Somnolent

Praying to the caffeine gods for wakefulness

Today my dogs are at day care and I have the house completely to myself.
My plan was to read, and read, and read some more.
I have chapters to read for a Thursday class, essays and articles to read for Wednesday, plus today's paper and online media, and multiple books I'm reading simply for my own edification and/or pleasure.
But gosh-darn-it I can't, try hard as I might, stay awake.
When I was a teenager I could curl up on the couch and read for hours. I remember laughing at my mom as her head nodded over a book. My dad often fell asleep in his recliner, newspaper or magazine spread open across his chest.
I never imagined I would suffer the same fate.
The day is cold and Iowa-winter gray. The fireplace is blazing and all the cats are curled in their various favorite sleeping spots, napping the day away. Conditions are perfect for an afternoon filled with books.
If I only could stay awake.
I've taken to getting up every few pages or so and walking up and down the stairs; that usually buys me a few more pages before the words begin to swim before my eyes.
Sometimes if I put a load of laundry in or empty the dishwasher I can gain as much as an hour before somnolence sets in and my chin hits my chest.
This isn't a new phenomenon for me. My kids all have stories of the funny and incongruous things I've said while falling asleep reading aloud to them when they were little.
But today I'm determined to make the most of my reading time and have decided to persevere. Armed with a large latte, a bright light, and sitting in the chilliest part of the room, I hope to stay awake long enough to finish my assignments.
Wish me luck, as I just yawned while writing this.