Fall Mornings

There a few things I love about fall. The changing weather, the changing colors of the leaves, football season, an end to the freaking allergy season, but my favorite thing about fall has to be the early mornings. Getting up early is never a fan favorite in my book – I hate mornings as a general rule. I do think that I would be better off as a vampire – aside from the whole drinking of blood thing – because I usually get a resurgence of energy around midnight every night. However on the rare fall morning where I do get up early (or have stayed up all night which happens more often than getting up early) I love to grab a cup of coffee and sit outside in the chill air, smoke a cigarette (I know, I know but I really enjoy my cigarettes despite the inherit detriment to my heath) and enjoy the peace that always comes with one these mornings.

That brings us to this morning. The Ole Lady is working nights but generally gets home around 5:30am each day. She gets the kids up and ready for school before going to bed herself. Well this week she has to work until 10:00am a couple of days so I get the pleasure of waking up early and sending the boys on the bus and taking The Princess to daycare before journeying off to work myself. Now I did manage to get myself shut down at about 1:00am this morning knowing I had to get up at 6:30am to wake up First Born and Grumpy (Number Two's general demeanor in the mornings – he is so much like me).

Did I mention we have a new cat? First Born begged The Ole Lady to get a cat – cute little guy. Well so I thought he was a cute little guy. Did you know that kittens do not like feet? Well let me rephrase that – they don't like your feet when you're asleep. So this morning Satan's Spawn digs his knitting needle sized claws into my foot at about 0'dark thirty (it was 5:00am!!!! Did I mention I hate mornings?) I think I hit my head on the ceiling, I know the cat sprung wings – most hell spawns are winged right? – the blow to the head apparently knocked me out because I was fully asleep when he attacked the second time. This time he revised his attack plan. He first climbed up and cuddled with me as if to apologize for the first attack. I was gullible enough to fall for his purring diversionary tactic (Stupid me). So there I am blissfully dreaming of what all men generally dream about – yep puppies and lollipops – when out of nowhere this evil beast has my hand in a death grip. Claws dug into either side of hand, his weight pinning my hand to the bed and his fangs……more like twin scimitars…..dug into my forefinger. I tried to dislodge him but he was too powerful, it was no use – I was going to be eaten by this seemingly innocent, cute kitten. My life flashed before my eyes – and it was not good. Somehow I finally mustered the strength to throw him off of me – did you know that hell spawned cats have wings? Yeah, he began dive bombing me; jumping up and coming down at my vulnerable little fingers with his razor sharp scimitar-like fangs and knitting needle claws. My only escape was to get out of bed – I think that was his sole motivation in the first place – he wanted my warmed up spot on the bed – because immediately after I vacated the safe (prior to the arrival of Hell Spawned Kitten) warm bed he curled up in my spot and fell right to sleep.

So it is now time to get the boys up. I know this will be a chore – Grumpy still has not found the joy of early mornings. Well not so early he only has to get up 45 minute or so before the bus arrives to drag him off to school. First Born has his mother's attitude towards getting up – he pops right out of bed and is dressed in seconds. Number Two on the other hand…..he fights, he screams, he hollers, he whines, he throws a fit – and that is just from me turning on the lights. I know what you, dear reader, are thinking – he needs more sleep. Well we have tried that and with the same results whether he sleeps 8 or 20 hours. He never has clothes to wear despite the over packed drawers and closet. All of his jeans are either too small or too big or too this or too that. The shirts are either … well you get the point. Once he is awake and retains his pleasant, joyful, fun-loving self he could not care less what he is wearing – he would put on one of Princess Laughs A lot's dresses (and has – that was funny but for another day). So the boys are on the bus and off to school. I have 30 minutes before my Princess has to get up- she is so much like Number Two that I know what to expect there…….

So in those 30 minutes I do enjoy that coffee (somewhat cold now but still good) and smoke. It was amazing and peaceful. As I am coming back into the house I notice that one of The Ole Lady's dogs must be sick – luckily I noticed before stepping into it……….. It is hard to convince myself that today will be a good day, but I do choose for today to be a good day.

I hope your mornings are as pleasant as mine!