No, it's the First Day of Vacation: Sleep in until 6:15 (wooohooo!). What a great way to start a vacation. That additional snooze of an extra hour and 45 minutes makes all the difference in the world.

Next, the usual weekend Saturday chores: groceries at Trader Joe's (thinking of Batty), laundry, dishes, Norm's medications for the week, baking bread, the usual. And, of course, Holidailies.

Christmas cards are high on the list for today. If not now, when? It's already too late to get the one to New Zealand on time; it will have to be a Boxing Day card or a New Year's card.

It doesn't feel like vacation yet, but it will, when Monday rolls around and I'm still getting up at 6:30 or so, and not heading off to work.

This is when I miss Jasmine the most. I miss her constant companionship when I'm home. She was always by my feet or at the foot of the bed or across the doorway, ready to join me for whatever was next on the agenda. Rest in peace, Jazz.