I'm up. Where's my worm?

Guilt-free coffee beside me. Lemon muffins in the oven. Blogger dashboard open. And it's all before five o'clock.

With a little help from the starving birdie in bedroom number three, I am awake and giving my all toward this first attempt at creating time for so-so-me. Who knows? If it's a stellar success I may have to rename the blog something less mediocre and more inspiring. Don't hold your breath, though.
I don't have my hopes set too high for this experiment. Especially since kidface just came out and asked me if Jed was going to watch tv before going to bed tonight. ( If you're confused: she is convinced that cable tv has the power to ward off evil spirits and battle bad dreams. So we have to watch it after she is tucked in. It's for her own good, you see. We are the selfless-est parents.)

Me: (stirring muffin batter and pondering a post)
Her: (wonky-haired and sleepy-eyed) Mama? Is daddy going to watch some tv before you go to bed?
Me: (bushy tailed and bushy haired) Baby, it's very....uh....late. Too late for tv. Try to go back to sleep. Don't worry. I'll be out here.
Her: Okay, but I have one question.
Me: What is it, Ladyhead?
Her: Why are you baking me a cake so late?

After a little more conversation with my presumptuous little person, we reached an agreement wherein she reads books in her room until her usual wake-up time and I get to sit out here at the table with my coffee and pretend like I'm getting that alone time I crave. Maybe there was some muffin incentive in there somewhere, too.

So far, it's working out fine.

Atop the list of stuff to do before this precious quiet morphs into morning battles about hairstyles and unavoidable spats with the dogs about probing my calves for a morning walk, I'd like to finish my coffee before it turns into coff"eew" and get a jump on my $3 chair project. I know. Exciting stuff.

Well. One hour left before my time turns into plain old time. What are YOU doing this morning?