2:18 a.m. The house is quiet. TV noise would just annoy me right now. The apartment complex is quiet around me. Very peaceful. At moments like this, though, I really miss my place on the Cape, where I could open my windows and hear the ocean., or step out into my tiny yard and look through the trees up at the stars. Here, I have to walk out into the parking lot to see the stars. Worth doing, but I feel very exposed and vulnerable out there by myself. Cats, as adorable as they are, are not effective protectors in such a situation. But they make great foot warmers while I'm typing - when I can get them to stay on the ottoman for me. :-)