This morning the alarm clock went off at eight am. I haven't awakened to an alarm clock since October. I actually had to reset it for the time change that took place in October. The alarm clock went off this morning...
and the cat wasn't in my room. For more than a year now, I've not had to actually push the snooze bar for myself. I've trained the cat to do it. He makes the alarm clock shut up and then he hops in the bed and wakes me up. He's such a good cat.
Except I think he was outside all night. He likes to spend the night outside prowling or whatever. Maybe he's found a bush to sleep under that's better than sharing a bed with a restless girl. I don't know. People always ask me where the cat goes when he's outside. I have no idea. I mean, when I had a job and a routine I could tell you that at a certain time he was sitting three houses up on the sidwalk waiting for me to come home and he hangs out on the porch a lot, but that's all I know.
I'm a bad catmom. I know who his friends are, but I don't know where they go or what they do and he doesn't have a curfew. (I just got a mental image of Isis and that cat across the street all strung out on heroin before they go stalking the neighbor's chickens at two am...)
So, I had to get out of bed. Traversing my bedroom landed me with a big fat cut on the back of my leg. I didn't have my glasses on and I actually seriously doubt I had opened my eyes... and I stepped on a hanger and it cut me. So, I cursed, turned off the alarm clock and dozed back off.
Then the phone rang. It was my mother. She claimed to have just called to inform me of something I needed to know, but I think she was double checking to make sure I woke up on time. Ellie was awake and answered the phone and I came and talked to Mom and smoked and then went upstairs and finished getting dressed.
I was gathering the papers I needed to bring with me to this big registration what-not... and the phone rang again. This time it was the university, confirming my appointment.
I got my raincoat, and hopped on the bike and headed out.
Except halfway down the street, I realized one of my tires was hideously low on air. I stopped at the gas station on the corner, but I couldn't find their air pump. I ended up stopping at the next gas station... where I realized something...
I've never actually put air in my tires myself. I always intend to, and I am sure I could. However, it has never failed that some man is nearby and just dying to swoop in and do it for me. This was no exception. I was trying to unscrew the little cap things on the valves and some guy hopped out of his truck and took over. Because Kentucky is that friendly. Our new license plates even say so... He got the tires all filled and I thanked him profusely and off I went.
I had to chain my bike to a tree. What sort of university doesn't have a bike rack?
Anyway, I got there and I met the admissions counselor and I worked on my financial aid stuff. Then I took the enterance exam.
I swear to you, I think this was the same exact test I took one half-lifetime ago to get into my high school. I got a 98% on it then. I overthought a bit on some of the questions and I think the reading comprehension section was written by a fifth grader, but whatever. I'm sure I passed.
Then back to admissions. Got some more papers I have to fill out today. She told me that even if they're finishing my paperwork Monday afternoon and my schedule includes a Monday class, I'll be fine...
Meanwhile, I am back at home and a few steps closer to being enrolled in classes...
