Morning at the Burrow

The hazy dawn light filters through the blinds as I lay silently in my bed listening to the rustle of baby rabbits just waking up and the bird outside the window. Before I head to work I have chores that need to be done but I snuggle down in my warm blankets and soak in the quiet solitude of the morning to get the courage to face the world. There are so many things I'd like to get done but I know it's not happening, so I create a checklist in my mind. Clean the bunny cage and make sure they have hay and water. Feed the cats and water the tiny squash plant on the balcony. Make a quick breakfast, if I have time, and prep a cup of coffee for the road. I know I have to sweep up the hay that made it's way across the floor, and put the new toys in with the baby buns. Cardboard birdies I made last night for them. Jump in the shower, get dressed, and run out the door with shoes in hand. Luckily, Matt drives in the morning so I can do my hair, put on my shoes and drink my coffee while we listen to the last night's news with Brian Williams.
Lunch usually sees us at the garden, watering and weeding. We usually head back to the office red, dirty and sweaty but refreshed to finish off the day. It's nice to get out at lunch and do something with my hands. Especially when my work is so cerebral. It puts life into perspective, so when I make an error or I feel a little down about things I can think about the way the squash is coming up or how the beans need a trellis.
Once I get home from work, I make up the playpen for the bunnies in the living room, and start on dinner while I watch them play. They are usually out for 6 hours. I may need to start my laundry, put away clothes or stuff I pulled out in the morning. There's always facebook to catch up on and calls to make. I usually can get an hour or two to start/finish projects I'm working on. Then I put the buns away with a clean cage (their day messes are worse than their night destruction) and put in more hay and water. The cats are fed and watered again, as well. Then I take another shower and get ready for bed at around midnight. There's a kind of glory in knowing I accomplished something during the day, and when I lay in bed in the morning, I look forward to the general sense of accomplishment I'll feel when I crawl into bed at night, tired but happy.