The Tent

A horrendous heat wave is hitting the South-West of France. I’m having a hard time sleeping at night, and wake up later than I’d like to in consequence. Leaving the windows open helps, but the mosquitoes keep me awake and the comfortable queen-sized bed convinces me to oversleep. 

I might have found the solution though: a tent in my garden with a self-inflating pad and a blanket.

The atmosphere is much fresher because I lie close to the ground. The tent prevents mosquitoes from coming close enough for me to hear them. The pad is designed for a single person so I’m forced to stay still, and the blanket has its use to protect me from the early morning dew.

Lying outside at night, with the sounds of the crickets rocking me, is a peaceful experience. With my tent oriented toward the South, the sun acts as a gentle alarm clock.

I managed to wake up at 8 AM this morning, but without a sweater to keep me warm (it had rained in the middle of the night and the clouds had replaced the sun) I had to come back inside.

If the sun shows up again tomorrow, I’ll probably manage to wake up earlier and workout first thing in the morning. The Wi-Fi doesn’t reach the tent, so I’ll perhaps also do some reading or writing before eating breakfast, instead of looping through my social network accounts like I usually do.

Sometimes, comfort gets in the way and simplicity is the only way forward.