A Teacher's Ruminations

I am an early riser. Morning is my favourite time of the day. During the school year, I'm up at 5:00 or earlier. On weekends and holidays, I cut myself a little slack and set my alarm for 5:30 or 6:00. The point is that I'm an early riser. I get my best work done in the early morning. I answer emails, write, read (mostly for my doctoral program), and assess student papers all while having my first (and usually only) cup of coffee. The house is quiet. The promise of a new and improved day is palpable. I feel at peace with myself. And, then the dogs start barking...but that's another story. During the past week, while we've been on a family vacation, I did not set my alarm or get up earlier than 8:30 in the morning. I didn't plan it this way. It just happened and I enjoyed "sleeping in". This morning was a different story. I woke up at 5:30 and felt fully awake and rested. Should I get up or just lie in bed for another hour or two? Was