Just a pretty view of Asgaard Farm, taken last Friday on my way to Keene Valley to have lunch with a friend.  It was a sunny day, fairly warm with the slightest hint of early, early spring.  Now we're into just early spring, with snow melting and bright sunshine.  I guess it's to be short-lived, though, with temps in the 20's tomorrow and snow predicted for the weekend.

I'm heading to Rhode Island tomorrow morning--my mother turns 89 on Friday so I'm spending a few days with her.  Travel should be effortless, clear weather and no real traffic on a Thursday.  I'm coming back on Monday.  It was funny today, I thought about scheduling the trip--I can go any day and stay as long as I want.  Of course there are complications--Weds. is my day to volunteer at the Historical Association, and I usually have lunch with Julie after that.  Next week I'm going to Georgia to see Joe & Martha, so I wanted to come back early enough to get organized for that.  Monday night is a St. Patrick's Day dinner at J&P's with Bill & Fred.  I furnished the food but knew it would be hard and complicated for me to cook it all (and besides, it's doubtful that Jim would come to my house) so I asked if Pat would do it.  It expanded into a larger crowd but should be a lot of fun.  Corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, etc.  Yum.

I haven't been doing much (seems I always start that way).  Friday I had lunch with  friend, one of 3 lunch dates last week.  It was a very quiet weekend--pretty much all I did was go to the dump on Sat. and go to J&P's on Sunday.  No, I didn't accomplish much around the house, either.  Monday I went to Plattsburgh hoping to take care of everything I needed to before my trip, but of course I needed to do more today.  It's very strange to be making this trip without having it be a vacation from something--I'm used to being excited about having days off when I go to RI, but now it's just a change of scene and a chance to visit with Liza and Mark.

Our weather is just grand, moving right along toward spring.  Old Hawkeye Rd is muddy and getting muddier as the ground thaws.  I don't always drive to the house, the driveway is full of heavily rutted snow.  I did come tonight, though, so I can pack the car tomorrow morning.  I've been well organized on that front, packing things bit by bit so there's not that much left to pack.  It's supposed to be in the 20's tomorrow, so at least I won't feel cheated out of a spring day.

What will my time in RI be like?  Lots of visiting, relaxing, doing any errands that might be helpful to my mother.  There's a wonderful restaurant at an inn near her that's one of my all-time favorites  It's expensive but really nice, so I'm hoping maybe we'll go there to celebrate Liza's birthday.  I take the dogs and they get pretty bored.  Mark likes to go to the beach with them so we'll doubtless do that. Lobsters?  Maybe.  Flounder?  Most likely.  All in all a nice quiet time.