Early to Rise

Can you see Scotty in this picture?  The sun (sun!) was streaming in through the mostly glass backdoor, and I caught a picture of it because it made me so happy.  It wasn't until I downloaded it off my camera that I got extra extra happy, though!  That little silhouette in the back of the counter stool made my morning.

This early morning picture reminds me that I used to be a total night owl.  I still am, truth told.  I have always had my best energy late in the night....it's never been unusual for me to get that second-wind and start in on a pile of laundry or a major project after midnight.  I get caught up in a book or some yarn and, next thing you know, it's 3 in the morning.  

I can't remember when it happened , but I started getting up early.  I believe it was last summer, when the bedtimes got later and I was home with the boys for our school break.  I just loved the quietness in the morning...it was often the only "quiet" that I could catch all day!  And it kind of became a habit.  (It's a very fragile habit, as I previously mentioned, it's not my natural clock!)   I even bake in the morning, before going to work.  I love to bake (this is pumpkin bread in the back row and banana (one row with nuts, one row without) up front) and my friend Perrin told me recently that I should take advantage of my willingness to start baking at 5 am by going to work at a bakery.  He thinks I'm odd, but he also receives several loaves each and every time I bake, so he keeps it to himself...most of the time. 

And even though I get my craft on whenever, I especially love to crochet before the rest of the house wakes up.   Just a silent companionship with the kitty laying across my feet.

Other times, I'll get right to work (my favorite up-and-at-'em trick?  tie on an apron!  it always makes me productive) cleaning the kitchen, hanging a load of laundry on the line, or, it's coming...making pancakes!

And, in the morning, is usually when I blog.  I'll go through pictures of the last couple of days, and I'll think about which pieces I want to remember right now, to help me get ready for this new day.  Not ever day is good...some days are downright crappy.  But every morning, when it's still quiet and my family is still sleeping, I have the chance to say today will be a great day.  And I remind myself of that by finding whatever was good (come on, no whammy!)  from yesterday and writing about it for just a minute each morning.

So, last week, during the week-that-would-not-end, it was unusual that I found myself stripped of my quiet time.  It seemed that no matter how early I got up, or how late I went to bed, there was always somebody (ahem) right under my feet, or wriggling their toes into my leg to warm up, or "helping" me.  Keeping me "company".    The first couple of days, it kind of bugged me.  I was totally off my rhythm, and the interruptions were tiresome.  But then, it kind of became my new rhythm, and now, sitting here this morning in a completely quiet house, tapping these words out on the keyboard, I kind of feel like going back there and waking somebody up.  To keep me company.