For the next several weeks, the Bear starts work at 6:00 a.m. He gets up at 4:00 to give himself time to get functional before heading out.
My alarm (clock) is set for 8:00. My alarm (dog) tends to go off at about 7:30.
We are not morning people. For most of our marriage, Bear has either worked second or third shift, and I tend to take only afternoon or evening classes, although I’ve had the rare morning class (that usually doesn’t go well). However, we’ve adjusted to this early rising thing and although things are iffy until that second cup of coffee, we haven’t yet committed mayhem upon anyone or anything. (It was a close call this morning when Maverick was barking at a guy who said, “will he bite?” and I replied with, “I don’t know.” To that he responded, “well then I won’t approach.” I refrained from saying, “DUH!!!!!!” ) (In my defense, I’d had NO coffee!) (I did give him the look, though)
I’ve never quite understood people who are judgy about what time other people get out of bed. When the Bear worked second shift ( that’s 3-11 for you normal people), we would go to bed around 2:30 (that’s A. M.) and get up around 11. We ate dinner at around 1:00 a.m.
My sister, who personifies judgy (she should have been named Karen), would often make snide comments about how late we slept. And the thought of eating dinner so late made her just about pass out. (I would say she got the vapors, but I can’t quite see her fluttering about with smelling salts and a handkerchief) (I’ve been known to get the vapors at times, but that usually preceeds me falling over in a dead faint and scaring the bejinkies out of everyone in sight.) (That’s kind of fun, actually.) (I digress)
She’s now retired and has been for years. When I was in NY, I was told (often) that she gets up at 5:30. I refrained from saying, “what the f**k for?” Seriously, is it even light yet? And what is open? It’s not like you can go to the library or go shopping or go to the dentist or the doctor or really anywhere except all night diners and emergency rooms at that hour! (Are all night diners open or is the Kung Flu still got them closed down?) (I’m going to Hell for Kung Flu, I just know it)
When (if) I ever retire, I plan to sleep till noon every day, take a nap around 5, and then go to bed around midnight. I suppose at some point, I will have slept enough, so then I plan to just get up, get a coffee, and go back to bed with a book.
I have always been a failure in her eyes. My lack of enthusiasm for early morning hours is only one more of the many things wrong with me. (The list is long and grows longer with each passing year. I’ve given up keeping track.)
I’m not sure why people who get up early look upon the night owls as lesser folk. I just know it’s tiresome.
Suziecreamcheese Sings the Blues 
OMG, I am in the same boat. My natural body clock is set for second shift. I also feel very comfortable eating dinner at 1 am and going to bed around 4:00. I have to constantly defend myself that there is nothing wrong with me. This is just how some people are built. When it comes to “Who wants to work in the ER/patrolling the steeets all night?” be grateful for people like us!
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Oh, and the morning phone calls! “You’re still in bed?” like you’re committing a sin!
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Phone not even plugged in. Ahhhh…😊
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We still have a land line
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I just pulled the cord from the phone. I plug it in if I want to call someone. (I’ve had problems with harassing calls in the past.)☹️
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Good idea, but Bear would never go along. And that’s not a battle worth fighting for me. (My mom always said, “Pick your battles, cuz you can’t win ’em all.” (She was a wise woman in many ways)
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For many years – back when I was younger – I worked 3-11 and occasionally 11-7. For many years – back when I was younger – I worked those shifts and was on-call 24/7 as well. Now, at my advanced age, I’ve developed such poor sleeping quality that I’m up usually between 2:30 and 3:30 AM and can’t fall back asleep. By 5 PM, I’m tired mentally and physically, but not sleepy. I will attempt to read until my eyelids are too tired to stay open, and then I just lay for an hour or two with my eyes closed and let my mind wander. I end up falling asleep between 9 and 10 PM, and then awake again at oh-dark-thirty the next morning. I miss being asleep long enough that it’s light out when I finally open my eyes! As for your sister, why does she even care so much how and when you sleep?????
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My sister’s mission in life seems to be to find thing to criticize, not just about me but everyone. When my sleep is interrupted like that, or I just can’t get to sleep, lately I can’t read because I’m too tired to concentrate. Diamond painting seems to work, an hour of putting little stones on a sticky paper to make a picture zones me right out. Might be worth a try for you.
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We have an alarm dog too. His setting is wonky and can go off at any time depending on his need to go out.
When my husband was active duty before kids and he’d have a week of night flying we’d both shift our sleep schedule and live nocturnal. I had a terrible time getting back on days though. Once H was born everything shifted to her schedule. Now we act like old folks in bed by 11:00.
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The problem Bear had with working nights (11pm – 7 am) was that he would try to live like “normal” people on the weekends. Mondays would be horrible,. I never could convince him that staying up all day on Saturday was not a good idea. 7 years of that, I was so happy when he retired!
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Our internal clocks are all different. Mine (bladder) wakes me up anywhere between 6:00am to as late as 8:30am. I only set a “real” alarm of I absolutely must get up at a certain time.
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Whatever works makes sense to me. Night owl. Morning dove. Pick what works and enjoy. For us, we rise daily around 5:30AM and hit the hay about 11:00PM. That’s plenty of sleep for us but others would go insane on 6 1/2hrs (minus dog pee run at 3AM.) We’re not judgey about it at all even if you guys are all slug-a-beds.
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I normally get about 6 1/2 or 7 hours of sleep. I’ll see your slugabed and raise you a good nap.
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LOL, I also sleep in and go to bed later. I had to get up all my life early, about 5:30am, to get ready (mostly in slow motion :P) and, get off to work. Now that I’m retired I sleep in late and stay up late. You just can’t change your body clock no matter how hard you try, it will just revert back to it’s natural rhythm. So next time she makes a snide remark just tell her, you do you and I will do me :).
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At this point, I’m not sure she’s ever going to speak to me again, but that’s a story for another time.
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