Night Shift

22:31hrs - I hustle in from the garage. The graduation ceremonies went later then I had expected. There wouldn't be any time to get in a workout now. Though I suspected that I had sweat more sitting in the stifling auditorium then I would have working out with Jillian at home. While writing out the cheque for our new sitter I think, she seems nice, the girls like her, I think we'll keep her. As I walk her out and go back outside to put away the toys JJ and Tiny Bear were playing with on the yard earlier in the day it becomes painfully obvious that it is far cooler outside then it is inside. Man, I wish we knew where the screens were for our windows. It would certainly help to be able to open the windows.

22:45 - I call JR. let him know I'm home and find out he is coming home for supper in a few moments. Soup and a grill cheese sandwich are on the stove.

23:00 - JR sits down for supper. I listen to the "news" as radio chatter comes in over his unit. It isn't long before dispatch calls. Someone's throwing stones off a building. Duty calls.

23:25 - Walking down to the cool basement the plan was to flick on the tv for a bit but I change my mind. Its time to crawl into bed. On the way back upstairs to our room I pass JJ's and go to crack the door open. The humidity had caused it to swell and instead of silently pushing open it screeches and I hear her stir. Two seconds later I watch as she slids down off her bed, comes to the door and says "Good Morning Mamma". After some negotiations we settle on her watching some Veggie Tales as I work to cool down her room. A fan from storage, opening the screened windows and opening doors, trying to cool everything down. JJ asks to play with her toy kitchen that I moved to get the front door open. Not on your life. Its back to bed for you.

00:00 - I lie in bed under a sheet. If I lie really still the heat isn't so bad.

00:10 - My breath catches. Just as I drift I hear the cry of a baby. Tiny Bear. Maybe she will fall back asleep.

00:30 - Tiny Bear has been crying off and on for long enough now. I get up to settle her. Her skin is cool when I reach for her. Despite the heat, the air from the fan blowing in her room must be giving her shivers. She'd lost her soother, was hungry and needed a diaper change. Good thing I went in when I did.

00:41 - Back in bed the heat is almost too much. I restlessly try to get comfortable in bed. The more I move the sweatier I get. I watch as the clock ticks over 0100hrs.

02:01 - I hear the side door open. JR is home. I open my eyes and watch for his silhuetted form coming down the hall. I acknowldge his presence and roll over to go back to sleep. He chatters about going downstairs to watch tv.

03:00 - I register JR crawling back into bed.

03:31 - JR is asking about the window crank. Where had I put it? Who cares is 3am, I'm exhuasted and why are you talking to me? The window blinds are rattling and its keeping him awake. The crank shared between all of our windows is on the china cabinet. I had remembered to take it out of JJ's room earlier in the evening.

03:35 - An obnoxious sound pierces the bedroom. JR reaches for the phone. Dispatch. He grabs his gear and dresses while walking down the hall. The side door bangs shut. Tiny Bear cries. I get up to settle her and flop back into bed.

05:00ish - Somewhere in the middle of the fog of dreams about a dead relative JR returns for the second time. He can't settle

05:32 - JR gets up to go sleep downstairs. He proceeds to tell me what he is doing. Again, I don't care. I'm trying to sleep.

07:31 - I hear her before I know she is there. There is a quite *knock*knock* on Tiny Bear's door as she makes her way down the hall to our room. "Mamma?" That's right. I left all our bedroom doors open last night to help the house cool off. I reach down and lift JJ into our bed. She chatters aimlessly for the next few minutes. "Sister? Mamma, sister cry. Wake up, sister."

Night shift just rolled into day shift.