Bedtime Routine

Time was, bedtime used to be pretty simple and quick. Put the dog(s) out for a few minutes, then bring them in and kennel them. Turn off TV, lights. Change into PJs if I wasn't already hanging out in them. A quick potty stop, brush teeth, pop under the covers after a quick glance at the alarm clock to see whether the alarm was set or not, and ZZZZZZZZ.....

These days, things are a bit different. Put the dog out, and while he's doin' his thing, turn off the oxygen machine my dad uses. I'm so used to its background hum that I often forget to do that when he heads off to bed. Turn out his light, pick up his glass or cup to take to the kitchen, and take the mouthpiece section of his nebulizer along with me. That gets dismantles into its 4 components, rinsed under water, and set in their special dish to dry overnight, with the box of refill meds sitting on top, all together in one place. They sit on top of the coffee, but not until that's set up for next morning. Pull out and toss the filter and grounds, but not where the dog can get into them. Put in a new filter and one and a half scoops of fresh grounds. We just started a new can of coffee, so this part smells great for about two weeks, then recedes into the background again. Ten cups of water into the back, close the lid, and push it to the back of the counter. Check whether he's got enough of his dishes for tomorrow, or get one of the boys to run the dishwasher.

The bathroom break includes a cleanliness check. Sometimes the Clorox wipes are needed for the floor, the special raised toilet seat, the sink. If there are not sufficient catheters sitting in the napkin holder that has been redirected in its use, pull down a box from the shelves and add more. Make a mental note of how many remain, as well as a note of other supplies, and plan shopping stops accordingly. Sometimes I remember to take the extra dose of Ibuprofin that the extra walking in my routine these days often requires for a good night's sleep. I may forget to brush my teeth.

Bring the dog in and take him with me to my room. These days he gets to sleep on the loveseat with its tattered blanket piled in the corner, since the little kennel that is all there's now room for in the living room is so small I take pity on him and am reluctant to confine him in it for hours. On the way from the bathroom, through the living room to my bedroom in the former garage, I turn off any remaining lights. Most times I remember to plug in both the work and my personal cell phones overnight. Change into my PJs if I'm not lounging around in them already. Remember to check the alarm. Pop under the covers, give the dog a pat before he jumps over to his bed, and go to sleep. Wake up periodically when there's a noise on the baby monitor whose other end is in Dad's room, since that's so far away it's the only way to hear if there's a problem. It's very good at picking up the voice on his watch that tells him what time it is when he wakes in the middle of the night. It hears him cough, snore, and talk in his sleep. It hears him check his watch again two minutes after the last time.

Hey Steve, Bro, when you come here to house-sit and Daddy-sit this summer while I'm on vacation: MEMORIZE THIS! There'll be a quiz.

Ditto for the morning routine.