it's 10am when my eyes flutter open. i see flowers and think my nightstand must have been made for flowers. then i realize that my morning sleep has gone undisturbed. no yelling children outside my window. no visiting house guests meeting for the day's adventure. no motorcycles marring the peaceful quiet.

it's the first morning i can remember sleeping, and, without the interruption of an alarm clock or some other agitation, waking up on my time.

what a perfect beginning. today will be all about 'my' time.

with a quick shower behind me, i waste only a few minutes getting ready, since where i'm going, it won't matter.

window down, breeze blowing. a perfect southern california day, and a perfect day to enjoy the beach.

i spend the next three hours doing nothing. the bag i've brought, stuffed with books and music, lay untouched. the only soundtrack or commentary i need today is the laughter of the families nearby, and the gentle rhythm of the ocean.

eventually, i know it's time to return to reality. and then it occurs to me that this IS reality. i'm not on vacation. this is my life.

nonetheless, it's time to get on with it. and so i do, heading towards some long overdue pampering.

as i slide my toes into the warm pedicure bath, the sun i've enjoyed is already making our little dalliance evident. both the woman at my feet and the one at my hands, neither of whom speaks a word of english, gesture and tease at the pinkness of my skin. but the teasing is for naught. i know that tomorrow the pink will have given way to a golden brown, and i smile in spite of myself.

i consider that this might be the greatest indulgence i've allowed myself for some time. then i consider that great indulgences are made even greater when made possible by others--this one coming thanks to an employer who values my work.

it 's far too soon when the time comes to exit from my massage chair. but it's made easier in the knowledge that the only things left on the to-do list today, are to slide into my favorite pajamas, crawl into my bed, and to enjoy the latest little gift arriving in it's red envelope. tonight, my date is the kite runner. i understand i'm in for a treat.