T'was the Saturday Before Christmas
By Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (54651)
Canada
December 20, 2025 4:20am CST
Yes, t'was the Saturday before Christmas, and since I'm no poet, I won't continue on that theme. 
I am up early, as always on a Saturday. Saturdays are my errands day and today is no different.
I haven't been here in a while, but busy as ever.
Our fiscal year for work ends at the end of November. At a meeting last week, I received the Fiscal 2025 Epic Award. Kind of a big deal. something that will make it easier for me to think about my next career, in a couple of years, which will be my final career. This award gives me a trip out to Victoria BC for 4 days. Nice part is that my wages will be paid for those days, as well as everything else.
I haven't made up my mind if I will take the trip or the cash prize. I have a crippling fear of flying.
We are almost ready for Christmas here. I have to get the groceries today. We have a nice tradition of doing brunch at our son's place. With the girls being young and so busy, I will bake an asparagus quiche and a nice omelette and a Black Forest ham, and they usually provide the rest of the meal. I hate to show up empty handed, and I have lots of time to get these done on Christmas morning.
As we near the end of our calendar year, I look back and give thanks for the many blessings that I have received this year. I hope that you will all take a moment and do the same. Life is not always easy, but those are usually what we recall as some of the best times.
Merry Christmas!
~Photo is mine
I am up early, as always on a Saturday. Saturdays are my errands day and today is no different.
I haven't been here in a while, but busy as ever.
Our fiscal year for work ends at the end of November. At a meeting last week, I received the Fiscal 2025 Epic Award. Kind of a big deal. something that will make it easier for me to think about my next career, in a couple of years, which will be my final career. This award gives me a trip out to Victoria BC for 4 days. Nice part is that my wages will be paid for those days, as well as everything else.
I haven't made up my mind if I will take the trip or the cash prize. I have a crippling fear of flying.
We are almost ready for Christmas here. I have to get the groceries today. We have a nice tradition of doing brunch at our son's place. With the girls being young and so busy, I will bake an asparagus quiche and a nice omelette and a Black Forest ham, and they usually provide the rest of the meal. I hate to show up empty handed, and I have lots of time to get these done on Christmas morning.
As we near the end of our calendar year, I look back and give thanks for the many blessings that I have received this year. I hope that you will all take a moment and do the same. Life is not always easy, but those are usually what we recall as some of the best times.
Merry Christmas!
~Photo is mine13 people like this
13 responses
@DaddyEvil (163878)
• United States
13h
Merry Christmas! It's nice to see you back on myLot. 
Congratulations on your award!
Congratulations on your award!2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (163878)
• United States
13h
@Juliaacv You're welcome.
I hope nothing stops you from retiring when you're ready.
Thank you very much.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
2h
@DaddyEvil Today my family told me that they are trying to get the time off from work so that they as well as my husband can go to Victoria during those 4 days. They will need to book their own flight, as I will be on a chartered flight, but I would not go without him and having our son and DIL and the twins along, is icing on the cake. We can go whale watching and do other things in the off time, as I will have to do some things during the day with work.
1 person likes this
I know what you mean about fear of flying plus the extra money can go a long way into paying for a fun roadtrip.
Merry Christmas@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
1h
I may have to change my mind on my fear.
My son and his wife are trying to get that time off from work, to enable my husband to go, as well as them and the twins, and spend the time with me out west.
They will need to take another flight, but if I know that they are behind me, I will have to do it, it may not be the 'best' impression I can make on some of the corporate suits, but.......
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (166781)
• United States
2h
How great to get that recognition. Your food sounds yummy and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
2h
Thank you.
I was truly taken by surprise.
The CEO will be on board and with us the entire time in Victoria.
And Victoria..........it is on our bucket list.
My son and his wife are trying to get the time off from work so that my hubs and them and the twins can take another flight and stay in the same hotel so that we can enjoy the sites after hours. I would love to go whale watching, and our hotel overlooks the harbour.
Merry Christmas Heather. 
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
2h
Thanks alot @AmbiePam.
I was going to back out of the trip, until our son told me that he and his wife are trying to get the time off from work, so that my hubs and them and the girls can take a flight out and enjoy the time with me in Victoria.
Interestingly enough, the hotel that we are staying at, our son stayed at on his honeymoon, and he claimed that it was haunted. Yikes!
Yes, the higher-uppers in the suits will all be on board on the flight and with us for the 4 day affair.
I will have to activities to do during the course of the day-afterall, they are paying me my salary, and the evenings, will be spend with my family.
This bronchitis has really kicked my butt these past couple of months, and I am so exhausted most days.
It has to leave me, then I will be back to my normal self.
I was going to back out of the trip, until our son told me that he and his wife are trying to get the time off from work, so that my hubs and them and the girls can take a flight out and enjoy the time with me in Victoria.
Interestingly enough, the hotel that we are staying at, our son stayed at on his honeymoon, and he claimed that it was haunted. Yikes!
Yes, the higher-uppers in the suits will all be on board on the flight and with us for the 4 day affair.
I will have to activities to do during the course of the day-afterall, they are paying me my salary, and the evenings, will be spend with my family.
This bronchitis has really kicked my butt these past couple of months, and I am so exhausted most days.
It has to leave me, then I will be back to my normal self.
@snowy22315 (200288)
• United States
10h
Yay, glad you stopped by! Merry Christmas and happy shopping. Would it be possible to exchange the plane tickets for train tickets. That VIA rail across Cananda is supposed to be awfully nice.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
1h
Thanks, I am so exhausted from this bronchitis that I don't have the stamina to come online after work.
My husband and I are planning on taking the Via train out west in November after I retire.
We want to do the East Coast Oceanic ride in the spring.
Now they are talking about doing a rapid transit rail line from Toronto, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec.
The Via passage for that route only offers 8 trains daily, but the new one would offer many, many more.
The East Coaster Oceanic you get on in Montreal, so we would have to travel from here in London to there, which is roughly an 8 hour day, and then spend the night, and then the following day take the East Coaster.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
1h
@snowy22315 Expensive, just the train fare for the East Coaster if $10K a pop, plus the accommodations upon arrival to each province, meals and so on.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (126696)
• Marion, Ohio
9h
Congratulations. I would probably take the cash myself.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (183353)
• Boise, Idaho
3h
I have a lot to be thankful for too. Congratulations on winning this award.
I was able to see Vancouver and Victoria BC back in the 90s, It was lovely. I remember a garden and a castle we went to and the food was great. We found a place that made great fish and chips and visited it several times while in Victoria. Vancouver reminded me of San Francisco. I hope you have a grand time during your 4-day trip.
I hope you have a lovely holiday. Merry Christmas.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
2h
Thanks so much.
I wasn't planning on going until my family told me today that they are going to try to get that time off from work so that my husband and them and the twins can all take another flight and stay in the same hotel.
We can do things after hours together, as there will be some activities that I will have to take part in during the days.
I wish you a very Merry Christmas also.
@LadyDuck (489208)
• Italy
7h
Hello Julia, I am so happy to see you here again.
Congratulations for winning the Epic Award. I have become lazy and I would get the cash prize.
We had our friends coming today for a Christmas lunch together. We were so happy to meet them. My husband looked more relaxed and alert remembering the old times.
I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
We had our friends coming today for a Christmas lunch together. We were so happy to meet them. My husband looked more relaxed and alert remembering the old times.
I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (91967)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3h
Congrats to you winning an award, I bet Willow and Harper are excited about Christmas, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, Merry Christmas to you and yours,
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54651)
• Canada
2h
Thank you so much.
Yes, the girls are very excited about Christmas.
I always get them each their first initial in chocolate to go in their Christmas box.
I found the W this year, no problem, but it took until today to find the H.
I was thinking that I might have to forgo that idea, since I could get one their initial and not the other.
@moffittjc (126603)
• Gainesville, Florida
8h
Great to see you back here, and a big congratulations on your Epic Award! I'm sure it's well-deserved for your hard work and effort.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (58599)
• Philippines
10h
Merry Christmas in advance. It's barely 5 days before Christmas.
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (9748)
• Calcutta, India
13h
I hope I can a have a new start and a fresh outlook on life.
1 person likes this
