3 a.m.

 

"My favorite's the three o'clock hour. For most people, that's the hard time. If they don't sleep through it, that's the time the mind wakes up and starts worrying about what they did or didn't do that day, or what they'll do or not do the next. And the next, and right up until life's over."

Night Shield

___________________________

Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Now wide awake from a once peaceful slumber, you roll over to check the clock and find it’s 3 a.m. That’s the same time you woke up last night. And the night before.

 

If that sounds familiar, it’s because nocturnal awakenings happen to a lot of people. Waking up several times throughout the night is a natural occurrence often due to sleep architecture, which are the stages of sleep that one cycles through every night.

CNN

Awesome Backyard Home Offices

Now she pulled open the door of the utility shed. It was a big square building, as wide as the

average barn, with hardwood floors and paneled walls. Uncle Jolley hadn't believed in the primitive.

Hitting the switch, she flooded the building with light.

As per her instructions, the crates and boxes she'd shipped had been stacked along one wall. The shelves where Uncle Jolley had kept his gardening tools during his brief, torrid gardening stage had been packed away. The plumbing was good, with a full-size stainless-steel sink and a small but more than adequate bath with shower enclosed in the rear. She counted five workbenches. The light and ventilation were excellent.

It wouldn't take her long, Pandora figured, to turn the shed into an organized, productive

workroom.

It took three hours.

A Will and A Way

____________________

Photo by Garrison Foundry Architecture + Decor - Look for living room design inspiration

Tour the personalized studios and sheds Houzz pros designed and built for themselves

HOUZZ

____________________

Boyd gave a hoot of laughter and opened the door of the workshop. "What do you think?"

The garage-size room was full of tables, machines, shelves, tools, stacks of wood There appeared to be a number of projects in progress, but Jonah couldn't tell what they were, or what they were intended to be.

"Impressive," he decided, diplomatically. "What do you do here?"

"I make a great deal of noise. Other than that, I haven't figured it out. I helped Keenan build a

bird-house about ten years ago. Came out pretty good. Cilia started buying me tools. Boy toys, she calls them."

He ran his hand over the guard of a skill saw. "Then I needed a place to keep them. Before I knew it, I had a fully equipped workshop. I think it was all a ploy to get me out of her hair."

Night Shield

Cozy Nooks, Daybeds and Corners for Reading

"Lucky me. You've got a lot of books," she commented.

She studied his profile, the sexy, angular lines of it,

the way the dark glasses concealed the fascinating

contrast of those eyes of pure, light green.

"It's hard to picture you curling up with a good book."

"Stretching out," he said, correcting her. "Women curl up

with books, guys stretch out."

"Oh, I see. That's entirely different."

Night Shield

______________

Photo by Cynthia Lynn Photography - Look for family room pictures

These snug spots may make you want to put on fuzzy 

socks and hunker down with a good book

HOUZZ

An unlikely hero for an all-time great Team

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Lance?" 
She turned back to him, and the wind caught and pulled at her free curls. 
Her eyes were speared with laughter.

"Starting pitcher for the Red Sox."

The Heart's Victory

__________________________

By Shamblesuk at English Wikipedia - Own work, GFDL, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22037361

Baseball has a way. So often it manages, among the likes of J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts, to hone in for a few days on the most unlikely guy on the team and turn him into Babe Ruth.

Baseball has a way of saying, “Steve Pearce, come here. You’re going to win the World Series for your team.”

YAHOO!

__________________________

"Blackhawk, baseball is life."


Night Shield

Things Dads Are Hardly Told To Do For Their Daughters, But Should

"You know what I'm built on. You can't think I'm good enough for her."

"Of course you're not," Boyd said simply, and noticed those clear green eyes didn't so much as flicker.

"She's my little girl, Jonah. No one's good enough for her. But knowing what you're built on, I'd say you're pretty close. I wonder why that surprises you. The one area I don't recall you ever being low in is esteem."

"I'm over my head here," Jonah murmured. "It's been a long time since I've been over my head in

anything."

"Women do that to you. The right woman, you never really surface again. She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yes. She blinds me."

"She's also smart, and she's strong, and she knows how to deal with what's dished out."

Absently, Jonah rubbed his thumb over his sore lip. "No argument."

"Then my advice to you is to play it straight with her, too. She won't let you get away with less, not for long."

"She isn't looking for anything else from me."

"You keep thinking that, son." At ease again, Boyd crossed to Jonah, laid a hand on his shoulder.

"There's just one thing," he said as they started toward the door. "If you hurt her, I'll take you out. They'll never find your body."

"Well, I feel better now."

Night Shield

________________________

By Srichakra Pranav (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], 

via Wikimedia Commons

Inspired by writer Roxane Gay's response to a nervous father of a daughter, I've compiled a list of the things I believe all dads of daughters should know to make sure his influence is the best possible kind, from my personal experiences and through the many experiences of other daughters.

A PLUS

________________________

With a quick, throaty laugh, Natasha led the way into the bedroom.

"Don't mention looking sexy around your father. He isn't quite ready for it."

"But he's all right, isn't he? About the move?"

"He misses you, and sometimes he looks in your room as if he still expects to see you there--in pigtails. So do I," Natasha admitted, and sat on the edge of the bed. "But yes, he's all right with it. More than. He--both of us are so proud of you. Not just because of the music, but because of who you are."

No one was more surprised than Natasha when Freddie dropped on the bed beside her and burst into tears.

"Oh, my love, my baby, what is it?" Drawing Freddie close, Natasha stroked and soothed. "There, sweetheart, tell Mama."

"I'm sorry." Giving up, Freddie pressed her face into Natasha's soft, welcoming shoulder and wept. "I guess this has been building up all day--all week. All my life. Maybe I am spoiled and indulged."

Instantly insulted, Natasha leaned back to look at Freddie. "Spoiled? You're not spoiled, and not indulged! What would put such nonsense in your head?"

"Not what, who." Disgusted with herself, Freddie dug around in her pocket for a tissue. "Oh, Mama, I had such an awful fight with Nick today."

Of course, Natasha thought with a little inward sigh. She should have suspected it. "We often fight with those we care about, Freddie. You shouldn't take it so hard."

"It wasn't just a spat, not like we've had before. We said awful things to each other. He doesn't have any respect for who I am, or what I'm trying to do. As far as he's concerned, I'm just here to kick up my heels, knowing if I trip, you and Dad will be there to catch me."

"And so we would, if you needed us. That's what family is for. It doesn't mean you're not strong and self-reliant, just because you have someone who would reach out if you needed help."

"I know. I know that." But it helped enormously to hear it, all the same.

Waiting for Nick

Grilling mistakes and how to avoid them

"A monumental moment. I am passing the sacred tongs and spatula to you."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Ally elbowed her brother aside. "Why can't I do it?"

"Ah." Boyd held a hand to his heart. "How many times have I heard you say those very words in our long and exciting life together?"

Amused and fascinated by the family dynamics, Jonah watched mutiny settle over Ally's face. "Well, why can't I?"

"Allison, my treasure, there are some things a man must pass to his son. Son." Boyd laid a hand on Bryant's shoulder. "I'm trusting you with the Fletcher reputation. Don't let me down."

"Dad." Bryant wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "I'm overwhelmed. Honored. I swear to uphold the family name, no matter what the cost."

"Take these." Boyd held out the barbecue tools. "Today, you are a man."

Night Shield

______________

By Hedwig Storch - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4380081

Cooking is still a science, even when you're doing it outdoors. Despite what your dad might have taught you, grilling is more about patience and planning than poking and prodding. Make a single error, and your burgers could turn out tough and bitter, your chicken rare and unappetizing.

Luckily, these errors are easy to avoid.

REVIEWED

______________

“Quite a view,” Quinn added, nodding toward the men at the grill.

“Camera worthy.”

“Excellent idea. Be right back.”

“Where’s she going?” Layla asked.

“I have no idea. Just as I have no idea why it apparently takes three grown men to cook some hamburgers.”

“One to cook, one to kibitz, and one to insult the other two.”

“Ah. Another mystery solved.”

The Pagan Stone