Sleep

There are very few things in the life of my home that are sacred. I mean in the sense that they shouldn't be disturbed, interrupted, or otherwise messed with unless there is a MAJOR emergency. But the one thing we do have that is sacred is sleep. Bedtime, Sunday afternoon naps, and even dozing in front of the TV are all things that are just respected. 

For the most part, we keep a relatively normal adult schedule. We try to be in bed before 11 and are usually asleep before midnight. Jeff is usually up before 6 am during the week and 8am on weekends because he has to walk Patches. I tend to stay up a little later and sleep a little later, but I generally try to avoid the "up all night, sleep all day" cycle, if for no other reason than I have to be up at least two days a week. 

If we get a phone call after about 9pm, our hearts race a little because it's unusual. When the doorbell rings unexpectedly after 10pm, pure panic sets in. It seems only natural. In an age where everyone seems to have instant access to any number of means of communication, a visitor in the middle of the night who didn't call first is not going to be the start of any type of good situation! 

We had a surprise "visitor" (who has tentatively been identified) that decided it would be fun to ring our doorbell and run away at midnight on a Saturday. This seems like a typical childhood prank, except that we are hidden away so we know it was not random. And Sunday is one of my work days. Even though Jeff was still up working in the office, I was happily tucked all snug in my bed with visions of sugarplums dancing through my head.

It is not easy to sleep after that kind of panic-induced adrenaline rush. And there will be retribution for those who feel the need to mess with my sleep.