and cranky! When noises bombard me from every direction, I cannot think. Kids saying, "Mom! Can I ...?" Dogs wrestling, panting, barking. Right now, I have one dog trilling wanting to go outside and another dog (the Hilo Monster) barking and barking and barking to go outside and join my mother who just walked up to the barn to feed the horse. Hilo is convinced Mom's having way too much fun without her. And I am trying to get everyone QUIET, so that everyone else who is still enjoying dreamland won't be awakened so early and so that I can put two thoughts together. Is it too much to ask for just a little quiet?

If I have the television on to see what in the world transpired that day, then my daughter has her iPod player turned up sky high. Or she's singing to the heavens. Now, I love her voice. I'm grateful for her gift, but does she have to sing ALL the time? At the table? In the shower? While snorkeling?

Then my son decides to practice some fencing move in his room. Upstairs. And it sounds like he's kungfu fighting a giant panda.

And there's the ticking of a clock from somewhere.

See! I must be officially old. And definitely cranky. Does anyone else have trouble thinking when there are so many distractions and noise?