One day, as I was at the sink, I noticed something moving outside the window. As I looked closer, I saw a squirrel digging at the top tarp. (I have to peer through the bare dogwood tree limbs.) She scratched on it until she had a huge fluff the size of a basketball of shredded tarp. There is no way to stop these squirrels when they start on a project of deconstructing what we humans want intact.
My neighbor had a nice, new hammock with the attached pillow. Squirrels ripped up the pillow. She said every day she looked, more was ripped open and the pillow was being gutted. She was furious and finally took down the hammock. I had sweet potatoes on a table in the back yard. A squirrel carried one 20 feet up a tree and left it in a crotch. Squirrels dig up anything planted in a pot, so my life is rough when it comes to anything potted growing. Okay, maybe those are chipmunks digging in pots.
Several days, I have noticed the squirrel at work or noticed that more of the good tarp has been ripped up. Before I get new chicks to put out there, I was going to have another tarp put over the pen. It won't last now that the squirrels have found a ready source of bedding for the babies probably due soon.
When a tarp is ripped up, the tarp shreds into little blue plastic strands, sort of like spaghetti. These strands will now be all over the yard and in trees.
Even if I could rid my yard of squirrels, there are so many that the other squirrels in the neighborhood would just move over here.
This morning, I awoke about 4 am. I was too warm, so I threw off the sheet and fuzzy blanket. Then, I was chilly, so I pulled the sheet over me. I was too warm, so I pulled it away from my neck and stuck my hands out. sigh Finally, I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed the heater was on. It was not just barely on! It was on too high. So, I turned it almost off. The room finally was cooler. The cooler I got, the sleepier I got. So, I turned over to go to sleep with only the sheet over me. Then, my cold feet roused me even as I tried to just ignore my feet. I took the blanket in a heap and threw it at my feet. Ahhh, better. Then, my feet were too hot. I lay still and tried to sleep, anyway. That did not work. Finally, I just turned on the light and got the laptop out and waited for the alarm to go off at 8 am.
It is 11:15 am, and I am exhausted. I am too tired to put on a nightgown, but I don't want to sleep in my clothes. UGH! Three hours sleep does not work for me!
I called a friend and we are going to meet and she just said, "When I get through here." Well, about 11:30, I went to sleep in my clothing. I had a nice nap until about 4 pm. I called and she had forgotten another place she was going, so, that's that. It's okay. Plus, the conference was late ending.
If I had not had the heat on too high, if I had turned it down sooner, if I had not had so much cover on me, if I had taken a melatonin, if, if, if, that is how some nights go.
Do you have an abundance of squirrels? Eating things you don't want them to eat? I know there must me somebody who has as much trouble going to sleep some nights as I do. Raise your hand.
Hand raised! Just about every night is a struggle. Too hot, too cold, furnace too loud, etc etc. I usually just finally get up and read for an hour or two if I don't have to get up early. Then I have to take a nap the next day...
ReplyDeletekt,
DeleteThank you. I guess misery loves company. My sound machine that only makes white noise helps me a lot. Naps are a wonderful gift!
Another hand raised!! I only sleep maybe three hours at a time. I have learned to just sleep when I get tired. Sometimes that might be 9 pm and sometimes that might be 5 am. I am retired so I can get away with sleeping whenever I want.
ReplyDeleteVicki,
DeleteI am with you. I sleep when I can and want to. If I accidentally go to sleep when I am lying and watching tv, I just go with it. I have few places to be early.
Yes, too many squirrels!! As for sleep, I sleep fine but wake up too early so then I'm tired and want to go to bed at 8PM. It's a vicious circle LOL. The plus is I get a lot done in the wee hours of the morning. When I am somewhere else, I make sure I have a book to read at 4 AM so I don't disturb them. I've always been early to bed and an early riser but 4 AM is too early.
ReplyDeleteExactly!!!
DeleteNan,
DeleteI finally quit trying for hours to sleep and got up and accomplished something. I figured if I got the dishes done and clothes washed, I could nap without thinking I had things to do. Of course, I could finally sleep just a bit during the night and then nap in the afternoon. I am very quiet when I might disturb others. Yes, 4 am is way too early!
I have insomnia. I fall asleep ok, but if I wake up, there goes the ball game. Like all other insomniacs, I try different strategies and I get one to work at times. Most of the time I just get up and start my day. Doesn't matter if I nap during the day or not. It doesn't keep me up at night. Just have to go with it I guess. I have a friend that says God must not like old people to sleep. I believe her.
ReplyDeletetana50,
DeleteI think I have selective insomnia. Sometimes, sleep happens one way and then another. I sometimes sleep three hours, awake, and can sleep after two hours, getting a good night's sleep. Then, I may sleep five hours and never fall asleep again. Sometimes, I sleep one hour and cannot sleep and do not nap. It is awful I cannot predict a pattern. Those three patters seem to prevail. Although, often I can sleep six hours during the day after only one hour at night. It drives me crazy. And, taking a nap never has interfered with sleeping the next night. I wish this were just an old people thing...lol. Although now that I am older, the fitful sleep does not interfere with day activities...because I have none!...just kidding, just not so many scheduled activities.
I seem to have developed a pattern of sleeping in two sessions in a 24 hr period of time. Roughly 9 pm to 100 am and then 6am to 1030 am. The 9 pm to 100 am is kind of aggravating because that is when my husband and I used to watch movies and recorded tv shows. Now, with this goofy sleep pattern, no matter how interesting or exciting a program is I am watching one minute and then sound asleep the next, no matter how hard I may try to stay awake. We are going to have to change our tv movie schedule. My sleeping problems used to be a real pain before we were retired, but now it is easier to work around them except for early doctors appointments and such.
ReplyDeleteI always have more problems with strange sleep patterns and insomnia during the winter than in the summer.
there are no squirrels here.
ReplyDeleteBack in MI the squirrels were jet black.
urspo,
DeleteNo squirrels? I thought squirrels were everywhere...lol. I can give you a few. I have never seen a black squirrel. The ones here are gray. I hear there are red ones, too, in England, I think.
Susie,
ReplyDeleteIt seems like your pattern cannot be changed. Maybe you could watch movies earlier? I just do not make appointments early. I something cannot be after lunch, I just go home and straight into bed for a nap. It is strange that this happens more in winter than summer. There must be an explanation. Thanks for sharing this.