As most of you know, we live in a small RV out here on our little acre. This in and of itself demands a bit of give and take. You learn to move differently wen you live in small places.. There isn't room for two people in the kitchen for instance. Not even to stand with the door open on the fridge "and looking for grazing material. You pass in the hallway by sliding sideways. Little things that, after awhile, you just do as naturally as breathing.
I've actually learned to be a bit more patient because of living in a small space. Things some folks take for granted like personal space are sometimes hard on folks. One thing I think has helped us with this is our different preferences in early morning vs late night.
Mars wakes the chickens up so they can meet the sun together I think. He likes to get up early, drink coffee and do some reading. He is an avid reader and is a news hound as well. This is his "quiet time" and I don't invade it. Besides.... I'd rather be sleeping at that time of the day!
In the winter time I don't roll out of bed til about 8 o'clock, stumble to the coffee pot and then a little computer time to check emails and all ya'll blogs. (I'll never get caught up on reading all the blogs I love) Spring and summer will have me up earlier because I'm trying to beat the heat, but not much.
We don't have a t.v. (by choice) but I'll admit that even on our budget I carve out the $$ for DVD's from Netflix every month. It's less than $2o and we've got it down to an art. We watch one movie a night 6 days a week. That's only because mail isn't delivered on Sunday. It actually works out pretty well because Sundays are great for good radio shows. Anyway... I digress....
Once all the daily chores are done and dinner is on the table we watch our movie of the day. Mars will head off to bed to read awhile before he starts snoring. That's when I have my "me time". Time to read or knit/crochet or write. Time to unwind Quiet time.
I don't know how other folks do things but this has worked for us for almost twenty years now. Of course back then it was because our jobs called us to different hours. These days it just is what it is and we seem to have adjusted just fine.
So here's my question. Are you a morning person or a night owl? What about your partner in crime? Do you have a "mixed" family or are you all on the same page?
Sounds just like us...47 years worth! My DH wakes the birds and always has the coffee ready. Worked night shift for years and my clock is just now getting reset after 3 years of retirement.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'll ever get my clock reset but I suppose I'd have to try harder! LOL
DeleteNight owl for both of us. Hubby is usually up before me, however. The best shift I ever worked was graveyard. I went to work with a smile on my face and left with one. First shift? Pure torture! I need at least an hour after I get up to veg, in my chair, before I can even function well enough to put clothes on. Thank God, I only had to worked first shift a couple of years in the 40 years I worked!
ReplyDeleteI worked graveyard shift a few times, it was ok but my favorite shift was always second shift.That way I got to sleep in AND stay up late! Best of the best, yes? hehehe
DeleteI'll agree... first shift was torture for me as well.
My wife is a morning person. Twelve years of afternoon shift turned me into a night-owl, though. Seven years after leaving that job, I still am.
ReplyDeleteDoes it make you wonder if you will ever get back to your old schedule?
DeleteTwo roosters in our hen house! We rise early, work hard, and crash by 9 pm. I love living on the same "shift" has my hubby....makes curly up together at night much more pleasant!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you guys are happy!
DeleteSci,
ReplyDeleteI'm both a morning person and a late night owl. Hubby is a early morning person.
We've been this way for our entire marriage.
OK Sandy, You know I've got to ask.... How can you be a morning person AND a nigh owl? Do you have super powers?? Is there something you've been holding from us? Bwhaahaaaaahaaa!!!!1
DeleteDefinitely mixed at our home, I am early the hubby is night owl.
ReplyDeleteHey, it works, right? Have a great Day!
Deletemixed here too.I'm the owl hubby the rooster. LOL
ReplyDeleteI figure between the both of us we can surely keep an eye on things. Someones awake almost all the time around here.
Delete...second shift for any length of time, changes a persons rhythm...25 of my 27 workin' years have been 'afternoons'...body's tuned to about 5 hours sleep, no matter what time i crash, five hours later i'm up, so i get the best of both worlds...bed at 2 or 3, up at 7 or 8...working dayshift here puts me to bed at 11 or 12, up at 4 or 5(speaking of which, i go back to days on the 11th i think...ugh!)anyway, the order of chores and stores rotates accordingly...and God love The Mrs, she does her level best to keep my hours, but she's a normal morning person...i prefer afternoons...sorry to ramble
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are working tha dreaded rotating shifts. Pure torture on folks. I feel for anyone who has to work them.
DeleteMars is like you are about sleep. 5-6 hours and he's good to go. Me...not so much. I like my 8 hours. A LOT!
When I was married, I used to be the night owl, and he was the morning person. Part of this was because his job was an hour away, and he had to get up at 4:30. I have sort of switched in the last few years though, and am up early, and in bed by 10. Seems my body has changed and I can get more done in the a.m., after a good strong pot of coffee of course!
ReplyDeleteSince Hubby retired 5 years ago, he is usually still asleep when I get up at 4:15 and leave for work at 6:00. When he was working he was a real night owl, often playing the piano well into the wee hours. Now we both are usually in bed about 10, and it works for us.
DeleteHave you tried Roku for your movies? We get our Netflix off that, with so many more options than dvds - works anywhere there is an Internet connection, which you obviously have, and only $8.00/month.
Stephanie, I'm seriously NOT a morning person. Thank goodness for coffee. I suppose if I really tried I could go back to that morning shift thing but I wasn't happy having to do it before and I guess I'm not really wanting to try it now. The thing is that as hot as it gets in the summer, the best time of the day are the mornings!
DeleteBaby Sis it sounds like you have your routine down. As for the Roku, I've not seriously considered it because we can't stream movies. Our internet service (WILDBLUE SUX) limits the amount of bandwidth we can use. That's about the only thing I miss about living in town. The ability to watch and surf as much as I want. Cable was awesome!
Question for you Baby Sis? Are you the same Baby Sis that has Hermit Jim for a brother? Thanks for stopping by and thanks for he suggestion!
When I was married, I was the nightowl and he seemed to sleep all the time unless I needed sleep. Then, he was up and rambling, making noise and demanding I get up or talk or whatever. On my own and without children to wake me, I am still a nightowl. But, teachers don't get much choice of hours, so I just struggled to get my nights for my own and still get up and function.
ReplyDeleteNOW, I just get up 7.5 hours after I go to sleep. I also have to be careful not to be the person up all night and sleeping all day. I like sunshine too much. Besides, I have two hens!
Definitely mixed right now depending on the day of the week. My hubby had to start working the graveyard shift about 7 months ago in order to keep his job and with a new little one in the house...yeah,sleep comes when available. I normally put the kids to bed by 7:30 and from then until 10 or so is my me time to clean the house, catch up on laundry and dishes(I never get ahead), read the news (although I have been keeping that to a minimum lately, just too depressing), and work on some of my crafty stuff for the house. On my hubby's days off he is either napping or we are working are butts off to keep this place in shape and moving forward. :)
ReplyDeleteIn a normal year/time when he worked days we were both early birds.
We are mixed in our family as well..at least for now. I work 3rds and wife is mostly 1st shift, but if given a choice we are both night owls. I enjoy the peace and quiet of the night and I seem to relax a lot more than when I am up during the day. Now if I can just get that rooster to be quiet.
ReplyDeleteI am a night owl and the hubby is in bed early. He must be at work by 5:30 AM so he has to get in bed earlier. I love my evening quiet time, I enjoy reading, blogging, and crafting then.
ReplyDeleteIm definatey the rooster gal and Mountain man is the true night owl. I do all the morning early afternoon shore and he does all the late afternoon and late night stuff ...woodworks til the wee hours.
ReplyDelete