10 January 2020

Published January 8, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © C.E. Ayr

Click the Camping Frogs to Add your Link!

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100

FREESTYLE INSOMNOLENCE

              The clock beside the bed ticked. Zero-dark-thirty. 3:00 AM.

              Sleep refused her while loons mocked. Ted snored away what remained of the night.

            Snozzzz. Tick-snozz. Tick-tick. Snarzzzzzz.

           “I give up!”

            Elise slipped on her swimsuit and stepped outside. Campground lights reflected off the pool water. She dove in and swam until tension floated from her shoulders.

            Ted snored his welcome when she tucked back in beside him. Deliciously drowsy, she checked the clock before drifting off. 5:00.

           Two hours later, he shook her. Sun poured through the windows. “Hey lazybones, gonna sleep all day? How ‘bout a nice invigorating swim?”

88 comments on “10 January 2020”

  • This reminds me of the different sleep cycles my wife and I have. She has accepted, but does not understand, why I need an early evening nap.
    Ya gotta watch them swimmers. At least “Elise” didn’t come back dripping. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Archon,

      It seems the longer we’re married the more our sleep cycled diverge. Truthfully, I’m a morning person and rarely is the sun even a suggestion when I rise for the day. 😉 If I only had a pool. 😉

      Shalom,

      Elise

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    • Dear Sandra,

      I’m glad you felt for her…she’s feeling for herself this morning. 😉 Thank you for paddling by and for sticking with me all these year as I go into my 8th year. Who’da thunk it. I miss him who talked me into it.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

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  • Well now, this seems like moments from the past…multiplied. We both have different, and disruptive sleep cycles. At least “Elise” has a great relaxing option. Good story and I’m sure many will relate to.

    Liked by 1 person

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  • Well, if she’s a fish, she might say “yes” … 😉
    But, yeah, oy for the different sleep-cycle pairs. And … nice to have a swimming pool to jump into in the middle of the night! 😉
    Left my little bitty story in the froggy’s hands.
    Slash!
    Na’ama

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Na’ama Y’karah,

      It’s possible this fish would say yes…after the shock of her husband actually wanting to go for a swim. 😉 If I had a pool of my own (with someone to keep it clean) I would be in it at all hours. It’s why I have more than one suit. Did you mean “splash?” Thank you for the positive strokes.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Oy! YES! SPLASH … the wet sprinkling kind! Not any of the cut through stuff kind! (typos and Freud and keyboard goblins, I’m telling ya!)
        Oh, and I have more than one swim-suit, too. Well, one that’s a one piece, but all the others are combo two piece things that can be mix-and-match. And in the end I often end up with board shorts or bike-short-like ones and a halter top. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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          • 🙂 Prunie! 🙂 Love this!
            My two piece are almost full coverage in that they are more tankini than bikini … I’m slim, but I’m also all about comfort and less about chasing after escapee-boobies. So … 😉
            Me got an innie. My surgeon found it to be a very helpful place to enter into my abdominal cavity. Twice. All them wrinkles hide scars well … not that I care about scarring all that much. Gots enough of those as it is. 😉

            Liked by 1 person

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              • totally needed to know that, Rochelle. My life wouldn’t be complete without knowing the prunie-innie situation! 🙂 As for the wrinkles … I don’t really mind mine, and the ones I spoke of are the ones inside one’s belly-button, where scars can easily hide (not that I really care about scarring and have gone enough of them for positive ID … 😉 But it was nice that the doctor wanted to minimize them, eh? – she’s a fab doc in all ways, so that was just part of her way – no pun … or, what the heck, pun … 😉 ).
                Yay to innies and prunies and the wrinkly fingers of too-much-time-in-the-water-or-pool-or-shower.
                Waving from freezy NYC … 😉

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  • I wish I had a pool. I don’t think I would spend much of the summer on dry land.

    The biggest problem in my house is the dogs’ sleep patterns. In the summer especially, they sleep all day and want to be up all night. I used to be a night person until I moved to the desert. Now, a quarter of the year, I have to be up and get my hike in by 8 or it gets too hot for the dogs. I’ve gotten accustomed to getting up earlier. I’m still not good at going to bed early. This time of year, I practically hibernate. I’m virtually asleep right now.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Nobbin,

      For the sleep patterns of your furry children, i don’t envy you. 😉 I’m not keeping you up am I? Living in the Midwest, I’d really have to have an indoor pool so I’ll just have to settle for the fitness center. Ironically, the worst time to go there is the summer when the summer school kids inhabit. They have no regard for lap lanes so I just rely on my elliptical trainer for workout and relegate my lapping to Sunday. (One day is better than no days.)

      Thank you for paddling by.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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  • Dear Rochelle,

    It is always the way, isn’t it? They have no clue they are keeping us up so when they are all refreshed from theirs, they figure hey… Pfft!
    Elise needs to tell Ted that, in the future, before whatsoever, to check the bathing suit hanging in the bathroom… wet means he disturbed her, dry means he can take his chances waking her 😉

    Shalom and lotsa swimmingly wonderful love,

    Dale

    Liked by 1 person

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  • Isn’t that just the way of it? I sometimes struggle to sleep too, and must jump through all sorts of hurdles to coax myself into sleep. Sometimes I wake up from a sound sleep to find Shey knee-deep into Instagram. You never know what’s going on while you’re sound asleep. Great stuff, Rochelle. You gave me a laugh.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Eric,

      We have a guest room that I often go to when sleep refuses me. My husband often suffers with insomnia as well. He’ll lie there and then thrash about. Me? I’m not going to lie awake for hours on end. I’m happy to have given you a laugh. 😀 I’d say that makes us even this week. 😉

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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  • It’s a somewhat uncomfortable thought for me that the SO would get up while I sleep, do something substantial, and then get back to bed, and I don’t realize anything. Thankfully we both have the same sleeping batter: late to bed, sleep like a log, sleep as long as possible.
    Poor Elise, if that happens regularly, I don’t envy her. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Gabi,

      My husband and I don’t have the same sleep patterns. I often end up in the guest room for one reason or another. I’m the early riser, though and have been known to go for early morning swims. (Any time is good for a swim. 😉 ) Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. You make your FBM smile. 😀

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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  • Dear Wanda Gerschwitz W(T)F,

    Or should I say, Loch Ness Monster of Belton? I heard you’ve been swimming in farm ponds and scaring people’s cattle. Even the snapping turtles are afraid to get in the water with all that thrashing going on.

    I came from a family of snorers. The easiest way to sleep in that environment is to think of it as a snoring choir. Find your place (tenor, alto, etc.) and jump right in. I’m sure they neighbors down the road really enjoyed our all-night a cappella concerts.

    Happy fishing,
    Virgil Ward Gayer

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Virgil,

      This morning I think he rattle the paint off the walls. He says I snore, too but since I’ve never heard myself, I take it with a grain of sea salt. Remind me to reserve a couple of spots for your family concert.

      We do have the one pond across the street, but it doesn’t look long enough for laps. So the stories you’ve heard are fake. I’ll not be cowed.

      Happy Friday and Shalom,

      Wanda Gerschwitz W(T)F

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  • Thirty six years of marriage and my husband and I have opposite sleeping habits. We both snore, but he can’t sleep with my noise. Like your sleeping character, I wouldn’t know if my husband got up and went for a swim. I felt for Elise, working so hard to get some sleep only to be awakened two hours later. =) Love this snippet of married life!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Brenda,

      I’m the sound sleeper in this equation although sometimes his snoring can rattle paint off the walls. I know I snore, too. So some of this story is fact and some is fiction. My husband would be the last person up for a morning swim. 😉 Thank you for the positive strokes. 😀

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Shrawlely,

      My husband claims I snore and delights in telling me when I do. I’ve never heard myself so I’m not sure I believe him. My reply is often, “Good. Hope it kept you up the way your snoring does me.” 😉 Thank you and welcome back.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Dear Subroto,

      It is pretty close to real life. 😉 However, my husband would never get up for a morning swim. 😉 Alas. Thank you.

      Shalom,

      Rochelle

      PS Headed for yours now with a link to THIS week’s prompt.

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