It's not what I intended. I've been very tired lately. Perhaps it is the change in seasons, or maybe the sudden increase of activities that has me so fatigued lately. I went to bed a little earlier than usual, expecting to sleep soundly for many long hours. Unfortunately, my body had other intentions. Is my increasing sleeplessness one of the normal plights of getting older? I'd like to think that I'm just well rested and need to get up now. But I can't deny that my sleeping patterns have been changing.

I slept well the first few hours. After that, I dreamed. And every time I had a dream, I would wake up. Dream, wake, dream, wake. Every time I arose from that cloudy dreamworld into something resembling first consciousness, I'd become aware of the rain slapping on the roads outside and the whirring spray of water from car tires as early risers made their way to work. The sound of rain reminds me that the chimney still needs repair, that our old windows need replacing.... I stuffed my pillow over my head to block out the distractions and try to sleep again, to no avail. My kitty cat decided I should rise, though. And we all know that when a kitty cat makes up her mind....

So here I am. Awake. Watching the sun slooooowly rise. The sky is still only a deep navy blue, precisely that same navy blue color in the crayon box. Cars still whirr past, and kitty cat is still clambering over bookshelves, tables, windowsills and secret hiding places that disappear with the afternoon sun. She has this bad habit of dumping everything off my bedside table each morning -- books, hair accessories, reward cards, my glasses -- except that today she's a little early. Like me today, I suppose.