THE Day has finally arrived!

Well, it's happened again. We had a day that was warm enough to require lighter clothes, and where are my cool weather clothes? Lost somewhere in the mess of things that keep getting moved around because of the flooding!

I found something to wear, but had no shoes. They are also down in the basement. It took forever to get dressed, as I had to keep changing the individual pieces to accommodate for the things I needed from my bins downstairs.

Loren, the smarty pants, had been down the day before to scout around and find HIS warm weather clothes. When I asked why he didn't find mine he told me that I've always done my own (true) and he hadn't had time to look in every bin.

Yes, the bins are all totally mismarked. The first time we marked them, when we moved from San Diego, we had trouble getting any sort of labels to stick to the bins. Then, once I got some labels to stick, the contents kept changing. I could remember what was in each bin, despite the label, for about 2 changes, but now....they are all hopelessly mismarked. When we want to find something, it's like playing a memory game. As we have about 20 bins, it can take a lot of time and effort to move them, look in them, close them back up and look in the next one.

I can hear some of you saying, "why don't you relabel them?" and have a ready answer. Because!

Because the labels still don't stick. Because the labels that DO stick have been written over and renamed so many times that you don't know which writing to believe. Because it's too much trouble. And/Or Because I LIKE playing the Memory game.
Ha, Ha, Ha.

Last night I had the next part of my "THE Day has finally arrived" experience. For a few weeks, it has been difficult to find comfortable bedding for sleeping. Most nights a quilt is enough, but occasionally it got cold enough to require the down comforter. Last night was so warm that I needed the light weight blankets. Guess where they are?

It was a revelation to realize just how warm it was in the bedrooms upstairs last night. I actually opened the windows for some cross ventilation, and Loren had the fan on. It isn't even hot yet, so I doubt we'll be sleeping upstairs during the warm weather. When I went downstairs this morning, it was COLD! So I imagine we'll be spending most of the summer downstairs.

Which means that we will have to clean up and reorganize all the stuff that got moved because of the floods, move the bed downstairs, and figure out where the computer will reside. It can't get reception in the basement, and there is no cable down there. Hummmmm, guess I'll figure that part out after I find my clothes, and shoes, and bedding...

Guess it's time to get off the computer and begin the process. Ugh! But on a happy note, this effort means that nice, warm weather is coming. Yeah! Now I'm going to go find some Labels!!!!!

First really nice day!

At the first hint of actual warmth people turned out by the dozens! Everywhere there were people running, and biking, and playing all types of ball and frisbee. Picnics were packed and smiles abound!

One thing I noticed across the board, most of the men were in shorts. Most of the girls were in capri's or short sleeve tops. The female population didn't change into warm weather gear. I wondered why and realized it's a female thing. We're always colder, so it has to be genuinely warm to put on sleeveless or shorts. Another reason is that females are vain, and we have no tan to our legs and arms, so they aren't on display! Men don't suffer from these compulsions, so they put on their shorts, took off their shirts and enjoyed the sunshine!

As I drove to work, I saw a sight that made me laugh. In the park at the edge of Lake Mendota people were out enjoying the weather. What made the sight funny was that the lake is still frozen, and there is snow along the fence line that protects the town from the winds coming from the water. That didn't stop them from running and jumping and throwing and catching.

There is no green yet. The grass will probably green up first, but still no sign of it. I long for green, for color. The bulbs have sent up their shoots, and eventually we'll have flowers. Patience is REALLY hard to come by just now!

Hopes are High!

At 2:30am I was awakened by a noise I couldn't identify. I sleep with a cool mist humidifier right next to the bed, and block out most sound with the white noise it makes.

I didn't really want to wake up, but this new noise was persistent. Coming a little more out of the sleep realm, I wonder if there are mice running across the rafters in the ceiling above my head. This thought brought me a little more awake, so I stopped to really listen. At first I couldn't identify what this sound was, and then I knew. It was raindrops hitting the window. Very gentle, no particular rhythm, but loud enough to catch my attention and wake me up to notice.

As I went back to sleep I was smiling. Rain, not snow was falling. When I got up, it was raining for real. With the temperature in the 40's and a steady downfall, I figured the 6 foot pile of snow at the edge of the driveway might just melt!

This week we're scheduled for daytime temperatures in the 40's and low 50's, with some rain. So, I think Spring might finally be coming!!!!

When I went outside at 5:30am to go to work, I knew we were finally into Spring. Even though it was still dark, there were birds singing and chirping everywhere. Guess that eternal Spring impulse is finally at work. Thank Goodness.

The Shell Seekers

Sunday night I needed something to read, and found myself without a book. Standing in front of the bookcase, I contemplated which of my favorite books would give me the most joy right now. And so I found myself reading "The Shell Seekers" again. I've read it at least half a dozen times. I enjoy it every time.

Sure enough, within the first few chapters, I was hooked. Even though I know the book, I suspend my knowledge and allow the story to be fresh, if not new. Ms. Pilcher writes in such a way, that I feel I am in England. The characters feel like old friends that I'm catching up with.I read it quickly, it was over too soon, and I'm suffering from the "but I want more" scenerio. Not to worry. I'll read it again next year, and the year after that, on and on.

Roll down the windows!

Today was warm enough to roll down the window while I drove home from work! The temperature was only in the mid 40's, but the sun was shining and that made it feel warm in the car. They say we're getting a little more snow tomorrow, but today that is hard to believe.

When I left for work (6am) our yard was covered in snow. When I got home (3pm) most of the snow in the front yard was gone! I didn't dare walk over the "grass" for fear I'd sink in the mud. But it was nice to see ground!

It reminded me of an incident from my childhood. My Sunday shoes were a pair of black velvet mary jane's. I'd been allowed to wear them to school for some special function. On the way home, I came to an area that we used as a short cut. Previously this area had been snow covered, or at least hard ground. On this day, it was all soft mud. At the edge, it was still rather solid, but as I got several steps into it, my foot began to sink in the soft mud. Finally I found my entire foot sucked into the mud, and when it came out, it was sans shoe! The next step sucked the other shoe off my foot.

I don't remember how distressed I was when I lost my shoes, but when I got home and my mother got the story of where my shoes were, she got VERY upset. She made me take her to the mud pit, and she got a big stick to poke the ground with. Eventually she got my shoes out of the mud, took them home and cleaned them up. She stuffed newspaper in them to retain the shape, then wiped off as much mud as possible. After they dried, she brushed them over and over and eventually, I had shoes for Sunday again. Needless to say, I wasn't allowed to wear my Sunday shoes to school ever again.

It must have made more of an impression than I'd thought, as 45 years later, I think twice before stepping into a muddy yard!

Guess this means Spring is finally on the way. Yippee!!!!!!

Weather update

Sure enough, it snowed during the night. We got up to fresh frosting that has covered everything in a thin film. The morning snow is fine and steady. No big flakes, so the accumulation is slight.

One hour later, the flakes have gotten bigger and the wind has come up. The snow that was on the roofs is now blowing like mad, and the falling snow is nearly horizontal!

I checked the weather report to find we're under a storm advisory until 7pm. The projections of expected snowfall have been hiked up to 11-13 inches!!! That is the kind of snow accumulation that began this endless winter. Maybe this is the end?

Now I'm off to make hot chocolate and find a book to curl up in the window with. I'll watch this storm (last storm?!) until I have to go to work. But I'm calling to make sure they aren't closing the store early before I set out in this mess!

More snow expected...

Tonight while we sleep, we're supposed to get the beginning of a snowstorm that could bring us 9 inches of snow in the next 24 hours! WHEN IS SPRING COMING TO MADISON?

I want sunshine, and flowers, and leaves on the trees. I want to put up my bird feeders and open the windows to air out the house. I want to take the flannel sheets off the bed. I want, I want, I want......