Aha moment

[offcntr]

It started about three weeks ago.

As soon as I showed any sign of wakefulness--rolling over in bed, adjusting the covers, 4 am trip to the bathroom--my cat, Tiki, started in on me. Scratching on the blanket, pawing and kneading on me, licking any exposed patch of skin. (Eww!) Tremendously irritating. Nothing helped; not moaning, nor swearing, nor pulling the covers over my head. Pretending to be asleep? Not convincing.

The only way to get her to stop was to stumble, bleary-eyed, into the other room and put out of cup of kibble in her bowl. And then try to get back to sleep before the light-box turned on. (We have full-spectrum SAD lights on a timer next to the bed.)

About two nights ago, it occurred to me, What if we filled the food bowls just before bedtime? The last two mornings have been blessedly peaceful.

Sometimes I are a genius. Sometime, it take a while.