Marching into Spring

Well, one can only hope. This has been the weirdest winter I remember in a very long time. Lots of very cold weather and today, March 8, the day daylight savings time starts, it was very cold and snowed off and on. It has snowed more this winter than any I ever remember in Portland. And I'm old enough to remember when the Columbia River just had a fairly narrow stream between two very icy banks. That was probably back in '79, the winter my daughter was born.

It's not a good day to be without heat, but when I woke up this morning it was quite cold in my house. I usually have the thermostat set to go down at night but it should have been starting to warm up at 6. Although it was actually 7 so I realized I needed to reset the clock. Nothing. I fiddled around with the thermostat and then the heater and . . . nothing. So I've been cold all day. Thankfully I have wood for a fire and a small electric heater. But it's still darn cold in here.

It's been a week of things going wrong. Last Sunday I had someone come to look at the Mo and when I tried to start it I got . . . nothing. So it looks like I may have to replace the batteries. I was already thinking it likely that the house batteries were on the verge of -- if not already -- dead. Now the chassis starting batteries are apparently also beyond help. I think the cold winter probably contributed to their demise, but then they probably ARE seven years old.

Since last I wrote, my brother left and then returned the following weekend. The apple tree I wanted pruned still isn't done, but the door in my kitchen no longer exists. I was thinking I'd have more room in the kitchen if I eliminated that, and I usually use the patio door off the dining room anyway so . . . He and his friend also replaced the gate posts on my fence where it was ready to fall down. And patched a hole in my bathroom floor. I painted the bathroom and laid linoleum in there this weekend. It's not perfect by any stretch, but it looks much better than it did. It was a depressing dark gray and tiny little tiles. Not very nice. I like it -- it's much lighter and brighter. So things are getting done, but things are also breaking all around me. Feels sometimes like I can't quite get on top of things.

However, I DID put some concerted effort into my book proposal and pretty much finished it. I have a couple of editor friends who are looking it over before I send it to the three agents who have requested a proposal. With any luck that will be done and out by the end of this week.

So if I don't freeze tonight I'll try to get back into the "going to the gym" groove. I did finally buy my tickets to Kauai so I NEED to get in shape for hiking and kayaking and snorkeling.

TravelinLdy