At around 4:30 AM, I awoke from a dead sleep to what sounded like a door opening and someone walking around. At first, I thought perhaps Fiona had had a nightmare and was coming into the room for comfort. But Fiona is at a sleepover.

This was quickly followed by the canine house alarm. There have been other times I've been annoyed at the dog for waking me early when the birds start chirping, or when a deer wanders through the yard, but this morning, I turned on all the lights. The doors were locked and I saw no sign of an intruder. When I unlocked the door, the dog tore outside after something in the darkness, barking his loud deep bark from the depths of his lungs.

Normally, I worry about his barking disturbing the neighbors. The police commissioner next store says not to worry. The dog’s barking makes her feel more secure and after the gunshots heard in our neighborhood a week or two ago, everyone wants to feel a little more secure.

Things have settled down a little bit now. The dog is resting on the couch in the living room. The cat is curled up in a chair next to me. The sound of the lingering rain from yesterday’s storm fades to the sound of the first birds chirping. I am tired and will try to get back to sleep shortly.