sleep, interrupted

Typically I can recover from a nighttime disturbance. I wake up, take note, go back to sleep. But four disturbances all within minutes of each other? If you can doze off after that, you're a better sleeper than I am.

There was Ed's cough (he is still recovering from his bout with Covid... or something else... in any event, still hackin' away). Then there was the beeping of his phone -- there are multiple ongoing exchanges with the CEO of the machine company Ed works with, because, you know, next week's tariffs, which will lead to fewer machines for educational facilities, for manufacturing companies, and for independent machinists, and higher prices for all, in addition to a certainty of layoffs at his company, and possible closing doors to production, period, will make America... what did you say? great?... again? And this is when my phone started beeping because my grocery shopper needed to tell me that a good chunk of my groceries, scheduled for delivery at 7 a.m., were no longer available. Tomatoes, for example, which is sort of ironic considering that tomatoes will surely be a problem after the tariffs, but then here we are -- suffering empty tomato shelves even before the crisis begins. And finally -- the cats. Ed had spoiled them in my absence by leaving the bedroom door open, so naturally, they're meowing and scratching at it now that I closed it firmly shut for the night. I could add to this list the buzzing of a box elder beetle, but I do think that I would have slept through that one under normal circumstances. This night, however, was not normal. And so this morning we are just plain sleep deprived.

A light dusting of snow covered the farmette lands overnight. You're probably thinking -- oh how nice, you got your wish! I can't say that I did. We are to have a one day warm up (if you call 45 F/7C warm, though I suppose it is quite warm considering this is February and I live in Wisconsin) and so by noon all this will be gone and we will return to a sullenly dark landscape. But for the early hours of the morning, enjoy!

(what? enjoy? no! we don't like it!)

(pretty, maybe, but useless and fleeting)

I wait with breakfast until Ed is done with his calls (with the CEO guy). It isn't exactly a gloomy morning meal, but on the other hand, we're not cracking jokes either. Still, it's nice to be together and to know that whatever happens, this will be our lot -- a morning ritual repeated until I lose all interest in granola or oatmeal or croissants. Today it's granola because granola is, in my mind, a comfy crunchy food!

We had wanted to go biking today. I mean, it's above freezing! We've done it before in winter weather. But the lack of sunshine is just so off-putting! It makes cold seem colder. So we stayed glued to our screens until it was time for me to fix dinner and Ed to fix whatever broken thing he has lined up for that task.

Yes, the young family is once again here for Sunday dinner. 

(the youngest of the five...)

And it is lovely to see them. All of them.

And of course, once they leave and I've put away all that needs to be put away after family gatherings, I just want to crash because, well, we're sleep deprived! And yet, that pleasant hour or two on the couch with Ed -- it's irresistable! But please -- cats, phones, box elder beetles -- stay away from me tonight! I need the week to get off to a good start.

woth love...