DAY FOR SAFFRON

'Can we get up now' asked Saffron at 03,30 this morning. I was half awake at my computer having just finished a short talk with my boyfriend before he started his day when Saffron walked in. I told her we should try to sleep some more and she obliged - for about five minutes. She simply could not sleep so she went downstairs to start her new Lego kit I got her as her Christmas present.

The kit was the Lego Friends Rescue Base which she pointed out to me which she would like to have when I was visiting her in Berlin back in October. Since she was not here to celebrate Christmas and sending anything to her would make more items to bring back with her on the plane or have to be shipped back home, I decided to wait and have her open her presents upon her return.

She built for about an hour before returning upstairs to pry my eyes open in what seemed was the middle of the night. 'Can we eat breakfast now' she then asked. 'Saffi, it is a little after four in the morning' I replied. I told her I needed to get some more sleep and she should make another attempt at sleep as well. She must have listened because when I awoke a while later, I noticed she was asleep in her bed.

Breakfast was lemon ricotta pancakes, as she requested. At first I thought to have a simple breakfast of bread with butter and her favourite sour cherry jam, and then I decided to go ahead and make the pancakes for her since I had all of the ingredients on hand. After four small pancakes plus another large one, she was full. The pancakes we did not eat, we took later to her siblings.

The small kitchen I left in a mess as we dressed to go out. We had a few stops to make before her haircut. I was concerned she would need to have several inches of her hair cut off in order for it to be healthy again since she the last time she had a haircut was before she left for Germany. Fortunate for her, two inches was all which was needed to be cut.

To Barnes and Noble we went where I got her a stuffed animal as I had promised her weeks ago. 'You have to keep your promise' she reminded me. She was right. Lunch together at North by Northwest was another promise I made to her and was our last stop before my taking her to her father's house.

Cinnamon and Sage were at the door when we arrived. They greeted me with many hugs and kisses. Everything seemed to be happening at a quickened pace, yet for some reason I was also observing the scene unfold in slow motion. Today was a day for Saffron, as promised. When I return from my trip later this month, I will have them all at my place - together again.