I hear people talking about 5.30am sunrise sea swims and depending on my mood, I feel envy or pity, then settle on something in between and accept I’ll never be one of them.
Of course I’ve had jobs that involved very early starts, but in general, I prefer starting late and working late.
With a nine-year-old now, early starts are unavoidable, but I’m lucky that he’s an old soul and loves nothing more than a lie in.
Breakfast is eggs on toasted McCambridges brown bread, and sometimes half an avocado, because I’m financially reckless.
I thought the one upside of my son Tom not being sporty would mean lazy weekends, but he attends the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland, so we are on the road for Dublin City University (DCU) by 9.30am.
It’s a brilliant programme. If kids don’t enjoy sports, it’s great to help them find their tribe, and he has just finished a course in Aeronautical Engineering.
There isn’t enough time for me to drive home from DCU, so if I’m working on a writing project or have a column to do, I’ll bring the laptop and push on random doors until I find an open room where I can sit and work for the couple of hours he’s in there.
Occasionally, I’ll take a drive around the corner to IKEA, buy something small with a funny name, and then enjoy watching couples falling out about overestimating their car boot size.
We will have lunch at home and catch up on the week.
My son Tom is my favourite person in the world to be with and I take full advantage knowing the day will come when he won’t want to do that anymore.
We love the cinema, so if we’re not seeing friends, we might take ourselves off to an afternoon screening.
If Tom doesn’t have a playdate on, I’ll drop him out to my Dad’s place and go do some food shopping.
Since my lovely Mum died, I try to get out most weekends to make dinner on Saturday or a Sunday roast for my Dad and brother.
My Mum lived and breathed food, and I’m quite similar, although nowhere near as good a cook as she was.
My Dad and brother are great company, and, as a single parent, I’d be lost without their help.
A lot of my work falls outside of school hours, and without them, I’d have to say no to a lot more.
My sister lives in London but was home a few weekends ago. It’s lovely when she comes to visit as she’s immeasurably more social than I am.
If I get the chance, I’ll take myself off for a walk by myself.
My Dad lives near Dalkey Quarry which is my favourite head-clearing place.
My weekends are not for formal exercise. Although now that I think about it, neither are the other days of the week.
I love the ritual of a 6pm Saturday drink – at home is fine. If I go to a pub, I’d prefer it was earlier so I can leave before it gets busy.
I was never a fan of crowds – even when I was younger I preferred going out midweek and cosying up on Saturday nights.
I don’t go to many gigs but I did go to see The Devlins a few weeks ago on a Saturday night and it was so civilised.
Middle-aged socialising is far more humane – no jostling for the bar, no arse-grabbing, and almost no vomiting.
The weekdays are so busy with work, school and afterschool activities, that my perfect Saturday is a movie night in.
There’s something that feels almost subversive about staying in on a Saturday night – which I realise sounds ludicrous, but if you get it, you get it.
My son and I do lots of little trips throughout the year – we go on many lovely adventures.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been to Copenhagen, Paris, Frankfurt, lots of cities around Ireland, we’re off to meet friends in Madrid next month, and he comes with me to London any time I need to be there.
Being in a different city on a Sunday morning before it wakes up feels full of potential. Not too early mind…
I usually turn the light off at midnight and then prepare for my brain to wake up and remind me of all the stuff I need to do or the things I should have done differently.
Maybe I should reconsider that 5.30am sea swimming…
Maïa Dunphy is an ambassador for PrecisionBiotics Alflorex.
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