March On

Let's just pretend February never happened.

It's the first day of March and even though it's a frosty morning here in the Emerald City, there was plenty of bird song. Sure, the birds were no doubt saying things like, "Leonard, we should never have closed up the summer house so early" and "What did I tell you, Shirley? What? Another week or two in Miami woulda killed you?" but there was bird song nonetheless. And there are also blooming things. Of course, that owes largely to our nearly dry and completely snow-free El Nino of a winter but things are blooming and they are carrying spring in all their little green cells.

My sails were slack in February. (It's a stupid month. The only things it has to recommend it are Groundhog Day and my sister Audrey Hepburn's birthday. That's not much to go on). I am glad to see the backside of it and even if you don't join me, I'm going to ignore it completely.

Disclaimer: There are people all over the world who are in a really bad way right now. There are people in my life who are dealing with very difficult and scary circumstances. There are people in serious pain and I am very sensible of that when I tell you: ow ow ow ow ow.

I have been experiencing hideous pain from a tooth. I haven't had a lot of physical pain in my life. I had kidney stones once and THAT was a killer. I actually did think I was dying. Worst. Pain. Ever. Even more than childbirth, which is also on my list. But a couple of other times I've had reallyreally bad toothaches. You go around, minding your own business, brushing and flossing religiously and taking your calcium and avoiding the gummi bears and doing all that other stuff you're supposed to do and then one day a tooth just randomly decides that you haven't suffered enough in life; you need a root canal. Which is likely what is going on right now.

I have a call in to my dentist and hopefully she will call first thing this morning and she will fix me up. Or she won't call and I will go down to her office and sit outside the door and whimper until she pays attention to me. Either way, I'd better be feeling better tomorrow or it'll get ugly. (Although, on Sling's recommendation, I was applying whiskey to the affected area with a Q-tip and it numbed the pain enough that I could sleep. For which I was extremely thankful. But I can't walk around with a flask of Crown Royal at work all day so something more substantial must be done. Still, that was really good advice).

Happy Pesach, To All For Whom That Applies

For Jews, Passover starts tonight. For Christians, we are smack in the middle of Holy Week. For Christians who live near Jews, it's chametz time. It amuses me that, even as I'm writing up a schedule for turning on and off the ovens of Jewish friends, I always completely forget about chametz.

Last night, as we were finishing up dinner, there was a "shave-and-a-haircut" rap on the door. The Spouse went to answer it. Jacob from down the street greated him with "It's that time of year!" and handed over a 6-pack of beer.

I wonder if anything else will be left on the porch today. It happens.

April

Did I tell you that it snowed here on April 1st? Prolly not because if I'd told you then you wouldn't have believed me because it was April 1st. But it did. Wet, sloppy but very blizzardy snow for something like 5 freaking hours. Which meant that the Seattle area has had some kind of snow event for 5 straight months.

The globe, she is warming, and I will smack upside the head anyone who still thinks that can be debated.

On the other hand, this weekend was lavishly springlike and warm. Beautiful, hopeful, singingly springlike.

I almost trust it.

But not enough to go out and pull weeds, lay compost and set seeds. It was the perfect opportunity but every time I'd read a seed packet I'd see those words: "After all danger of frost is past".... and I couldn't do it. I couldn't trust those teeny tiny bearers of life to a cold ground that could easily be colder tomorrow. It just didn't seem right. The thought of their tiny little selves squeezed to death by ice crystals just made me want to cry.

So we'll wait and see if this warm stuff is any kind of trend before we risk the manicure.

It sure was a pleasant change of pace, though, I'll tell you that.

Well, It's May Day. Again.

This morning began as does every first of May, with The Spouse planning his parade of tanks and missiles in Red Square. I hope that I can someday buy him some armaments. He'd dearly love to have a tank. And some Marines. He really wants to have a rank of Marines standing at attention when he walks in a room. Who doesn't?

I had to put together the Maybaskets as The Child was indisposed yesterday. When we first bought our house there was very little in the way of flowering bits for our first May Day. Not to mention we had only met a few of our neighbors back then. But much has changed in 10 years and so even though I am quite a neglectful gardener and despite the first 6 weeks of "spring" being wretched and cold, there were enough blossoms to create these:


I think they look very pretty.

The Child, as was to be expected, tried to get out of going to school today. I mentioned that since from 4pm yesterday she was fit enough to argue with me, I suspected she could handle school. She countered that there was a test today for which she had not studied, to which I replied that if that was the case perhaps she would have been better served studying yesterday afternoon rather than watching "Return of the Jedi" for the 412th time.

"Oh, fuh-ine, I'll go to school," she huffed.

Sing it with me..."she's the worst mother in the world"...waah, waah" ...

She was over it by the time she needed to deliver her fleurs.



The Rabbi's Wife saw us as she was returning home from her work-out and gave a friendly wave. She knew what we were up to. But otherwise, the mission was accomplished. And when I mean "mission accomplished" I mean that the flowers were delivered on time and, with that one exception, in secret. You know, accomplished successfully. I clarify, less you be confused by the infamous moment which today celebrates its 5th anniversary:

To paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "I do not think that phrase means what you think it means".

Or in the sentiment JP once gracefully penned, "George Bush is a jackass".

Returning to happier, more May-like thoughts. My lilacs are in bloom.
I adore lilacs. And over at the coffee shop you'll find a video which is my theme song for the day.

It's a beautiful morning, full of blossom and chirping and that odd but insistent bright orb in the sky which seems to be trying to coax my roses. I think it's a good omen.

Some Good News

I realize this blog has been way short on anything of import lately and I don't care. No one is making you read this. If you've got something better to do, knock yourself out. No hard feelings.

Meanwhile, I realized something yesterday that should be noted for the record: I got a cold, right? Ok, here's the thing...pretty much the only time I get a cold is during the transition from one season to another. I was healthy as an ox on the Vernal Equinox and all the subsequent weeks thereafter. Not a sniffle or a tickle or a coughy moment to be had.

But now I have a cold: spring has really actually arrived. Finally.

Me and Puxatauwny Phil, people. Trust.

Numeric Memes and the First Day of Spring

I promised light and fluffy, light and fluffy you shall have. (Did any of you ever sneak into the pantry, open the marshmallow fluff (that was hardly a staple but sometimes made an appearance) and just sit and eat it out of the jar with a spoon and then smooth over the top so it didn't look like you'd stolen any? Me neither).

There are a couple of Blogtopian games that came my way recently and today seems as good a time to stop avoiding play along as any.

First, Rosie tagged me with the really hard meme, the dreaded 6 word memoir. The rules go like this:
1. Write a 6 word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and you can add a picture or some other visual.
3. Link the meme'r (Rosie made up that word and I like it)
4. Tag 5 other blogs and let the memees know they are tagged. (Rosie isn't the only one who can make up words. Also, I'm totally breaking the rules on this one and pulling the old, "if you wanna play consider yourself tagged thing. Because it's kinda hard and I don't want anyone getting mad at me).

Have you ever known me to say anything of substance in a mere 6 words? I can't order coffee in 6 words. Wait. That's not true. My standing order is "tall drip, no room". That's only 4. Never mind.

I've been reading the memoirs of some of Rosie's other victims memees and they have emboldened me slightly in that folks seem to be going for more of a summing up of personal philosophy than a strict memoir. Which opens up the options a bit. I mean, my memoir would have to be "Born, loved, bred, blogged about it", which leaves out some good stuff.

Let's try this:

Imperfect woman with charmed life. Wine? That actually leaves out a lot of good stuff, too, but it's how I feel about my life. I haven't always made good choices and I've had my share of decidedly not-swell moments but fundamentally I consider myself the most blessed chickypoo on the planet and when I count my blessings I like to lift a glass of vin rouge so there you go.

Moving on, this one comes from Dana and was way easier:

Four Jobs I have had in my life:
Undocumented farm worker
Street vendor (hawking stuffed crepes. I lasted 2 days).
Nanny
Office Manager

Four Movies I would watch/have watched over and over:
"Say Anything"
( "I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed").

"Princess Bride"
("Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die").

"Annie Hall"
("Well. Oh well. La di dah, la di dah").

"Philadelphia Story"
("I'm going crazy. I'm standing here solidly on my own two hands and going crazy").

[The quotes aren't a part of the meme but I thought it would be fun].

Four Places I have lived:
Portland, Oregon
Hubbard, Oregon
West Linn, Oregon
Seattle, Washingon

(I don't get around much).

Four TV Shows that I watch:
"The Office"
("Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica").

"How I Met Your Mother"
("It's gonna be legen... wait for it... dary!").

"What Not to Wear"
("Shut up!")

"Battlestar Galactica" (or I will be, come April)
("So say we all").

Four Places I have visited:
London, England
Nantes, France
Chicago, Illinois (Hey, gang!)
New York, New York

Four People who email me regularly:
Buck
Brooke
Wendy
the penis enlargement/replica watch people (Seriously, I think it's getting time to change my email again).

Four Favorite Foods:
Chicken and leek pie
Macaroni and cheese
BLTs
Cheddar cheese

Four Places I would like to be right now:
Drinking absinthe in a Paris cafe.
At DNC headquaters having a little 'come to Jesus' with Howard.
On "Oprah" with The Hat.
Having coffee with Buck on the Balcony of Terror.

Four Things I am looking forward to this year:
Seeing The Child graduate.
Finishing a book.
Seeing JP again. (Not sure how or when, but it's sort of mission critical).
Meeting up with bloggy buddies in California.

Four People who should post Four Things:
Danny
Sageweb
Willym
Doralong

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So here it is, puppies, the Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring. It is also the first day of Purim and it's Holy Thursday, the beginning of the sacred three days for us Catholic types. I started my morning at the Seder service at school. The Child was one of the readers. It was very simple and lovely. I teared up a little; there's just nothing quite like commemorating the Last Supper with a roomful of sincere, prayerful little kids. Tonight we'll be going to the Holy Thursday service at the Cathedral, one of my favorites of the whole year.

Lent went by fast this year. To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not sure I entered into the whole thing quite as deeply as I usually do. Not sure why that is but I suppose reflecting on that will give me something else to do today.

The word "lent" comes from an Old English word for spring. Goes to the whole lengthening of days thing. And it just seems perfect to me that Lent is wrapping up on the first day of spring. Which has sprung. Even though it's 40 degrees out.



(Somebody seriously needs to do some gardening before the Easter Egg hunt on Sunday).










Our Lady of the Weeds

Primavera

Spring has sprung. Actually, it's making more of a whirring noise, like something is stuck on the gears. But it's trying really hard. The sun broke through the rain clouds a minute ago, then thought better of it.

It is damp, but everything is budding. The grass is getting lush and full. I'm thinking again about a pygmy goat. On Sunday I went out to pull weeds from the herb garden and came in smelling like rosemary and thyme. Yum. I bought garden seeds last week, too. Sweet peas (which I was supposed to plant on St. Patrick's day but didn't) and a few things for the potagers. And when I say "a few" I mean it. I'm done with planting fancy varieties of carrots and beets. I'm over peas and French zucchini. I like them and all, but let's face it. I can find that stuff in the market whenever I want. This year I'm keeping it really, really simple. There will be a pot of mesclun (the cut and come again type), tricolor beans (yellow, purple and green) and artichokes. That's it. Oh, and I'm going to order some cornichon from a website because it is super fun to make my own pickles. And of course, I'll put in some peppers and tomato plants, but I'm done starting those from seed. I end up with way more plants than my garden can accommodate and have fewer varieties. Let someone else bother with that. Plus, the grapes and apple stick will deliver plenty of bang for absolutely no buck. Love that.

Still, it's that time. I'm not going to be fussing with the gardens a whole lot but I'll be fussing. For the next couple of weeks it will be all about the weeding, moving mulch, turning compost and moving pots. Then the real fun will begin.

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I know at least 2 of you care about this. Go write a letter.

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You absolutely must take time to go read Iwanski's analysis of the latest Iraqi poll. Brilliant, as always.

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Happy first day of spring!