Have you ever wished for that? Well, I'm living it. Since my husband retired and we moved to the lake house, otherwise known as "the cabin" - it isn't a cabin, but we call it that anyway because the house that used to be here was actually a cabin and not a house - our life has taken a dramatic turn. You might not be surprised because you all warned me this was coming. However, the particular turn it has taken is nothing like what I expected.
Let's backtrack a bit and let me tell you what our days used to be like. Some of it is exactly what our days were like because my dear husband (dh) is a very methodical and predictable man. Reliable. Dependable. Every day (M - F) dh's alarm would go off at 5:15 a.m. It rang for a brief sec and he was up and at 'em. He would walk to the little kitchen (we had 3 kitchens in our last house. Yes, really.) and pop open a caffeine-free diet coke after which he set about his showering routine, which also was a predictable routine.
Sometime after dh got up (sometimes before) and usually (though not always) by 5:50 I got up. If you're thinking that I'm not as predictable as dh, you would be correct. If you know me, you know this already. I tried very hard to get up by 5:50 so that I could get the coffee brewed and the to-go mug warmed before dh emerged in his flight suit, keys in hand, ready to depart. I'm just that kind of a girl and my dh likes that. Dh would make the finishing touches on his coffee, kiss me and depart for the day nlt 6:15. Always. Period. Unless there was serious snow, but usually even then. Like clockwork. No kidding. Just like that.
I meanwhile scanned facebook, read my email, fed the dog, fed myself, let the dog outside, drank coffee and had my Bible-time/prayer-time. Sometime after I finished all of that and finally felt like it, I got up and changed into workout gear (or jeans) setting the dog into an absolute frenzy because she knew we were hitting up the trails near our village. (I lived in Germany when all of this took place and in Germany, you really do live in villages. And they're cute. And they're quaint. I liked our cute, quaint village.) We (Shelby and I) then set out on a walk that varied from 15 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the day, my mood, the alignment of the stars, how my feet felt, how longed I walked the day before.. I'm wishy-washy. (Thinking that maybe my life hasn't taken such a dramatic turn after all.) After the walk, I'd shower and head to work.
Each day I worked until I ceased to be productive. Plain and simple. Each day dh worked until 5:30. Plain and simple. Then we got together at the homestead, planned out dinner, ate, watched a dvd of some sort, chatted, and went to bed at 10:00. Period. Always. Like clockwork. Unless dh was off traveling. : )
Back THEN I knew what was going on Sunday - Friday. There was a schedule - a rhythm. Saturdays were the only oddball day. Saturdays took on a whole different tone. I got up about 5:50 a.m., scanned facebook, read my email, fed the dog, fed myself, let the dog outside, drank coffee and had my Bible-time/prayer-time. THEN dh got up around 8 a.m., drank coffee, scanned his email, ate breakfast, cleaned up from my breakfast and started laundry. After all was said and done, we discussed the day, came up with a game plan, ran errands, did chores, took naps, had dinner and went to bed by 10:00. Pretty much always.
NOW - Oh my goodness! Every day is Saturday. It's great but seriously, this cannot last forever. It's hard for me to find the time to have a deep-down Bible-time/prayer-time. I can't figure out when to hard core exercise. When am I supposed to lie around and do nothing without feeling guilty or busted? And how could we possibly have so many errands to run? I thought moving into a furnished house would make all that easier. Turns out, cabin life and real life are different just like real life and retired life are different. (Feel free to post and tell me your experiences in this vain. )
Anyone who knows me knows that I love my husband like crazy. We really, really are best friends. I'd rather be with him than just about anything. BUT. And I mean this in the very nicest way possible, that man needs to go back to work soon. God willing he will. He needs his routine. He's not complaining a bit and I like having him around, but everyday canNOT be Saturday. It just can't. I'll tell you the truth, though - this vacation from "real life" has been pretty darn good and we've gotten a lot done. If the household goods shipment could just get here before the routine starts back up, things would be extra sweet.
We've only lived one week of this retired life and I am so with you on needing my routine. The kids and I have a tough time getting school done with him hanging around without a plan. It is so very different. Know I'm to be learning in all this. Just hoping I am learning and trusting like God wants me to. :)
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