It's April, that's good news. Ken says that we always have bad weather during Holy Week and I think he's right, thinking back to previous years.

I'm leaving for RI Friday morning, the land of daffodils and bare ground. I have more bare ground after this weekend, really very little snow left. I may even walk to camp one of these days. I don't like to take the dogs now because the ice is too thin and they'll try to go out on it. My yellowLab Emma was really smart about that & wouldn't go out on thin ice. These chocolate guys, not smart at all & last year went through the ice & struggled to drag themselves out. Terribly scary for me, awful to witness.

The highlight of weekend was a wonderful walk with Fred & Bill from my driveway to Bill's camp and then to the Holt's new house. I love being with them, the three of us have such a nice time.

I went to the dump on Sat. and got a wonderful, huge stationary bicycle. Most people would realize it was at the dump for a reason, but I was too excited to think about that. I charmed a guy into helping me stuff and bungee it into my trunk, then dragged it up the deck stairs and to the back of the house. Here's the deal: it only has one speed, like high gear so you have to spin like mad to get any exercise. I moved the good TV, the one that gets all the local channels out from the bedroom, so if I'm ever inclined I can spin away and watch the news. I have high hopes, though unrealistic ones.

I had a great visit with the couple who recently bought the small lot (less than an acre) that's half a mile from my house and was subject to wide neighborhood speculation. These guys travel around the East Coast 8 months of the year, are never in one place because they sell kayaks to dealers. They wanted a place in the Adirondacks to spend a few nights a year in the woods. They were clearing the brush and cutting just a few smaller trees. The first time they were there Leroy the neighborhood bully came up to them in the dark with a gun and bellowed "WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON MY LAND???" This guy (whose name I forgot already) said," What are you doing on MY land?" Pretty cool. Then Leroy called the local Dept. of Environ. Conservation Officer, after telling these guys they were going to burn 1000 acres with their tiny bonfire. Larry came out, looked it all over and said, "I came out here for THIS?!!" So all is well and these guys are cool. They spend winters in Central America, living right on the beach of the Pacific. Although this life sounds incredibly cool, they spend 8 months of the year being massively charming to people, demonstrating kayaks and selling their wares. Not really a life I could stand.

Tomorrow we go to Dannemora to barcode their collection. Dannemora is home to Clinton Correctional Facility, an old maximum security prison. It's a very small town, and smack in the center of town is the prison, surrounded by a huge concrete wall with guard towers on top of it. The wall is at least 30 feet high and solid. Imposing, scary and ugly. I've been inside of Clinton, doors slamming shut behind me. It's intimidating, smelly, ugly and awful. Enough to make you never steal even a piece of gum for the rest of your life.