I can already feel that this will be one of *those* vacations. As usual, Leo and I are on an all out spending freeze. Raj is flying us out to Vail and putting us up (presumably at his hotel, but maybe at his apartment). So we are already doing really well in the money department. But, just like last summer's *free* cruise (where we spent close to 5k), I have a feeling that this will turn out to be expensive. Leo will ski, of course, and how could I begrudge him that in Vail? I would have been off being scrubbed and soaked but I can't really come up with a good argument as to why I need to do that.

Oh well. Dog sledding will be good enough. Leo says that he'd feel bad for the dogs but I must ask what God intended when he put dogs on this earth if not to pull my lazy ass around? Anyway, I'm sure they are happier than every Detroit-bound cocker spaniel who spends the work week locked in a cage. These dogs have a true raison d'etre and spend their days frolicking in the snow. Perhaps I'll convince Leo that our money will go to buying them all some Alpo, a meal they might not of had if we didn't go dog sledding.

There are huge drifts of paper on my desk. I should probably get that taken care of before I leave. And I have to go cash the last of our tax refund checks (which is, coincidentally, the same amount as a rosemary and peppermint scrub). BTW, don't file your taxes the old fashioned way. We filed ours at the beginning of February and just now do we have our money back. I haven't done anything but e-file since it came out, but Leo and his dad did ours this year and they sent in the paper.