My Rituals by Marilyn Meredith

Or maybe you could call them habits--but my days have been more or less like this for years.

I'm an early bird. (4 a.m. these days.) Through the years, I've had jobs where I worked night shifts, I still got up fairly early because I had kids to get up and off to school.

First thing, I shower and dress. Yes, I always dress, never stay in my pajamas. Even when I'm sick I usually get dressed--but I don't wear skirts, it's a comfortable top and pants.

The kitchen is my next stop, and I clean up whatever's there from the night before-- unload the dishwasher. If I'm cooking super, I usually gather whatever I'm going to prepare.

Oh, and most important, I make a cup of Chai latte to drink while I'm working.

Office next, this is when I do my Bible study. At some point I thank God for giving me another day and for guidance. A quick look at the calendar to make sure I'm not forgetting anything, and then onto my list. Is there something I need to do right away--or add?

Of course I check Facebook, give birthday wishes, and comment on my plans. Email is next--and there are usually things to take care of.

If I have a paid job to do, that will come next--if not it's on to writing. 

When hubby gets up we'll have breakfast together--sometimes he fixes it, sometimes I do.

After, I'm back to work.

Along about 11:30 or so, I begin to time. I wrap things up, fix some lunch, and will find something on Netflix, Amazon or Acorn to watch--and usually nap for a few minutes.

We eat dinner at 4, so if I'm cooking, sometime before that I'll get started.

After dinner, I may wrap up some work that needs to be finished, but usually that's movie time.

Yep, my evening starts early--but I've always had to have an evening no matter how early or late it might begin. I'm usually in bed around 8 a.m. or earlier.

And of course during the day, there are phone calls, visits from the great grands who live with us, and others who drop in. 

Now that's my favorite day. And on others we might have doc appointments, shopping days, or any of the other things that come up in life.

We might do something different on Saturday, like go to the movies. Sunday I teach 3-5th graders at Sunday School, go to church, and we usually eat dinner out somewhere. Of course this Sunday is Easter, with Easter Sunrise Service with a breakfast following, my Sunday School class, and regular church. Dinner will be at home. We're having Honey Baked Ham, Prime Rib, green beans, macaroni salad, and others are bringing salad, rolls, and two cakes are being made by granddaughter and daughter in law.

Yes, there are deviations at times, but that's more or less how my life goes.  (One deviation is when this appears, I'll be headed to Murrieta to visit my eldest daughter and members of her family (grandkids and great-greatgramds). We have lots of fun plans for the days we are there. 

Marilyn