Early Birds, Old Dogs, and Murphy’s Law….

Daily Writing Prompt: What time do you go to bed and wake up currently?

When do I go to bed and wake up? Well, like most things in my life, it depends.

I always wake up to the sound of birds singing in summertime. There’s something about that early chorus that pulls me out of sleep, even before I open my eyes. Winter, though, is a whole different story. I feel like I should be hibernating when it’s dark and cold. But no such luck.

You see, I’ve got an old, blind, diabetic dog named Heff. And like clockwork, he’s up around 5am every morning. Doesn’t matter if it’s daylight, snowing, or the apocalypse outside, Heff knows. He knows when it’s breakfast and insulin time, and he’ll go full-on ape if I try to sneak a lie-in. Funny thing is, even though he can’t see a thing, I swear he senses when it’s daylight. He’s like a furry little alarm clock with attitude.

As for bedtime? That’s anyone’s guess. It depends on how my day went, how my mind’s spinning, what existential crisis I’m having at 11pm, and whether or not the universe decided to lob another emotional grenade my way. And of course, on the nights I’m absolutely shattered, you can be sure I’ll somehow end up going to bed later. Murphy’s Law loves me like that.

Generally, though, I aim for 11pm. Anything later than that, and I turn into a gremlin. I’m too old for those wild, reckless nights and too young to willingly surrender to a 9pm bedtime… so close to 11 or before midnight is the sweet spot.

And to be fair, when you’ve got a cantankerous blind dog demanding breakfast at 5am, you learn real quick that sleep is a privilege, not a right. But hey, I wouldn’t trade Heff for the world. He’s cranky, he’s bossy, and half the time he’s farting in his sleep, but he’s my cranky, bossy, farting little legend.

So yeah… that’s my glamorous sleep schedule. Don’t be jealous.