Curious to know what your personal schedules are like

*I get up between 4:00 and 5:00 (that's a.m.)
*Check the computer: e-mail and DG
*Eat breakfast
*Get dressed
*Household chores
*Colin arrives at 6:30 and I feed him and get him dressed
*Colin and I play, watch "Bob the Builder", go shopping, be silly, go for walks
*When Colin goes for a nap, I turn on the baby monitor and go to the garden, check in at
DG on the computer
*When Colin wakes up we eat lunch - PBJ's and fruit
*Colin and I play, watch "Bob the Builder", go shopping, be silly, go for walks
*I sometimes fall asleep in the chair while Colin is playing so I shut us on the porch
so he stays out of trouble - porch is babyproofed
*DD#1 stops in after work on some nights to help with Colin
*Start dinner around 4:00
*Eat dinner about 5:00-5:30
*Clean up from dinner
*DD#2 picks up Colin after work, unless on a business trip
*If Colin is spending the night, he gets a tubby, a bottle, some cuddle time and off to bed
between 7:00-8:00
*I'm on the computer
*Take a shower
*I go to bed between 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Forgot to add I'm retired!! Eleanor

I like the Bob the Builder part. The rest is too much work.

Eleanor ~
It's almost the same as at my house, except we can substitute Sesame Street for Bob the Builder. And, as I live in the same house with the majority of my grandkids, there aren't really any weekends off!

I retired to take care of my grands.

I don't think either of you retired. Your kids and grandkids, are lucky.

I'm running far far away when my grandkids are born!!

I bet you won't Victor. It's just the best!!!

I understand you victor...my best friend...we used to do everything together....I miss her....I can't stand to be in that house 5 minutes now...she has all 4 of her grandkids now all day, every day, all of em under 6......the screaming!!!! the tantrums!!! OMG...I don't understand why she does it...she should be able to enjoy her life, now she's tied down with all these kids...please...nobody hit me :)

We know of a few couples like that. Sorry, but we don't visit either and they don't leave the house.

3G.
I feel so badly for you. I'm very lucky to have these grandkids all at least five years apart in age. In six years, the family will celebrate a half-life bash birrthday.

Anna will be 40
Sammi will be 20
Taelar will be 10
and Little Miss Morgan will be 5

THAT will certainly be a day!!!!

Candyce, I had kids 30, 20, 10 and 4 four years ago. My DW hit a round number the same year.

What energy you both must have!

Candyce you better check your math! Morgan will be five in six years??!!

Wow Dave - you have kids 26 years apart?!

I thought it was 26 kids a year apart?

Feels like that to me some time. My kids make more noise than 6 normal kids.

Except when they're up to something: every parent knows what that kind of quiet means.

True.

If I hear quiet - I go running hopefing I can't beat them to their destruction but boy they are quick little people! LOL Today I heard quiet for about 5 minutes and ran upstairs. Sure enough they were into my beauty product - full of blush and lipstick ugh! I mean it was cute and all but what a mess I had to clean hehehe.

You gotta do, what you gotta do. They can't afford childcare on a regular basis so I'm it!! I've only got one grandchild and he is not a problem. He has become such a big part of my life I can't imagine what it would be like without him. When I'm gone no one is going to care about how much money I've made or how much I've traveled but I will have made a difference in Colin's life. Some days I miss doing other things but I can either be miserable and hate babysitting or I can be happy and enjoy what I'm doing!! I choose to be happy and my heart just melts when we're sitting together and cuddling in front of the TV watching "Bob the Builder"!! :-) It's not for everyone but I enjoy it. Eleanor

Yeah. I cheated though.

Eleanor.
I'm in your camp.

Victor:
Anna, Taelar, and Morgan's birthdays are all in August. It will be VERY close, but if we plan the party correctly, Morgan will still be five.

Hi, all.

My schedule is just plain too wild for words or lists. I won't bore you with the details. I am retired. It's 5:07AM right now. I have been awakened by my wife who claimed to hear a dripping noise. I was quickly drafted to go investigate. Egypt's pharaos didn't built pyramids by giving the slaves time off. I'm now awake. It's raining heavily outside. There was no dripping. It must have been thermal expansion or contraction from the air conditionner. The noise went away by itself. Anyhow, when I'm awake, I can't go back to sleep. I have insomnia.

When I'm done with this post, I'll have breakfast and the whirlwind will grab hold of me as I put away my cup and plate in the dishwasher. Before you know it, I will have spun my tail all over the place all morning, all day and all night with a few short breaks after mealtimes to check the goingsons on Dave's Garden. Then, midnight will mercifully be upon me and I'll be able to get a few minutes of quiet time to myself. I may watch a new episode of South Park I recorded earlier and fall asleep sitting on the sofa in the process.

I expect tomorrow to be pretty much the same as today and every other day the Good Lord cares to bring along. I'm not complaining. Such is the day-to-day life of a primary caregiver.

Take care, all. Thank you for "listening".
Sylvain.

Being busy is so much better than being bored.

Up at 3:30 AM - let the dogs and cats out, let them in, feed them (and the bird - it doesn't get to go out though), check email, shower, make my lunch etc.

5 AM - leave for work (unless I'm pet-sitting, then leave earlier)
6 AM arrive at work - work until at least 3:30 sometimes as as late as 5:30

Get home 1.5 hours after leaving work (yes, it takes about 1/2 hour longer to get home than it does to get there - traffic). If I'm pet-sitting, it takes 2 hours to get home. If I'm stopping for groceries, tack on another 45 minutes. If I have class, I get home at 11 PM.

NIghts without class: Do dishes from previous night, start laundry, take care of animals, water (except this week - we actually got rain), fix dinner, hang clothes (no dryer - all clothes get hung). Read a bit, watch TV or do a bit of homework. In bed at 9 PM.

Nights with class: get home about 11 PM, do dishes (from lunch), read mail, give dogs attention, pop open a beer, turn on the game (or whatever is on TV), in bed about Midnight.

Hi there, cfarres!

It's nice to meet another gardener from NH!!

Getting up each morning and being busy is better than the other alternative - having nothing to do in retirement, being too sick or disabled to work, or being dead. Also taking care of an active 18 month old is much better than what I did for the first year and a half of my retirement. I helped take care of my father and my brother. They were in the Syracuse area which is almost 200 miles away. Sometimes I made the drive 2X a week. My father died in 2005 and my brother in 2006. I'm not complaining cause I cherish the time I was able to spend with them. Watching a loved one die a slow death is very hard, but watching a baby grow and learn is very exciting. And I don't treat like a life sentence - it'll be over with before I know it and he'll be in school. Eleanor
p.s. - this is for those who've seen bad experiences with grandchildren. Remember grandparents have already had years of practice at the job and it is easier the second time around if you learned from your mistakes.

There are rewards both ways, Eleanor. The little ones can get us tired if we're running after them and the older ones we can only wish had more ability to move about so sitting with them is more tiring to me but always worth the effort.

When I visit my little 18 month old grandson I can't believe how my daughter has the energy to keep up with him! I find it easier when he's here because he stands by the raspberry patch having a great time eating and giving us berries.

Anything at all is better than the boredom I see with others: watching old Westerns on TV, watching soap operas - anything that doesn't require moving about, or interaction with other people, when that's probably what would bring them some joy. I enjoy going to sleep and feeling tired, not just from being bored the whole day long. That's a death sentence to me.

Eleanor, I think it's wonderful that you are such a big part of Colin's life. I just don't think I would be able to do it. For one, you're a much younger grandma than I will be a grandpa!! Enjoy.

up at 5:30 AM
out the door to work no later than 6:15 AM
at work (hopefully traffic allows) by 7:00 AM
work until 5:00 PM
home by 6:00 PM
work at home some nights until 9:00 PM (sometimes later)
eat dinner at the pc, sneak to dg while working.
bed 10ish PM
repeat
only variation is when the grandchildren come over then play with grandchildren and give them their bath.

Debby!
So nice to hear from you again!!!!

Sylvain, Thanks for visiting. I got a good chuckle.
Dave

Thanks Candyce!! I've been lurking around.

Man, some of you guys get up WAY too early for me.
On M/W/F I have to get up at 7:30 to get my 4yr old to prek have to be there at 9am. Hit post office on way home maybe the grocery store once a week if my 1 year old woke up early enough to eat breakfast if not we go home and eat.
Watch Rachael Ray at 10 the View at 11 check e-mail while watching the View. Lunch around 1.
Monday is usually cleaning day. T/Th are laundry days. Once a week make phone calls to my mom/sister in FL and to my bro in south Jersey usually on the phone about an hour.
Pick up son at 3:10. If haven't gone to grocery store we do that after I pick him up. Depending on the work we've done I do some invoicing/accounting.
Once a month I do payroll.
Depending on the weather we go outside and play. When it was hot we'd wait and go out at 4pm. Dinner around 6PM, do the dishes, depending on what's on tv may watch something. Try to get some exercising in. I don't go bed till real late.
Saturdays vary Sunday up at 8:30 leave for church by 10:30. Sunday is our relax day we do didley squat.
Forgot to mention changing diapers about 10 times a day and rocking her to sleep, wiping running noses, cleaning hands, picking up toys, chasing them around, tickle fights, baths, etc, etc, etc
Wouldn't change it for the world
Venu, too funny.
Rudy on SNL, that was classic!

Jenn - you sound busy but very happy and content. I had to work while my two were babies and growing up -I missed a lot. I think that is why I enjoy my grandson so much. Eleanor

Victor, when my kids were growing up I would have NEVER dreamed I would love having my grandchildren around me so much. See the best part of being a grandparent is you do it when you feel like it. If you don't feel like it they can stay home. As a parent you have to do it if you feel like parenting today or not. I have my 2 yo grandson and 4 yo granddaughter spend the weekend at my house pretty much every weekend. This weekend we are having them spend the night tonight because tomorrow night my husband wants to watch the race in peace and quiet! Works for me. Short version is when kids are grown feelings change. Quiet can become very loud.

This message was edited Oct 12, 2007 7:33 AM

Al you know all the words to that beatles song!! Now what is the name of the song! It's driving me crazy. Day in the life?? I seriously can't remember. You a beatles fan, but who over 40 isn't??

Yes, "A Day in the Life" but I had to Google it to find out.

Monday, tues, Friday and every other weekend:
Up 5-6 am, let the dogs out,check on baby bunnies, feed the cat and the fish.. Make coffee, let the dogs in and give them treats. Get handicapped son up @ 6:30, change him, give him meds then cook him breakfast. Check DG's, post, and listen to the news while posting. Do dish's, laundry and give son bath and dress him. Play ball w/son, stretch his extremities (he hates this) and then back off as he's P.O. @ me for an hour. Vacume, sweep and make beds. Check DG again, shower, then make lunch. After lunch go to town and do appts./errands/payroll on tues., come home and walk w/DS and check out gardens.
Do lunch dish's, more laundry and contemplate the next meal. Cook super, do dish's, more laundry watch Jeopordy for brain excercise.
Then @ 8 or 9 depending on what day of the week it is I have certain favorite shows I watch. Two and half men on Mondays, NCIS on tues,Ghost Hunters on Wed. CSI on thurs and Ghost Whisperer on Fridays. About an hour or 2 a day of TV usually.
Check DG again and go to bed around 10:30-11
Days off Wed.& Thurs and every other weekend....outside if it's not raining, either working in the gardens or taking a short trip, no laundry and only do dish's once a day.

Debbie
I copy pasted the lyrics, but thanks. It is 'A day in the life'

Hummm
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Up at 5:30 shower/ dress/contemplate/ breakfast
700 am on the road to college
7:30 - 800 class prep
800 lecture 80 minutes
9:30 office hourse - try to prepare for the six courses I am teaching; e.g. preparing lectures, making the quizzes, marking the homework, etc.
11:00 lecturing again - 80 minutes
12:20 - wolf down something for lunch
12:45 committee meetings (sigh . . . )
2:00 rush from committee meetings to next lecture (80 minutes)
3:30 last lecture of the day (80 minutes)
5:00 get stuff prepared for tomorrow (send stuff to print shop, answer emails, check what has to be ready for the following week)
6:30 - get to go home (finally)
7pm - dinner

7:30 - 9:30 David reads - I plan gardens or make paper pots or make seed packages

Monday - Wednesday
Up at 5:30 shower/ dress/contemplate/ breakfast
700 am on the road to college
7:30 - 830 class prep
8:30 lecture 80 minutes
10 am - 11 am - office hourse
11 - 12 - lecture
12 - 1 lecuture
1pm- drive DD home - then back to the college
wolf something down for lunch
2pm - 4 pm marking (sigh)
4pm - computer lab for research methods class

5pm take DD back to college
5 pm - 8 pm in the office marking/prep work for class
leave college at 8 pm
8:30 pm-9:30 DH reads

Friday

sleep in until 7:30!

Leave for college 9:30 am
Try to do research
12 noon lecture
1 pm - Weekend begins! go home; do plant stuff
7:30 -9:30 DH reads

Saturday and Sunday(fall, winter, spring)
up at 7 am
maybe clean up the house a bit
9:30 DH wakes up makes coffee - have coffee with DH, my sweetie
11 am - FINALLY get to play in the dirt - or (in winter) work on winter sowing seeds, etc
2 pm - marking stuff until about 6 pm
Then supper
then DH reads etc.

Sunday - Monday (Mid- May until end of Aug)

Hurray! No classes!
up at 5 am - and out in the garden!!!!! :-)

Back in the house by 9:30 am (way too hot by then) Stay in my bedroom which is airconditioned. Read books, plan courses for upcoming academic year, also, run on-line courses.

Emerge from the bedroom after 7 pm.
Sit on front veranda, hangout with neighbours etc.