Just a typical day

12:30 a.m.

My typical day begins right about this time. The first two sounds I hear is my alarm ringing and my partner's voice - "Momma bear, wake up. You have to get ready for work." Oh, but I want to sleep some more. My body is literally fighting against getting out the bed. It feels like I have only slept for half an hour. No other option for me. I do have to get up. I make myself some coffee, turn on the TV and start making breakfast for the kids. In between listening to the news and going over my Facebook page, my mind is already thinking about what to make for dinner. I throw some clothes in the washer - timer on.

1:00 am

Breakfast is done. I have to iron the boys' school uniforms while having coffee (again) and whatever is available. Leave the hot meal for the kids. I am happy to have last night's leftovers. The laundry is done. I rush to hang them outside to dry. Hope it doesn't rain. I wash the dishes, pots and pans. Put everything back in its place. Scrub the sink, wipe the counters. Write a note to the kids instructing them to reheat their breakfast in the microwave.

1:20 am

Shower time! Try to be as quick as I can. There are still a lot of stuff to do before I leave. With wet hair wrapped up in a towel, I start going through the house, picking things up, checking if there is anything that needs my immediate attention. No more? Okay, good. I grab my third cup of coffee.

1:45 am

Off to work. Half an hour is enough for the commute. Arrgghhh.. while most people sleep, I am working my butt off. If there were some other fruitful employment opportunity, I would quit working for the call center industry. Come to think of it, I have been lacking sleep for almost a decade. The dark circles under my eyes look like permanent tattoos! I have evolved into a panda. 

2:00am - 11:00am.

Work mode. Spending 9 hours with snotty people. I resign my fate. I don't need them. I need to make money, that's why I am employed. Although I wish the money I earn would be enough to cover my financial obligations! (and that is all I do - WISH) Some think that people who work in call centers have a lot of money. Hell no! That is one big fallacy. We are just like everybody else. We live from paycheck to paycheck.

11:30 am.

Home again. Start my "after-work household" routine. Run to the grocery store to get something to make for dinner and run some errands. While dinner is on the stove, I tidy up the house, picking things, emptying the ash trays, dusting the shelves. Have some coffee again, sit and watch some TV for like 15 minutes at a time.

1:30 pm - 3:30pm
I take a power nap. (Finally, a bit of  rest for this tired old body)

6:00 pm

Dinner is served. Me and my hubby usually have our dinner in large bowls which is convenient because we want to watch TV while eating. We sit on the couch, put our legs up on stools, and eat. Haha. Very primitive. Very relaxed. Once more, I do the dishes, pots and pans. Scrub the sink, wipe the counters. Then I take the laundry in and neatly fold them, and put them back in the closets.

7:30 pm

I get some beer from the neighborhood store. My hubby drinks 3 bottles every night. He says it helps relieve some of his joint pains. And it does help him sleep. He's had trouble falling asleep for as long as I can remember. I fix him some sandwiches for a midnight snack. (Never go to bed with only alcohol in your belly!)

8:15 pm

By this time, my energy meter is really low. Sitting on the couch would zap me into deep sleep in a matter of seconds. My sons would be home from by 10 pm. If I would still be awake, then we have a little "family bonding time." If not, then we go back to talking using the whiteboard/notepad

10:00 pm

The boys are home, had dinner, showered and in their bedroom. I go upstairs and lay down. Lights off. ZzzZzzzz..

12:30 am

"Ring-ring-ring-ring"

"Momma bear, wake up. You have to get ready for work"

And then the cycle begins again.