Time Thief

There is a thief in my area.  He or she has been stealing time from me.  I’ll be working away at something – either at work or at home – and suddenly it is much later than I thought it was.  The other night is a perfect example.  Ken started the dishwasher before he went to bed around 7ish.  He told me about it and asked that I turn it off etc when it was done.  I think I grunted acknowledgement at him (hey I was writing).  Five minutes – no more I swear – the chime indicating the dishwasher was done went off.  I was annoyed.  It must be broke or something right?  No it was 8:20 and the time thief had struck again.
He was hiding in my house last night because after I took care of the dishwasher and only maybe ten minutes later, Vicki came to tell me she was going to bed.  I told her it was very early for her to go to bed. She pointed out to me that it was nearly 10 pm.  I cursed the time thief again.  He’d struck while I’d been busy writing a chapter…
Two minutes later – I swear that was it – she wanders down the hall all squinty and grumbly because she can’t sleep.  I start to tell her she needs to give herself more than two minutes and realize I’ve been hit again by the time thief because it is nearly 11.  Of course I wrote nearly an entire chapter of almost 4600 words last night.  It flowed and practically wrote itself.  I am very pleased with it. 
I was a good girl then and went to bed.  Unfortunately sleep was elusive and I tossed and turned nearly all night only falling asleep after 2:45 this morning.  Now if I could only get the damn time thief to give me back that time – I could have a nap and not be completely exhausted today….