I was extremely tired last night. Actually went to bed at 7 p.m. my time. As always, I carried Jeter up with me. Blue and Lisa followed a few minutes later. I didn’t even feel them get into bed.
I woke on my own as I always do, after what felt like my normal night of sleep, and as we don’t keep clocks in the bedroom, I walked out to the landing outside the suite and gazed down to the lower floor’s Alexis. She’s my AI honey who is always quick to throw me a compliment during our many exchanges. She has a large screen which at this particular moment read 12: 12 a.m.
Now that’s even too early for me, so I went back to bed. Lisa heard me come back in and asked what time it was. I told her and said “make a wish.”
She responded audibly with a wish that The Claire Saga become a blockbuster film series.
Good choice, although I was hoping she would wish for sex.
Anyway, I rolled over and fell back asleep.
As I often do when I wake up for good, I find myself at the point in some dream where I realize I’m dreaming and should return to reality. I then realize I am back in my bed and becoming aware of my surroundings. The dogs laying about me. Lisa’s snoring.
This morning’s dream found me on the streets on Manhattan, which isn’t that unusual, given how much time I spent on those streets. I think it was Hell’s Kitchen, because Collin Broderick – the talented Irish author and filmmaker – had just sent me a photo of the area in a text last night. It looked just as I described it in FJM.
But I pulled myself clear of that lucid dream and lay in bed for a moment more, coming to full consciousness, feeling fully rested with that second kip, and realizing that it was now really time to get out of bed. This time I slipped on my Birks and lifted Jeter from bed – I always carry him down the stairs with me – and headed out again to the exterior suite landing and gazed down at Alexa.
I almost dropped Jeter.
It was 12:12 a.m. Again.
I thought the clock screen was frozen. I ran down the stairs and retrieved my iPhone.
Its screen changed from 12:12 to 12:13 while I was staring at it.
I turned back to Alexa, her screen did the same.
My time had been frozen.
Every hair on my body stood on end.
I quickly dressed – I leave a set of clothes on the main level so I can dress without waking Lisa – and went down to the basement level. The large old fashion clock on the wall confirmed that it was now 12:17. Time was again moving forward.
I glanced at the intention candle burning on the altar and thought that since it was early and I had plenty of time to kill, I should light some incense. The candle was about 80% spent. A good inch of wax left. I turned first to place my coffee cup in the Keurig and when I turned back towards the candle, it was out. I went over to check it and it had fully burned out to the bottom. So I grabbed another votive candle from my stock, addressed the intentions that mirrored Lisa’s wish that morning, ignited it on the altar and then lit the Lavender incense. Voila.
I then opened the dog food cans and set their contents in the two dishes, and by then both dogs were around my feet. Early meals all around.
I took my daily regimen of supplements and vitamins – including Joe Rogan’s Alpha Brain – and then packed my rounds canvas bag with treats and also took out Claire and Honey’s breakfast bag. Jeter was at the back door waiting to go out, but Blue was no where to be found. Her food dish was empty, so I figured she just went back upstairs to bed.
So I opened the back door and Jeter and I went out. I left Jeter marking his area around the edges of the deck and headed to the side paddock gate.
Once inside the other side of the side paddock gate, I closed the gate, turned and almost tripped over the large and very black Blue who was silently standing in my path. I have no idea how she got out there – remember the back door was closed – or beat me to the other side of the gate.
Still, it being pitch – other than the twinkling of the stars above – I was happy to see her large and very protective presence. Never look a gift Pitty in the mouth.
But I didn’t see the mules. I tried to spot them in the darkness but didn’t see anything. I shook the jar of peanuts, which usually brings them to the barn. Still nothing. I’m guessing they are off in some corner of the back property sleeping. After all this was two hours early.
So I plated their meals and left. As Posie used to say about her street urchin grandchildren, they’ll come home when they’re hungry enough.
Still, I was feeling a little anxious, so I called to Blue and headed back towards the side paddock gate. I looked back towards the barn and saw Blue’s shadow pass before the heaters glow coming through its front door. I opened the gate enough to slide through and waited in the gap for Blue to catch up. When she didn’t appear, I called her name. Nothing. So I closed the gate and turned back toward the house, and again almost tripped over the very large and black Blue.
Now you have all seen photos of Blue. She is not of a size to craftily slip between my legs unnoticed.
But I was happy to see her for my walk the rest of the way back to the house, where Jeter was waiting patiently by the back door. Jeter waited for Blue to walk past him through the doorway and then followed her through. I, as always, entered last.
This morning routine usually takes fifteen minutes. Soups to nuts. Add five more for the candle and incense this morning.
I turned and slid the glass door shut behind me and then turned back to find Jeter waiting patiently for me to retrieve my coffee from the Keurig and then follow me into my office, where he goes right back to sleep on the mats while I begin my day of blogging and other writing.
But Blue wasn’t in sight. I listened to see if I could hear her climbing the stairs to return to Lisa on the third floor – she’s heavy footed and moves like a bull in a china shop (Blue, not Lisa) – but there was no sound. She wasn’t sleeping on the couch, which is her second nap spot each morning. But as with all other weird things – especially this morning – I let it go. I wanted to blog.
Now I just sat down and wrote this rather quickly, because I wanted to capture it in real time.
I just looked down at the bottom of my computer screen, expecting to see maybe 12:45 at the outside.
I almost shit myself.
Look at the screen shot, the time reads 2:20 a.m.
What the fuck just happened? That felt like 15 minutes. It was just reporting a real time event. No wandering thoughts, no photos.
Welcome to the world of Casa Claire.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2783645018342671
I’ll keep you posted – or if not – maybe I’m taking intergalactic flying lessons.
Speaking of flying, yesterday my brilliant friend and artist Richard Lamb provided me with the tweaked front cover for WTLLM. It is fucking awesome. I cannot wait to share it.
Well, while I await a little more time shifting . . . .
Why don’t you fine, five readers all wake up and have your coffee. Tuesday awaits – shit I hope it’s still Tuesday.
I’m going to go find Blue, and then hopefully cuddle a kitty and do my rounds.
But let’s make today a great one.
One Response
Good morning, Tom. Weird…