Leisure Pursuits

It often feels like Jamie and Eddie are always working, but as many of us enjoy the lazy days of summer, it brings to mind time spent having fun. Summer is a time when you can sit back and relax, spend time with friends and go on trips. Which made me wonder about how Jamie and Eddie spend their off-duty hours and start thinking about some of the things we’ve seen Jamie and Eddie doing during their time off. The show tends to frame all stories with a work-related focus, but that doesn’t mean there’s no opportunity to see them in their off-duty hours. So what do they do during that time? We know there’s the standing weekly commitment to attend family dinner (although Vested Interests suggested they could skip that for a weekend away in the Catskills). Just like this trip, there are many times the activity will be implied rather than shown.

Here’s a list that includes a few examples of how Eddie and Jamie spend their spare time. It’s in no particular order, but we’ve seen some of these far more often than others.

Eating & Drinking

Food and drink are an intrinsic element of the show, so it’s not a surprise that meals or drinks have been a frequent leisure activity. Over the years, Jamie and Eddie have often visited bars and restaurants for a bite to eat, especially if there was a chance to take advantage of Happy Hour. Recently they’re more likely to share a meal at home.

Bar Games

They don’t spend as much time in bars as they used to, but they didn’t just drink and chat; there could sometimes be a competitive edge. Both Jamie and Eddie have been seen playing darts in the past; do they ever compete against each other? Of course, their game of beer pong had memorable consequences.

Sports

We know they’ve played mini-golf on at least two occasions; when Jamie proposed and during Mind Games. But were these an exception, or was it already a regular thing for them to do? Would it be something they try to do around the anniversary of their engagement?

Something Different

Of course, there have been some special occasions where they have gotten up to something very different. Lately, it’s felt like they’ve been too busy working to be this fancy; hopefully, they’ve enjoyed a moment like this after one of their private dinners.

Watching TV

There can be times where it feels like they never have a spare second to sit and relax, but Jamie and Eddie are capable of just sitting on the couch and watching TV. Eddie may prefer The Little Mermaid or Remember the Titans, while Jamie’s more likely to watch sports, but Naughty or Nice showed they can make anything more interesting.

Hobbies

Jamie complains that Frank doesn’t have any hobbies, but it’s not particularly clear what Eddie and Jamie’s hobbies are. It’s simple to say that Jamie’s include exercise and working on the Chevelle (although this should be a lot easier as it no longer requires so much repair work). However, it’s more challenging for Eddie; one possibility is that although she doesn’t pretend to be a keen cook, it seems like she likes to dabble occasionally.

Helping Others

Although there are ways in which Jamie and Eddie are very different, their core values are aligned. One of the ways this is best demonstrated is how they are willing to help others. Even if it takes more than they really have to spare, such as Eddie’s attempts to help their neighbour in The Puzzle Palace.

Family Dinners

Of course, family dinners had to be included. It’s not just a matter of turning up for the meal; there’s always time to hang out at the house as well, especially if advice is needed from another member of the family.

Chores

Chores don’t really feel like something we do with our leisure time, but they definitely get done when we’re not working. Not something that scenes are ever focused on, but it adds to the sense of the characters living their lives when we see them taking a trip to the laundromat or on a shopping trip.

As we look ahead to season 12, it’s easy to wonder if there’ll be at least hints of Jamie and Eddie having any form of date night which involves them going out. Admittedly we’d only see it if they ended up discovering a crime scene, but maybe they will hint at something. In Friendship, Love & Loyalty, we know Eddie was off to see Springsteen on Broadway, so it could be that they’ve gone to a show together. Perhaps after the love language challenge, they might have been inspired to try new ways to spend time together, to avoid taking each other for granted.