I’m stealing this photo from my Instagram post this morning.
We woke up at an ungodly hour this morning. 4:30 am. What the heck??
Back story: Scout, as an almost 17 year old dog, has issues with her ‘elimination’ processes. So we now use the pretty chalkboard in the kitchen to write things like ‘Pee 6:59 pm’ and ‘Poop 10 am.’ Since she pees less often, usually about twice a day, and sometimes leaks a bit, we are vigilant about chronicling her daily schedule, which is never the same. This involves remembering when she last peed, thinking ahead 11 or 12 hours, and making sure we get her outside in time. A good night is when she pees at around 7:30. We smile and relax, knowing we can sleep normally and still be up in good time for Scoutie.
There are, however, many times that one of us has to get up at 3 in the morning and hustle her outside. You do what you have to do.
Last night, for some reason, she peed at 5:30. So I figured we could probably get up around 6 am and we’d be okay. It was too warm in our bedroom last night and both of us woke up at various points in the night. At some point later, I woke up and figured it was close to 6 am. Still dark out, but about to be light. Don was also awake and we chatted back and forth about whether we should get up. I kept thinking about Scout and knew I had to get downstairs very soon to let her outside. When I start worrying about letting her out, forget it – I can’t get back to sleep. So I got up. And Don got up.
I went downstairs and looked at the clock (for some reason we don’t have a working clock in our bedroom.) It was 4:55 am. Hence…we were awake at 4:30, yammering on to each other, deluded in our belief that it was 6 am or so.
Crap.
And to add insult to injury, Dame Scout continued to snooze for the next two and a half hours. I finally woke her up to let her out at 7:30.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Don is now napping on the sofa in the den. Scout is sleeping in the tunnel.
I’m wide awake.
Happy Thursday.
one word says it all…”bummer”
Yes, indeed!
Oh Claudia…I will admit to laughing. Tyg, our cat, came in last night before I went to bed. When that happens, he usually gets me up around 5 a.m. to let him out. This morning I heard him crying and jumped up to let him out (and, of course, woke myself up quite a bit)…thinking I could snooze for another half hour or so only to discover it was 2 a.m.!! I don’t know if he saw or heard one of his “buddies” outside or what, but he bolted out the door when I opened it. I went back upstairs to bed and, thankfully, managed to fall back asleep fairly quickly. But those nights where sleep is broken like that I find the next day to be hard…and, today, it is grey and rainy. Perfect for a nap, but I’m at work….hope you can get a little shut-eye at some point today.
Thank goodness you got back to sleep, Vera! 4:30 is too early, but 2 am is WAY too early!
Our dog is now 13 and can no longer make it through the night. He usually has to go out around 2 am. I am the one who usually does it because my husband has to get up at 4 am to be to work at 5am. I can sleep in or take a nap, if necessary. He does some of the weekend trips. I have to admit that I would probably be getting up by 5 am to take care of my OWN needs, so this way I take care of that while the dog takes care of his. We are all getting older in this house together.
Same here, Laura! Same here.
Ugh! That’s the word I use when unexpected very early rises happen here.
Hope you get some rest during the day!
Me too. Fingers crossed!
That happened to me Monday (woke up way too early and couldn’t go back to sleep). It was a rough day and I couldn’t even nap. I’m not good without my sleep. Hope you get a nap today!
hugs,
Linda
I am not at all good without my sleep, Linda!
We are the servants of a very old cat who has decided that use of his box is arbitrary. When our dog was an old lady, the vet gave her an occasional steroid shot for leaking problems.
Interesting about the steroids, because usually the result of steroids is that a dog (or cat) has a to pee more often. Anyway, we probably won’t do that…although never say never.
Good idea to keep track of Scout’s schedule…a sensible solution. Bowser decided that 2:30 am, was a good time to pounce on my feet…he wanted to play. Took me an hour to fall back asleep…fortunately I did. But, then there’s this feeling about 2:00-2:30 in the afternoon, when I really want to shut my eyes…and I just can’t. If I take a nap…I can’t fall asleep at night! Hope you have an easy day today! ;)
I only take a nap if I absolutely cannot stay awake and know I MUST lie down. Otherwise, I wake up from the nap rather surly and crabby and it isn’t a good thing!
The things we do for our “kids” – LOL. What good parents you two are – no kidding.
PS – I actually woke up one morning in high school when it was, as usual, still pitch-dark out. Got washed and dressed, gathered up my books etc and opened the door to my room, heading downstairs. Then I hear my Mom’s voice. “Janet, it’s 3 in the morning, you still have 3 hours before you need to be up. Go back to sleep…” What??? I had actually felt like I’d had my normal 7-8 hours! Twas very weird. And of course I couldn’t go back to sleep. I was worried I’d conk past my normal time [didn’t use an alarm until college] so I sat in my chair reading Stephen King so I wouldn’t get drowsy – LOL. ☀️
It’s strange how that happens. I’ve definitely woken up thinking I’ve had a full night of sleep and it’s only been 3 or 4 in the morning – but that happens rarely!
I’m right there with you Claudia. I’ve been up since about 4:40 this morning. No reason for it either, except I couldn’t go back to sleep once I woke up. I think the clincher was when I got up to use the potty and my feet hit the cold floor. It was such a shock I couldn’t relax enough to fall back to sleep. I hope you have a chance to take a nap today.
Blessings, Betsy
I hope you get that same chance, Betsy! 4:40 is too darn early!
Oh, life with an old dog. I hear ya.
They’re worth everything, of course. That doesn’t stop me from complaining at times!
Don’t you hate it when that happens?…lol..I did it a few times when I was working…Up, showered, dressed and ready to go…then I would either discover that I was way early or that it was Saturday and I did not work that day…Those days I had much more energy and once I did all of that preparation there was no going back to sleep…now that I take all of this medication…I could probably go back to sleep easily…
I cleaned out a closet this morning and vacuumed, did laundry, etc.
Now, I’m crashing!
Good…also I tried & tried to sign up for Instagram and can’t do it…apparently I must have a device that I can get apps on so I guess I will just have to check into yours from the side….booger…lol…
Well darn it! Sorry! xo
If you start out with a puppy, the middle of the night runs are kind of fun for those first few weeks, and then there are many years of “normal” going out before bed and sleeping through the night. When they hit about 12-14 is when they revert to the trips out in the night. But, as someone else said, many times we are getting up anyway to do the same thing!! Circle of life.
Well, Claudia, it is official ~ Winter Storm Watch for Fri night through Sat afternoon. ugh. And it is actually flurrying right now. Winds of about 40 mph. I have been working on cleaning our pantry today and just sat down and saw those awful flakes. So sad that it is about to start. My friend in Denver sent me a pic earlier this week of the 12 inches in their yard. I told her she could keep it, but sadly it is on its way. ?
Oh no! Now, that’s depressing! Somehow that first snow is better if it doesn’t happen until late December, don’t you think? How much snow are they predicting, Chris?
Well, since early AM I have heard 3-5 and now 5-8. Personally I am hoping that they are all wrong and it will be 0 (or a trace) to 1. With it having been so warm this month, I would hope the ground is warm enough so it takes a while before it starts accumulating. I am just dreading it. Late December would be good for the first one. Middle of February would be even better!!
Oy. Middle of February until March 1st. How about that? Two weeks of snow. Then Spring.
Bella kept waking up at various times just barking like someone was at the door. I could not figure out what was going on. This morning when I got the paper, we had earthquakes in and around this are last night. They talked about how sensitive dogs were to the quakes. So, I guess that’s what was bothering Bella.
Am going to Texas tomorrow to see Johnny so wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Love,
Judy
I heard about those earthquakes, Judy! Bella knew, for sure.
Thank you for the birthday wishes!
Oh, I wish you could hear my rueful chuckle! I have been thru this SO many times with an elderly dog. With the one old girl of ours, I took on the full nighttime responsibility because I simply HAD to let my husband get in his sleep for his job which also included a long commute/long day for him. I became so tuned in to the dog’s overnight meanderings that I slept with one eye open, wanting to ‘save’ what carpet I could…she was blind and would pace and pee (multiple medical issues/drugs). I can’t tell you how long I put up with this ‘schedule’ but it went on for far too long; she passed at age 15. It damaged my own sleep pattern so much that I would say it took a full year after she was gone, for me to get into any healthy sleep routine (which I found surprising…and disturbing!!…as we need our sleep; it’s so important…).
Anyway…oh, what we do for our pets; it sometimes can UN-do us!
I walked into a pet-lover’s house a few weeks ago and totally understood. Her own old-girl dog is about age 16, totally deaf; very frail…and there are three other dogs in the house as well. So, the old dog wants to get away from activity/chaos and just sleep all day…and my friend goes along with it. A section of the living room is completely covered in disposable pee pads and mounds of pillowy (washable!) quilts. The dog is wrapped in a cozy sweater (she’s small), and fuzzy blankets create a soft bed somewhat off the cold floor since the dog can no longer jump up on to anything and she can’t be on the human furniture anymore because of the ‘leakage.’ She’s framed/tucked in with pillow borders, carried back and forth to the outdoors to peepee or to the feed station if she’s having a particularly creaky day. Stacks of clean, fluffy towels are at the ready, mainly to cover a human lap so that the dog can cuddle on you without getting you ‘wet’ (she’s a major cuddler). The owner keeps the dog and her surroundings scrupulously clean. It’s just the way it is for now. She apologized profusely for the appearance of her living room due to the accommodation for the dog and I told her, “I understand.” It’s just ‘not time yet.’ The dog’s only real health issue is simply advancing age.
A certain symmetry: I was at a medical appointment this morning and saw an acquaintance of my mother’s there…now with a caregiver. The lady, who’s had a fairly-high profile in town on the social scene over many years…an elegant person…has reached her 90s, the once-resonant voice more dim; her walk slowed with an unsteady gait; a formerly-thick head of hair thinner, still tinted, styled with her signature bun at the nape; eyesight compromised … and she can no longer drive. Her family has jumped thru hoops to keep her in her home, with paid help; hence, the caregiver by her side (also functioning as chauffeur). My point is, we do it for the older pets; we do it for the older folks; and we’ll hope somebody does it for us … helping us with what we need along the way (the journey of aging). It touches my heart; all that you do for dear Scout, lovely girl that she is…and, as we’ve discussed previously, you will never regret it.
But I hope you and Don get a better sleep tonight!
Your friend sounds like a loving mom and caregiver to her dog. Bless her heart.
We do everything we can for our loved ones – whether young or old.