Lying by a fire=same effect as Ambien

Dan and I are kindred spirits in that we are both "night owls." However, Dan makes up for his sleep loss with a nap on their futon in the basement next to the wood stove. It is oh, so warm and toasty in that basement next to that wood stove. I didn't try a nap on the futon, knowing that I would pay for it dearly when I actually needed to sleep, but now I wish I would have tried it. I only say this because, at home, sometimes Nate and I light a fire in the fireplace. If I lay on the floor in front of it - it leads to immediate drowsiness and sleep - and this is saying a LOT for me.

Last night, I feel asleep there at 8:45 pm! Nate came over and found me sleeping, and I am sure thought I was either a.) dead or b.) he was witnessing a MIRACLE - I mean, come on....Jen, asleep without a sleep aid - and at 8:45 to boot. Nate quietly asked me "Are you actually sleeping?" I sleepily replied, "Yes," to which he responded, "ok, well go straight to bed, don't worry about your nighttime routine....." (FIY: My routine is extensive - a minimum of 30 minutes, and it tends to re-energize me when I usually get sleepy). So straight to bed I went....and fell asleep quickly.

The bad news of this story, I woke up - WIDE AWAKE at 3:45am...... I got up for a bit and read some of Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love." I began reading this book several days ago and am consuming it with vigor. I think that I find her relatable in many ways and she writes the way that I wish I wrote.

I hung out for a bit....ate a bowl of cereal around 5:00 and decided to head back in the bedroom and read a bit more. I was awake when Nate's alarm went off at 5:30. I think the boy was confused, to say the least, to see me awake. He ran on the treadmill and I did go back to sleep for a while.

Dear, dear Amber came down and put a shiny new outside on me this afternoon! Tonight I will admit I feel like a new girl with my highlights, lowlights, and spunky red color in my hair. She trimmed up my hair and went on about how LONG it had grown - and let me tell you what, it really has been growing a lot. I can tell you this because a ponytail is not only easily achieved, it is acheived without any kind of secondary restraint (ie - a headband).

Also, the angel-girl waxed my eyebrows.......thank the good Lord! After the eyebrow debacle of December, I WON'T be doing them myself, ever again!

The neighbor boy got locked outside, so his mom called and asked if he could hang out at our place for a few hours until she got home. He is in early high school.....Hansy loved him because he played with Hans a lot! It was kind of nice to have a fair amount of people in the house, keeping me occupied.

The house is a bit messy, but I have time to clean it up. Here we are, at the 5th of January, 2010. I was hopeful that the New Year would come in with a bang, you know, some kind of HUGE lightening strike. I don't think it has, but perhaps I was overly expectant.

Within the next few weeks, I need to light a fire under my bum and get some stuff in gear....but for now, in this moment, I am content to hang out with Nate and sit with Hans!