...than to get up before dawn to show solidarity with the one who has to get to work at 7 a.m. (yawn). I naturally cycle awake at dawn, and according to the Weather Channel app on my iPhone, sunrise is just about now (7:10), which meant that hoisting my nether parts out of a warm bed was something of a challenge an hour ago.

I'm of the philosophy that a challenge shared is a burden eased, and so I rousted myself out. The hardest part of the challenge was finding my navy blue hoodie in the dark. It didn't occur to my sleeping brain to turn on the light, because for years (read: decades) I got dressed in the dark so as not to awaken my husband, who had quit working to write a book (read: do nothing) and who slept much later than I, who had to go to work. Old habits die hard.

The birds are just starting the sleepy twitter, asking one another, "Is it light yet?" And I see a possum slinking along the ground, headed home after raiding the neighbors' bowl of dog kibble. She's big and fat (pregnant?) and shiny of fur, seeming not at all fearful as she waddles across the center of the back yard. She's late getting herself back home.

I've just put a pot of bean soup on to cook throughout the day (soaked overnight). Bean soup for dinner! Yum! And some left over to freeze for another meal when I don't feel like cooking.

It occurs to me that I am grateful for the joy of friends and the pleasure of the early morning hours. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's an empty coffee cup that needs refilling. Hope you have a lovely day!