LUCY BURDETTE: I was standing in our stairwell after Lottie’s and my morning walk, and I noticed that I always walk up four steps before dropping my heels to stretch my Achilles and calves. Every day. Not the third step not the fifth step. Such a creature of habit, almost to the point of superstitious.
Before we go out, I always feed T-bone as he’s the one who wakes us up. I always take my naturopathic potions because they must be taken on an empty stomach. I always reward myself for getting up and out, with a café con leche from the Cuban Coffee Queen. (The only time I’ve missed a morning is when we were visiting our kids in California.)
I asked my sister, nature writer Susan Cerulean, what she does without fail. Once her husband brings her tea, she stays in bed and writes in her journal.
Okay, you may notice something missing in my list: I don’t spring up and write a thousand words. Wouldn’t that be an amazing habit to do without fail?? What’s on your list every morning, silly or not?
RHYS BOWEN: I usually wake much earlier than John so I take the one medication that needs an empty stomach. If it’s a reasonable hour ( after seven) I turn on the hot water and warm the tea pot. Then I sit up in bed and read emails, answering the important ones. Then I check Facebook, do Wordle and Letterboxed and if John still
Isn’t awake I make tea and start to write. If it’s nice out a brief walk and hope to come back to John making breakfast
Oh, and Lucy, Clare’s convinced me to try a hypnosis app. You could plant the intent to write if you wanted to!
HALLIE EPHRON: A hypnosis app? We need a blog about that, Rhys. I’m dying to hear more.
As for me, I wake up and usually fail to do #1 on my list, which is to turn the sound back on on my cell. I check for any texts or emails that need to be addressed or are from my kids. Then I settle back in bed and read the New York Times. Ending with all their wonderful puzzles. Spelling Bee (I rarely get to genius). The mini crossword (ace it daily). Connections (usually I abandon it one quarter done). The crossword (only Monday-Wednesday; after that it’s too hard). Then I get up and check to see if the Boston Globe got delivered. I do love the comics, the bridge column, and I can do every day’s crossword puzzle except Sunday’s.
After breakfast and chai tea with honey, I attack the to-do list I generated the day before. And look at the morning’s Jungle Red Writers post and wallow in the comments. I LOVE THE COMMENTS!
Writing? Silence… I know I need to change up my priorities.
JENN McKINLAY: I don’t have much of a routine or a “have to” in the morning. The only thing I do consistently is drink a 15 oz glass of water with lemon and sea salt (hydration!) and then I make the coffee. After that, my day is anyone’s guess. My to-do list is in a constant state of flux, which suits me.
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: In non-book tour mode, I wake up first, and check my email, then check JRW just to make sure all is well. I wait for Jonathan to get up, so I scan the Times and the Post, and then do Connections, which I adore. Then I see if I can sneak in an Insta and FB post. Then I scroll other social media, just to scout for news and info. Jonathan makes better coffee than I do so he makes the coffee and I figure out breakfast, which is different depending on my current obsession. (Recently toasted pita with peanut butter.)
Then I think, okay, gotta write.
(Wordle is a reward, and comes later in the day.)
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m such a screen addict, I can’t look at my phone or open my laptop until after my morning routine. Let’s see… I also have an “only on empty stomach” prescription, so that happens first. Full glass of water, followed by a trip to the loo. Yes, I noticed the rest of you left that out! Then it’s LOVE TIME for the Shih Tzus. They roll around ecstatically on my bed while I give them butt skritchs and tummy rubs. I listen to the NPR news summary via my Alexa, which scratches my current events itch.
Then I head downstairs for more hot animal action, specifically breakfast for the dogs and the cat, overseeing the boys as they sniff around the dooryard for the first piddle of the day, and scooping the litter pan.
I’m sorry, y’all, I just realized a huge amount of my “hour one” is devoted to excretion. I’m cry-laughing as I write this. So glamorous.
DEBORAH CROMBIE: I wake up hours earlier than Rick, so no lights, or coffee/tea in bed for me. But I do like to lie there in the quiet, and most mornings I try to meditate for about twenty minutes before I check my phone. I skim email, the weather, the blog. Then up and dress and downstairs to get the paper, then take the dogs out. Treats for dogs (morning meds, really), empty dishwasher, make breakfast (my favorite meal of the day, I think, even if it's just toast and fruit.) Most days I barely skim the paper and will put it aside to look out the window and enjoy my tea. Then off to the computer.
I love the "done without fail" ritual of the morning--it's such a comforting and solid way to begin the day.
Reds, tell us about the things you do first thing in the morning without fail!
John is usually up first . . . if it's a work day, I get everything together that he needs to take with him and we have morning coffee together. [If it's his day off, I skip the getting everything together and we get right to the coffee.] Then a few minutes for myself to check to see if either of the girls or the older grandchildren sent any messages and to do the New York Times puzzles [Connections and Letter Boxed are favorites] before getting to whatever needs to be done for the day . . . .
ReplyDeleteI wake up, put glasses on, check time on phone, play my four solitaire games, turn the ipad on to a comedy show and if I have to physically go into the office, take my shower, get dressed, finally go into kitchen for medication, get office badge and hang on neck and then turn on TV for morning news while I wait for car service to tell me my car is downstairs. If I'm doing remote, skip the badge and waiting for the car.
ReplyDeleteI drink hot lemon water, read and comment on JRW. I play NYTimes Spelling Bee and Connections & daily Murdle. My reward for finishing all 4 games is have coffee & breakfast.
ReplyDeleteIs Murdle an NYT game or a typo of Wordle, Grace? — Pat S
DeletePAT: Murdle is a murder mystery logic puzzles. Kind of like playing Clue with you as the detective going through suspects, weapons and locations to ID the killer. There are 3 volumes of bestselling puzzle books but I play the 2 daily online games (mini-version and full board).
Deletemurdle.com
I get up at 5am every morning or earlier depending on how the cats are behaving or the rare occasion that they let me sleep till my alarm goes off. I take my meds, feed the 2 cats, make my coffee and catch up on my email while my husband sleeps. I enjoy the peacefulness of the morning.
ReplyDeleteI usually wake before Irwin and quietly exit our room, sometimes grabbing a pajama top or robe because we turn the heat down to 58° at night. I take my book or Kindle and my reading glasses with me. In the big bathroom I take my "empty stomach" medication with a glass of water then head to the kitchen to prepare a percolator of coffee.
ReplyDeleteThen I take my phone and head down to the family room. I turn on the downstairs heat, wrap myself in a quilt, check JRW, write a response, and then start to read my book.
After a half hour or so, I go back up to the kitchen, turn on the upstairs heat, slice a couple pieces of homemade bread, seal one in a plastic bag for Irwin and have my slice toasted with peanut butter and my first cup of coffee of the day.
We are both retired. We have no pets. I am reminded of how different my morning routines have been over a lifetime. Sigh.
Everyone has such relaxed mornings! Mine are a bit different. I usually wake between five and six. Put on my writing "outfit" of hoodie and soft pants, and head downstairs to say good morning to Hugh (who, sadly for him, is usually up by three-thirty), then start my coffee, which he has set up and play with the cat while it brews (or give him a jaw-and ears massage if he wants).
ReplyDeleteI head up to my work computer and see how the world is doing: share the Wicked Authors post, comment on Jungle Reds, say hello to Dru Ann, post to my FB author page, check my town's FB group, read Heather Cox Richardson, and do Wordle. Whenever the first coffee is finished, I head down for the second cup, and come straight back up.
My early mornings are all business because I have to start my writing day by seven with checking in at Ramona's Sprint Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/270472177602954). I've been doing this for years - no hypnosis required.
I'm usually up between 5 and 6 am because the cat feels that's appropriate. I turn up the heat, turn on the kettle, feed the cat, switch on laptop and check emails, JRW, Wordle, then FB. After a first cup of tea, it's usually a second one, followed by coffee. Then I check my to-do list and see if I care to follow it or diverge to something more interesting...today my tax-filing paperwork is calling, so that's what I'm off to do now.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing is always FEED THE CAT. Kensi insists. However, I have the Keurig all set up from the previous night so I hit the power button on my way to the cat food. On weekdays, I then start my husband's tea and breakfast while he does his PT exercises, check social media and the weather on my phone, then give Kensi her pill and treat while Hubby eats. Once he's out the door and Kensi is curled up on the couch, snoozing, I do some sort of exercise, usually yoga or Body Groove. Then I get on the computer for a half hour of checking emails and blogs before getting around to fixing my own breakfast. By then, it's 8:00 a.m. and time to write.
ReplyDeleteWeekends are totally different except for the coffee and feeding and medicating Kensi.
I am usually awake by 5:00. I invariably leave my husband sleeping, go downstairs, let the dogs out and make a cup of coffee, then read emails, then read the headlines in the NYT and Washington Post, then read Heather Cox Richardson. I usually wait until my second cup of coffee to answer emails. Our son Facetimes most mornings at 7. He has a challenging home situation with a handicapped child and this is something small I can do. After this I feed the dogs, bike on an exercise bike for 30 minutes, make the bed, and do barn chores. Then I get dressed in slightly more presentable clothes and my real day starts. (Selden)
ReplyDeleteLike clockwork I wake up early get on computer and:
ReplyDeletecheck emails
check NPR
JRW
Wordle
Connections
Jumble
Then hubby is up and we generally go downstairs have coffee and breakfast which more often than not cereal
Then anything is up for grabs
I'm usually awake by 5:30 or so but I don't get up because the house is too cold. Instead I stay in my warm bed and think about the day or anything else that crosses my mind. When I do get up I feed the cats, get dressed, ask Alexa the question of the day, open the drapes, have 2 pills, heat my cup of water and I am set for the day. I do miss my dog - she made the routine a much different thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is Kim, writing from my first day on vacation in Japan. Days when not in Japan: Up at 7, shower as needed, dress, put away pots and pans that have dried in the drainboard overnight, spray house plants, make strong black tea with lemon and sugar and drink it with a slice of bread-and-butter (Swiss bread!) and a dried fig, read emails, including news summaries from the Economist and NYT and JRW, do Wordle and Connections, and then sit down at my desk to work.
ReplyDeleteKim, maybe I'll see you there! I leave for Japan on Friday.
DeleteEdith, how are your eyes? Did everything go well? I keep hearing bad outcomes and would like to know someone who did well.
DeleteHi Margo, if you are talking about cataract surgery, I can give you my experience.
DeleteHope you both enjoy Japan!
DeleteMargo, I had one cataract removed at the start of January and it went well.
DeleteLucy - thanks!
Margo, I had cataract surgery on one eye four weeks ago, too--tomorrow is my last day of eyedrops. It was an easy experience, with only a slight amount of discomfort--like a light itch--for an hour or two. After a post-op nap I was good to go.
DeleteWe need a travelogue from you both, Kim and Edith! Happy adventures!
DeleteI have had cataract surgery on both eyes (but not at the same time) and it was is an easy operation which takes about 20 min. and you are just sedated but not under general anesthesia. There isn't really much of a recovery period. I am so happy with the results. It is amazing to be able to see clearly again! I didn't have any pain to speak of.
DeleteKim again: I'll look for you, Edith!!!
DeleteMy normal morning routine is shower, throw on minimal makeup then downstairs for a pot of black tea with milk and something light for breakfast. My husband has been up for at least an hour at this point so I’m left to my own devices (ha). NY Times, WSJ, Axios and APNews take about 45 minutes if I just scan stories; of course, I usually go down several rabbit holes with one of those websites! In the morning I always do Mini Crossword, Wordle and Connections plus later in the day I do Elevate which is a brain training app. Did any of you gamers see the new NY Times game, Strand, over the weekend? It’s basically a word search with a theme that you’re trying to work out.~Emily Dame
ReplyDeleteI looked at that new game and not sure it will suck me in.
DeleteI check the headlines and weather, then stagger downstairs to make coffee. My standard poodles are lined up, ready to share my morning banana with me.
ReplyDeleteGet out of bed – don’t talk to me.
ReplyDeleteHave a hot shower – hope I am the 2nd one, because the first person has to wait a while for the hot water to get from the basement to the upstairs. Don’t talk to me.
Dress, come downstairs, check blood sugar and pressure, put on shoes, and go to kitchen to boil eggs and feed cats. Don’t talk to me. Preferably don’t even talk in the house. Unless it is important. And mostly if you don’t mumble in another room and expect me to answer.
Ahh, eat eggs, and pour coffee. Sit in front of computer and listen to news on telly while reading Facebook, email, Jungle Reds, recipes, tangents, maybe a part of a book, on Wednesday check libraries for new book releases, have a privy break – you can soon talk to me.
10am – okay start the day – let’s go!
LOL Margo, hope you have your family well trained!
DeleteWhat I am getting from this morning's read, is that if one is inclined to play the stock market, it would be wise to invest in morning pharmaceuticals, and cat food!
ReplyDeleteFrom Celia: I wake when I wake which is a joy of retirement but this am the alarm woke me as I have an early PT appointment. Usually it’s the loo, the pills, back under covers to peep at the day. I scan the email but start with Grateful Living quote first. Then JRW even if I don’t comment you’re always next. NYT Morning menu plus local paper Portland Press Herald. Now I read Heather Cox Richardson too but not sure how long I can do that one. Clear out duds or stuff not wanted and don my dressing gown to venture into world. Tea is usually a must, dishwasher cleared. No pets nowadays. My next job is seeing Victor has his pills and potions as a reasonable hour which even means waking him on some days. Not our favorite activity but needs must now. The day unwinds with its own speed from then. Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe Grateful living quote sounds like such a good idea!
DeleteThis was the area of my life that probably saw the biggest change when hubby and I retired almost two years ago. Essentially, some of the items that used to be the morning routine now got scattered into later dayparts Instead of jumping right out of bed at the sound of a 5 am alarm, we let our bodies awaken us naturally most days sometime in the 7 am hour and share a few minutes of waking cuddles before getting out of bed. Instead of immediately dressing for our walk, followed by my shower routine then his, he goes straight downstairs and starts the coffee while I take out my nighttime tooth appliance, brush my teeth, take a calcium tablet (and this time of year, a shot of allergy medicine) then pull on comfy clothes. We sit companionably while I have coffee and breakfast, read the local paper online, and visit Jungle Reds. Somewhere in there we usually compare our plans for the day and make a date for when we will take our walk. There are additional tasks I do every day without fail around my showering routine, but now that routine might happen first thing after breakfast or then again, it might not happen until after I have finished some priority task.
ReplyDeleteThis post has given me a chance to stop and appreciate how much I am enjoying retirement. Thanks for that unintended consequence!
So glad you're enjoying your routine!
DeleteHi - Paula Here and I have to comment on your comment about giving me a chance to appreciate how much I enjoy retirement. I too have my routine now that fits like a glove and heaven help the calamity that disturbs it. Pop me pill, wait the required 30 while the coffee perks, sweet pup is fed. I email friends and NOW pour the coffee and a handful of almonds to cushion the blow, read some, do Reds/Readers every day, research something necessary, Walk my precious pup, but all of that has an order to accomplish. I’m done with the routine by 8 and have my plans for the day lined up just so. I do so appreciate retirement. Not so sure I’d appreciate it as much had I not worked for decades.
DeleteStep 1: Visit the loo. Step 2: Feed Koda. Step 3: Get the kettle on and check FB.
ReplyDeleteAfter that, well, it's anyone's guess. I'm trying to make time for some reflection and I plan to start exercising M-F once April 1 comes. Yes, I like to start things in a new month.
Great goals Liz!
DeleteSince I am retired, I am usually the last to rise. My husband has been up for an hour or more before I deign to leave my warm bed and weird, just-before-waking dreams. I get up, start the kettle for tea, make him breakfast, then sit down with my tea and phone. JRW is first, then NYT Morning which I skim most days, ending with the Mini crossword and Connections. More phone reading and then I get my own breakfast and a second cup of tea. From there, it’s get dressed and face the day. (Right now I’m typing on my iPad before sunrise because I woke at 4:30 and haven’t been able to fall back to sleep. I’m going to give it another try! Good morning, everyone, but don’t talk to me now…) — Pat S
ReplyDeleteGEt some sleep Pat! We are going to talk dreams later in the week. Those early morning dreams are the weirdest!
DeleteThanks, Lucy. I slept until my alarm went off at 8:00. Another good thing about being retired, I can catch a nap later in the day! ;-). — Pat
DeleteI get out of bed and head for the computer. I read Heather Cox Richardson and JRW and then make tea and a small bowl of rice chex with fruit while I read more emails and headlines. Then I either meditate for 20 minutes or go for my walk or run for about an hour, depending on the time. If I haven't meditated before I exercise, I do it when I come back. I love being outside for the coming of the light.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to start the tea water!
Have a happy day!
DeleteI get up, feed my cat, Sasha, then take my daily calcium citrate, magnesium and zinc and my Claritin. I grab a 5-ounce cup of water, go into my office, and log on to my desktop computer to to look at my email, search for new sweepstakes, enter my daily list of sweepstakes, look at the book sites I've bookmarked (Lesa's Book Critiques and Jungle Reds are first), see what's on TV tonight on TVline.com, check the weather, take a look at Facebook, and see what's new on NetGalley. Next, I go into the living room, turn on YouTube, and do some Zumba with the gorgeous Ayhan Sulu. Finally, it's time for another cup of water and almost an hour of reading before I head off to the bathroom and get myself presentable for the day. And then breakfast. Of course, there are times I have to shorten or even ignore the routine, but mostly I stick to it. It definitely prepares me for the rest of the day!
ReplyDeleteSince I go to bed late, between midnight and 1 AM, I'm usually the last to rise around here, a holdover from Steve's decades of getting up early to catch the animals in good light. Nowadays, I might be up earlier than he is, one in a dozen times. Anyway, turn my phone over to see if I missed any calls (94-year old mother, daughter in a foreign country), loo visit, then a big glass of water. Pad out to the kitchen, kiss husband good morning--twice, head for my coffee and morning dark chocolate. Take both to the computer. Check JRW, maybe comment, then start reading several news sites, starting with NYT and ending with the Guardian. Then report game results on FB for the several people I share that with.
ReplyDeleteThen I get dressed, and start the rest of the day. Except I'm already dressed this morning, before my coffee, because Steve got ambitious and started putting the 15 boxes of flatpack furniture down in the FINISHED basement!!! The last contractor--the trim painter--finished yesterday, and I can finally start moving stuff into the space, just in time for all three daughters to visit this weekend. Getting a sofa bed delivered Thursday, I hope; they've already pushed delivery back a week.
If anyone needs me, I'll be downstairs screwing. You know, parts together, what did you think I meant?
Ha ha Karen, that will be so much fun once all the furniture is done!
DeleteKaren, congratulations!! I know this day has taken awhile to get here. Have fun screwing, er, putting the furniture together! — Pat S
DeleteThank you!
DeleteToo funny, Karen!! Good luck with all of it!
DeleteI start my day by pushing the snooze button on my alarm, at least twice, before I get out of bed. Then, once I am no longer horizontal, I head directly to my bathroom, even if I have woken up during the night and made same trip, less than an hour earlier, I make the trip. I was well trained as a child. While sitting, contemplating my day, I multitask by brushing the snarls out of my hair. Turn on shower water, turn up the heater, then shower. I do a fast check my emails, which is usually junk emails and then try to enjoy this blog while I have breakfast before rushing around trying to get dressed and out the door for work. Of all my morning meds, one need mine needs to have food going in or recently consumed before I take it.
ReplyDeleteCoffee waits until work. Non work days, I'll make tea or go to Starbucks or drive through McDonald's for a coffee fix. Then I can go to the grocery store before I go home.
I'm loving reading about everyone's morning routines. It's making me reconsider what I can add or subtract from mine to make for a happier, more productive day!
ReplyDeleteVaries each morning. Sometimes I do my stretching exercises when I wake up, drink water then have a cup of coffee with nut creamer. Check Jungle Red Writers blog BEFORE checking my emails. I get hundreds of emails daily.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I drink a glass of cranberry juice then have a toast with a cup of coffee with nut creamer.
Sometimes I wake up from a dream about a scene and I rush to my Document and type the scene for my novel in progress. After I type my scene, I treat myself to coffee with nut creamer.
Diana
My morning routine starts with the cats letting me know they're ready for me to get up. I feed them, let the dog out, feed the dog, feed the outside cats, then try to remember to take my morning pill. Next up is checking out JRW, my preferred news site, and Facebook. And somewhere in there a bite of breakfast. Weather permitting, next up is my walk.
ReplyDeleteThis is great to read everyone's. Thank goodness for routine. It was especially helpful during covid.
ReplyDeleteWake at 6 or 7, depending on how well I slept last night
Listen to news for the very first item, to gauge how serious the world's trouble is today.
Wordle -- exchange results with my daughter
Get up
Morning walk (with podcast in my ears)
Make coffee
Yoga stretches
Drink coffee, with breakfast (my reward)
Open laptop to check on blogs, and generally fall down rabbit holes --
oh gosh, look at the time!
Love this! I'm usually up before Gary so I head downstairs with the cat who gets crazy if I'm out of his sight for too long, scoop the boxes, vacuum the stray litter and then it's time to feed the critters and the crows. What, you don't feed your crows? I have three that come every morning, rain, shine, or multi-foot snowfall. Then it's breakfast and down to the office where I promise myself I'll write first, but I end up checking emails, commenting on blogs, and making sure my social media posts dropped. THEN it's time to write!
ReplyDeleteWe would love to feed the crows. They come around, usually to our big pecan tree, but we haven't had any luck getting them to come to the peanuts we put out. But the bluejays come for their morning peanuts (which I put out when I take the dogs out first thing) and on a good day they get them all before the squirrels.
DeleteOne of our crows, Cecil we call him, is older, he has a lot of white on his wings and a stripe on his chest. I've seen him stuff four peanuts (in the shell) into his beak and fly away with them. I call him every morning, he calls back and he and his two mates land in one of the tall pines. They wait for me to get half way down the hill before they swoop in to eat. I tell them to hurry and beat the blue jays - who I also feed, but in a different location. I think because I'm a guaranteed winter food source, they keep coming year round. Occasionally, I'll find pretty rocks, or shiny bits of silver paper on the path. I've been told those are gifts.
DeleteWe are all such creatures of habit! It's kind of terrifying.
ReplyDeleteLOL - Julia, I understand your response completely. My critters demand all my attention for the first hour that I'm upright!
ReplyDeleteSuch fun really everyone's routines! And, boy, are we all addicted to our phones in the morning. That's a little scary! But I'm glad so many of you read JRW on yours first thing.
ReplyDeleteI realized, doing my routine this morning, that now that the weather is warming up here, I should have added feeding the pond koi. They are waiting for their breakfast when I go out with dogs. (We don't feed them in winter, when they're pretty sluggish.)
Been thinking about this all day…my only without fail morning routine is making a latte and absorbing it while sitting quietly in one of my rocking chairs.. Ah, the joy of retiring and living on the beach. Elisabeth
ReplyDeleteWell, after getting up way earlier than usual, I had a comment almost finished here and fell asleep. I somehow hit a button or something, and it was gone when I woke up. So, that leads into the fact that I am not a morning person. I am a night owl who then sleeps in. But, what I do without fail when I wake is say hello to Kevin, get out of bed, and go have a breakfast of Frosted Cheerios and Diet Cherry Cranberry juice (with half of it water). Coffee with a cookie or something a little sweet follows. Then I get on computer and go to Jungle Reds first, unless my magpie instincts found a shiny article on my home page I look up before coming here. Then, I check my email and a little FB. Philip has already been up for a long time before me and takes Lulu for a walk. Otherwise she would be my first concern.
ReplyDelete