New Routine

Even though I'm not a morning person, I will still drag myself out of bed in the wee hours so that I can hit the road, get into work before the masses, and get my day finished with enough time to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening.

For years, I've been getting out of bed at 5:30. I'd shower, dress, and head out the door between 6:15 and 6:30, reaching the office no later than 7. By 3:00, my work day would be done and I'd be a free man until the next morning, when it would start all over again.

For the past few months, my morning routine has been interrupted after DW fell down our basement stairs, badly breaking her right foot. Fortunately, that was the extent of the damage but because it was her right foot, she has been unable to drive.

That meant that I had to help her get ready in the mornings, get her into the car, and drive her to work. I was happy to be able to help her but it also meant that my morning routine was out the window.

It was fine. It meant that I could slow down in the morning: make us breakfast, put the coffee on, pack a decent lunch. Over the months, I have perfected a fruit smoothie that even my kids love. With our Ford Focus on the fritz, it also meant that I could drive our other vehicle, the CR-V, and I had company on my commute.

Last week, DW's doctor finally gave her the green light to walk on her foot without the Aircast. She was also allowed to drive, which meant that I was back to my early morning routine in the Focus—for a few days, anyway.

I drove my Focus to work the Monday and Tuesday of last week, and worked from home, as per usual, on Wednesday. Later that day, I was supposed to pick up our new car but because we had a severe winter storm warning, which was scheduled to hit Ottawa around the time that I was to take delivery, the dealer and I postponed until Friday.

The winter storm had kept me home on that Thursday, and a sore back and shoulders from shovelling made me want to remain home on the Friday, before I headed to get our Kia Niro.

With DW healed and a new, fuel-efficient vehicle at my disposal, you'd think that my work commute would return to normal.

It hasn't.

In an effort to be even more environmentally considerate in our commute, DW and I have decided to reduce the time where we have two vehicles on the road. We commute, together, in our hybrid on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Warming up the Niro, early on a swim morning.

On Wednesdays, I continue to work from home and DW now takes the hybrid to the office. On Thursdays, DW works from home and I drive the new car to work, resuming my early morning routine.

Friday is the only day when DW drives the CR-V, as she used to, while I leave early, in the Niro.

So, for me, my old routine only continues on Thursdays and Fridays. I still like to leave the office early—especially, on Fridays—so only the car is new to my commute.

DW has agreed to get up early on Mondays and Tuesdays, though we don't leave the house before 7 on Mondays and we go swimming, at 6:30, on Tuesday mornings.

I'll still make those smoothies on Mondays and Wednesdays. Those smoothies will remain a part of our new routine.

We'll see how it goes...