Night, interrupted

We arrived home from the beach yesterday evening and everyone was happy to be home. We appreciate our Tivo, Wren was thrilled to find all his toys (and wanted to take every one out to re-possess it) and Frost was happy to find more birthday presents.

Happy 7th Birthday Frost!

However, I did not get a good night's sleep last night for the following reasons:

• We were woken around 3.30am by a cat trapped in the basement mewling. Josh got up and released the cat.


• I could not get back to sleep thinking about the news that my grandad died while we were away. He was 97. I did not hear the news (because, apparently, it is inappropriate to email this kind of information and nobody could reach me on the landline at the cottage). I managed to reach my cousin's wife Van in Australia and she told me that he had post-operative complications after a fall in which he broke his hip. My uncle managed to be with him before he died and a funeral is being held next Friday. My mother is leading a complex and long tour of Australian scientists and museum patrons in Namibia and I do not think she will be able to attend which will be hard for her.


• I had just got back to sleep around 4.30am when we were woken by a racoon coming in to eat cat food. We have recently installed a "racoon proof" catdoor with magnetic entry for the cats. It seems the racoons have learned to get in by tapping the door, catching the flap and lifting it up to get in (it is locked if you try and push it in but not swinging and lifting). Josh got up to chase them away.


• I could not get back to sleep worrying about Wren's upcoming cath and the news that Marin's surgeon told her mother [Marin had the subaortic surgery a year ago] the area had not grown post-surgery and that this meant a more aggressive approach was needed. I kept wondering what would be suggested for Wren and whether it would work.


• Wren woke to nurse at 5am. He slept till 6.30am but I had only just got to sleep because my neck was very painful. Yesterday I tore a muscle in my neck while running after Frost in the park. I can't rotate or look up and this makes rolling over in bed very sore. I am walking like a robot and rotating from the waist. Ouch.

The night is over. Its morning and we are all awake except Josh who will sleep till noon to recover from the vacation of early risings and all those animal intruders overnight.