The beauty of no alarm

Sharon is showered and dressed and out of the house by 6:30. Before she goes she feeds Serra in the basement and Caribou on the side porch, and leaves those two doors open so the dogs can go inspect each other's bowls after they are done (they seem to think this is very important). It is becoming more commonplace for Duke, Ty, and I to be able to sleep through all of this. When we do, I leave it up to chance as to how I will be awakened:

• Caribou goes downstairs, comes around the back porch, and barks to be let in. The "boof!" repeats every 30 seconds
• Serra comes upstairs and noses her way into Duke's room, and then the door closes behind her. Barking to be released from room-with-no-food commences.
• Both dogs miraculously make it to the bedroom without getting trapped, clickety-clack their way across the floor, and collapse loudly onto the floor with gusty sighs indicating they have surveyed the entire house and there is no more food out.

However annoying at the time, any of these beats an alarm clock any day.