This is our dog, Emily. She’s 3 and a half, and she loves sleeping. This picture, from about a month ago, is of her, on a couch, on top of a blanket. She’ll pull blankets onto pillows on top of the couch, to give her the absolute most cushioned sleeping pad possible. And then she’ll sleep like a rock until dinner time. Emily is perfectly healthy, but a complete hypersomniac. Naturally, her weekends do not coincide with our weekends. When we go to work on weekdays, it’s like her Saturday. House to herself, no distractions, and she sleeps the whole day. On weekends, she’s constantly interrupted by us. She gets restless and strives to find solitude away from us. Yes, we’ll go for walks, runs, and we’ll play on the floor with her dozens of toys, but as soon as the games end, she’s lights out.

Tomorrow is the family day holiday in Alberta, along with Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Louis Riel Day in Manitoba. If you’re not taking the day off, hopefully you’re being compensated a little extra. I love long weekends. The extra day to relax, to clean, shop, or do whatever you want to do is truly welcome in the middle of winter.

Today is only Sunday.  I had yesterday off, and I don’t have to worry about waking up early tomorrow, dressing up, or going to work. And then, when you do go back to work, it’s already Tuesday and the next weekend is that much closer. It’s not that I don’t like working – actually I enjoy it quite a lot. But there’s something to be said for introspection and sublimity; for sleeping in – both physically and spiritually.

The weather is overcast today in Calgary. It’s balmy for this time of year, with the temperature sitting slightly above zero. We’re about to head out for a bit of shopping, then home in time for the Flames game. Let’s hope the Flames pick it up a bit after the loss to LA.