Hello Sunshine! There's most definitely a feeling of spring in the air, what with 50 degrees yesterday (s-weet!) and bright sunshine today. Add the blooming of my forced bulbs (smell so earthy and alive) and I have to admit - I'm in a truly good mood today. Woo hoo! I'll take a little walk, plan for an early dinner (I'm heading over to Suz's at 7 pm for Hijinx with my minxes!), run around a bit. And yes, at some point, I will retire to the lower level to continue drilling holes in my head - I mean the wall, the wall, drilling holes in the wall, to hang up hooks in the bathroom (see yesterday's idiocy). I'm working so hard on the bathroom down there because it's going to be the changing room for when friends come to swim in our new pool! Yes, we have a pool, took all summer and fall to get the fucker in the ground, but it's soon (well, sorta soon) going to be worth it because we'll hit the ground running. I mean hit the water swimming. My god, I hardly dare think about it, I have spring fever pretty badly, as you can tell. So no more thinking about the pool. But I will continue the focus on the bathroom and whipping it into shape. And my photo collage, damn me for coming up with this stupid idea. I know I will love it and appreciate it when it's done, I will. Right. Until then...

Could it be? Why yes, yes it could - that is raw sunlight shining on this plate of chopped herbs! I ate this charming little salad, tossed with a splash of good olive oil, sprinkle of vinegar, grind of pepper, and shake of coarse salt...outside! Al fresco dining in Minnesota in March? A record for me, I'm quite sure. The sun, on the deck, has the temp up over 60 degrees, thank goodness I glanced at the thermometer before I dug into my bunny snack. It's slightly breezy, just enough to make it a smidge on the chilly side, so I didn't linger. But I had to go for it, my god, to say and know and experience that I ate outside, at home, on March 10. It will get cold again, of course (I'm optimistic, not stupid), but this little window on spring has my spirits soaring. La, la, laaaa! (In case you're wondering Suz, yes, that is arugula! Chopped with basil, tarragon, parsley, scallions, and chervil - hey, I had them all in the fridge, and I don't want to waste them, and there's nothing more refreshing than a pile of chopped, fresh herbs as a salad on March 10! Except, perhaps, a beer...mmm...beer).

Oh! OMG! I must take down the Christmas wreath hanging on the front of the house! I just ate outside, but have a wreath still out there - great, big no-no, oh my, Kim will write me a citation for sure. I'm running out there right now...

Whew. Wreath is gone. Good thing I finally got around to it, that was a tough project - took, and I counted, less than 5 seconds to carry the wreath into the garage. Why? Why? Why do I procrastinate so? Anyhow, I snapped a quick pic of it, Christmas Wreath 2005, you were a lovely one. And I also snapped a pic of the beer (power of suggestion, above) that I stole from my friend Cory - Cory, I'm bringing you a six-er of Stella tonight, to attempt to recharge the supply of all the Stellas you've so generously served me at your house - but it's now a five-er. I'm such a bad friend! All I did was think about spring and beer, and I remembered it in the fridge, and just as John predicted when he saw that I'd bought it a few days ago, I drank one. Damn me again! Oooh, maybe I'll stop on the way to your house and buy another one...that's the trick. So I need never have posted this...hmmm... I'll bring you a six-er AND a five-er and get 'er the hell out my house so I don't drink 'er. Except at your house.