You Know It's Spring When...

- The last bit of ice has melted from the lake. - The annoying, but non-biting bugs have come out from where they have been hiding to fly in your mouth, eyes and nose when walking or biking. - Your son strips off his clothes and plays in the sprinkler. Note: Again, the upside down photo. Why, Blogspot, do you do this? And I really miss a decent photo editing software. Painting is not my forte.

The Things I know

Bubbles freeze. When you blow bubbles on cold spring day, some float down the street and high into the sky, while others freeze, turning clear bubbles into opaque bubbles that sink to the ground. When these bubbles eventually pop, it looks almost like a skin that sits on your mitten before eventually melting away. Google frozen bubbles. Fascinating.

Random Thoughts Monday

• I thought my cat was staring at nothing. As I was typing that, I realized nothing was a millipede that had scurried its away out of the floor boards and into the hallway. I squished it with my slipper and let Cosmo enjoy the remains.
• It's been four weeks and I am still doing both Pilates and yoga. It's amazing how much my strength has improved in that little time.
• When my son and I leave the house at 6:10 a.m., the sky is lighter. It's still dark, but you can see the sky lighting the horizon. By the time 7 a.m. rolls around, it's light outside, as in you can see the sun. Taking my guy to swimming lessons this evening saw daylight at 5:30. Hello spring. I can almost see you.
• Of course saying that, we are expecting a snowstorm Tuesday night. I am thankful the front from Texas decided to come overnight Tuesday rather than what was originally forecasted – Tuesday and Wednesday, deadline days.
• My nasty cough has made a return. Why is it always worse at night?
• My stepdaughter was diagnosed with this weird thing called geographic tongue. It's the most bizarre thing. If you Google it, it will show you a tongue that looks like layers have been peeled away. It doesn't hurt for the most part, but she is supposed to avoid both citrus and hot stuff, which she doesn't. My son has the same weird tongue thing, but his comes out when he is sick. If you want to know if something is amiss with my little guy, you ask him to stick out his tongue. We once went the to the walk-in clinic and the doctor made the intern come look at my guy's tongue because, as he said, you don't see it too often. We like to be different.

It’s Been More Than a Week. How Have You Been?

Me? I have been sick.

Two weeks ago, my guy and I were off so I took him to a playgroup. When we arrived he saw a mass of children and tons of toys. His whole face lit up and he said ‘Mommy, I go?’ With my permission, he dashed into the fray and played with giant soccer balls, walked on top of turned over buckets, talked on a cellphone, moved a bus and played with various other pieces of equipment.

Several days later, I remembered why I usually avoid those types of places. My guy picked up a new bug complete with a hacking cough, of which he shared with me. I got a killer sore throat Thursday and Friday, hit with a cold Friday mid-morning and have also been hacking every since.

Last night, for the first time in almost a week, I slept more than a hour at a time. Good news.

Happy Birthday


Today is our kitten’s first birthday. Cosmo received three new toys and will receive a tag with his name and address on it. My guy wants to celebrate this evening with cake, candles and ice cream – for him, not that cat.



Boo to snow
I hear there is snow in Sunday’s forecast. In my heart I knew winter wasn’t finished with us yet but I am still sad. However, the warmer weather and the burst of colour popping through my garden makes me believe winter’s return will be short lived.

Happy Thursday, everyone.

New Favourite Season

It used to be I would say summer was my favourite season of Canada’s four.

I still love summer – the hot weather; the sense of freedom, albeit shorter now that I am not in school; the books to be read; the water to be played in; the trips to attend; the traffic that has disappeared. Yes, I still love summer.

But I think I love spring.

This weekend, temperatures soared to double digits in the celsius world. We went without jackets, mittens and snowpants, and didn’t fuss too much when my guy pulled off his hat.

Yesterday, we spent almost the entire day outside playing on two different swing sets, pulling out our outdoor shovels and pails and loading them up with rocks. We gathered twigs and raked the grass, putting it on the fire. We burned our Christmas tree. We ate our snack outside. We threw rocks in the lake, which is beginning to melt.

It was a fantastic weekend full of sunshine that had heat and enjoyably long days.

I love spring.

Happy Friday

Well, it finally happened and not a moment too soon.

Another sleepless week and a start of a cold ends the first week of March.

But the weekend includes visiting and hanging out with my guy. It also includes warmer temperatures and rain, followed by colder temperatures and snow.

Ah, spring.

Happy Weekend, everyone.

Light At The End of the Snow Tunnel

People, there is hope.

I noticed this morning it was getting light out at 6:45 a.m.
Tuesday, when I was driving home at 5:45 p.m., it wasn’t yet dark.

It is possible spring is coming.

I hope our neighbours to the south made it through the storm.



My guy and I had a fabulous snow day yesterday.

Sick of Winter

Is it bad that I am already sick of winter?

Well I am. Let's keep the falling and blowing snow and freezing temperatures until Jan. 1. Then let it melt away and be zero for the rest of the winter.

Come on spring.

Happy Thursday Thoughts

I didn’t want my first posting since Friday to be one of bitterness and panic, so I thought I would instead focus on Happy Thursday Thoughts.

• Good news week.
There was happy news from both sides of the family this weekend. As it’s not my business to share, that is all I can say. I know that’s not very nice but you can trust me – it’s happy news.

• Spring is here.
It seemed like it happened overnight. One day there were buds on the trees and the next, the trees were offering a full canopy of leaves. I have decided spring, pre-bugs, is my favourite time of year.

• Secure employment.
There was a story on the radio this morning about how people are doing the jobs of two or three because so many people have been laid off. I am lucky that I have an enjoyable job that is fairly secure.

• Mother’s Day.
It’s Mother’s Day Sunday. I am thankful I have such a strong, caring mom. She means the world to me. For the second year, I am also being celebrated. My little guy brings joy to me every single day.

• Family.
I have a loving family who brings me happiness and joy.

• Thursday.
Only one more day to go and then it’s two days of hanging out with my little guy and my family. Bring on the weekend.

• Sun and warmth.
The day can’t be bad when the sun is shining and there is heat within its rays.

Thankful Friday

It’s Friday. I had things to write about yesterday but as I was off with a sick baby Tuesday and Wednesday, I was so busy I didn’t have time to write.
So I thought, seeing as I am so thankful it’s Friday, I would list the other things I am thankful for today.

Fridays
Fridays mean a relaxing day at the office where I can get some writing and planning done for the following week.
Fridays also only one day before I am home full time with my little guy.

Fun assignments
Next week I am going to Marble Slab Creamery in downtown Toronto. I am going to create my own ice cream flavour, which will be available at the store for the month of May. In June, I will find out how many people enjoyed the flavour of ice cream I created. I also get to interview the owner of the creamery to learn all about ice cream. How exciting and fun is that?

Weekends
We get to sleep in. My little guy and I have to get up at around 5 a.m. Monday to Friday. On the weekend, he gets to sleep in to what would likely be his normal wakeup time of about 7:30 a.m.
Weekends also mean there is no real rushing in the morning. We play in bed, we don’t rush out of our pajamas, we play outside, we play inside, we read, we colour, we have fun.

Sunshine
It’s supposed to be in the double digits and sunny this weekend. Bring on spring.

Friends and family
We are off to visit an old friend and then have a sleepover at my parents. It might mean pancakes with real maple syrup in the morning and a long, hot shower while the baby plays with Nana and Popa.

Kindness
My boss did a nice thing for me. I received a thank you letter for an article I wrote about pottery and another that offered thanks to freelancer, Maria Tzavaras, who wrote a piece about heritage trees. I received word that Maria and I won best online series for a three-part series we did at Christmas. I ‘met’ a woman who made my day when I apparently made her’s.

It’s been a good week, sick baby or not.

Great Day to Play Hooky

I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach while driving into work today.

You know that feeling I am talking about – the fluttering of the stomach, the strong desire to slam on the brakes, whip across four lanes of traffic to the next exit and head on home.

I am thinking the desire to be anywhere but here might be because the sun is shining with temperatures expected to climb to about 18 C (64 F). It might also because a long weekend is coming up with sunshine and a record-breaking 25 C (77).

It might simply be because I can’t take a day off. It’s deadline day. And I have five days that have to last the entire year.

Sigh.

It’s a great day to play hooky.

But here I am.

Sign Of Spring

Spring is here.

This was proven to me yesterday not by the bulbs popping out of the garden or the return of the robin, red-winged blackbird and Canada geese, but by the man towing his boat northbound.

Ah spring.

It’s 18 C Today (AKA 64 F)

It’s going to be a warm one today.

The local meteorologist is saying the temperature is going to reach 18 C today, which is about 64 F for our American friends.

Apparently 18 degrees is close to breaking a record set in 1966, when the mercury reached 18.9.

Record breaking or not, it’s going to 18 degrees with sunshine.

Bring it on.

Welcome Back

It must be spring.

I heard a familiar bird song last weekend. I thought it was the music of the Baltimore oriole, which usually makes an appearance around this time of year, but couldn’t be sure as even its bright orange plumage couldn’t be seen at a distance.

While going for a walk with my son on Friday, I listened again. An experienced birder or someone with a good ear for music could probably pick the oriole’s melody out immediately, but I always get it confused with the robin.

Listening closely, I thought my colourful companions must be back.

When I got home, I washed my hummingbird and oriole feeders and hung them on the shepherd’s hook outside our windows.

The hummingbird came first, followed closely by both the male and female Baltimore orioles.
For the sake of honesty, these pictures weren’t taken this year. But I would guess that if the birds in these pictures aren’t the same creatures, they are certainly their relations.

Welcome back.

Welcome back spring.