A Cosy Morning
Setting the early alarm for a cosy morning...
I live for this.. I don't do it often, it takes a certain level of will power and since the Pet Snack Monster number 2 came along it's harder to make myself arise. But, with my alarm clock set for 4am (I am asleep for 9, it's the only way I'm getting up early). I come down stairs and the whole house is in slumber. Toby started sleeping through a month or so ago - raises hands in a thankful prayer to the toddler sleep gods - so the nights feel less fractured. It's just me and the dogs, Otis always comes down with me, sometimes I have to carry him down the steps like a fluffy fat baby, his poor back end stiff with arthritis if he's been laid still for too long. Mrs Tiggiwinkle often joins later not wanting to leave the warm covers. I always swore no dogs on the bed but as they've gotten older we've lost our resolve and now most nights I fall asleep cuddling Tiggy like a toddler strangles a teddy to sleep. Otis prefers the foot of the bed, he lays ready to hop off at the first hint of a walk or with the approaching advances of his human servent wanting a cuddle.
First jobs are to tidy up a little, if I've been particularly thoughtful to future me the night before there will be minimal to do. Future me is always so grateful. Tired night time me should try harder to give future morning me lots of gifts like this. Then it's kettle on, fire on, candles lit, sketch book and pencil out and we're in for 2 hours of ME TIME.
I have a list in my head of things to draw and this one has been rattling around in there for a few weeks. Ever since I spent an early January day in the field pulling the boys around the frozen puddle on a sledge. Cross was I to find I had left my phone inside so couldn't snap a photo. I've had to ask my imagination kindly to do all the hard work. I've given her a break though by just opting for a sketch of any children rather than my children. It is 4am after all.
I couldn't not draw Otis, he's 10 now and his sore back muscles are making my limited time left with him more and more obvious. He has grey hairs dotted over his head and a curiously large lump under his armpit - hopefully fatty but maybe not, itās being watched - Why can't pets have the life span of us? It's heart-breaking. I hope we have a good few years left in him yet but nobody really knows do they. Oh my cosy morning just got mournful, sorry. Anyway, I am grateful to have him and happy to be drawing him.
I hope you have a lovely day, and hereās to more 9pm - 4am nights and morning spent like this. This is surely what February is for? Itāll soon be light enough to enjoy a sunrise walk before the house gits awake, Amen to that.
