7:09 and late to school!

Our cold snap coming down from the Northwest arrived late Monday into Tuesday, making my daily morning walks with the dogs a bit nippy.  We had overcast, grey clouds all day Monday but winds were calm.  Rain was in the forecast for Tucson and points east late Monday.  Sierra Vista got some rain on Tuesday, but our 'hood was dry.  The cold weather was a nice relief after a week of hot, sunny days.

I came home Tuesday  at 4pm.  I wanted to take the dogs up Miller Canyon and texted Susan for company, who quickly replied that she was in town at the moment.  I ended up not taking the dogs for an after-school walk and just spent time with the dogs and pups in the back yard.

Fatigue set in quickly and I went to lay down.  I was feeling tired by 5:30pm.  I figured I just needed a quick nap.

Something jolted me awake at 7:09.  Oh shit, I thought. I've overslept!  I didn't hear my usual 4:15am alarm. Why didn't Kevin wake me up?  He was still snuggly in bed when I jolted awake, ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair, then to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. What was I going to tell my students why I was late, the second time this school year. The dogs and pups were all following me to and fro, perhaps wondering why I wasn't paying them any attention or feeding them the obligatory morning treats in the kitchen while I rushed to get the bare minimum. 

I left the house at 7:20 with a big mug of coffee in my hand, drinking the hot juice while driving to school under dark clouds.  The thick rain clouds had hidden any sunlight but I still felt I was in a twilight zone.  Why was it so dark?  Where the clocks around me correct?

I made it to the school parking lot at 7:40pm, just 20 minutes late.  But where were the other teachers' cars?  The school bus and the maintenance vehicle were the only vehicles in the parking lot.

And then I realized:  It was 7:40 PM, not AM.  I must have fallen asleep when I went to lay down, then fell asleep in a short but deep sleep. That explained the dark skies and empty school parking lot.  Realizing my panicked mistake, I quickly drove right out of the school parking lot and headed home.

It began to rain hard as I drove through town.  Hallejulah, we need the rain!  But as soon as I got south of town and into my 'hood, the rain had stopped.  But at least I was back home where I should have been in the first place and not late for school.