"Science has shown time and time again that napping is not only natural, it's extremely beneficial. Don't guilt yourself out of a nap by focusing on what you need to get done or worrying what others might think. Instead, enjoy the nap and reap the benefits of improved productivity, energy, and mental capacity that it offers." ~ Tessa Miller, author of this article: 'The Science of the Perfect Nap'

I bid you greetings from my place here to wherever you happen to be on this Wednesday, June 6, 2018. I've been thinking quite a bit about what the doctor told me at my last visit regarding me falling asleep. Essentially, he said that when you make it into your 70's you've earned the right to nap. I have tried to be careful in my 'nodding off' activities. You will remember the time last year that I dozed off here at my desk while listening to an electronic recording of rain on a train. That was the time I fell out of my chair and almost hurt myself, not in the fall, but in the trying to get up before I got down. There were two people here in the office with me but nary a one caught that little bit of slapstick. For that, I am very thankful. I have not done that one since then. I think part of the problem has to do with the deep sleep state. Napping is not conducive to visiting that la la land state because that's when you are no longer in control of your faculties. I was reminded of this one day this week. I woke up the other morning at 2:30 a.m. That meant I still had 30 minutes before it would be time for me to get up at 3 a.m. When that happens I typically do my best to nap until time to get up, but, I made the mistake of allowing myself to go there. To that rapid eye movement deep state. I woke up at 3:10 a.m. and didn't really know where I was. I stumbled around trying to get my bearings. I knew what had happened but it still took me about 10 minutes to reset all my registers. It took that long to recognize my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My point? I may have earned the right to nap but it comes with a warning label that I must observe if I am to keep my seat.

Reading new research does indicate that power napping is very beneficial, but, scientists do warn about not allowing the nap to extend to the deep sleep place unless you are going to sleep for at least 90 minutes or more. Are you kidding? That 90 minutes is about one-third of my normal sleep cycle. I typically am in bed by shortly after 9 p.m. and the wife did ask recently if I was actually ever aware when she comes to bed at night. I think I told her that occasionally I am. Maybe once in a blue moon. (Normally blue moons come only about every two or three years.) That doesn't mean that I don't become aware of her being there at some point and time. When I do I typically put my hand under her pillow. I told her that was my way of acknowledging her presence. She said she was very aware of me doing that and it can be very annoying. The story of my life. I can't seem to do the right thing even when I'm sleeping. I did look at a list of things that husbands do that annoy their wives. ~ Either not putting the toilet paper on the roller or putting it on upside down. ~ Cutting the pie or cake into an odd shaped piece. ~ Leaving a note telling her about a huge spider in the closet that you were not able to kill, advising her to shake out the clothes just to be safe. ~ Missing the large clothes basket by 5 inches. ~ Arranging take out on the plate to make it appear to be a fancy dinner. ~ There were others but I think we all can come up with our own list. I better quit while I am behind because I think I feel a nap coming on.

I do love my wife. I tell her so every day before I leave for work. I also thank God every day for the wife that He provided to me. I do. I really do. The other evening she and I were watching one of those PBS fundraisers where they were featuring singing groups from the 50's and 60's. We enjoyed it because we listened to some of those tunes when we were dating. On the radio. The singers are now up in years and some have been replaced because the originals have joined the heavenly choir. They showed their before and after. The before was often in black and white. The after was much more recent. It was older people singing songs from their younger days. It did bring back memories. We were married in 1964. Some of the hits we heard back then included Dean Martin singing his signature song, 'Everybody Loves Somebody', Roy Orbison's 'Pretty Woman', 'Baby Love' by the Supremes, and the Beach Boys great tune, 'I Get Around'. I remember all of those songs. I suppose the one I remember the most as a dating couple is the one from 1963 made popular by the singing duo, Dale and Grace, 'I'm Leaving it Up to You'. You don't recognize any of those? That's okay. You probably have your own. That's the way it works. I do hope you have a good day and if you can, take a nap. It will do a body good. Or, so I've heard. See you next time and may God bless us all is my prayer. Amen. ....More later.