I woke up early this morning - at least, early for me on a Saturday morning. I go to bed so late and get up so early during the week that I really try and slow down on weekends so my body can recuperate. However, I haven't been sleeping well these past couples of days; intensely strange dreams, waking up a dozen times, and feeling as though I've been sleeping forever when I would wake up - and it would only be 1:30 a.m., or 2:30, or... So when I opened my eyes again at 8:30 this morning and saw daylight and a beautiful fluffy snow floating outside my windows, I switched the radio station on to listen to some classical on Radio-Canada, thus sealing the decision to rise and snap out of the unsatisfying night. Of course, the little good morning purrs from lil' missy helped, too!

Speaking of which, I feel badly but I don't yet have an official name for her. The previous owners had named her Miss Baby and she's been carrying that name for three years now, so I feel funny changing it all of a sudden. Also, we're just getting acquainted and no names have struck as being 'The One'. But hopefully something will come up soon, because I feel like we're both a little bit in suspended air until that gets cemented.

I'm planning on taking a vacation in April, since by then my interminable 6-month probation period will be over and as far as I can gage I should be officially signed on at work afterwards. I feel a little bit of that 'embarras du choix' feeling, because I feel as though I have many options and yet have no idea where to start. Most people who know me well will remember that I have never stepped foot outside of Canada, not even to the U.S., so it feels odd to start finally considering a different country as a vacation destination. Normally my time off has also revolved around traveling to places where I had friends so that I could simply get out of Ottawa and catch up with people I care about at the same time. That is always a wonderful thing, but this time I feel as though I need to really start looking beyond the border. And then there are questions about bigger trips that I want to take, like in Iceland or South America, so I have to consider timing and money and an actual plan. It is very possible that I may take an easy trip alone somewhere in the South in order to just get away from everything and pass out on a beach with a daiquiri in one hand and a book in the other, and then plan for a much bigger trip in mid to late August or September. It is difficult for me to make plans ahead - I still struggle with deciding what I want in, say, six months from now, but I recognize the need and value in long-term planning and commitment. Eek! And then there's that scooter that I am still considering. I've really got to get my feet on the ground, pick a few plans and run with them.

Speaking of running... Holy shit, I've never been more inactive than I've been in the past six months. Again, it's true that the job really took over a big chunk of my life. No complaints of justifications there, just acquiecing in that fact. But in any case, after a summer of walking, running and sailing, I fell into a haze of nothingness and I'm starting to really feel it. It's not as though I've gained weight or look different - if anything, I'm a bit lighter this year - and I do still walk a good amount and bust my ass at Chez Lucien, when I go up and down flights of stairs hundreds of times, but that's just once a week and it's not a complete workout. I've even stopped doing the regular personal yoga sessions that I use to do at home. It's ridiculous and it needs to stop - so Manon and I were talking last night and are planning a new gym routine. Truth be told, I really dislike the gym; I wish incorporating exercise into an activity were less obvious, and then there's the whole surroundings of loud music, tons of people and waiting for machines. But at this point I really think it's necessary and I need to just block that shit out while I'm there and just concentrate.

Well well, look who's here on my table, rubbing herself all over my chin? My little snowy owl, that's who! She's so adorable. I think that's my cue to stop writing for now and put my attentions elsewhere, and perhaps have some breakfast and clean the apartment up a bit. I expect the weekend will be nice and quiet, which is great, and then a night out to the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra on Monday - got free tickets from work, and it should be another lovely outing at the NAC...

Meeeeeow - she nearly just deleted this entire post! Gotta go!

xoxox