Sleep deprivation

I've always said that sleep is for sissies, but I still like to get some once in a while. What's keeping me up? Is it the kids coming home at all hours? No! Is it worry over world affairs? Not always. Is it the sirens that go by in the distance all night? Sometimes. These things you can learn to tune out. What wakes me up from a dead sleep every time is the pitter-patter of feline feet as they tromp up and down my spine. The plaintive yowl while being head-butted at 3 a.m. God knows I love our feline housemates (you can't call them pets since no one can own a cat, simply live to serve them). I know they love me and want to get head rubs and tell me about every raccoon and possum wandering the yard, but a man's gotta sleep sometime! It's bad enough when I have to sleep like a contortionist in the circus just to find room for my legs because the cat has claimed his spot. I think we may have to pull a Fred Flintstone,  by putting the cat out of the room and shutting the door at night.  I am starting to look like an extra in the Walking Dead. I need some sleep! ~ Michael S. Pauley