A Day in Life as Natalie Charcoal

The alarm clock in Lily and Rose’s room rung, and I instantly rushed down to the second floor. It was the only clock we had in our house, so I had to be careful not to wake anyone when it rung. I opened the shutters and bright sunlight shone in. I headed downstairs to the kitchen and did my daily morning routine of washing my face, rinsing my mouth, washing my paws, etc. I started to prepare Mason’s breakfast, leftover bread with (vegan) scrambled eggs in the middle. Mason wasn’t too fond of my omelets ever since my first attempt at cooking them, honestly I have gotten a lot better, Teri agrees too! Therefore, I baked the bread to give it extra crisp and started making the eggs. Soon I plated his breakfast and gave him a cup of water, since Mason liked ice in his water I went over to the lovely fridge he bought me and shoveled ice chips into his brown cup.

I preferred a croissant with cheese spread for my breakfast, so I did that, picked up the daily Calico Times newspaper and sat down. The electric stairs started whirring up and I knew my dearest husband was coming down. “Morning!” I said happily, “Made you some breakfast.”

Mason yawned, “Thanks, Natalie, and good morning to you too. So where are you going to today?”

“Well, since it’s a Wednesday I go teach ballet with Holly Silk at 1 to 2 o’clock, then I’ll drop by at the supermarket. Teri said she’d drive me there because she needs to turn in a VERY TERI post anyway. Lily and Rose are coming with me too,” I explained.

“What is the fridge lacking this time?” Mason asked, I guess he never understood why I need to go to the market.

“Only the basic necessities!” I replied.

Mason smiled, “I guess I will have to sell more bread today.” (That’s my husband alright, it’s nice that he supports my luxurious spending)

After breakfast, Mason left to start baking bread and I began to cook breakfast for my twin daughters, Lily and Rose. Six boiled eggs were one of their favorites, so I started cooking in the beautifully designed pot Heidi had given me for my 46th birthday. I go upstairs to find my daughters still fast asleep.

I give each a soft shake and return down. They will be awake soon, I tell myself.

“Good morning, mother,” Lily said as she came down, rubbing her eyes awake.

I greeted Lily, “Good morning too! Now stop rubbing your eyes, it’s improper.”

Lily did stop and sat down awaiting breakfast. I hoped she wouldn’t rub her eyes again, it was the total opposite of being fancy. Lily’s older twin, Rose, came down and gracefully sat down at the seat next to her sister. I served them milk and eggs and we started reading the VERY TERI column together. “I totally agree with this paragraph,” commented Lily.

Rose added, “I agree with the entire post!”

I chuckled and added, “I agree with all the VERY TERI posts!”

We laughed, Teri was quite the writer. Her opinions and tips were always...well...VERY TERI! Soon, the twins went outside (already dressed/protected with an apron) to help their father. I prepared Ginni and my niece, Olive’s, breakfast. Being a baby meant they couldn’t eat solid foods, so yogurt was a simple and convenient option. I headed upstairs to the third floor and set the food on the floor. The babies weren’t tall enough to eat at the table, so they were served upstairs.

Next, I wash the dishes and go help Mason out with our bakery, Flour to Dough. I put the bread into the brick oven and display the others neatly on the shelves. It was about 10 AM, so that meant it wad time to have some TV time with Heidi and Teri. I grab a piece of bread and head on over. Heidi lives right next door, so I just walk on over and sit myself down in her cozy living room. Heidi smiles, “Teri said she’s coming over right away, make yourself comfortable.”

I handed her the bread, it’s sort of payment for letting my family use her bathroom. At first, Heidi refused, saying that it was the country way to let others use it. I insisted on calling it a gift and after a few more times, Heidi gratefully accepted. “Here,” I said, “I got you a baguette, it will go good with your biscuits.”

“Thank you,” she says, “Now, can I get you some refreshments?”

“Cup of coffee would be nice, please,” I answer.

The Hopscotch rabbit mother and I settle down and soon my best friend and Heidi’s older sister arrives. “I”m here!” Teri announces holding her both her daughters’ paws.

Freya and Breeze run upstairs to play and Teri sits down to and we begin to watch. “Look!” points out Teri, “That’s the same fridge Mason bought you for your birthday!”

I giggle, “Fridges are trending after all.”

Heidi insisted we stay for brunch, so we grab an extra chair and sit ourselves down at the patio. For brunch, we have tarts, biscuits and carrot tea. We catch up with each other’s lives, revisit old memories and chit chat.

“So Teri, how’s the chocolate business in Sylvania?” I ask.

“Frasier says we need some reliable, someone just like us. It’s hard, but he says one of our children could maybe move to the countryside with me anytime soon,” Teri answers.

Heidi smiles, “Oh Teri! That is wondrous news, let me go get some pound cake to celebrate!”

Times flies when you’re having fun, by the time I got back home it was already 11! I quickly get my daughters ready for ballet and wait for Teri to pick us up. It takes a long 45 minutes to reach town, bt it’s worth every second. Town is a beautiful place, full of elegance and posh. Victorian inspired building, pastel paints and the fanciest of crockery. We take a turn and go to the shops of Cloverleaf Corners. Holly and I teach ballet for an hour with lots of young girls. Precision and grace is needed, with a touch of VERY TERI-ness. With the lesson done, it’s time for my favorite time of day: SHOPPING!

We enter the store and guess what? Ice cream is on a buy 2, get one free sale! “Come on!” I beckoned, “Get the Premiums Ice Creams!”

“Wow!” Mason comments when we return home, “What happened? Is there an apocalypse happening?”

“Nonsense, daddy,” Lily replied, “There was a sale today.”

“I should have known.”

I giggle, “Just a tiny sale, and we ran out of water, yogurt and butter. Now, I’m going to cook up some dinner for everybody. Bye, dear!”

Mason begins to close shop. Just then, Olive pulls on my dress. “Aunt Natalie, why the ground be white?” she inquired.

“Well, recently they paved most of the place for easier access. Of course, they is still grass here, just more pavement,” I answer as I get out an Easy Bake Tart Cake box.

Olive waddles back up the stairs and I pop the tart cake into the oven. Sweet smells float around the kitchen and Ginni joins us. I start cooking egg soup, prepare dinner for the two babies, and put the tart cake into a beautiful mint green display plate. Egg soup was a simple dish and it was another recipe I got from the Calico Times. Boil yogurt, flour, water and raw eggs and after a while of boiling and stirring you get egg soup! Mason enters right after I finish cooking dinner and we all head over to Heidi’s house to use the shower. Everyone is so welcoming here in the countryside.

Then, it is time for dinner. Leftover bread from today, egg soup and finally a tart cake for dessert. As for Ginni and Olive, they share a cheese omelet. The cheese is made of premium, organic soy beans, of course!

“Read us story,” requested Ginni.

Rose looks at her twin and the two nod. “Come on,” she soothes, “Up we go!”

I go help Olive and Ginni up the stairs and the twins get set up.

Then, when I come down to the kitchen/dining room, Mason asks how was my day. “Good. I had lots of fun with Teri and Heidi. Oh, and the ballet class was excellent. You should have seen Lily and Rose, they were so graceful!” I say.

Mason says, “That’s good to hear. Since everybody’s busy, how about we dance?”

“That’s a great idea!” I exclaim, Mason sure knew how to surprise people.

We step onto the cold white pavement outside our house. Above our heads was the sun, just about to set. The last of it’s lovely rays shining on me and my husband. Finally, we begin. I elegantly twist and turn while Mason follows, doing his own moves. When the times feels right, I fall into his arms. Sometimes we get close and strike a pose before another routine of complex dance moves is performed. I felt like I could do this forever.

“Ooo,” Ginni comments from the balcony.

“Go mom!” Lily cheers.

“Beautiful,” Rose says.

Olive giggles, “That cool!”

As if right on cue, the sun disappears from the horizon and the day ends. The audience from the balcony starts clapping and soon everyone is off to bed.