Good Night Moon

I sort of love reading Good Night Moon to my nieces and nephews.  The book doesn't really seem all that special, but there is something about the cadence of its words and the gradually darkening pages that just soothes both child and reader and prepares one for a restful, quiet sleep.

Let me just say, this book would do no good in Africa, for the noises in the night are many.

I have yet to set an alarm clock.  I guess that's not exactly true, I did once. I've consistently been waking up at 6 a.m., but on Sundays I have to be over to the church earlier and so need to wake up earlier.  The first Sunday I set my alarm for 5:30 to be sure to be ready to go on time.  However, at 5:00 a.m. the church bells started ringing and they did not stop for 15 minutes, so my alarm clock was unecessary.  We live close enough to the church that even on Sundays no alarm clock is needed.

This is not to say that I haven't been sleeping well. I have.  The first night I fell asleep and when I woke up in the morning I had forgotten where I was - that's a sign of a good night's sleep. 

But here in Africa, and more specifically on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world awakes with the first hint that the sun will soon make its appearance.  In the mornings here, like at home, the birds and the crickets sing, but the roosters blow them away with their wails and the roosters are many.

Then the bush babies, oh my they are loud.  I am sorry to say that my linguistic skills are not capable of describing the noise for you.  It is loud, it is intermittent, and the first time you hear it you will think that a small child was attacked.  But after awhile even the bush babies are a noise that tells you you're home.

There is a road running outside of my bedroom window.  Its a small road so you only occasionally hear cars or motorbikes on it, but there are people and carts out and about very early getting a jump on the day, I always hear those.  I can also hear the occasional dog barking, the neighbors' radios and televisions, and the very regular sound of the Muslims in prayer.

These are my daily, albeit unpredictable alarm clocks, and I've never had to roll over and hit snooze - not even once!