Monday, June 16, 2014

Not so Alarming

The last few weeks have been a blur of hyper vigilance alternating with crazed inertia.  Truly, I'd forgotten the enormity of mental exhaustion that accompanies the presence of a young puppy in the home.  (It has been seven years since the last puppy!)




Henry is now about 14 weeks old.  He's getting the hang of things.  He knows his name.  He sits on command.  He has a good grasp on where the bathroom is, except now and then when he forgets.

Henry sleeps crated in the bedroom with us.  The other dogs sleep at large on various blankets that blanket the bedroom floor.  This arrangement makes it convenient to zip Henry outside during the night to relieve himself.  Yes.  Convenient.  Well, as convenient as can be expected as you stand in your nightgown on the lawn shining a flashlight beam on a squatting puppy, proclaiming in sleepy enthusiasm, "good boy!".


When the alarm goes off at 5:30am, lately, it feels earlier. 


Over the years, I've experimented with different sounds for the alarm clock.  Buzzers, bells, music.  Buzzers startle me.  Bells annoy me.  Music has the unfortunate tendency to stay in my head all day, a couple of bars repeating maddeningly.  I've finally found what works: the radio set on a talk station - but it must be in a language I don't understand.  This, curiously, is the most neutral way for me to wake.


How do you like to be awakened? 





10 comments:

  1. I adore the little puffy tail that lays on his back ! Is he a Pomeranian ?
    What a cutie-pie.
    But living In Tucson were it is not even summer and we are already 100+ and more plus than not... I look at all that fur and shudder !

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Yep, he's a Pomeranian. True to his Nordic roots, Henry has already expressed his dislike for warm weather (it's 84 degrees here right now).

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  2. Henry is so cute!

    How do I like to be awakened? Naturally, when my tired old body is ready!

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  3. Henry's such a cutie!

    I do set an alarm, but most days I wake up a few minutes before it's set to go off.

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  4. When I was young and didn't have as many choices, the sound of a buzzer used to scare me so much that I actually learned to wake at the tiny click the mechanical clock made just before the buzzer would go. Hence I can now awaken to the tiniest tingle of a cellphone set to its most unassuming ping.

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    1. And if that doesn't work, the fluffy/chubby cat will knock things off my bedside table until I am up and feeding the princesses and her cohorts Molly and Dougal.

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  5. I'm always awaken by the strangeness of a dream. Your puppy is adorable.

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  6. My husband wants another English Bulldog. I'm like NO. I do recall how exhausting puppies can be and it's been 8 years for me, so I feel your pain! Well, I meant I refuse to feel your pain. haha

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  7. YOU wake me, dangnabbit.
    -Mabel.

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  8. I have a certain body part that wakes me up to get relieved at 6:30 in the morning and four furry eyes asking me to take them out so they can get breakfast too.

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