Time to wake

What is an appropriate time for a homemaker to wake from sleep, rise from her bed, and start her day? It seems a peculiar question, when I stopped to think about it. Do birds, bears, lions, or llamas wonder about such a thing? Probably not. I suspect they instinctively know when to go to bed and when to rise, each according to its needs.

Early rising is one of the most essential qualities which enter into good Household Management, as it is not only the parent of health, but of innumerable other advantages. Indeed, when a mistress is an early riser, it is almost certain that her house will be orderly and well-managed... The great Lord Chatham thus gave his advice in reference to this subject:—“I would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the walls of your chamber, ‘If you do not rise early, you can make progress in nothing.’” - Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton, 1861

Throughout the millennia, rising early was recommended. Since people aren't naturally equipped to see in the dark, working during the day and sleeping during the night seems appropriate. Is it less advantageous for present-day people to rely on alarm clocks and electric lights rather than the sun and the moon? If I wake two hours after the sun rises, am I doomed to be bone idle the remainder of the day?

I suppose, whether I'm a porcupine or a person, the key bit of wisdom I'm choosing to walk away with is consistency. Every animal has physical needs. Acting in accordance with those needs seems to yield the best results. Thomas Jefferson and Aristotle were early birds. I'm sure history is home to plenty of accomplished night owls, too.

I can't claim to truly be a morning or night person. I'm very inconsistently both. When set in a routine, I do tend to wake without trouble. I may not be singing and dancing first thing in the morning, but I don't require an intravenous coffee drip. If eight hours of sleep is my goal and I retire at midnight, I should rise at eight o'clock in the morning.     

Inspirational & Motivational Quotes:

• "Whether I retire to bed early or late, I rise with the sun."
  Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826, third president of the United States) told of a fifty-year period in which the sun had never caught him in bed; he rose as soon as he could read the hands of the clock kept directly opposite his bed. Source: Monticello.org 

• "It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom."
  Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE, Greek philosopher, student of Plato)

• "My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life."
  Miles Davis (1926 – 1991, American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer) 

• "Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali."
  Salvador Dali (1904 – 1989, Spanish surrealist painter)

(c) 2015 Folding The Fitted Sheets
For personal use only. Not for redistribution. All rights reserved. 

Welcome To My Home

To be a homemaker, one first has to have a home. My home is a house; it was built in the early 1970s. Like many mid-century, Florida homes, my house is concrete block construction with a shingled roof.

Ranch Style houses have many of these features:

• Single story
• Low pitched gable roof
• Deep-set eaves close to the wall
• Horizontal, rambling layout: Long, narrow, and low to the ground
• Rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped design
• Large windows: double-hung, sliding, and picture
• Sliding glass doors leading out to patio
• Attached garage
• Simple floor plans
• Emphasis on openness (few interior walls) and efficient use of space
• Built from natural materials: Oak floors, wood or brick exterior
• Lack decorative detailing, aside from decorative shutters