Getting up in the dark mornings

[Highmileagecob]

I am not a fan of getting up in the dark, and solved it by putting a low wattage light on a timeswitch to coincide with the alarm. Then I took it a stage further and set up a kettle and tea making facilities on the bedside table, reset the alarm for half an hour earlier, and I can enjoy a cup of tea in bed before facing the day. In the days when the children were living at home, I would wake them with a cup of tea, and everyone surfaced fairly agreeably.
What are your essentials for dark mornings?

 

[Surbie]

I am not a fan of getting up in the dark, and solved it by putting a low wattage light on a timeswitch to coincide with the alarm.

That is a really good idea, I struggle to wake in the dark so I am pinching that!
I put out my clothes the night before so no thought or crashing about is required.
When it's cold I leave all clothes on the radiator so I can put warmed things on.

 

[Abacus]

A daylight alarm clock is absolutely essential - it slowly gets lighter until its at its brightest at the time you set as an 'alarm'. It wakes me smoothly and pleasantly every morning with that feeling of sunshine in the room even on horrible days. I set a backup alarm when it's essential I don't oversleep but I never need it. I have a Philips version but there are others out there that are cheaper.

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[cauda equina]

I have a Panasonic one, it's excellent

 

[Peglo]

I have a cat that sits on me chest for 5-10 minutes before me alarm goes off waiting to be fed. So by then I’m uncomfortable enough (or fed up enough of claws on me face) I just get up, feed cats, make me dinner for work, have a coffee and wonder if it will get light enough to see by the time I get to the field.

I forgot how much I hated this time of year. Trying to poop scoop in half light, ponies still on restricted grazing as they’re fat but the field is bare and turning to mud and everything’s always wet. In a couple of weeks I won’t be able to hack after work. ?

 

[Horseysheepy]

So lucky to keep my horses at home.
I have my jogging bottoms, socks and fleece ready to step into beside the bed. My body wakes up at 4.30am, without fail!.
I scramble into the clothes and chuck a coat on, leave house at 4.45am unlocked in case I get chased (Ive seen too many horror movies in my youth!!) Hay the horses, do the chickens, check the cade lambs, poorly ewe. Crawl back into bed and get up 'properly' at 6.30
Weekends, same routine but bring my partner a cuppa in bed!.
I wish I could get up later, but I just can't lay in and relax without knowing all is well outside.
I also take comfort that the horse trailer, livestock trailer, tractor and pick up are still where they should be and not gone missing!.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My dogs land on me when my alarm goes off and nag until I get up.

 

[MuddyMonster]

My daylight alarm clock and a thermal mug to take tea with me to the stables ?

Plus, the knowledge if I don't ride first thing I'm going to have to ride after work when I'm more tired and less motivated always helps!

 

[Barton Bounty]

My dog is already rumbling on the bed for pee pee time at 5 am so I drag my a$$ out of bed ?

 

[humblepie]

Alarm, get up in dark so as not to wake OH, go to sitting room where clothes are - likely to be warmest room of house overnight if have had log fire going - make flask of tea, leave house.

 

[GreyDot]

My spaniel lies against my face and attempts to suffocate me. Larger dog then gets up on the bed and lies over my rib-cage, so it's a fight for survival every morning. Gets the adrenlin pumping once I can breathe again.
This is a tough part of the year though. The slippery slope to winter.

 

[Fransurrey]

I have coffee ready in the pot (just need to pour and heat in microwave then take it with me), a daylight alarm clock (with option of tweetie birds, radio or rooster as an extra!) and a needy cat. I STILL can't get up in the mornings and that's all year round. I really wish I could be an early bird, but I think my sleep pattern just won't allow it. You could throw ice cold water at my face and I'd just swear at you and roll over.

 

[scruffyponies]

I have a lamp too. I also have a very large dog who will come up the bed for a snuggle and lick as soon as she thinks I'm awake. A 50kg Cane Coso being overly affectonate will wake most people, so long as they don't drown first.
If I'm slow, there is a risk that the puppy will come in with wet feet and *shudders* enthusiasm.

 

[Indy]

I can remember when my grandad used to live with us. He used to wake us all up at 4am with a cup of tea and a custard cream - every day, whether we needed to be up or not, whether we wanted a cup of tea and a custard cream or not - god bless his soul.

Now, I just leave me phone downstairs with the cockerel alarm set at 5.30 so I have to get up and go and turn it off, followed by a visit to the toilet, followed by making a cup of tea, followed by feeding the cat. If I had an alarm at the side of my bed I'd just switch it off and go back to sleep.

 

[SEL]

I have a cat that sits on me chest for 5-10 minutes before me alarm goes off waiting to be fed. So by then I’m uncomfortable enough (or fed up enough of claws on me face) I just get up, feed cats, make me dinner for work, have a coffee and wonder if it will get light enough to see by the time I get to the field.

Mine starts to stick her paws up my nose if she thinks I'm not serving her quickly enough.

 

[greenbean10]

I can remember when my grandad used to live with us. He used to wake us all up at 4am with a cup of tea and a custard cream - every day, whether we needed to be up or not, whether we wanted a cup of tea and a custard cream or not - god bless his soul.

Now, I just leave me phone downstairs with the cockerel alarm set at 5.30 so I have to get up and go and turn it off, followed by a visit to the toilet, followed by making a cup of tea, followed by feeding the cat. If I had an alarm at the side of my bed I'd just switch it off and go back to sleep.

This is both hilarious and wholesome!

 

[D66]

The radio comes on gently at 7am. Usually OH brings me a cup of tea shortly afterwards. Then I read the news on iPad and try to be out of bed by 8.

 

[Widgeon]

What are your essentials for dark mornings?

My essentials are the absolute maximum amount of sleep possible, and a cup of coffee. So I wake up as late as possible and am out of the house with coffee in hand twenty minutes later if I need to ride before work. I hate it with a deep and abiding passion, and riding is the only thing that can get me out of bed in this way.

Plus, the knowledge if I don't ride first thing I'm going to have to ride after work when I'm more tired and less motivated always helps!

Yep, this too.

 

[Peglo]

Mine starts to stick her paws up my nose if she thinks I'm not serving her quickly enough.

that is amazing ???

 

[littleshetland]

The cockerel (real life one...not a recording) can be heard in the mornings, even dark winter ones. He usually starts around 6ish, this tells me I've got a while for cups of tea etc before I go and open the henhouse door. They all run round to the yard which alerts the horses that room service is imminent. Then the whinnying and door banging starts....

 

[Cortez]

After more than 50 years, this will be the first winter that I will not have to get up at stupid-o'clock to do outside animals. I can feel the bliss already......

 

[Jenko109]

The dogs know when I am awake. I almost always wake before the alarm (despite that being set for 5.15am!) and as soon as they can hear that I am stirring, they all bundle up the stairs and onto the bed.

 

[BSL2]

4.30am. Husband and I play "wee wee" poker. Whoever loses, let's dogs out and makes coffee. Cup of coffee and then up to the yard with head torch on. Turn out. Back for breakfast. I do prefer spring and summer...

 

[BSL2]

So lucky to keep my horses at home.
I have my jogging bottoms, socks and fleece ready to step into beside the bed. My body wakes up at 4.30am, without fail!.
I scramble into the clothes and chuck a coat on, leave house at 4.45am unlocked in case I get chased (Ive seen too many horror movies in my youth!!) Hay the horses, do the chickens, check the cade lambs, poorly ewe. Crawl back into bed and get up 'properly' at 6.30
Weekends, same routine but bring my partner a cuppa in bed!.
I wish I could get up later, but I just can't lay in and relax without knowing all is well outside.
I also take comfort that the horse trailer, livestock trailer, tractor and pick up are still where they should be and not gone missing!.

So with you on this. I take a mug of tea and bacon buttie back to bed, and enjoy knowing all is good at yard.

 

[xDundryx]

My alarm goes off at 5am,fall.out of bed before getting the chance to snooze it, yard clothes are ready to grab and throw on, boil kettle while putting shoes on/letting dog out for a wee, make tea in a thermal cup and run out the door. It's not a pretty but it works ? it used to 4:30 when I had 2 do, greatful for just the 1 and a bit of a lie in!

 

[scats]

I have one of those sunrise alarm clocks. I also set my alarm half an hour early so I can snooze for half an hour without guilt. Then it’s up for a coffee with the dogs.

 

[meleeka]

So lucky to keep my horses at home.
I have my jogging bottoms, socks and fleece ready to step into beside the bed. My body wakes up at 4.30am, without fail!.
I scramble into the clothes and chuck a coat on, leave house at 4.45am unlocked in case I get chased (Ive seen too many horror movies in my youth!!) Hay the horses, do the chickens, check the cade lambs, poorly ewe. Crawl back into bed and get up 'properly' at 6.30
Weekends, same routine but bring my partner a cuppa in bed!.
I wish I could get up later, but I just can't lay in and relax without knowing all is well outside.
I also take comfort that the horse trailer, livestock trailer, tractor and pick up are still where they should be and not gone missing!.

I have cameras which mean I can check everyone before I have to get out of bed.

I can’t stand the snooze button. It’s a waste of valuable sleeping time imo. I get up as soon as my alarm goes off, set to the last possible minute. I’m usually awake before that when it’s light outside.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have a lamp too. I also have a very large dog who will come up the bed for a snuggle and lick as soon as she thinks I'm awake. A 50kg Cane Coso being overly affectonate will wake most people, so long as they don't drown first.
If I'm slow, there is a risk that the puppy will come in with wet feet and *shudders* enthusiasm.

My friend is hopefully having cane corso puppies soon , if she has taken.. Amazing dogs

 

[Fabel]

This is both hilarious and wholesome!

I hate the world ‘wholesome’ it’s really not a proper descriptive word. However! This grandad is/was brilliant

 

[Hackback]

6 am, although it's really hard when it's still dark. I also have to get up silently and in the dark so as not to disturb OH. Once I'm up and dressed in warm clothes I love it, its just getting out of the snuggly warm bed that's difficult.

The thing that motivates me is the thought that one of the horses will be busily grinding all his droppings into his bed if I'm 5 minutes late!