My Vacation Alarm Clock

When I take a vacation, one of the things I most look forward to is sleeping in past my normal alarm time. I'm not tethered to my regular schedule; I have no pressing commitments or appointments to keep. It's not always possible to avoid the annoying alarm clock entirely when visiting family.

Staying with family in another town is an easy way to vacation without breaking the bank. It's always important to remember that the family you are staying with still has their regular routine and responsibilities. This may mean that you may not get as much sleep as you had hoped.

On our recent trip to Texas, I crashed on a cot in the living room. Obviously, this area would be a major thoroughfare in the home. Located next to the kitchen, I could always expect at least one nighttime visit from the teenager who refuses to conform to traditional sleep habits. My Dad's sole purpose for heading to Texas each year is the fishing. In order to avoid the exorbitant heat, he and my cousin would head out around 5am each morning. Dad cannot walk quietly on the hardwood floor....it's simply impossible!

Just as I would finally drift again to the Land of Nod, I was greeted by numerous alarm clocks sounding at once. Literally! The sleeper in the bedroom off the kitchen cannot wake up! To solve this problem, she sets numerous bells, chimes, and songs that are intended to raise the dead. As the zombie begins to rise, the energetic grandson enters to greet his Nana while his mother packs his lunch for the day. As this is happening in the kitchen, there is a constant procession from the refrigerator to the bathroom. Most mornings I'm playing opossum to avoid early morning conversations with all of these "wide-awake" people. By the time everyone leaves for work, I'm wide awake and roll over to find Mom perched on the couch. In the early days of each vacation, this is the point where I attempt to grab a few more minutes of sleep by stealing away to Mom and Dad's room. However, it doesn't take many attempts to remember that I can rarely go back to sleep once I am fully awake. Thankfully, I'm on vacation and don't have to form any type of coherent thought....because Heaven knows that logical thought is one of the first things to go when I am sleep deprived.

Despite the early morning wake ups, this year's family vacation was a great time away, visiting with family and enjoying a little relaxation.