One of the things that drew me to our house -- before it was a Crazy Crowded -- was the master bedroom. While not particularly large, the cathedral ceiling and 3 large windows gave it a majestic feel. The white walls were boring and did no justice to the height of the ceiling and the potential beauty of the room. We painted the walls a lovely shade of periwinkle. We kept the ceiling white, dressed the bed in white, hung two large, extra long white drapes behind the bed and dressed the windows in white as well. Almost instantaneously Blah became Beautiful... The drapes behind the bed give an air of elegance reminiscent of a train billowing behind a bride. Something about the color of the walls gives an instant calm, melting your troubles. The room was, and still is, my mini oasis. It is my favorite room in the house. It is, for the most part, untouched by children -- save for a new scratch that mysteriously appeared on the front of my dresser -- and it will stay that way. Children are forbidden. Well not really. I try to kick them out... but that rarely works!

At the end of the day, if that's what you consider 9:30PM or later, and the wee hours of the morning, it's the only place I like to be. My room is my castle and my bed is my throne. I like my duvets and my pillows piled high. I like the temperature cool-to-cold so I can snuggle in...

I am sound asleep in my sanctuary. There are no children pullingtuggingclimbingshoutingfighting. My life does not get any better than this when out of the blue there is this hideous screaming-blaring-siren loud sound that bolts me up out of bed faster than a flash of lightning at 4:30 am. It is the smoke detector. It goes off again. No smoke in my room. No smoke in the house. I am not hearing the annoying beeping Change Me battery sound. This is a full fledged hideous screaming-blaring-siren loud sound. Can not go into the office/guest room because that room has no AC and it's hotter'n heck in there... Can't go downstairs because that is where Don fell asleep and that's where his snores are which are as unpleasant as the damned detector. I go back upstairs and wait and wait and wait for it to go off again. But it doesn't. Of course I can not go back asleep because I KNOW that the minute my eyes closed the alarm will sound again. While I am grateful the hideous screaming-blaring-siren loud sound has not returned I am ticked and annoyed. I am awake and can not go back to sleep.

I love my cathedral ceilings. But this morning I hate them. I can not reach the alarm which operates on battery and on electricity. The xtra tall ladder is chained to the deck, under the deck. Alexander decides this is a great morning to sleep in, and he does. I do not hear him stir until 7:40. Who is playing this cruel joke on me? When will I ever be allowed to sleep in until after the sun has risen?