Routines, are you stuck in one?

My beloved dad was a typical watchmaker- lunch at 12, on the dot, and supper at 6. Perhaps the reason I am not and never have been a routine person. Every day is different- depending on weather, activities planned, whether hungry or not, etc, etc.

I am happier with a routine everything in its own place. We find it is far less stressful. Having IBS and osteoarthritis I find that this is the best way for me, can prepare food ahead of time as need a special diet.
We have a nervous dog who is getting older now and she likes a routine too.

No i don't have a strict routine. I spent my working life doing routine things and when I am at home I get to do what I like and better still do what I want. I hate routine.

This puts me in mind of something that happened almost fifty years ago. After a long and tiring flight from New Zealand my with my four little ones - ages 3,4,5 and 6 - I decided to visit their father's parents a couple of short bus journeys away. Their father was still in NZ. My thinking being that as these grandparents had never met any of the children, it would be a lovely surprise. How wrong could I be?
I was met at the front door by my father-in-law who told me it was not convenient and that they always go out on Tuesday afternoons. He would fetch his car to take us back to my mother's flat where my family were staying. I insisted on saying hello to my mother-in-law and introducing her grandchildren, but was whisked away as time was getting short for their excursion.
My mother was hugely surprised, not to mention shocked, as the car stopped outside her place just as she had returned from the towous trips!!
My insensitivity to other people's routines I guess.

I usually go for my daily walk at 3 pm unless the weather is seriously bad.

I do have a routine but not by things. Before I go to bed or first thing in the morning it is coffee and the radio times. It will be a quick look at what concerts are on (radio 3 tends to get top billing) and when, if there is a gardening programme and if I am at home Only Connect is marked up as I enjoy having a go at the questions. Then the main routine is what is the weather like and how my back is and if I can manage a walk or at least sit outside or something. So it is all a moveable feast especially in the winter time. Sunshine wins over any other plans - not involving other people of course - so whatever I plan if the weather is good it can all be ditched, in favour of making the most of the sun. Then if there is music or a programme on say in the afternoon that I dislike that is the time to be hoovering or doing any sort of noisy jobs. Writing emails whilst listening to a play or poetry please and so on . It makes being on my own a bit more positive as I am sure we have all spent years running families and jobs and being tied to a set routine. Now I may not have any company but if I want to eat a sandwich at 11am 1pm or 2.30, for my lunch I can and do. BC i,e, before covid and also before the fuel prices went up so much, a day like today with lovely sunny view I would ring my friend up and say do you want to drop everything and we will go to Saltburn for a walk on the beach etc and we would scurry round and set off. I deliberately keep an old towel and my tattiest costume in a bag, plus my picnic box is always in the boot with cutlery and plates and kitchen roll ready for a fish and chip or take away curry or whatever. small binoculars , spare sox and walking boots and an umbrella and sunglasses., all reside in the car. No doubt diminishs the mpg but so useful and can just get up and go whenever it is possible . So thats my kind of routine. On not so good days when it is just plodding through the minimum , it is good to have days to look back on . Well speaking of which , I shall take my own advice and go out to enjoy the sunshine. Hope you all have sunny day today too

Not that you'd notice? I routinely do cleaning but only when it looks ready to do in the dusting/windows/vaccine depts. Other essential stuff yes routine is needed for keeping clean environment.but "tea at 5.45 prompt!" ? No siree Bob!. We have moveable feasts depending on what I fancy cooking, eat out for lunch/mid afternoon then late snax! Change beds routinely that's normal behaviour but I'd detest a DH who demands his "tea on't table at six, " ??? ecky thump attitude

#VACUUM!!!!!

silvercollie

This puts me in mind of something that happened almost fifty years ago. After a long and tiring flight from New Zealand my with my four little ones - ages 3,4,5 and 6 - I decided to visit their father's parents a couple of short bus journeys away. Their father was still in NZ. My thinking being that as these grandparents had never met any of the children, it would be a lovely surprise. How wrong could I be?
I was met at the front door by my father-in-law who told me it was not convenient and that they always go out on Tuesday afternoons. He would fetch his car to take us back to my mother's flat where my family were staying. I insisted on saying hello to my mother-in-law and introducing her grandchildren, but was whisked away as time was getting short for their excursion.
My mother was hugely surprised, not to mention shocked, as the car stopped outside her place just as she had returned from the towous trips!!
My insensitivity to other people's routines I guess.

Tbh I'd be gobsmacked too! And you thought it a "good idea" ? Doubt it took any thought at all!

I dont like having a routine I take things as they come, however husband has definate routines,one which irritates most is the exact time of our evening meal, it has to be dead on 5pm or its a catastrophy, why I dont know, I ask and he says its because I am hungry then, but I ask you is anyone hungry at the exact same time every day.
I dont want to get into a rut

Forgot to say, Swedes are notorious for routines regarding meals. Monday its left overs, Tuesday I cant remember Wednesdays its fish, Thursday its this special soup, thick pea soup,Fridays sea food or tacos,Saturday I am not sure, Sunday pizza or something of their own choice. You do NOT eat anything else on the given days,thats routine, or tradition gone mad! just saying.

I had a friend (well, acquaintance) once who I used to go meetings with. One time the meeting was brought forward by 30 minutes and when I rang to let her know she got into a right tizz as it would impinge on her supper time! I could hardly believe I was hearing right. When I queried it she got defensive and quite hostile.

Also, a friend's mum used to be kind enough to host me sometimes at weekends. She lived down in Hastings and I used to drive there from West London. If I said I'd be there about 9pm she'd complain if I was 10 minutes early or late. Having driven about 85 miles!

I have a loose flexible routine (have to or wouldn’t get anything done) but, now retired, things get put off if anything more interesting is on offer.

No routine.
Why would I give myself routine pressure?
If something doesn’t get done, so what.
I’m not a slave to a timetable.

Yes, my FinL lives with us so we work to his routine. Morning tea, 8am, morning coffee 10.45, After lunch coffee 1pm, afternoon tea 2.50. 7-8 Mon, Weds, Fri he plays snooker with my husband orion and Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sunday I go round and watch TV, or listen to music, opera etc. Have done this routinesince 2001 when we moved together, but tv and snooker only 8 years...

OR SON not orion!

No routine here… life would be boring if it was all put into boxes.

Only routine I have is setting alarm clock for Tuesday mornings as my cleaner comes at 9:10 or so after dropping her youngest at playgroup.
Come to think of it, it’s ALWAYS due to others routines that I ever have specific times to do things.

I suppose I have routines for things I don’t like doing - otherwise I’d never do them. So I do the laundry on a Monday and Tuesday and iron on a Wednesday. However, if something better is on offer I just do it all a day later or earlier. What I really hate is clubs that you have to attend every week on the same day so your whole week has to be planned around them. My other half likes to do courses at the local U3A type college and it drives me round the bend when he says ‘Oh, we can’t do that on Monday morning, Wednesday afternoon or Friday because I’ve booked those courses this term’.

I have a sort-of routine of half-heartedly making a start on the domestic drudgery: washing, cleaning etc in that I intend to start each Monday. However, if something else is going on, I'll always shelve or rearrange. I got a last minute suggestion from my sister to go to the cinema on Monday this week (West Side Story), and I'm afraid I've had more interesting things to do since then so will make a new attempt at the 'routine' next Monday. A domestic goddess I am not!

Dh became like an automaton after he retired. One time, in an effort to shake him up a bit I suggested we went out for breakfast the next day. He agreed and we decided where and when and were both looking forward to it. Next morning, ready for the outing I went downstairs to find him tucking into his usual (ie every day that God sends), porridge and 5 pieces of fruit. I expressed some disappointment and said I thought we had agreed to go out for breakfast. He said Yes that was fine, we would go as planned, he was just having his breakfast first!

Good Morning? Hope Ya'all are having a Good Day of it. Since I joined I like reading about your World in the UK.

I have a routine and I love it. Not a strict routine and would find no problem adjusting any of my mealtimes to fit in with other unexpected plans. You need a bit of structure in your life otherwise in my case there would be chaos.

I don't have a routine: I worked in school all my life and every hour was timetable driven; I did activities in the evening, so jobs were fitted in as and when.
The freedom of doing what I want when I want is still wonderful, ten years later.

Oh thuberon, You have made me laugh!