Chapter 25: What's your morning ritual?
Originally written June 7, 2021
Even before my retirement, I was beginning to subconsciously put together what has evolved into my intricate “morning ritual.” For years it’s revolved around coffee, radio and leisurely reading the news on my phone.
But here is how I do it now:
Unless I have to be somewhere in the morning — which is rarer and rarer since retirement — basically I get up when my cat or my bladder tell me to.
Usually Little Darrell Terrell (that’s the cat, not the bladder) tries to wake me up earlier than I like, gently pawing at my head or jumping on top of me. If I don’t need to go to the bathroom, I usually ask him gently to let me sleep.
When he persists I gently push him away and tell him in the nicest possible way, “Fuck off.”
And believe it or not, usually he complies.
When I do decide to get up, Darrell’s usually right there, coming up and rubbing his head against my hand. He’s not always real affectionate, but he loves to be pet when I first get up. So I usually indulge him and both of us start the day feeling good.
When it’s warm, I’ll go open my back door so Darrell can go outside. But even when I do that sometimes Darrell will come back in when I take my shower. He loves jumping up on the side of the tub while the water comes down on me from the other side of the shower curtain.
In recent months, after taking my morning medications and going to the bathroom I’ve gotten into the habit of immediately taking a shower.
This is relatively new. One day earlier this year, it was something like 2:30 p.m. when I realized I hadn’t taken a shower yet. I guess I was disgusted with myself, so I started my present routine. Once out of the shower I make my bed — a habit I didn’t acquire until after I retired. Starting off the day with a clean body and a made bed really does make me feel better.
(Confession though: I usually don’t brush my teeth until after coffee and breakfast. So technically I’m not completely clean most mornings.)
A few months ago my doctor gave me a blood pressure cuff and an oximeter that connect to a computer tablet that lets him monitor my vital statistics. This takes a few minutes. While the cuff squeezes my left arm, I smell the transcendental aroma of my coffee coming from the kitchen. (Making it and setting the timer is part of my night ritual.)
After I’m done reading my blood pressure, I go to the kitchen, get my first cup of coffee, go to the living room and turn on my TuneIn radio app on my Roku. If it’s early enough I’ll listen to NPR’s Morning Edition on KUNM or KNME.
Sometimes I’ll continue listening to talk/news shows on KNME, though lately I usually go to the New Orleans public radio station WWOZ. I’ll keep it on usually until I hear the third or fourth version of “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” of the morning.
(To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve actually heard Ricky do this on WWOZ. But maybe I will someday.)
Sometimes I’ll listen to Spotify or Pandora or my vast MP3 collection instead.
And, as I’ve done for years, I’ll read the news, check Facebook and Twitter [Note from 2024: I left Twitter or X or whatever last year after Elon started retweeting actual Nazis] and catch up on my email on my phone.
After the first cup of coffee, I usually will make my sausage and my 3-egg omelette for breakfast.
While my four link sausages are frying, I’ll prepare my omelette.
Actually this is almost like a breakfast salad featuring some combination of sweet peppers, onions (confession — I usually use onion powder or dried onion bits), green chiles, green onions (freshly chopped), spinach, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and hot sauce. Sometimes Worcester sauce.) I eat the sausages while the omelette is cooking, so it’s a two-course meal.
[Note from 2024: Since I wrote this, I decided to reduce the number of eggs and sausage in my life. These days I chop up bell peppers and onions (usually taking the lazy man’s route using Albertson’s “Fajita Mix,” which consists of pre-cut bell peppers and onions, plus mushrooms, jalapenos, green chiles, green onions, a chopped Roma tomato plus coleslaw mix (cabbage and a few carrots), and some kind of greens – kale, arugula or spinach. I sprinkle with Mrs. Dash and Tajín Clásico Chile Lime Seasoning.
I let this cook for a few minutes, then use my spatula to create a tortilla-sized space in the middle, which I fill with a corn tortilla topped with cheese and guacamole sauce, then sprinkle the whole mess some Everything Bagel seasoning. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years. It keeps evolving and never get tired of it.]
After eating, I usually have at least one more cup of coffee. By the time I’m done with that, I’m usually feeling a little guilty about lounging around for so long. So I’ll begrudgingly get up, go wash my coffee mug, wash my frying pan, wipe down the kitchen counter and start dealing with the day ahead.
Which includes brushing my teeth!
The mornings that go like this — slowly starting my day, enjoying my coffee, listening to music — those tend to be good days.
xxx
(Below: The Polkaholics have a different idea about breakfast:)
Wears me out just reading about it! I'm proud of you, though.