One of the things that makes me laugh about Misty is the way she likes to have routines. By the way, a lot of the time I am laughing with her – you can tell by the bounce in her step and the extra twinkle in her eyes. Each morning she goes out, then comes back to bed for a snuggle and an extra snooze, then after I am showered and dressed it is time for her eye ointment. She has no natural tears in her right eye, so each morning she comes to remind me, jumps up on her special chair and tilts her head to the left to make the procedure easier. Then of course it is half a dentastix, which she proceeds to “kill” by pouncing at it and ultimately rolling on top to make sure.
Humans adopt routines too; I often think about how it works when doing the morning ablutions or facing up to the need to get down to some (less frequent than ever,) housework. I am sure of one thing though; as I get older it is especially important to have set places to put keys, mobile phone and wallet etc. It means there is less of a scurry when it is time to go out. I used to be always flying out the door with hardly enough time to catch a ferry, nowadays it is more likely to be an appointment for medical needs.
Whatever the habits and routines we build up, it’s true to say that time seems to go faster and faster as we go through life. No sooner are we dressed than it seems time to get undressed, and even in retirement there are things I never seem to get done. When do we start to become creatures of habit? When do habits become the established custom? And worst thought of all – when do they become an addiction?
Oh, goodness, I think we start from the beginning to create habits. Think of babies in the womb sucking their thumbs. The habits or routines you describe are good ones, helping you to be organized, and unless you begin to obsess about the keys being out of place, you’re fine. I’ve noticed my own quirky habits (and realize just how quirky they really are!) when I’ve had a house guest for a few days, and have to change some of my routine with their presence. I’m OK for a short time, but after a few days, I feel the effects of not being able to do certain rituals, at least not as loudly as usual! I guess hence the saying from old Benjamin Franklin, “House guests and fish begin to stink after three days.” 😀
Excellent post. I just spoke with my sister-in-law a little bit ago about what happens when people have no structure in their lives. Not good. None of us want to live by the rigid rules of our working life but we all need structure.
Love this post. For years I felt guilty for adhering to a rountine. I was in school, raising kids, working and super organized. One of my professors told me the reason women are so good at running things is because they know how to organize.
This works until you get too many women in the same room who know how to organize.
Love your Misty tales. My animals like their routine too, only one of them, our 16-yer old Peaches, runs away when she sees David coming with the medicine. He hides it in cheese, liverworst or whatever but she always ‘finds’ it and eats the covering. Little stinker.
Misty tilts her head for you to do the eyedrops! That is just precious. She is such a great little cuddly dog.
Those are good questions at the end. Personally, I don’t think I would have adopted many habits if I had not had to work. It was forced on me! (School, where it had regular hours, didn’t seem the same regimentation as work to me…) Now that I am no longer working my only regular activity, the thing I must do each and every day, is feed the dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, skunks, and raccoons.
As I wrote the sentence above I was reminded of a September post by Poetikat that has stayed with me. I think of it nearly every morning when I am putting corn and peanuts out for the blue jays and squirrels…how busy they are now with winter approaching, how expressively thankful for my offerings to them. Anyway, her piece written as they left one home for a new place is so beautiful and I think you would appreciate it too (I hope so because I left here and went to Kat’s blog to fetch the linnk for you!): CLICK.
Then Misty and I would do well. I love my routines also. They make me feel safe.
Glad to see that you all understand how routines make life richer somehow. I was just wondering whether there came a stage when they morphed into OCD – thankfully I am now reassured. Marcia, your comment about feeling safe is very insightful, it’s the same for me too. I guess it is about being in control in a world where so many things are outwith our ability to control them.
Hmmmm. I see routine as the enemy and then at times a friend. I think it depends on what is going on. When things are getting hairy I love routine. When things get too routine I love hairy! How about a middle ground? Yes, I am usually seeking it.
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