When we moved from our small town in Wisconsin to urban Toronto, it came with many changes.  One was a significant career shift for my husband, Tim.  In Wisconsin, Tim had been a practicing attorney.  And while he loved the mental wrestling with a complex legal challenge, his ADHD made efficiency exceptionally difficult.  Much of his career he spent working in insurance defense, where efficiency is particularly glorified, and it always felt like he was trying to push a boulder up the hill and frequently feeling frustrated or defeated.  With the move, and the complexities of practicing law in a new country, he decided it was a great opportunity to explore a career change.  And that exploration landed him in a new career brewing beer. 

As a professional brewer, Tim found success combining his problem-solving skills with his eagerness to learn.  He mastered chemistry concepts, completed financial models and improved the quality and operations of the family-owned brewery where he worked.  His schedule ran Tuesday through Saturday, leaving us with only one weekend day together. 

In some ways, that worked okay, as my appetite to drag our young children all over the city to explore museums and the zoo; the aquarium or the beach might have been more voracious than most could appreciate.  So I would lead these crazy adventures with my littles on Saturdays, and Sundays with Tim were often more free to relax. Sometimes we’d bike to a local park, and I’d lay in the sun reading while Tim strolled to a local brewery to pick up some of their offerings, which I was more than happy to help consume.  But I always felt a little sad leaving him alone on Mondays, especially once all of our littles were in school.

The pandemic changed my role and work patterns, leaving me with more freedom and the option for remote work.  Mondays I always worked from home and, when my schedule would allow, Tim and I would sneak away to grab lunch together.  It always felt extra special and sort of scandalous in a way, as these lunch dates would usually extend beyond the “typical” window and would often include at least 1 beer – it was his day off, after all… and I didn’t want him to have to drink alone.

Sometimes we’d hit up a local brewery, but my favourite lunch dates were usually when we packed up some provisions and went to High Park with our energetic spaniel.  Sometimes we’d buy a gourmet sandwich and bring a cooler with some cans of beer and other sides.  Sometimes we’d just cut up cheese and peppers and hummus and anything else we could find in the fridge.  High Park is a huge green space in the west end of the city and it had wonderful off-leash dog trails and grassy patches for stretching out.  Tim and I would take our lunch and enjoy the bonus time together.  It almost felt like we were sneaking one past corporate America or capitalism or even our own kids, claiming a couple hours mid-day on a Monday for leisure.  There’s something different about claiming that time and space on a Monday that just feels more liberating and soul-filling.