Spring is here..I swear !!!

I lhave ived a considerable part of my adult life in warmer climates: Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas. Whatever part of me thought I would adjust well to the change in climate in Illinois fairly easily was not on all gears. Okay, it HAS been five years and I do well for the most part (because trust me it is god awful hot here many days....let's keep in mind someone died during the 95 plus heat index temperature of the Chicago Marathon last year plus the wonderful 105 plus days I tried to move in August...ARGHHH). What I really forgot was how long it is between the two very distinct seasons: winter and summer.

Two weeks ago I went to Charlotte where I drove to my show at 7 a.m. with the sunroof open!!! Birds chirping...green grass. My friend Chris reminded me to bring a jacket because it was going to get to 5oish at night!!! 50ish and she needs a jacket!!! And then I heard on the news that it has been since OCTOBER 2007 since a 70 degree day was registered here. GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!

This past week showed real promise...two actual 70 degree days (one was 80 if you believe News five). And then, just like a four year old, we regressed. Today the high is supposed to reach 48. I have not stuck my toes outdoors to see except to let Rita do her business. And it looks better than yesterday when the wind howled around us for six hours.....!!!!

I know there will be a blistering hot day in July when I will regret this but oh my lord. I am having serious conversations with the lord above about what I can trade for some mild weather....and wondering if that job in Texas is still a possibility. Sigh.....never content, are we?!?

Open Toe Season has Begun!!

Long time no blog...I have lots of catching up but am on my way to my dad's for today so the long posts will have to wait until later.

Quick and important note: I am officially announcing the opening of Open Toed Shoes season. Get those pedicures ready and bring those tootsies out!!!

5 things on the 5th

I decided to take on a new project.....an observation and photo journal of five things on the fifth of every month. It helps me to document everyday life. I picked the fifth because it is my birthdate and it's easy! (Plus, in design, things in 3's and 5's look most aesthetically pleasing..okay that is probably too wierd.)
Here's my first try: (Note: photos to be added later,...had a stupid camera move this weekend.)
1 - First brewing of the new coffee - went grocery shopping on Friday and found (Cross your fingers) our new local coffee mix we like. We bought Meijers French Roast and Breakfast Blend and Eight o'clock French Vanilla. We ground it up, addd our trusty creme brulee creamer and Woila! It's awesome....and cheaper than Starbucks which I still love...)
2- Errand day -- a stop at two of our favorite stores: Hobby Lobby and Target. A few fun spring flowers, a needle for my craft show next week, some new scrapbook books and papers, and gum and breakfast bars for the road. All is good.
3- Baking cookies - being the cookie freak that I am, it's a great weekend when we make some cookies. I baked a batch of Sarah McLaughlin's oatmeal rasin and a small batch with oatmeal rasin and chocolate chunk. I added some granola to both for extra spunk. Yum-O as Rachel Ray would say.
4- Packing is nearly done for the Inspired creative show I am going to next week. Packaged the paper, the fabric, the embellishments, the tools in my tote and found some warm weather clothes as well. We seem to be ready.
5- Finished the day with a walk at sunset with Rita. This was our first 60 degree day this year and Rita and I had a nice little walk around the subdivision including a walk down by the pond. We drank in the fresh air AND got our excercise. We came home to biscuits for Rita and a glass of wine for mommy - excellent day!

April Showers

Well....April started off a bit nicer than March with the customary overcast days and then downpours this afternoon. Rita and I made some tea and watched the rain from the deck. I found a steal for Earth Day and got my hair cut today for $20 at a nice place not too far from our house. In honor of Earth Day...happy showers!!

The Little Things

My friend Amy and I (and of course Shella and Christie as well) joined the whole "scrapbooking revolution" about two years ago. It's a whole new world of die hard crazy women who can debate for hours the merits of dry adhesive versus wet adhesive. It's a kabazillion dollar industry...Amy says it is bigger than the Taliban.

I'm preparing to go to one of our several times a year retreats, this one hosted by the lovely Donna Downey and her husband, Bill, in North Carolina. (As a bonus I get to catch up with my friend Chris who I have not seen since she moved there last summer.) Anyway...

In the process of preparing for these events (and there is preparation..more on that in future blogs) I have had the chance to sort through all sorts of pictures and things and really think about what matters to me. It's a good excercise.

One of the things I discovered which has really made a HUGE difference in my life...I mean unbelievably freeing is.....(okay, really you are not going to believe this) but my I-Pass. This litle white plastic box attached to my windshield under my rear view mirror. Simple enough device. It has meant I no longer have to make sure I have easily accessible $1 bills before I get on to !-90 and right before I get off. It has also allowed me to drive another 1 mile and a half on I-90 and avoid all of the backroad, road construction traffic on I-355 and Woodfield....now I can leisurely get off at Arlington and drive a quiet and simple 1 mile on Algonquin. AND...it means I am no longer putting my life in my hands on the nerve thrashing merge into the right lane on I-355 and down the curve and then another nerve mangling merge onto I-90. Nope. Just a simple and usually quick merge onto I-90 from Arlington Road. Un fricking believeable. And thanks to my little I-Pass I am not desperately searching for coins for this journey..oh no, I drive right under the tall electronic towers and wave at them. True, they are deducting coins from my account. But I am happily letting them as I move merrily on my way. Trust me, it's the little things.

Snow more!!!

Meant to post this the other day .....Tuesday was almost 50 degrees. Wednesday was 50 degrees and even some sun. Then Thursday and......more snow. I mentioned the word "white out"to a friend who seemed clueless about what this meant. White out means driving (or even sitting) and all you can see in front of you is driving white snow...all white! It was brief and beautiful but good grief...this is spring, mother nature!!! Enough with the tricks....

Rita, as always, made the best of a bad situation..

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, zipping in on a snowmobile

Okay maybe it's not that bad but the cute sleeveless halter neck dress I bought will have to wait. It's still winter here. Good thing Rita and I are holed up with a winter cold :-(

Anyway the bunny still made it here...we magically have dark chocolate raisnets, reese's peanut butter eggs and starburst jelly beans here!!

Happy Easter to all!!!