I remember nights when I slept for eight hours straight.
No. That’s a lie. I don’t remember those nights. I’m pretty sure they happened when I was very young, but then I started working and never again.
I’m one of those people that wakes up long before my alarm goes off, only to stay awake thinking about all of the things that I need to accomplish. I lay out plans for the day, doing my best to create a pathway that will accomplish everything I need to do and maybe a few extra things while I’m flitting past them. At some point, I cross the point in time when it’s not worth it to work on falling back asleep. And I whimper.
It used to be that the only way to stop my brain from spinning was to watch television. Oh, the sitcoms reruns I used to watch.
Then I stopped working and for a while I was able to sleep without outside intervention. I still didn’t sleep eight hours straight – you know … I’m old and have to get up to go to the bathroom. Sigh. But I began to treasure the silence of the night. No television, no sound … just peaceful silence. I didn’t need to drown out the stresses of the coming work day.
Now I have cats. Three cats. Three cats that I love very much.
When TB (black and white cat) crawls under the covers and tucks himself behind my knees, something wondrous happens … it’s like a sleep button. But he doesn’t do that often enough – especially with Earl and Grey in the house.
Earl likes to lean when he sleeps. He usually leans against my feet, but if TB isn’t paying attention, that’s Earl’s preference. Grey is a snuggler. Whatever warm body is close, she wants to be there. She’ll take any of us.
Getting to sleep at night isn’t the problem. They’re generally waiting for me to go to bed.
No, it’s the second trip to the bathroom that finally stirs everyone else awake. They all follow me (oh, it’s a parade, I’m telling you) and then wander off to do their own things when I’m heading back to bed.
Here’s how it goes from that point on. I try to relax and fail because I’ve come too far awake, but I know that if they would settle with me, it wouldn’t take that long. I might read for a few minutes while I wait for them to eat, drink and go potty. Lights off and I’m drifting away when *thump*. TB arrives, wanting attention before he settles down. Okay, here we go again. Drifting away … *thump*. Hello, Earl. Welcome to the bed. No, you can’t sleep on my feet, they need to be free. Okay, fine. That will work. Are we settled?
Ahhh … drifting away. *thump*. There you are, Grey. Oh no … you and Earl do not need to wrestle and then clean each other. We need to sleep. NO! Don’t pick on TB, you’ll just make him mad … crap. Okay, everybody off the bed, you’ve made me mad.
I sit up, glare at the three of them, wonder if I should just go to the bathroom one more time – you know, just to give me some extra time when I do finally fall asleep. Nah … tuck my feet under the blankets and wait for it to start all over again.
It’s a wonder I ever sleep with these three yahoos in my life. But I do and now that fall is nearly here, they’ll be better about snuggling in and staying put.
How about you? Do you still sleep a good, solid eight hours?
Sigh … I wish I could figure out how to be productive when I’m half-awake.
