The Alarm Clock Conundrum

When I first retired, I turned off my alarm clock and buried it under some bedside reading. I was not about to fill my retired awakenings with the harsh buzz of an alarm clock - or even the tinkling of my Sleep Cycle App, I wanted to drift awake and have a relaxing start to my day – no rushing around!

I awoke daily, happily refreshed a tad after 7 a.m., headed to my window, drank my coffee and enjoyed the view. After all, I was used to leaving home a little after 7 five days a week (and at 8 am on Sundays) so my body clock was ready to rock ‘n roll at what now seems like an early hour. 

Amazingly, that went on for over a year. Every once in a while I would sleep in until 8 or so, but really that was still OK. I had plenty of time to be amazed at the wildlife outside my window, eat my breakfast, check all communications channels and get to my 10 a. m. workouts.

Then we went to Hawaii for a vacation. We enjoyed a week in the paradise of Kauai and returned home rested and refreshed. (OK, I was already pretty rested, but it was refreshing to be far away from those floors screaming, “sweep me!”)

The next week, I slept until 8 or 9 every morning! I had to rush around to get to my workout on time – in fact one day I slept right through it! It wasn’t like I was staying up half the night. I’ve never been a night owl and maybe a couple times I was pushing midnight, but mostly I was in bed by 11. 

This did not sit well with my midwestern heritage and upbringing as the daughter of a self-made man. For goodness sake I was sleeping my life away! (Dad used to make my favorite puff pancakes on Saturday mornings just to get me out of bed.)

I told myself, I must need the sleep. I told myself I had earned the right to sleep as much as I wanted. I told myself I was giving hubby dear his own space to get ready for work.

But the reality was I had all these fun, interesting things on my list I wanted to do (once I finished my chores of course, dad) and there were not enough hours in the day!

So I’m back to the alarm… at 7 a.m. Hubby is already out the door to work and honestly the window view is better. Like a camera with a softer focus, there might be a slice of fog on the water. The dew is still glistening on the lawn and flowers and the birds are singing in a powerful cacophony of song that says, “good morning, let’s embrace a new day.”

Until next time,

Miriam