Every weekday morning at 6:00AM, our iPhone alarms go off, and we crawl out of bed to start the day, with Harvey leading the way. Rita Mae stays in bed for at least another 30 minutes, sometimes a good hour or two, before getting up.

Jeffrey gets the coffee going on our Keurig – we both prefer dark roasts – while I turn on the local news or weather channel. He makes scrambled eggs every morning for breakfast and always asks if I want some, too. Sometimes I’ll join him for eggs, sometimes I’ll have yogurt. When there’s OJ, we’ll have that, too. On VERY rare occasions, we’ll have a piece of toast or split a bagel, but those extra breakfast treats are usually reserved for the weekend or holidays (along with bacon, sausage, pancakes, or anything more complex than eggs and juice.)

After we have breakfast, a cup of coffee, and listen to the latest local news (rarely good), he heads to shower and dress for work, and I make my rounds. I clean up from breakfast, let the dogs out again, open the blinds, get some light instrumental music playing on the home pods throughout the house, (usually piano, jazz, or classical) then head downstairs to my basement office to log into my work computer and get set up for the day. Once logged in, I head upstairs to say good-bye to the hubby and pet my dogs one last time before heading downstairs to work.

I set alarms for my breaks and lunch, and do my best to take them when possible. Morning break is usually occupied with deciding on dinner for that day. I check available ingredients, then look at my list of recipes or look for new ones. Crock pot meals get started immediately. (I usually know the night before if I’m doing a crock pot meal, and will actually start it in the morning before work.) For any other meals, I pull out the non-perishable/non-refrigerated ingredients and put them on the counter for later. I also grab a pickle and or sip of pickle juice for a snack.

At lunch, I usually have something to eat (most often ramen noodles these days), check for packages or mail, then sit with the pups and read e-mails, blogs, and texts, and catch up on games on my phone. “Friends” is usually on in the background for company.

After work, I check for mail and packages again, then start dinner so it is ready for when Jeffrey gets home from work. While various things are cooking, boiling, or simmering, I do other little chores (laundry, dishes, garbage, vacuuming, etc.) and restock paper goods (TP, Napkins, Paper Towels) around the house.

Once or twice a week, I do laundry during the day. The washer and dryer are only 10 feet from my work desk in the basement, so it’s easy for me to do while I’m working. Once a week I place an order for a grocery delivery.

Jeffrey and I often text throughout the day, depending on how busy either of us is at work. Sometimes it’s to advise about chores done, orders placed on line, dinner plans, or packages/mail received; sometimes, it’s just to send each other silly pictures, gifs, or notes to say “hi”and “I love you.” I will also, occasionally, swap texts with the BFJ either before or after work, or during the day.

Once Jeffrey is home, we catch up on our days and I serve dinner awhile we watch some episodic show on one of our streaming services. (We are currently working our way through “Frasier” – man, that character is such an obnoxious, pretentious asshole.) At some point, one or both of us might have a cocktail or glass of wine. (We try not to do so every night, and I less often than Jeffrey, for health reasons.) Last week we started something new: having a bit of sherry before bed. I was not keen on it the first time we had it, but it is growing on me, and I enjoy the small nip of it nightly.

Around 830 or 900, we begin the process of heading to bed. Doors are locked, lights are turned off, dogs are let out a final time, and we all head to bed as a family to watch some animated show or another until we fall asleep. (Jeffrey can go to sleep pretty quickly in darkness and silence, me not so much. I need the images and noise to distract my thoughts until I nod off.) And the next morning, we do it all over again. All other adventure is saved for the weekends, holidays, and vacations.

This is our weekly daily routine we’ve settled into during our pandemic-induced isolation and, aside from periodic health problems, doctor appointments, or the occasional run to my Mom’s to help her out with various things, there is very little deviation from the routine, and I’m totally fine with that. It’s comfortable and pleasing to me, and I am happy to live such a serene and tranquil life with my husband and dogs.

It may not be for everyone, but it’s near perfect for me.