Night Terrors

One thing did not go well on the vacation trip. I had hoped to catch up on weeks of missed sleep, but it was not to be. I slept fitfully, just like I do at home. Sometimes I think I've forgotten how to sleep. But then, a lot of friends my age seem to have the same problem so perhaps it's just one of those things you have to live through until it's over.

Last night the dogs and I got off to bed early and we were actually doing quite well in the sleeping department. The first indication I had that anything was wrong was when Mojo woke me up crawling up on top of my head in a panic. Once I got fully awake, I realized what was wrong. The first night home the blasted smoke detector battery had failed and the warning CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP was sending the dogs into a blind panic.

So, at 1:00 a.m. in the morning, I was out in the garage getting a stepladder in order to disable the thing. I had both dogs and both cats skulking around like the end of the world was nigh. I pulled the smoke detector out of its electric hookup and thought that was it, but the darned thing just kept on its chirping. So I hauled it out to the garage and shut the door on it.

About the time we got back to bed the rain started. All four animals piled into bed with me and Mojo would not be persuaded that anyplace but draped around my head on my pillow was safe. So we spent the rest of the night that way. A cat on each leg, Coco on my left side anxiously watching the window, and Mojo perched on the top of my head. We finally got to sleep and spent the rest of the night in relative peace.

Mojo has been very nervous since I got in last night. Poor little boy had a couple of seizures while I was gone and has clung tightly to me since I walked in. I slipped off today long enough to get an oil change and buy some batteries for the smoke detectors. As soon as I got back to the house, he attached himself to me again. He was not at all happy when I started messing around with the smoke detectors and was really upset when they chirped again to signal they were back on duty.

I sincerely hope that tonight goes a little better.

The last night of the vacation at Opryland Hotel, Lana and I indulged in the little boat ride that tours the entire complex on a "river" consisting of blended waters from hundreds of waterways in the United States. It was great fun, even if we didn't get to see the the 85-lb. catfish that lives there. Seems he has gotten too fat to come out in the main channel and spends his time in the deeper waters of the boathouse.

LSW