(this may be b-o-r-i-n-g, but you've asked ... "since you have a full staff, what do you DO all morning?")
6:05 ~ My alarm goes off. Just enough time to have a "moment" to myself before the day starts.
The guards are busy preparing for the day as well, usually as I'm stumbling to the kitchen to start the pot of coffee. The metal gate screeches across the marble driveway and no matter if I'd wanted to sleep in at that point, apparently it is time to rise and shine.
7:00 ~ dictates the time to get the kids up, fed and ready for school.
7:30 ~ marks the time when both drivers arrive to begin their morning washing of "their cars", banging the interior mats out to shake the crumbs and dust out, and making sure that everything is in tip-top shape.
7:59 ~ We grab 4 water bottles. One for each driver, one for the guard and one for our car. We all traipse
down the stairs to the cars, lugging an assortment of bags. Backpacks, purses, bags with various deliveries to be made, karate uniforms, tennis shoes for soccer, activity bag in case we get stuck in traffic and another bag with treats/snacks in case momma forgets to eat lunch (a regular occurrence).
Kushal gets the littles loaded up, seatbelted in. He starts the car, cranks the A/C. One of the guards opens the car door for me and off we go.
8:12 ~ Dependent on traffic of course, we get to school in between 8-15 minutes. Terran inserts headphones, Tony plays Nintendo DS and Mia sings her way to school. We pull up to Gate 5 with the hoards of other vehicles. Drivers patiently waiting (and other times NOT so patiently waiting) their turn in queue, children with varying degrees of expressions on their faces and parents. Out go the boys with a "have a good day" call from me and Mia. The boys escort themselves through the guarded gate and make their way to class.
8:20 ~ Next stop is dropping Mia. Literally, just around the corner, I escort her into through "her gate" and off SHE goes.
8:42 ~ Depending on the day, I either go for a quick run (indoors on the treadmill just steps away from Mia's school), meet up with gals for coffee or head back home.
9:10 ~ Sushila arrives for the day. She is our housekeeper and is darling. She is very sweet, quiet and meek. She speaks VERY little English and giggles whenever I try to communicate with her.
9:12 ~ Just minutes after shutting the door and sitting down to catch up on emails, the doorbell rings. It's one of the guards delivering the electric bill. "Thank you" I say, and shut the door.
9:14 ~ I refill my coffee cup and sit down and I hear a "Ma'am?" ... it's Sushila holding up three pairs of folded (and pressed) underwear. She's asking me to identify the owner of said underwear since there isn't any obvious difference between the Husb and Terran's.
9:17 ~ After identifying the proper owner of said underwear, and reminding Sushila that my pajama tops are NOT Mia's dresses, and asking her to PLEASE stop gathering Terran's dirty clothes from his floor for him, I return to my coffee cup and my office and sit ...
9:18 ~ .... never mind, the doorbell is ringing again. It's Shakuntella, our "dhobi." She comes three times a week to do laundry, fold and iron clothes. She is also so sweet, meek and gracious. A gentle "namaste ma'am" and off she goes to discreetly do her work for the day.
9:20 ~ I've given up on the coffee as it's getting cold and am instead going to opt for getting in some water for the day. Only the water bottles didn't get refilled last night AND the filter hasn't been properly readied for the day ...
9:30 ~ Discussion of the evening meal with the cook .... doling out of money for the market. Realize I don't have enough for what she needs and promise that I'll get more before it's time for her to go.
10:00 ~ Maybe now I can respond to some emails or work on some Cub Scout stuff? Two emails in, and I realize that I need to pay the phone bill.
10:20 ~ Twenty minutes spent looking for the checkbook because sweet Sushila has decided it should be kept somewhere besides where I last left it. She speaks so little English that it is impossible to simply ask "Where is my checkbook" ...
10:21 ~ Write the check for the phone bill and go outside to ask Kushal to go pay the bill.
10:22 ~ Doorbell once again. It's the exterminator guys ready to drill and spray for termites.
10:24 ~ "Ma'am?" It's Sushila to quietly ask for more cleaning supplies, lysol and the like.
10:28 ~ "Ma'am?" This time it is the exterminator guys inquiring as to the exact location of the termite sighting. Again, very little English so the pantomiming and attempts at communication takes AGES.
10:47 ~ SMS received from Mr. Bilbir, the carpenter advising that he is on his way to provide an estimate. "Mr. Bilbir, you need to come no later than 11:15?" "Oh yes ma'am. Not a problem, ma'am."
10:51 ~ Doorbell. It's the newspaper man presenting his bill for the month.
11:15 ~ Have successfully gotten some "work" done and realizing the time, scoot out the door quickly to hit the ATM at Vasant Lok for the cook to go to the market that afternoon for dinner.
11:47 ~ Quick stop back at home to drop off the money, racing BACK out the door when the carpenter arrives, along with the locksmith who is on his fourth trip to the house after malfunctioning keys. After explaining I no longer have time to meet with them, we race to school to pick up Mia by noon!
(Will post a version of my afternoons ... and my evenings, soon!)
