It's Still Spring, But Pretending to be Winter

We had a winter-type storm roll through yesterday. Winds strong enough to blow the squirrels out of the trees and a dumping of rain. The weather is now cold and blustery. I wish Ma Nature would get things sorted once and for all and get around to a decent spring.

On the other hand, we have squeezed in a bit of riding and it was good to be out.

Wednesday I had lunch with an old friend and we yakked and yakked and yakked. Sometimes, all you need to be happy is a good long yak with an old friend. And lunch was very good as an added bonus.

Ray's new glasses were in up at the exchange optical shop and he wanted to go get them in spite of the weather. We had to drive up highway 99, definitely the slow way, because of a wreck on I-5 that by 3:30 pm had the freeway backed up for 15 miles. And that's before rush hour really gets ramped up. It took us an hour and a half to get up there, mostly because of all the people who decided to take the same road north that we did to avoid I-5. It wasn't really bad until Everett. I think it took a half hour just to get through Everett. We got there in time tho, and he's got his new glasses. The computer ones are fine, but the regular glasses are not right. He has to go back for a new prescription and get the lenses changed. Poor guy.

We had dinner at Tres Hermanos in Marysville on the way back and that is one of our favorite places. I brought home leftovers for my lunch today. yummmmmm!

It is shedding season, which means everything in the house is coated with fur no matter how many times a day I brush the dog. I am sure we could make two dogs out of the fur that comes off Norman spring and fall. It's astonishing! The birds like it for lining their nests, so we just let it fly around the back yard. He does look thinner when all that fur finally comes out and gets brushed away.

I saw a Goldfinch in the back yard the other day, first one of the season. So beautiful and such a fast flyer, it was gone too soon. Saw a mouse or small rat in the suet feeder late one afternoon. Ugh! Ray chased it away and I've not seen it since. We've got all these loose cats that wander around the neighborhood, you'd think they'd keep the vermin population under control instead of just pooping in all the neighbor's gardens. But since when have cats been interested in benefiting the surrounding humans? Since never, that's when!

This weekend, we hope to buy the rest of the plants for the garden and get them in the ground. Tomatoes are doing well, as are the few garlic bulbs I planted and Ray's radishes. I bought 4 strawberry plants too. We want to have them all in the ground before Memorial Day as that's our annual Deck Party. This year we are also celebrating Lauren's and Ray's birthdays.

Himself is off to Baltimore next week for work. Some big meeting about the project he's been working on, which has grown like Topsy. Or weeds.

The yard men came and mowed and trimmed and edged this afternoon. A freshly mown lawn is so beautiful. And this time of year, the lawns are all green and lush from warmer temps and much rain. It is all going to look so nice on Memorial Day. I do need to get out there and do some weeding though.

On the sadder side, the big back up on I-5 yesterday was because a motorcyclist was killed. I don't know yet if he did something stupid or some car driver did. But somebody did.

Betty and Ron were here last weekend. They came up on an anniversary trip to Victoria, stayed over at TJs for a few days, a few days up north, a day with us and they are on their way back home to sunny, warm Arizona. It was so good to see them again! I wish they could have stayed longer.

And that is all the news from our house.

Still Waiting

We're still waiting for a decent motorcycle day. None has arrived to bless our motorcycles in the last week.

Last night we had chunky rain on the way home from Monday Night Dinner At Taco Bell. It snowed 12 inches up in Stevens Pass and 6 at Snoqualmie. Good grief! Looks like Spring may be a no-show.

It would not be the first time. In fact, since we've lived here, we've missed entire summers from time to time. It just never warms up some years and we go straight from extended spring to extended fall.

Even if it stays nasty, we'll have a chance to warm up in the MidWorst this summer. And then I'll complain about the horrid humidity and heat, you know I will.

This year Evergreen Safety Foundation is offering one advanced trike/sidecar class. (first time ever) I wish I could go, but the cost on top of the cost of the upcoming Trek is prohibitive. Every penny we spend now we won't have for the trip expenses. I hear in Oregon the advanced classes are sometimes cancelled due to lack of students! Hard to believe people don't want advanced training. I want it, can't afford it. Maybe that's the case all around?

I'm still trying to figure out how to keep Norman's dog bed dry in the rain. And drive fast doesn't necessarily work. And I hope I can get in some riding practice before we leave on the trip. I hate to ride in the cold and wet!