I’m getting too old for this

Yesterday we helped my brother move, and I’ve gotta tell you my back is killing me and everything else is stiff. Carm doesn’t seem too bad, and he did the lions share of carrying heavy stuff (not bad for an __ guy). And my mom… lets just say that she’s amazing. She has tons more energy than I do, and can keep carrying on without a break for a whole day.

The truck was of course handy, but we also had a hand cart tucked in the back of the garage that we remembered about in the nick of time. Being able to carry 3-4 heavy boxes at a time was a godsend – we’d probably still be there if we hadn’t remembered it.

The whole moving process has made me look around my own house and gasp at the amount of work it would take to move us! There would have to be some serious purging before things got placed on a truck… not to worry though – we aren’t going anywhere soon.

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday, and when we left home I remarked that the grass was starting to green up a bit. When we got home I was surprised by how much greener it was. There are noticeable buds on the trees. The earth is coming to life, no matter what the weather is (the day before it was cold and rainy – not weather to tempt the life out of the earth).

 

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

Better than Hoarded Gold

I finally decided to change dentists to one more local. It wasn't a decision that I made easily as I really like Dr. B., my current dentist. She has treated me well, sending me to the hospital when I needed to go; fixing fillings and other unpleasant procedures as comfortably as possible. But as Carm dropped me off, the appeal of going into my old office building (29 years I worked there!) had not only waned, but I felt actual reversion. The fact that there was construction everywhere downtown, most notably across the street where they were digging a tunnel for the new train, made the decision even easier.

One advantage of being downtown in that particular location is the proximity of the Green Papaya, the purveyor of the best Pad Ki Mao anywhere.  Today I had time to get takeout before Carm picked me up so we had that with bubbles for supper. It was good... no... it was FANTASTIC! Each bite was savoured, as I tried to figure out what spices were used to make such ambrosia. If only I could reproduce it at home...

I used to eat takeout from Green Papaya at least once a week (and sometimes ate inside the restaurant with friends) - it was my lure to get me out of bed Monday mornings. During camping season I'd pick it up on Thursday nights to have at the campground - we'd race home to get the camper - and be having supper before it even had a chance to cool.

We'll have to make a special trip for takeout now and again ;-)

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

the human soul is apt to revive also

I was looking back at last springs blog posts to see if I mentioned anything about the weather. I didn’t say much about it, but I do get the impression that it was nicer than it is this year. Last year we made our first little camp on May 1st. It doesn’t like we will be doing the same this year.

I will, however, start getting the camper ready, just in case. I’ll leave the stuff that can freeze till the end, but there is a lot that can be done in the meantime. (my to-do list is seriously long!)

We had our last dance class last night. I think we are starting to get it! We must keep practicing and practicing to cement it into our minds. The teacher talked us into signing up for the next round of classes – we chose an 8 week class with 4 weeks of Cha Cha, followed by 4 weeks of Rumba. Yes, I know it is more Rumba, but we’ll be missing 2 of those classes, and the other two will be a good review!

I’m stealing today’s quote from a blog entry last spring. The weather hasn’t quite stopped teetering between winter and spring, but I feel sure that it will soon. The endless grey skies have slipped my mood into a murky fog, which isn’t normal for me this time of year. Needless to say, I’m anxiously awaiting the beautiful spring so my soul can revive.

 

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. ~Harriet Ann Jacobs