The second half of the week for Mami heralds commuting to Harborview Medical Center on First Hill by bicycle and the UW Health Sciences’ shuttle. On Fridays Lake and Luisa make the commute too by shuttle at midday. We celebrate Aloha Friday (“hello la Friday” per Lake) all together with my coworker and friend Clarence, aka “Uncle Clarence.”

It’s fun for Lake to walk to the shuttle and ride the bus to “going to see Mama” like a big person. Karla is one of the extremely nice shuttle bus drivers who is often picking Lake and Luisa up. This morning she complimented me on the progress of Lake’s language skills. He purportedly tells Karla he is “riding the bus with his seatbelt for safety” as Luisa dutifully buckles him in. She tells me he is talking in full sentences and it takes him a while to get it all out, as he deliberately enunciates each and every word.

A perfect Aloha Friday, I’m glad I spent it with you keeping up our traditions. Hello la! Aloha!