The Ice Cream Seekers 08-29-20

Last year about this time I started driving two young boys to school a couple times a week.  Their parents work schedules would leave the boys home alone from 6:30 to 7:30am and their school is too far away for them to walk, besides being unsafe with busy streets and traffic lights.   I enjoyed doing it and felt useful to someone other than KoKo.   The parents insisted on feeding me Indian dinners occasionally and I have posted about those delicious treats.  But then along came Covid-19.  Their mom continues to work as a nurse and their father had to start working at home.  So, all these months have gone by with the boys entertaining themselves while their father tries to work.  About a month ago I started taking the boys out for ice cream once a week.  It gives their father a respite of an hour or so and sometimes their mom is also home during that time.  After living alone for over thirty years I can't imagine what it would be like to have two active boys present 24/7. 

Immanuel is eleven and Julian is in kindergarten (6?) and they are very well behaved, except that Julian is a wiggle worm and has to make faces all the time.  KoKo usually goes along and has to stay in the car.  We are trying all the ice cream shops in a wide area and there are a lot of them. Yesterday I thought it might be more comfortable if we went in the morning before the temperature topped 90F, but I didn't know that ice cream shops don't open until 11:30am or Noon!  We had to drive around with the aid of Google to find a place that was serving earlier.  We finally ended up in Fullerton (about 7 miles to the west) at a Cold Stone.  That used to be my go to ice cream place, but I hadn't been to one in several years.  Due to Covid it is different now; all the add-ons are in jars and the counter where the mixing is done is behind plexi, so it is difficult to watch the mixing.  But the ice cream was as good as always. 

When we returned home their mom wanted a picture, I suppose because it was exactly a year since she took a picture of the boys when I picked them up for the first day of school.   As usual, Julian is making a face and, as usual, Immanuel is standing straight and tall.  I hadn't realized he has grown to be about my height.  And I have lost an inch over the last few years.  We hope to continue our ice cream trips when the school schedule gets settled.  They will not be physically returning, but will be online.  How does one go to kindergarten online?  I know it is very difficult for everyone involved.  

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