Yesterday, Saturday, I did my long run and a big grocery shopping trip. I made some deer meat Chili and some taco meat. Zoe and I baked some beer bread and a loaf of orange, cranberry bread. The weather outside was insanely nice, so I read on the patio while Alli napped and we cleaned the garage. As I was sweeping the garage floor in my shorts and tank top and not breaking a sweat or feeling even slightly cold I recall thinking “this IS the perfect temperature”.

Around 5 pm, I received a mysterious long distance phone call. When I listened to the message, it turned out that it was my sister, Linda, who lives in California. She was in St. Louis visiting and wanted to know when she could come to Columbia and meet the husband and baby. I told her that if she wanted, she could come right now and spend the night. I told her we had plenty to eat. She was thrilled, drove right over and arrived around 7 pm.

We all sat in the kitchen talking until Zoe got bored and found a ride back to her dads. Then James, having been sick for days, went to bed. Then my sister’s boyfriend, Bill, finally went to bed and Linda and I stayed up until 3 in the morning talking. It has been almost exactly 10 years since I talked to her at any great length so we had plenty to discuss.

This morning, at 5 am I heard James and Allia get up. I tried to keep sleeping, but the sounds of Alli kept waking me. I got up and moved to the couch and dozed off and on for another hour or so while Alli watched cartoons.

Linda finally woke up around 9 and we had coffee and breakfast and did some more visiting. She left after lunch and I was exhausted, but decided taking a nap would not work.

The weather today was nothing like yesterday. It was cold and breezy so I broke out Allia’s new hat and gloves (thank you Cherie for buying them for her) and we went out to play.

I completely amazed myself by staying up until almost 10 pm. I went all day long on only 3 hours of sleep!