It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

Yesterday afternoon, warm with a gentle zephyr, my visitor sat under the pine trees, barely visible in the shade. He is a majestic deer who enjoys the slope of the hill under the pines. As I sat outside on the brick wall tanning my lily white short-sleeve-clad arms, we had a quiet conversation.

He knew I was there and kept checking on me, even when I went in to retrieve my sunglasses. When I returned we were joined by a ruby-throated friend. The stand of Indian Paintbrush has grown with the moisture, though the flowers are still small. He checked me out as he found the best fare, said his piece, then continued on his journey.

What a wonderful gift.

The sound of clumps of snow melting from the overhead decking. It’s rather fun early this morning after a “snow day” of epic proportions. Actually, the falling ice clods are rather dangerous looking. It’s not even 7 am and things are vastly improving from yesterday.

However, a snow day? The roads were clear and it didn’t get icy. We hadn’t had a good dump day all year though, so I know every kid and teacher delighted in the announcement. Every parent sighed.

Thankfully it will be warm again and the BCAN walk should be delightful this weekend. You continue to amaze us, Mother Nature.

The switch to new phones has given my spouse a photo of a cassowary when I send him a text message. It is driving him nuts and providing a mystery for us. Part of me kind of enjoys being a cassowary?

Since I enjoy puzzles so much I’m attempting to see this phone business as a great big 25,000 piece jigsaw, or the most difficult NYT crossword ever created. The problem is that I punch lots of buttons to check it out and then find I’ve screwed something else up. Currently I have no alarm on this phone because I did something to lose that. I need my IT guy!

So, I’ll be working on replacing the big bird with a flattering photo. Perhaps a hedgehog?

My husband, on a phone call chatting with a friend said, “You know what I got for graduation? A suitcase!”

Yes, I, too, received a suitcase for graduation from college. It was a subtle hint back in the day. Hard case, avocado green and huge. (I got to pick the color. Surprise!) I loved that beautiful piece of luggage – a promise of travel, of unexplored vistas. The green baggage traveled with me on my first foray to Europe when I was 23. It stayed with me for two weeks and then spent the next month lodged at my aunt’s home in Germany while I hopped around Europe with a backpack and a Eurail pass.

That was the extent of the graduation gift. Different modes of transporting belongings came along and I had learned to appreciate a backpack-sized satchel. To this day I hate dragging anything more than a small roll-on. Except…..

Send me to my sister’s and I will pack the largest piece of pretty pinkish luggage I now own and it will be half-filled, awaiting the potential for whatever wonderful retail or museum shop opportunity we stumble upon. Stick me in the car and it will be filled with five different pair of shoes, two coats, hats, more clothing than is necessary because it fits. Room to spare?

Hatred of lugging things and spatial awareness have served me well.

As much as it was needed, the purchase and set up of a new phone is torture for me. My old phone was heading for its ninth year of use with an incredible battery life of two days before needing charging. Alas, the crucial apps would no longer update, so it was time.

I’m still recalling passwords and changing and deleting apps, rewriting passcodes for someone’s information should they need to contact important companies and pay my bills. It’s all so tedious. I did finally alphabetize my apps though, something I just never did before. Eight years of chaos on my device, but I knew where everything was!

So, I am just admiring my new purple Android and awaiting the purple case promised by my updated Amazon app delivery driver. I suppose a day of technological frustration averaged over the past 8.5 years is to be expected.

Ding dong! My case is here!

Yesterday I took a photo of the Indian Paintbrush, which apparently needed a harsher winter to really bloom and spread. Today? I heard the hummingbird come to check out the stand! It’s earlier than usual, but he was here.

The doors are open and I’m feeling summer knocking. Just need a few more blooms to entice my little friends. Rain would be welcome, too.

Looking pretty dry….

Did you know the tables at Starbucks allow for crafting?

A simple purchase of your favorite beverage will give you access to a table without question. The fact that three little children with stickers and markers are creating masterpieces is not a deterrent to the staff. My daughter and I spent a good 45 minutes of quality time there while the pups were joyfully embellishing plastic eggs last week. We were only stymied by the famous line, “I need to go potty.” End of quality time.

Passing on the fruitful knowledge gleaned along the way.

The new Burlington store opened a day early and we happened to be near it. My daughter, her brood and I thought it would be a good idea to check it out – being new and stocked so well on the very first day!

It was an exceedingly cheerful experience. The staff wasn’t exhausted from patrons complaining yet, or returns being made, or anything we consumers foist upon those who serve us. We sauntered through the store, visiting the shoe department early on. I queried my little pups. “Which shoes would you like to try on in Grandma’s closet?” They immediately pointed to a pair of pale pink pointy-toed kitten heels. I eyed the racks and said, “That’s the only selection I would have made.”

Thus, there is a new pair of beautiful shoes for my Easter Sunday wear. Easter joy and blessings to all.

Nothing gets a grandparent off the floor faster than the words, “I have to go potty.”

Yes, we are successfully navigating that phase, and yet, it may mean you have only a millionth of a second before that statement becomes reality. To be honest, the two littles really are good at this now. It’s the getting off the floor swiftly part that is the issue.

Wednesday with the little women.

My beautiful daughter organized my junk drawer a few days ago. She is a master at thinning out the herd and making it look way better than it ever did. Thus it was that five paint can openers were discovered in this laundry room drawer of disarray. She politely put them with the other openers in the “paint drawer” in the garage.

The following day I happened to be in the nursery putting away the books we’d read for nap time. I looked at the shelves and decided I needed to dust. That is when I discovered yet another opener! Why in the bedroom? Who knows.

While my daughter thought it was quite amusing to have so many, little did she realize there was one more hiding in the bin of pencils and pens she graciously tested for worthiness yesterday. Yes, I have been a paint-can-opener-hoarder. Now that they have put screw tops on the plastic lids though, I’m not sure how many of these I will ever need?

If you find yourself requiring one of these magical devices, I can spare one or two.