The Bird of Paradise

Ready or not ........ the season has begun. I arose early and made muffins and coffee and began the day. I am ever so thankful for having had a good nights sleep. Yesterday as a calamity of horrors.

I will admit that I was less than pleasant when I asked he who can sleep through all manner of disasters to please take care of the dogs and let me sleep for just a bit longer. Some sort of critter invasion, probably the old possum who shares the cat food with Kamp Cat, had the trio of dogs all a tither. Wall-E is able to jump in and out of the bed at will. The doxies aren't as agile, being short of leg and having achieved 11 years of life. Emmy needs a lift up and down. Unfortunately, Oscar is able to get down, but not back up. He will stand on the floor beside me and whimper until I get up to lift him in bed .............. but, he will only allow himself to be lifted on the other side of the bed. He is a little tyrant.

Oscar got me up at 1:00 and insisted on going out. If one dog is going out, I take them all. I try to shuffle along and hang onto my sleep. I only allow three minutes for these mid-night adventures. I can go in three minutes, so that's all they get. I hear them barking as I shuffle back to the door.I open it and Wall-E and Emmy scamper in obediently. They know the drill. Oscar, however stands just beyond my reach on his stubby little legs barking defiantly and refusing to come back in until I show him the fly swatter. Even then he gets a last bark in, just to let me know that he is the alpha. This performance was repeated at 2:30 and again at 4:00. At 4:00 I used the fly swatter on Oscar.

So, when he got down at 7:00 and tap danced with his toenails across the room I suggested that he who rarely shares the mid-night outings be the one to take them out. In addition to being rudely awakened, my knee was aching so much that I had trouble finding a comfortable position to get to sleep. Sleep was fleeting at best and my head ached and I was just plain cranky. A nap was needed. So, he who sleeps through the night got up and took the furry trio out and put them back in bed with me ............. He who knows that Wall-E the Wonder Dog will not stay in bed with anyone except he who is loved most by Wall-E. He leaves the house and Wall-E leaps to the floor to check on the master of his universe no less than 6 times in a mere 30 minutes.

When he returns and expresses surprise to find me sipping black coffee and grumbling I was quite vocal about the little white dog he chose to leave in bed with me. I was in pain all day. The knee had that deep ache that feels like it is untouchable and in the very marrow of the bone. I took aspirin and tylenol all day, but it only made it somewhat bearable. My lack of sleep the night before just made everything worse. Kamp buddy, Yvonne, came to check on me and bring me a sweet treat ......... feed a cold, starve a fever and indulge any other malady with creme horns. She opined that moist heat might help and when she left, locking the door behind her I decided to try a little nap. I put a towel in the microwave and automatically set it at two minutes (coffee heating). After about a minute I checked it and found it to be toasty warm. Wrapped up my bum knee and settled on the couch with the dogs. It did help, but I was unable to fall asleep (due, no doubt to the 4 mugs of coffee I had consumed). I tried to sew, but after I sewed a size three top to a size six bottom I decided my mind was not functioning and I went back to my perch.

We had a pizza in the freezer and I decided it would suffice as supper and I went in the kitchen to preheat the oven and stuck my towel back in the microwave ..... and automatically set it for two minutes. I heard the chime of the store door opening and went out to help a nice lady inquiring about a seasonal site. I was explaining the rates when I heard the microwave ding and noticed a different aroma. The nice lady and I both sniffed the air at the same time and both decided I should check on my towel ......... It was blackened and smoldering. I asked he who handles all things unpleasant for his bride to take it outside.

There is little left now of the towel but ash. So, to all of you out there who would want to warm a towel ........... two minutes is too long ..... way too long, it would seem. I finished with the lady and was told to just sit down and let he who sleeps at night take care of things. I did.

I went to sleep after Jay Leno's monologue and slept until 8:00 this morning. I was in the same position, did not even move all night. Only two dogs were in bed when I opened my eyes and I called he who let his wife sleep to let him know he could bring his dog home .......... they were chasing squirrels, master and dog.

I feel great! Who knew how good sleep could make a person feel? My knee doesn't even hurt today. So, as I was mixing blueberries in muffins and chopping nuts for the banana muffins I was reminded of that song Roger Miller used to sing about the bird of paradise flying up your nose. My dad loved that song, probably still does. I was thinking that the bird of paradise had flown up my nose yesterday ........