Dogsitting

We are baby sitting our friends' beagle puppy, Lambeau, this weekend. He's a really nice dog!

He had fun exploring our backyard, but soon he needed a nap. He is a baby, after all!

He actually found some of Shadow's old toys to play with. He's 3x as big as Shadow. The cats are NOT happy he is here. They better get used to it because I'll be getting my own puppy someday soon!

Mike likes him, too. Mike worked hard in our yard today, cutting down old tree limbs and branches. I helped a little by cutting smaller branches. It's been a beautiful springSaturday.

It really is Spring

And here are the first crocuses to prove it:

These are outside my front door, next to the driveway. It was a pleasant thing to find them!

I also heard the first robin of the year singing up in a tree in my yard. Flowers and birdsong...two signs winter is surely behind us!

Easter Sunday

We spent Easter at John and Noreen's house, as usual. Lots of food--leg of lamb, roast beef, baked ziti. Plus the sides and innumerable desserts, also as usual.
We found out John Joseph is either my height now, or a bit taller. I should have taken a picture of that, but will next time I see him. By then, he probably will be taller than me!

I was happy that Michael was able to come by with Megan:

She really is sweet, and I'm liking her more and more!
Nicky also came. But, unfortunately, Katherine and Jamie had to work. I brought dishes home for both of them, so at least they got to enjoy some of the food.
On the way home, the sky looked really cool:

I wish the beams of sunlight were more visible, but it was a pretty sight!

Eggs

Katherine stopped by tonight and we colored eggs together.

I made her a crocheted egg with a mustache!

Here are some of the eggs we colored:

And the GORGEOUS bouquet of flowers Katherine brought:

April

So, it's finally April and the day was decent enough to start some gardening. I pulled up some pachysandra. I hope to have a new garden this year--between the two big trees on my property. Maybe the sun will reach the ground there.

I went out to dinner with Katherine and Michael last week. We ate at Aki's, a favorite sushi place. I always enjoy the company of my older kids. I wish I could get Jamie and Nick to come out with me sometime, too.

I started work on a new dress today. It began as a commercial pattern, but I altered it to fit me. I hope it works out. It's a red and white print. The skirt part might be too short, but I'll just figure out some kind of border to add.

Here is a random picture of my dwarf hamster, T-Bone, chilling in my pocket:

Nothing new

I have to be sure to call my mother tonight. She's up at my sister Martha's house and has been there a few weeks, after spending the start of the winter down in Georgia with my sister Susan. Martha says they'll be taking Mom back to her home in Ohio on Saturday. I'm sure she'll be glad to be there again!

My sisters and their husbands have really taken good care of Mom. I hope to visit in May or June with Katherine and Michael. We'll be flying and rent a car. I've already told them I'd pay for the rental but I'm not driving, even if it means paying extra insurance for the kids to take the wheel. Frankly, I'd rather we drove, but Katherine says, no way.

If the kids can't go, then Mike and I will make the drive in later spring or early summer. I'll have to talk to him about that. I still want to take some kind of road trip, but don't see how that's going to happen this year.

Weather-wise, it's cold but the sun is shining. I didn't post about the four inches of snow we go on the first day of Spring, since I've griped enough about snow this year. I'm finding it hard to believe Easter is only about 2 weeks away.

ssdd

That could stand for "Same  snow, different day," but the other s word fits better, IMHO.

Out my backdoor this afternoon:

I think we got 8 inches. 8 more fricking inches.

One miracle, though: I actually heard a cardinal singing this morning!