Early spring

And it's more than spring, it's summer.  It's too hot to suit me, I'm not acclimated to warm weather yet.  It's been in the 70's, due to be near 80 today.  Back to reasonable temps on the weekend, down to 50's.  That's better, I can deal with that.  The snow at 58OHR is pretty much gone, just some piles from the plow.  Amazing to have this happen so early.  Mud season is short and not severe.  I drove to the house last night, which I probably shouldn't have, but I get itchy in the middle of mud season and feel obligated to rut up the driveway.

Not much going on.  Had a nice weekend, though wasn't as productive as I'd hoped.  Did not do any laundry, guess I'll let it pile up and bring it to town to the laundromat--amazing how much cleaner clothes get in hot water than in cold. 

I went to Pat & Jim's on Sunday, had a nice visit with Bill et al.  All are doing well, no big developments.  Sunday night was book group, which was a nice time.  I made a quinoa salad (curry--trying to imitate a delicious curried quinoa salad I sampled last summer, but not nearly as good and gummy as well), and Martha brought a really delicious Greek quinoa salad that was 100 times better than mine.  I had recipes all set to follow, but left them at work so had to wing it, and didn't do very well.  Quinoa is my latest kick.  Clearly I need to refine my preparation technique.  Anyway, we had a good visit and discussed the book (Ha Jin's Nanjing requiem), which was very dark and depressing and not (according to us) very well written.

Today I go to Willsboro to work with the director on her local history collection.  "Work with"=I don't know what we're going to do.  I'm supposed to visit each of the 30 libraries this year, evaluating their local history/special collections.  I'm getting a little behind and need to get out more.  I've been to each of the libraries before, but some I haven't been to in a long time, and I've not evaluated their local history collections yet, with a few exceptions.  Anyway, it's a nice day for a drive, and Cheryl and I will have lunch somewhere.  And a nice visit, she's a good friend.

Lunch with Barb tomorrow, dinner with Donna and Fred Friday night to celebrate Donna's 60th birthday, which was last week.  Talked to Fred a couple of times this week, he's doing well but is busy with peoples' taxes.  I got mine straightened out (have long since spent the federal refund, am waiting for the state refund) and all set.

I got my new couch last week.  It's not nearly as comfortable as I thought it would be, is smaller than the old one and narrower as well.  I'm just so happy to be rid of the old one that anything is an improvement.  Though the dogs don't agree--all 3 don't fit on this couch, and Chances has trouble getting comfortable because it's so narrow.  Too bad for them, my corner is just fine.  I have a cover on it to keep muddy paws off, and that's working very well.  The cover is filthy already.

Went to the dentist yesterday, something I have a real aversion to.  He discussed sedated dentistry with me, which I thought sounded great, but you have to have someone drive you home, and I have no driver.  Oh darn.  Anyway, this is my new dentist and he really believes in numbness before procedures.  This means numbing the gum forever, then shooting up, then waiting for 15-20 minutes for the novacain, or whatever it is, to take full effect.  Though this is certainly preferable to un-numbed drilling, it means you have to chat with the hygienist for a long time while you wait.  I can tell you ALL about her 2 Siberian huskies, 2 rescue cats, and snowboarding son.  But I'm sure she thinks I'm just about as interesting as she is.  Does she repeat the same conversation all day?

I also went to the doctor this week, and he was disappointed and suspicious.  Disappointed because I've gained 4 pounds since I saw him in August, and suspicious because I always get depressed in the spring (as does he).  "How's your mood?"  Well it was fine until you asked--    Actually I'm doing quite well, no sign of my reverse SADD so far, but it's early spring yet.  April to June are my bad months, which, according to my psychiatrist, is not uncommon for bipolars.  Oh the joys of mental illness.

So let's see...weather, doctor, dentist.  Work is fine.  I'm mostly spending my time weeding the fiction these days, my nonfiction activity is on hold for a bit.  It's amazing to select and purchase books, have them circulate for years, then decide they're not necessary to the collection anymore.  Pretty much all of the books I'm weeding are ones that I purchased.  I've been here a long time.

Dogs are doing well.  Chances joined us for a short bog walk on the weekend--if she trots and gets up her momentum, she can motor on for long distances.  I should walk her more, it's good for her hind legs.  She's gaining strength and doing well but her hearing isn't grand.  The other two are fine, have a touch of spring fever and were deep in the woods when I was trying to leave this morning.  "LADIES!!  PLEASE!! I have to go to work!"  They come when I honk the horn, though who knows why.  All it means is that they have to get in their cages and spend the day without me.