with the newest R&B hits 97.9 The BOX had to offer. We wopped it out while mopping it out.

Then after the house was spit-shine clean off to the movies we went. Parents would turn on jazz or classical music while the three of us sat shoulder to shoulder in the backseat of our Plymouth Acclaim guessing which instruments were playing.

Lunch at Marco's Mexican Restaurant...I got an authentic cheeseburger kid's meal. Then back to home central.

My Saturdays have changed a bit but the new Hoskins home is developing a smell all its own.

Saturdays begin with a little pillow-talk.

James goes into his room to pray for a while.

I listen to him play the guitar and sing while I sing to various songs on my Pandora stations. I fluff my curls and do the bathroom boogie to the R&B of my youth...not quite as holy as my hubby.

He offers to make breakfast...I offer to make breakfast...I cook breakfast tacos. I win? (wait a minute).


We promised that we would "do" marriage by attempting to out-serve one another. So far so good. We serve each other with creativity and gladness, really, don't gag at my newly-wedness...We are loving this season cuz it's just us and being a grown up on a Saturday is a lot of fun...New recipes, new back rub techniques, new adventures in kayaking.

Now Saturdays smell like eggs and olive oil, Lake Waco, fresh laundry and Shipley's...sometimes we both win.