Love and Commuting

You married?  Got a significant other living under the same roof as you, at least, who you kiss goodbye before heading off to work every morning?  Have you ever stopped to consider how difficult it is for them when you walk out the door?  It can be difficult to juggle the morning exit, particularly if you have kids, so as not to give off that "escaping and leaving the other person behind" vibe.  Here's a few ideas to brighten up each other's day:

1. If you've got a set routine for your morning, then make an effort to wake up half an hour early.  Anything that your spouse normally does, do that (if physically possible).  Then let her sleep in.  Bonus points if you can get breakfast made and waiting when she wakes up.  
   You can do this if you're the spouse staying home, too.  Get up early, do some chores, and tell your SO that she can sit down and read the paper for a few minutes rather than dashing out of the house.
   
2. Before you leave, scribble a little note on a piece of paper and put it someplace she/he is sure to find it.  Just a simple "Have a nice day", "See you soon" or "I'll be thinking about you".  Doesn't have to be Shakespeare.    It'll still make somebody's day.  If you can find some time to hit the store and buy a card, all the better.   If you're the spouse that's staying home you can still use this trick.  How about leaving a note on the steering wheel?
3. If you've got the flexibility to do a little bit more, try this one.  Get out of the house 10 minutes earlier than your usual schedule.  Run down to the corner store and buy your SO their morning coffee.  Bonus points if you can snag some flowers while you're there.  Show back up at the front door, ring the bell.  Hand over coffee and flowers, and head off to work.  Leave SO standing in doorway stunned.
   
4. Alternately, come home early and announce that you're going out to dinner.  This is a tricky one, so don't go to this well too often.  If your SO's already got something started for dinner, you don't want to ruin those plans.  Likewise you don't want to come in the front door with a big flourish only to discover that nobody's home.  (There's a joke here about coming home unexpectedly and finding your spouse with the gardner, too....)  I find it best to call once I'm on the road and say "I'm on my way home early" rather than waiting until I walk in the door.  It gives her more notice to get the guy out of the house.  That's a joke.  I hope.

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