I’ve had a lot of different routines over the years.
Before moving to Shiga, I worked at an English school here in Japan. I usually started work around noon, so my mornings were free. I often did some yoga before going to work. Because I started late, I also finished late — around nine or ten at night. My days off were during the week.

Later, my wife and I worked on a dairy farm in the mountains of Ehime. Life there was very different! We woke up at five every morning and worked ten to twelve hours a day for four months — without a single day off. We were so tired! Sometimes in the afternoon we’d manage to have a short break and drive down the mountain to buy food. After dinner, we often sat on the sofa and sometimes even fell asleep while eating!

Now we live in Shiga, and my routine has changed again. I work from home as a tutor here on Cafetalk and take care of the house. I still wake up around five because our rescue cat, Short, demands to play. I start the day by making my wife’s sandwich (with my homemade sourdough bread!) and driving her to work. Then I do the housework and get ready for my lessons. Sometimes I go on standby or take a walk along Lake Biwa.

In the mornings, I still try to do yoga. In the afternoons, I usually teach one or two classes. After that, I shop for food and pick up my wife. I cook dinner, and we eat together before I  banish my wife upstairs  to play with Short while I teach online.

Some things in my life have changed a lot, but others have stayed the same. I used to go out every day and come home late, but now I stay home most of the time. I still enjoy yoga, and now I have more time to bake bread. Best of all, I get to spend more time with Short who is still adjusting to life as a house cat.

How about you? Has your daily routine changed recently? Do you prefer your life now?

Learning Support from “Life as a Househusband”

Useful Vocabulary & Expressions

• routine – the regular way someone lives or works every day; a daily schedule.

• dairy farm – a farm where cows are kept and milked.

• rescue cat – a cat that was saved from a shelter or the street.

• homemade sourdough bread – bread made at home using natural yeast instead of commercial yeast.

• housework / chores – jobs at home like cleaning, cooking, and laundry.

• standby – being ready to do something at any time, e.g., waiting for a lesson.

• adjusting to (life) – getting used to a new situation or environment.

• manage to – succeed in doing something, especially when it is difficult.

Collocations (words that naturally go together)

• daily routine – your usual activities every day.

• mornings were free – mornings without work or obligations.

• take care of the house – do all the jobs needed to keep the house in order.

• do yoga / practice yoga – exercise your body and mind using yoga.

• making my wife’s sandwich – prepare a sandwich for someone.

• get ready for my lessons – prepare everything needed before teaching.

• go on standby – be ready to do something, waiting for a call or signal.

• go for a walk along Lake Biwa – walk for exercise or relaxation.

• pick up my wife – collect someone using a car.

• cook dinner / eat together – prepare the evening meal and share it.

• banish my wife upstairs – jokingly send someone away to another room so you can work.

• spend time with Short – be with the cat and enjoy being together.

Phrasal Verbs / Verbal Phrases

• wake up – stop sleeping. “We woke up at five every morning.”

• drive down (the mountain) – travel by car from a higher place to a lower place. “drive down the mountain to buy food.”

• fall asleep – begin sleeping. “sometimes even fell asleep while eating.”

• pick up – collect someone by car. “pick up my wife.”

• look after – take care of someone or something. implied in “take care of the house” and caring for Short.

• stay home / stay out – remain at home or remain outside. “I stay home most of the time.”

Idiomatic / Playful Expressions

• banish (someone) upstairs – a playful way of saying send someone to another room. “before I banish my wife upstairs to play with Short while I teach online.”

• best of all – used to introduce the most important or enjoyable thing. “Best of all, I get to spend more time with Short.”

Comparative / Change Structures

• Before... but now... – used to show how things were different in the past.

  • “Before moving to Shiga, I worked at an English school... Now we live in Shiga, and my routine has changed again.”

• Life was... but now it’s... – contrast past and present life.

  • “Life there was very different!”

• I used to... but now I... – talk about habits or routines that changed.

  • “I used to go out every day and come home late, but now I stay home most of the time.”

• has changed a lot / has stayed the same – describe things that changed or didn’t.

  • “Some things in my life have changed a lot, but others have stayed the same.”

Structures / Expressions Showing Continuity

• I still... – used to show something continues in the present.

  • “I still wake up around five.”

  • “I still try to do yoga.”

  • “I still enjoy yoga.”

• now I have more time to... – shows a new opportunity that has not existed before.

  • “now I have more time to bake bread.”

• who is still adjusting to... – shows that a process of change is continuing.

  • “Short who is still adjusting to life as a house cat.”