This is what my lawn looks like when it has been mowed. I am thrilled to have been able to mow it las night. Cold enough to keep the bugs at bay, just dry enough to mow. I used Lin's 6 hp, self propelled mower, which tells you where you'll mow next and barely accepts hints of which direction you might want to go in. It took 1/3 the time it takes me with my mower--just half an hour, and I used my inhaler before mowing so my asthma was minimal. Man am I cool! The dogs waited patiently on the deck and did not run away. They hate the mower but are more mature (apparently) this year so did not disappear as they have in the past while I mowed. The whole thing was practically spiritual.


Ahhhhh.



And there is my house, looking proud in its spring glory. It will look better when I dig the gardens and plant the plants and containers, but for now, considering how much effort I've put into the outside it doesn't look bad. Not much going on in the world of wildflowers, there's been no sun and it's been cold. I'm expecting an explosion in the woods in the next few days, when it warms up and the sun comes out.

I was productive last night, did my laundry at the 'mat. 4 big loads. While it was washing I went to Pray's, the local wonder market where they have great produce and lots of plants. Their annuals tend to be very ordinary, with a few great things tucked in. I bought some stuff--snapdragons, white browallia, scarlet verbena and two deep red New Guinea impatiens for my shade garden. I'm too predictable, but did not buy the portulaca, which is what I have always put in the crock next to the stairs. I planned to put something completely different in that this year, but can't remember what it was. Perhaps it will come to me. Pray's portulaca was incredible. Their plants were cheaper, too. They had ugly petunias, though, so it's back to Lamoy's for those.

I also bought banana chips and chocolate covered raisins at Pray's. I ate too many of them all the way home. Yuck. This morning I tucked the dogs in and was taking plants out of the trunk and heard a thunk! in the house. I went back inside and found Chances, who had pulled the jacket I wore last night off the chair it was hanging on, with her nose in the pocket ferreting out one chocolate covered raisin. It's really too bad that dog has vision problems, she has a great nose and could be a great bird dog. Or maybe she could be used to sniff contraband food at airports.

Long meeting with automated/ing libraries this morning. These meetings sometimes go on for a long time. It's my opportunity to try to educate them in the importance of continuity when it comes to MARC records, format, etc. Nothing I seem to say sticks, though, plus the people who come to the meetings don't seem to be the people who input the crappy information. duh.

And it's my last day at work until next Wednesday. How did I get so lucky? Using up time I don't really have, but I have such a craving for time off, in my house, in my yard, cleaning, planting, digging, hanging out. Jenica is coming Saturday, and we haven't seen each other since summer. That's a very long time. My dogs will love seeing her--they absolutely adore her. I haven't told them she's coming, but when I say JENICA, Tess perks up her ears and looks around.

And now I'll entertain myself for an hour and a half until the meeting starts.