Friday am, Dec. 3rd: Coach and I are at O'Hare preparing to board a plane for Arizona. He's teaching a class. I'm chilling, if the weather report is accurate and the pool is open - then I will be doing said chilling poolside. Dare to dream.
Speaking of dreaming . . . I was asleep with an alarm set for 6 am. Coach's alarm went off around 5:10 am. He nudged me and asked me if that was my alarm. I was asleep. Have I mentioned? I was very out of it. I've been a bit busy. Exhausted doesn't really cover it.
A moment later, he jumped up. OH, WAIT. THAT'S MY BACK UP ALARM FOR A WORK DAY. SORRY.
He turned off his alarm. I got up and peed, then tried to go back to sleep. But I was leaving town, the mind started. Did I tell the kids such and such? Did I pack this? Should I go clean off the dining room table? I'm hosting my college alumnae club Christmas party on Wednesday, thus my above average busy status and my need to get as much done before we head out of town.
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| My kitchen mid-decorating for Christmas mode, on a babysitting day - this was nap time. Progress was made, eventually. I'm typically the last one to have decorations up, but this was Dec 1st and since we were heading out of town and I'm going to need to be in party mode by Wednesday - and I babysit Mon, Tues, and Wed . . . I forced myself. |
I was awake, almost an hour earlier than necessary. One of us stayed up late, organizing stuff. Clearing counters. Making lists. And THEN Curly appeared in the kitchen, AFTER 11 PM. What? She had an essay due today, so I offered to read it over. Have I mentioned, I'm tried?
I'm trying to get over it. If you're going to bother me, best not to do so in a way that interferes with my sleep. You've all been warned. A solid nap on the plane and abundant sunshine promise to lift my dizzy-head feeling. Fingers crossed.
Prior to the late night when I read Curly's essay, she'd been hemming and hawing about this assignment. Her 8th grade class had watched a documentary about the poor treatment of circus elephants. They also read about Frederick Douglas, an escaped slave who lead the abolitionist movement. The assignment was to compare and contrast the treatment of slaves and circus elephants. The teacher would not allow them to use the words 'elephant', 'slave', or 'mistreatment' in the opening sentence. Give me a break.
I told Curly to go with mankind and animals, etc. She was struggling with a few other components. She and I were in the study. Mini was across the hall in the living room, where she does homework. Enter Mini to save the day.
Mini: I DID THIS ASSIGNMENT. I WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW THE ELEPHANTS WERE EVENTUALLY SENT TO A SANCTUARY WHEREAS THE SLAVES WENT ON TO DEAL WITH LIFE IN THE JIM CROWE ERA . . . (she went on and on, spewing her handle on the material).
After she left the study, Curly looked at me, leaned in close and whispered: WAIT, SO WHAT DID SHE SAY?
I died. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard for so long. It was priceless. Curly was lost by Mini's intellectual spewing. Mini reiterated her points while I wiped my cry-tears from my face.
Saturday, Dec. 4th, poolside: Update - I DID sleep a bit on the plane despite the fact that my hamstring tendinopathy makes it incredibly painful to sit. It felt like my right buttock was accidentally perched on a sharp object - like a knife.
More importantly, Arizona is amazing. I napped poolside shortly after we landed on Friday. The Embassy Suites, the pool, the weather: perfect. I've been brainstorming Christmas gift ideas while here, as my backup plan might become my legit plan.
By the way, it isn't lost on my that we are fortunate enough to be able to gift travel, even if we don't get actually get to. *sobs softly*. . . I mean, it might be a mistake to bank on Reggie and Curly scoring basketball scholarships, but my fingers are crossed.
Have you been woken by an alarm that wasn't yours and it ticked you off? Are you an early Christmas decorator? Nicole - no need to answer that.
10 comments:
Hahaha! Okay, I won't answer :) But I always set an alarm and I almost always wake up BEFORE the alarm, so if the alarm actually goes off, it's super startling. It happens about once a month. My husband has never set his alarm earlier than mine, I don't think. Glad you got some poolside relaxation! I think you need a break and some rest.
Nicole - hee hee. I always set an alarm so that I'm awake in time to welcome my small charges, but if that alarm goes off I am SHOCKED. I am almost always awake beforehand. Coach on the other hand gets up CRAZY early, like you. I think his alarm goes off around 4:30 am. I rarely hear it. This time it was a backup alarm that he forgot about. Ouch.
Arizona was VERY relaxing and the weather could not have been better.
I can't stand other people's alarms. For a few terrible years, my husband had to work earlier than I did. He was overly fond of the snooze button. I eventually told him that I would murder him if he continued to snooze multiple times each morning. One and done buddy, or find a new place to sleep.
We are supposed to get rain on Thursday, and the day time temps are 10-15 degrees cooler this week than last, so you lucked out! We're sick of the heat, but for visitors, it's great!
I, too, have raged over accidental alarm wake ups and lost sleep. Solidarity. I have room for growth in the virtues 😬
We rarely set alarms, and are usually awake by 7 or so. I often have trouble sleeping and if I’m awake a lot through the night I often get a sound 90 minutes closer to dawn. I recently told my husband “I need to be go out at 8 so I’m setting the alarm for 7’. He woke me out of a sound sleep at 6, after a terrible night, and said ‘don’t you need to be somewhere at 7?!” Does he never really listen? I could have killed him!
Kara- I do not understand the snooze button people. Coach worked with a guy once who admitted to hitting snooze for over an hour, maybe 2. I was so confused. Just set the alarm for the time you NEED to get up. Right?
It is not lost on me that we got incredibly lucky with the weather. It was made to order.
Leigh- This cracked me up. Yes. Solidarity indeed.
Pat- Oh how I hate it when I don't sleep well. This example is exactly what I would consider grounds for strangulation.
I was an early Christmas decorator when I was 8 and put up the tree in October. It all ended there.
I'm laughing at Curly and Mini; they remind me of L & L!! WHAT DID SHE SAY?
I'm so happy you got some sleep and some sun/pool time!! Nothing worse than a tired/crabby Mama.
Suz - I remember that October Christmas tree story. You were an eager little elf. No one in these parts is a fan of a cranky, tired mother.
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