Tuesday - 18th

There are three ways to view time right now: maddening in its fast progression (anything having to do with treating the sick would fall in this category), insanely slow (perhaps being stuck in tight quarters with very young kids and a stack of work, and no clue as to how long this will last can be lumped here), or the third -- a wild ride between breakneck speed and a grinding slow pace. Sometimes I think I'm right smack in the middle of the third: I alternate between having too much to do and having too much available time for stuff like reading news.

I just at this second promised Ed that I will greatly improve my time management skills with the first day of April. That would be tomorrow. I'm on it!

I suppose the coming of spring follows similar distinct paths. Sometimes it comes charging at us with the speed of lightening. (This is rare.) Other times? Slow as anything. Like one of those inch worms taking its sweet time crossing your path. Hurry up already! Then there was last year's spring: fluctuating wildly between the two -- giving us snow in the middle of April, but plenty of sunshine before and after.

So what's this year like? It feels slow, but perhaps world events have shaded my thinking about it. We want to move away from where we are now, even as we understand that we cannot. So, too, we want the colors of spring to take hold, even though that's an unreasonable expectation. I mean, it's still March today! I'd say we're not doing bad, considering!

(Looking toward the lily bed...)






Breakfast. Oatmeal for both. His is always with maple syrup.






For now, our schedule is such that on Tuesdays I go to the young family's place in the morning to play with the kids there.











It's not something that they're used to, which has its good sides: I can explore their books and toys with them from a new angle, since it's all unfamiliar stuff for me.  On the other hand, it doesn't offer them a change of scene. Still, there's plenty to do (even though it's a cold and gray day and so you really have to work hard to get your giggles out. I think we managed okay!).











...With some solid reading and quiet play times thrown in and some spirited games of "hide the treasure" in between, which I think passed Sparrow by, though he did love yelling "hot!" and "col!" at the top of his voice, just like his sister.






Toward evening, Ed bakes brownies. His cookies are long gone. I guess we're more of a sweets eating family than I thought. Or it could be that chocolate laced treats are more appealing at a time when spring seems pokey and life has suddenly grown complicated.





Dinner? Oh, leftovers from Sunday. Ed has taught me a lot of things -- one of them being to truly love leftovers.