For some unknown reason, in my retirement years I've taken to retiring for the night earlier than I have for many decades and rising at the crack of dawn, or earlier.
Last night, I turned out the light before ten o'clock after reading a bit in my current book and promptly went to sleep. Until about 3 a.m.
I wakened then, as I frequently do, and made the middle of the night visit to the bathroom. Then back to bed. Where I rolled and tossed, as the expression goes, for half an hour becoming more and more awake.
Finally I gave up. I rose, went to my den and turned on the computer. I checked the Powerball numbers, learned once again that I was not a zillionaire, read a couple of emails, scheduled a couple of payments for next month, scanned the Sunday New York Times digital edition, worked two crossword puzzles from the L.A. Times, checked the current news to see if any legitimate sign of that missing airplane had been found yet (it hadn't), and finally turned the computer off at about 5:30 and went back to bed. Now, I'd finish my night's sleep, I reasoned.
I reasoned wrong. About 45 minutes of sleeplessness later my right foot, which suffers from neuroma or nerve pain, was driving me nuts. It suddenly occurred to me that I might have forgotten to take my "night pills" before turning out the light. I checked. I had overlooked them. Included in my night pills is an over-the-counter sleep aid and not taking it last night apparently caused my wakefulness. So I rose, took my "morning pills", which includes something for the foot pain, sighed mightily and got dressed. Outside to pick up the print edition of the Sunday New York Times. Warmed a cup of coffee and here I am about 2-1/2 hours later.
I just related my experience to SWMBO and she noted correctly "It sounds like a nap day." It does indeed and I hopefully will enjoy one. Or two.
But I was just thinking as I wrote this: "Damn! This growing old business is not a lot of fun!"
