Good Morning!

A few weeks ago Ed and were out to dinner with another couple. We were talking about how our lives revolve around the horses have changed since we moved out to our little farm. I could see the guy giving Ed a look that I see frequently. It's the look of incredulity that says 'you really enjoy this? How did she talk to you into it man? and I hope my wife is not getting ideas!'

I find that look amusing. Then Ed said something that surprised me. As we were chatting about what's involved in the care he causally says "one thing is that getting up with the horses has made Teresa a morning person".

I was speechless. No one has ever used that phrase to describe me.

ever.

My definition of a 'morning person' is someone who leaps out of bed greeting the day with a bounce and smile.

My dog, d'Arcy is a morning person:

He's so excited it's morning he can barely contain his glee.

I find it very annoying.

I do not greet each morning by bounding out of bed eager to see what the day will bring. I view mornings as something that needs to be negotiated. I need to take my time in waking up and will always hit the snooze button at least once. If you are visiting and are up with me in the morning do not take offense that I'm not speaking to you. I don't speak to anyone. On more than one occasion when Ed is asking me a lot of questions in the morning and generally asking me to make decisions and pay attention I have said 'You need to stop talking'.

 I believe that I need to own this mug:

So how on earth did Ed reach this ridiculous conclusion that I am now a morning person?  Now that was a puzzle. But I like puzzles (although not in the morning) so I thought about it. And I think I've figured it out. This is the evidence that Ed is going on:

• I get up every morning without complaint
• I feed and muck out the horses
• I make coffee for us
• I feed the birds
• When he comes downstairs I speak to him

See- it all makes sense. Except that I'm not a morning person. I get up every morning because I know that the horses are dependent on me. I still hit the snooze button once. and I spend time in bed talking myself into getting up while my more selfish half says to me "but the bed is warm. and I'm still sleepy". I finally subdue that voice and get up. The coffee I've made up the day before- I just have to hit the 'on' switch. As I walk out to the barn the dogs are running around, the birds are singing and the sun is rising. It's actually quite peaceful and magical. I am greeted in the barn by Steele blinking sleepily over his stall door and Irish stretching. I give them their feed, top up the water and fill up the hay racks. But I can do this at my own pace and neither the horses nor the dogs require conversation. Unless it's freezing cold I always stop for a few minutes to listen to the quietness of a morning in the country. It's very soothing.

By the time I make it back to the house and pour my coffee Ed is just getting up. And now I'm awake and can actually hold a conversation. As long as it's not too complicated.

I don't think that I'll ever describe myself as a morning person. But it's a heck of lot easier when it's like this: