Routine

April 30, 2020

Over the last few days I have begun a new routine.   I have mentioned how I get up and read the paper, but I have added a new wrinkle to my old routine.  Two things have forced me to change.  The first is because I no longer sleep in like I used to.  Melissa began a new job on Monday and she leaves the house around six in the morning to get to work.   She tries not to wake me but I do wake up.  When she leaves she gives me a kiss goodbye and I fall back to sleep, but only for a little while.  I get up around 7:30 and start my day.   The other change comes from the garden I planted.  I worked in a nursery in college and know plants should only be watered in the morning or late afternoon.  Otherwise the heat of the daily sun tends to suck the water out of the plant rather than let it absorb into the soil.  My new routine is to get up, water, and then read my paper.

Another thing I have found is before I water I need to check the beds for weeds.  Weeds are a constant nemesis for a garden, whether vegetables or flowers.  I am not good at weeding, but I am determined to give my garden every chance it can have.  This morning I discovered I can weed and water at the same time (I know, it’s not rocket science).  That reduces the boredom of both tasks.  I always believe in win/win situations and this is definitely one.  I have also found it is a lot easier to keep the garden weeded than to weed to be able to plant the garden.  That is why I try to weed and water daily.

As I reallocate my time it reminds me of a conversation I had in college with a friend.  We were sitting on her front porch and watched as an old man (probably my age!) mowed and tended his lawn.  I commented, “I hope I never get to the point where that is the highlight of my day!”  Forty-five years later I find that priorities change.  Tending my garden and mowing my lawn may not be the highlight of my day, but I do find them enjoyable.  They give me a sense of purpose and allow me to reflect on my priorities for the rest of the day.  I think I will go read my paper.

THOUGHTS:  Just as our situation in life changes so do our priorities.  Some of those situations, like Melissa’s job, are beyond our control and we are forced to adapt.  Others, like my garden, are brought on by changes we make on our own.  Either way, these changes cause us to adapt to the new normal.  Adaptation might mean doing something in a whole new way, or like my routine it might just add to what we are already doing.  I find myself becoming more adaptable as I navigate these new times.  I like this new me and hope I will be able to continue adapting after the crisis is over.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.