Insomnia Bread

Insomnia. 

Well known to women ‘of a certain age.’ I hate that term, don’t you?  What that means is women over the age of 50.  Women in pre-mid-post-menopausal years. Women who have more gray hair and wrinkles. Women who get chin hairs and crazy eyebrows. (What’s up with that anyway?)  I feel you gals nodding your heads. You understand. Can I get an Amen?!

It is 4:30 a.m. and I have been up since eight a.m. Sunday morning. We went to bed at our normal time, around 8:30 p.m.; you may think that sounds a bit early. We actually go to bed to get away from the animals so we can read or watch YouTube videos on art restoration. Caston put on his C-pap gear and was asleep within a minute. (Bitter, party of one.) I had a full day and you would think I would be ready for sleep. Instead, I thought. And turned. Thought a little more. At some point I dozed off and then – my phone rang at 1:30 a.m.

No good call comes at 1:30 in the morning. Someone has drunk dialed you, or someone has died. I answered to the perky voice of my neighbor – again. (She said she is a night owl – that’s code for insomnia.) Guess who was visiting with her – again? If you guessed Spartacus, our cat, you win the prize. 

Last week I shared about his first sleepover at the neighbor’s house followed by his surgery. We had hoped that ‘nipping’ things in the bud, so to speak, would rid him of the desire to wander across a very busy highway.  He has been inside all week recovering and yesterday was his first day to be outside for any length of time.

I had this horrible feeling in my gut when he did not want to come back inside after dinner. By bedtime, Spartacus was nowhere to be found. After a brief discussion, she and I agreed to let him sleep at her house given he was already asleep on her bed. I plan on picking the little devil, I mean darling, up this morning. 

I attempted to go back to bed after the excitement was over. Caston had hobbled out of bed at some point but as usual, he was immediately back to sleep. (Still bitter.) After watching two more art restoration videos and turning a dozen times, I decided to get up.

Then I had the bright idea that since I was up, I would go ahead and get a jump on my day and bake a couple of loaves of bread. This is a new hobby of mine – like I needed another! A few months ago I decided I was tired of purchasing bread that went stale before we used it up. Stale bread makes great croutons and breadcrumbs, yes. But there is just so much of that you need. Making my own bread is much healthier and now we never have stale bread. We will overlook the fact that we inhale it out of the oven. That is a blog for another day.

Given my sweet neighbor has twice now babysit our wayward cat, I am taking one of the two loaves for her. It’s the least I can do to help support her new cat boarding business.

Remember back in the day when you could stay up half the night and sleep until noon the next day? When did that stop? I try to remember the last time I sleep completely through the night. Oh, I remember! 2021 when I had thyroid surgery. Those were some great drugs.

As if women do not have enough to deal with, but to mess with our sleep too?? That is unforgiveable. You KNOW insomnia has to be a male energy. All men can fall asleep within five minutes of closing their eyes.  If that isn’t enough to scratch their eyes out, I don’t know what is!

Sigh. Okay rant over. I guess there is a silver lining with my insomnia – that hot buttered bread sure will taste fine with my cup of coffee!

Good morning!

P.S. Pray for Spartacus. The Wander Kitty is now in time-out and will need prayers for life on the inside!