Innnnsommmmmnia!!!!!!

At the tone the time will be 2:56 AM! I'm not sleeping. I haven't been sleeping well for months - years actually! Saturday night was the absolute worst. I did not get to sleep until 5:30 AM ish - don't know the exact time because I can't fall asleep and check the clock at the same time now can I? Plus I had to be up at 6:30 Sunday morning. You do the arithmetic. An hour-ish of sleep does not do the trick!

Last night, out of sheer exhaustion I slept well. Tonight I'm back on the usual staring at my eyelids for hours routine. Layla the dog is not pleased. It is her duty to follow me wherever I go, and if that includes getting up 6 times in the middle of the night because I'm not sleeping then she has to get up too. She's the one who thinks she has to hang out with her Ma - not me. I'm not making her do this. You know how dogs are. They help you go find a pencil, get a Kleenex, throw something in the trash.

Sometimes she just thinks I'm about to get up because I move a toe or breathe differently or set my glass down and she jumps up all excited and ready to go. She often follows in front of me - looking back to see where I'm really going and trying to change her course in such a way that she looks as though she got the memo and she knows the agenda. Dogs have pride too, you know.

She's here in the office with me now. I moved my foot a second ago and she sprung into action, thinking I am about to go somewhere. She's hoping the somewhere is back to bed. The Mister is oblivious.

Anyway, the sleep thing. I've always had some difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. I don't care what they say about the full moon NOT having any affect on humans, I can't stay asleep when there is a full moon. My daughter can't either. We used to bump into each other in the middle of the night when she lived at home. But then I can't sleep during quarter or half moons or no moons or blue moons either. The mister has no trouble whatsoever with falling sleeping or staying asleep. Ever. Not that I have a problem with that. I'm just saying...

Anyway I've tried several over the counter medications. Some work - but only for a night or two. I've tried having a drink of something that contains a goodly amount of alcohol. That may work for a night or two. I try to keep a bedtime and waking schedule. Doesn't work. I cut off all caffeine at 6:00. I don't watch TV in bed. I do have one habit that I neither want to nor will I change - and that is reading in bed. It gets my mind settled - as long as the book is reasonably boring or if I've already read it. I highly recommend books like Disease and It's Affect on World History, Cultural Anthropology or Civil Litigation for bedtime reading. You cannot stay awake.

If I'd stick to those everything would be okay. However, I'm often in the middle of something really good and I feel compelled to drag that to bed with me. If the book is a real page turner I find myself pushing the put-the-book-down envelope. I don't know about you, but I usually have 2 or three books going at a time along with a book on tape to listen to on my way to work. That's if I'm working. Which I am not.

There's a 24 hour Starbucks a few miles down the road. Maybe... but on second thought I'll probably have to change out of my PJ's. I'll also have to order caffeinated coffee so I'll be awake for the ride home. Layla will want to go. I could call one of my insomniac friends - but what if they are asleep???? They'll kill me!

So, here I am blogging at 4:07 with my dog at my feet. She keeps glaring at me over her shoulder.

Maybe I'll just sit on the lanai and see what time the sun comes up. Again. The Mister will remain oblivious.

Lemme think on these two options. I'll get back to you.