Counting...Me!

I'm the first to admit that I have some odd sleeping patterns. Unless there is some sort of work schedule to keep me in line, I tend to rise bright and disturbingly early, putter about like a hummingbird on espresso for the morning then crash into a full-on nap once lunch is done. I'm then pretty likely to stay up until the wee hours playing with the wool and watching late night TV. Since it is currently my summer vacation, I am free to indulge in this sleep/wake roulette to my heart's content.

But last night was ridiculous even by my standards.

I was tired after my weekend of parade attendance and hamburger eating so I found myself a bit more ready for beddy-bye than usual. I was awake until midnight or so, but knew that I was running on empty and went to bed thinking that slumber was just around the corner. Not so.

The brain kicked into that weird gear that is often unused. The thoughts began racing. So fascinating was this series of neural firings, that sleep became utterly impossible.

Boy, July is sure coming to a close quickly...I really need to start planning to get the classroom set up for the opening of school.

Speaking of which, I probably should get my teacher certification stuff done. I've sort of stretched the "wiggle room" they allow on that.

If I don't get it done, what should I do for a living instead of teaching? I'm a pretty talented gal. I'll bet I could come up with an interesting career...

Hey, if I get a chin implant, would I look more distinguished? Maybe more trustworthy? I could become a chin model...that would be a cool new career!

Or would that just give my face more surface area for growing wrinkles and age spots. I'd probably do better to minimize the square footage of my face at this stage of life rather than put up an addition.

Why am I not sleeping? I really should be asleep. I'm pretty sure I'm tired. I distinctly recall saying that I was tired around eight o'clock.

Where is the Big, Fluffy Kitty? She makes me nervous when she stays up late. She looks like the type to make a lot of long distance phone calls or suspicious Internet purchases. She has no thumbs, though. It's probably all right.

Wait. What the heck? People type and make phone calls without thumbs all the time.

I should check on her. Just to be sure...

Maybe I should count sheep. I hear that helps people get to sleep. Sheep. That's funny! I'm The Sheep! I can count me! One!!! Hee-hee...one Sheep! Let's do it again.

One!!!! Ha-ha-ha!!!!!

OK...let's settle down here. I really should be asleep. I'm sure I'm tired. I think I even feel a yawn coming on.

....one! ::snicker::

I finally gave up and watched some TV for a while. Sometime around 4:00 in the morning, I found the will to ignore my own self's ramblings. I managed to sleep for about four hours. But, there was certainly less of the "Caffeinated Hummingbird" air about the morning's activities. I was more like a turtle on Valium... And, even by my standards, the afternoon nap was a long one.

The plan was to break out the drum carder again and renew the assault on the endless pile of merino that has taken over my living room. But, I was feeling the urge to do something a little different today what with the messed up sleep situation. So I alternated between tidying up the shetland lamb fleece (which is smaller and of a more manageable mass) and bit of knitting. There is little to show for the effort, though. The pace was slow and the amount of time spent on any individual activity short. Maybe I'll get a second wind tonight.

I'd like to think that the merino might call to me again. After four days of carding, flicking, picking and general nurturing, I have a rather small amount to show.

Ready for the dye pot...a little dye pot. Very little.

I really, really want to get this all carded before the summer ends and school starts up. I realize that I have a month or so in which to do it. There is certainly ample time. But there is a great deal of wool on a merino sheep. A great deal, indeed. I sometimes look at it and wonder if another whole sheep sneaked into that bag before it came to live with me. I know that's silly. It's one. Just one.

One Sheep.

Wait...plus me, that's two Sheep. Two!

I could have counted to two last night? Two? That could have been the magic sleep number!!! What was I thinking???

New plan for tonight! Good thing since I clearly need a bit more rest...

SA