Start the night before. Don’t set the alarm.
Consider setting it, perhaps, but decide against.
Shut the blinds before you lie down at night.
Turn the plastic rod so the blinds are tight.
When the inevitable light forms in lines
and brightens your room anyway, turn away.
Close your eyes again and see if that helps.
When closing your eyes doesn’t help,
pull the covers over your head. Grab them
in a way that you can tighten them all around.
Like, as a child who believed in witches,
you blocked their prying searches for you.
Get comfortable again. Adjust your under-the-covers
pillows. Wiggle your shoulders into new,
less scrunched positions. Let your arms rest
where they will.
Think lovely thoughts. Really. Go all Mary Poppins,
or if you prefer, Mr. Rogers.
Put on a metaphorical cardigan and slippers.
Enter the world of make believe.
There is no car here, no highway,
no bumper-to-bumper, no boss,
no deadlines, no failures,
just sleep and sleep and dreams.
— catthy barber, How to Stay in Bed
Notes:
- Poem Source: Mother-Ground
- Photo Source: TheSensualStarfish

A more perfect description of a languid Saturday morning I have not encountered. Now to put it into action….
That’s it. Right there.
WLS – all the way. And I actually do this when I get into bed…scrunch down, cover everything but my nose (and left leg – don’t ask, it’s a thing…my son does it too), adjust the pillow just so..but instead of Mary Poppins, I go someplace tropical. It’s all the same – a spoonful of sugar.
Where are the pups?
On the bed too of course
Bliss 🙂
It is…
As hard as I try, I am fully conditioned not to sleep in! “Think lovely thoughts. Really. Go all Mary Poppins,” mmmm…. but I always have a reason to get up! Hope it works for others! 🙂
You aren’t tired because of weeks of R&R in Fuji and the tropical planet you live on. You’ve been living the life of Mary Poppins friend.
You are very funny! I always laugh on this blog. But it’s quite true, I do live the dream my friend.. I do. 🙂
And you have such a sweet and gentle way of rubbing it in.
yes, i love this. at times it is hard for me, because it clashes with my waking up excited for the day feeling. wanting to see what adventure will unfold. i’m not kidding., i really wake up like that. i think i have a mary poppins crossed with a bit of a 5 year old approach to life.
Feel the same way Beth. Torn between wanted to lay there and get after the day. I feel that. I do.
Perfect instructions … for an other day 🙂
Tomorrow!
Did much of the above but the sunshine reflecting off of the winter snow woke me up — a stretch, a smile, some coffee and ahhh … the only thing missing is my old dog stretched out in a sun puddle, MJ
Awww, that old dog never far from consciousness…
When I open my eyes and still want to stay in bed I just want somebody to bring me my 1st cup of morning coffee.
Laughing. And that’s it!
If more people did this, we’d have a better world. I’m sure of it.
Yes Jordan. I’d take that closer to home. If I did it…
Great photo to go with the poem.
It is. Thanks Raewyn.