My Morning Routine

“Early to bed early to rise until you make enough money to do otherwise.” That was a motto I heard all the time as a child. I am sure it was 10% joking and 90% Stegenga family truth. All of us are early risers. It happens when you grow up on a farm. But, that rising before the sun habit has never left me.

During the school year, my day starts at 5:30 and it is a sprint to the finish. Coffee. Get Dressed. Coffee. Make breakfast for three. Feed the cat. Prep and supervise lunch making. Coffee and breakfast. Ensure kids to get dressed, brushed, washed, and packed. Coffee to go and audio-book on in the car by 7:00.

No, I could not save time by drinking less coffee.

Coffee fuels the standing, talking, and routine doing.

On the weekend and during the holidays, there is a new routine in town. I am still up at 5:30. That never goes away. So, I pad my way down the hall to the coffee machine. I feed Max who is meowing for treats, milk, and food. Then, its time to choose a spot. Do I feel like reading on the back deck while the sun dries the mist from the fields and the breeze whispers good morning? Or, would I rather curl up on one end of the sofa with my feet tucked under a reading blanket? Maybe today I will read in the front yard and enjoy my flower garden. Then, it is just me, the book, and the coffee (and maybe Max). As I am heading back to the coffee machine, I, usually, hear little feet, sleepy yawns, and the opening of bedroom doors. So, while I am refueling, I set out breakfast. The girls come to kiss and cuddle good morning and head for the TV. I have a good chance to settle in with my book for as long as the coffee holds out. Breakfast being ready to go means that the girls can come and eat when they get hungry. The only thing interrupting my reading is my empty coffee cup. By 8:00, I have had enough caffeine to start the rest of the days activities. It is a great way to start the day.

This past weekend, I didn’t blog because I had the chance to spend time with friends at their family cottage. No wifi. No computer. No phone. Just trees, water, friends, food, fun, and books. I sat in the still, quiet hours of the early morning reading with an incredible view of the shimmering lake through the forest trees. As my friends started waking up, more people joined me, reading their books. Reading, in an idyllic place that Hemingway and Thoreau would endorse wholeheartedly, that is luxury! After breakfast and tidying up. the kids were aching to hit the water. So, we went down to the shore. My husband beside me, toes in the water, chair in the sand, kids laughing, water splashing, and a book in my hand. It was my kind of paradise. A lovely morning and an amazing start to a wonderful day.