Cocoa Pebbles

The bus routine this year has been better for Dad. Since Mom is teaching at Sterling Middle School, which is a lot closer than Springfield, she can drop Sam off at the bus at 7:32am on her way to work.

So Dad wakes Pete up at 7:45am. Pete wonders why his 12 alarms didn't wake him up, then staggers out of bed after a few minutes. For about the first half of the year, Pete would come downstairs around 8:15 and enjoy a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles before walking to the bus at 8:28. (Or going with Dad on Tuesdays and Thursdays to allergy shots at ENT and/or orthodontist appointments with Dr. D.)

But for the last few months, it has just been Dad sitting at the table with the empty bowl and milk, on the off chance that Pete comes down in time to eat. After Pete heads off to the bus, Dad puts the empty bowl back in the cabinet.