It's Here!

Happy first day of Spring, friends!

With having 'the Winter that wasn't' and things blooming two months ahead of time, it seems as though Spring arrived weeks ago! I wore my heavy wool coats twice this Winter. Twice. During Winter in the Northeast. My Snowdrops bloomed six weeks early so none were in bloom for St. Patrick's Day this year. (That's a first. However, my Aunt's started blooming in December!) I've seen Mountain Laurel blooming up the road. In March. March?! Allergy & brush fire seasons have also arrived here early this year. And from what I've seen on the news, Summer has surpassed both Winter & Spring in some areas, which to me is even more disturbing than our lack of Winter. Makes me weary of the warmer months to come, quite frankly, especially since our precipitation is already below normal for the year. But, I digress. Y'all know how I love my cooler weather months of the year (and snow!) and that heat & humidity make me anything but happy, but I'm trying to 'go with the flow' and make the best of it! What else is there to do really?

Thick fog is beginning to burn off again and rays of sun are now warming the Forsythia blooms and sending a yellow glow through the window into the livingroom. So pretty! I wish the Forsythia held their yellow flowers longer than their green foliage, I love them in full bloom. I'm adding two more across the front later this week - I can't wait! The local farm market I bought this one from a couple of years ago brought them in early for sale this weekend so Thursday morning we'll take a ride over and pick them up. (I'm thinking of adding a few to our northern garden as well but will buy them up there since it's a completely different Hardiness Zone than down here on the coast).

In other news, since November, I've lost 11lbs, 4 bmi (body mass index) points and 2 pant sizes! I still have a long way to in the weight department (roughly 30lbs) but this is more than just about losing weight for me, it's getting my heart back in shape & losing fat content so I'm very pleased so far. Small, manageable changes lead to bigger & healthier changes in the long-run, especially when you're unable to exercise consistently like me! For the first time in a lo ng time, buying clothes has been fun instead of depressing! I'm still not a fan of clothes shopping (or shoe shopping for that matter) but I've needed to buy new yoga pants/capri's and jeans/capri's and it's great having ones that fit nicely!

I still haven't uploaded my photos from our Road Trip! (And others from earlier this year come to think of it). Our first week back I was exhausted but focused on Mom, who's doing well, I believe and should be just fine in the long run. Last Monday I had my iv session, but I forgot to take my pre-meds an hour before, something I've never forgotten in 4 years! So the iv session was a tad rough on me and the post iv recovery took most of the week instead of a few days. It was a warm week for the most part and I spent it camped out on the couch with the windows open watching favorite Southern movies. (Coal Miner's Daughter, Steel Magnolia's, Fried Green Tomato's, YaYas, The Help - a girlfriend asked me if crying was required for my post iv recovery when I told her the movies I'd lined up, LOL!)

St. Patty's Day wasn't the usual this year. I didn't make our annual corned beef dinner for us and Mom because we had to attend our American Legion Post's annual St. Patty's dinner fundraiser, especially since Hubbs is AL Post Commander! It was a great evening and looked to be a Huge success. The men out-did themselves on the food this year, the corned beef, cabbage & potato's were fall apart De-Lish!

Despite painful stiffness yesterday, I was able to get out in the back yard for a while & sweep off the patio. Our patio furniture didn't get put away this Winter so things are already set up to enjoy the nice days!

I'm off to finish up my Winter journal, dust off the Spring one and baste the small turkey I have roasting in the oven. Yep, I'm roasting a turkey on the first day of Spring! And it smells Heavenly! Enjoy your day :o)