SHHHH! They Are Sleeping

I am sitting in my bedroom with my mini-laptop typing this in the dark. Why? Because all the kids are in the living room on pull out couches and cots sleeping. What is a mini lap-top? It is only 8.5 inches big. Kinda like an over sized blackberry but no phone. That isn't what my story is about.

I was sitting here reading some of my favorite blogs and realized I have done this my whole entire life. No not read blogs but get up at the butt crack of dawn while everyone else is still asleep. I wake up ready to go. I don't want to miss a minute of the day. Not even if it's just sitting on the couch staring at the boob tube. It brought back memories of going to visit my quirky cousins on their ranch.

My cousins lived on a ranch and that was my favorite place to go when I was a kid. I loved it because it was the country and my cousins were fun and imaginative. I loved it because my Aunt Vanina was the sweetest kindest soul I have ever known. I loved it because my Uncle J.C. was the funniest old coot and could do anything. My three cousins were used to living on the ranch and it wasn't much fun for them, but for their little city cousin it was paradise.

So every morning while I was a guest at the ranch. I would get up before everyone else even Uncle J.C. I would either sit in the lawn chair on the patio or in the den watching the stars start to fade and the sun start to rise. My little 8 year old Gladys self would sit and contemplate the woes of the world and the hope of the future. I would wonder about things like would we go to Hidden Valley and get root beer barrel candies and drink ice cold sarsaparilla? Would we go to the tank on the mountain and swim? I would listen to the waking of the chicken and the crow of the Rooster. The dogs, Tip, Tip Junior, and Bird Dog would yawn and stretch and sniff and yawn some more ready for another day of chasing rabbits and killing rattlesnakes.

Uncle J.C. would wander into the kitchen and grab his work boots. "Heebeegeebee," he would say "whatcha doin up afore the chickens?" He knew though because he was just like I was. He wanted to greet the day head on. He wanted to be the first one out there to see what there was to see. Then one by one the house would start to stir. First my Aunt would appear and smells of bacon and coffee. Then my oldest cousin Bee would stir, next would come Wendy and then their brother Yobbie. Matilda would find her way into the kitchen with the luscious smells of fresh bis cuits and eggs. We would all be awake, ready to take on the day when finally the sleepy head of the bunch my brother, Buck, would be forced by his cousins and siblings to get out of bed and see what the day would bring. We would spare nothing to drag him out of bed. We would use shame, cold water, bouncing even threats of rattlesnakes and tarantula's whatever it took.

Finally we would all sit down to a ranch breakfast and fill our bellies full. The day would be growing brighter and warmer. The chickens were hungry, the cows would be bellowing and the day would start. I loved every minute and cherish every memory.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have biscuits to bake and coffee to grind. I have pancakes that need to be pancaked and eggs that need scrambling. More important than that the day is waiting for me.