My next-to-last official day off

Although I had the day off, this is my first entry. Shocking, I know! By now, I'm usually on #3 or #4.

Kind of an odd day. I feel a little discombobulated. Ken is working a night shift tonight, so he stayed up late last night, and tried to sleep in today. I left to run some errands while he was sleeping, but when I got back, he was already up. He just wasn't sleeping well, so I hope he does okay tonight. It could be a long 12 or so hours for him!

I also spent much of the day lost in Book Land. I was finishing Sophie's Choice, our book club selection for March. I love getting lost in a book, but this is a rather bleak and disturbing one in which to get lost. I'm still experiencing some lingering aftereffects, but I think I'm starting to shake it off. I'm pleased to see that our next book, Under The Net by Iris Murdoch, is apparently "a comic novel about work and love, wealth and fame." I think we (those of us in our book club) all need fare that's a little lighter, perhaps even a celebration of spring, after SC!

One of my errands this morning was a stocking-up trip to Target. Man, is Target fun, or what? Love those clearance racks! I got a skort to wear on the golf course, and a long-sleeved T-shirt in the girls' section for next to nothing. I also had coupons for things like fabric softener and laundry detergent (which also happened to be on sale), and we were down to a mere 12 rolls of Quilted Northern, so that has been taken care of. I got a new little notebook to write stuff in, and the new REM and B-52's CD's (haven't listened to them yet, because of my intense reading). I also got my wok, not a huge one, but one I hope will do well. I'll have to plan for Chinese soon! I replaced our cast iron grill skillet, too, with a better one. I like having a little grill skillet for inside, especially in the winter--don't those grill lines on a chicken breast make you think of warmer weather?--but no matter how I tried, the one I had just wouldn't season. I oiled it up, put it in a low oven for an hour...nothing. The last time I used it, Ken was trying to clean it afterwards and agreed that it was a lost cause. I got a Calphalon one, so it had better perform well!

 

I also got these babies, which I love--and apparently Sheeba does, too. Sock monkey slippers! Agh, I love them! I finally had to retire the penguin slippers (RIP, guys) that Ken got me a couple of years ago. They were great, but they were getting kind of loose and stretched out, and I had tripped over them a couple of times recently. "Woman dies in tragic fall. Tripped by nose on penguin slippers." Not a headline I want out there, and not a way I want to go.

It was such a pretty day today. Although it was chilly when I went out this morning, the sun was shining, and it eventually warmed up to the mid-50's. Ken and I noticed that the lawn is starting to green up a bit, and I also noticed the other day that the finches are starting to yellow up! A good sign!

Since it was so nice and sunny, I was hoping that the crocuses might be doing well. They were, and here are a few pictures.

One of the mini-crocuses, which are really hanging in there! It's amazing what cool weather they can handle.

 

 

 

 

Another one of the mini-crocuses, this one yellow (obviously). I think it just looks so happy and cheery.

Crocuses are such tough little buggers. I was looking at the bed in front of the house, because I knew I'd planted more there last year. There are several inches of leaves on the beds--I consider them nature's mulch here at Nutwood--and I saw a little mound of leaves where the crocuses were pushing up! I pulled the leaves off--some of the crocuses pierced right through the leaves--and they should be able to get a little more sun now.

 

 

 

 

Another mini, this one with a little friend on one of its petals. 

I also remembered the spot where I had planted some windflowers, so I cleared that spot of leaves, and sure enough, there they were. They aren't as strong as crocuses, so this should help them thrive and grow.

 

 

 

 

I walked around the front yard a bit, and I could see where the tulips and daffodils are started to pop up. I think the hyacinths should be up soon, too. Brace yourselves, because I'll be putting up a few pictures as they start blooming! I'll try not to go too crazy with flower pictures.

Oh, and one more picture. (I do have more pictures, of some of the turkeys I saw the other day, but this is enough for today!) Ken and I were surprised to see 6 deer out at the pond at mid-day. Usually we see them at dusk, but they were ambling through, stopping for a drink.