Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home...

I generally work the night shift as as a part time nurse in a local nursing home - because I am convinced that my first priority is at home but I still have consequences of past sin to pay for, working the night shift ensures very little interference with home life. There is a blessing in it where I am able to sleep anytime, anywhere. So the few shifts I do work do not knock me out for the whole next day.

The walk home at 7 AM has been a pleasure, as well. Regardless of the weather, I really enjoy the half hour walk through our little village. The fresh air and exercise give me a boost of energy later in the day, but also ensure a good sleep when I get home.

On my way home last week I was enjoying the spring temperature and a light rain. However, the light rain started to get heavier, and the wind picked up - which isn't a big deal, but it was the kind of wind and rain combo that guaranteed my pants were getting soaked not matter how I held my umbrella. Again, no big deal. However, as I shifted my umbrella to match the wind and juggled my totebag, I began to feel my middle/upper back tighten up. It reminded me to watch my posture, but not soon enough to stop the 'crick' in my spine. So I began to look for a place to crack my back into place. I crack my back the same way now as I did 20 years ago; by sitting cross-legged on a hard, flat surface and rocking back to my shoulders. It feels great (to me anyway) and works everytime.

Now...this is not an easy thing to do during a walk home. Not because everything was closed - that actually worked in my favour because I was looking at all the village shop doorways for a dry patch to sit down in. I did, however, want a spot that was out of the line of sight of the few cars going by me - it's not a very attractive process/position after all!

There was no place in sight. All the doorways I was passing were either too open to the traffic, too wet or too dirty. Finally, right at the four corners of our downtown I spotted the gazebo in a small corner park.

Perfect.

I walked over and it was dry, mostly out of sight and as clean as could be expected of an outdoor gazebo. I stepped in and set my open umbrella at the doorway to block myself even more. I sat in the middle and rocked back to my shoulders. CRACK! Oh, yeah...it felt sooo much better.

I laid flat, still cross-legged and listened to the rain hit the roof for awhile before heading out on the walk again. It was really quite nice. I laid there and planned my day.

All of a sudden I heard a loud noise. I sat up quickly and looked around a little stunned. The noise had been loud and gruff...and familiar. You see, it was half snort, half snore.

It was me.

I had fallen asleep right there in the gazebo. I got up quickly and started walking. Checking the town square clock told me I had slept approximately 15 minutes.

I wasn't kidding when I said I can sleep anywhere - anytime. So if you're driving through small town Canada and see someone in a nursing uniform asleep, cross-legged downtown, don't worry...it's just after a night shift.