Back from the centre of the world

Weather screen at Halifax Airport. Same leaving as coming home.

Everywhere thinks it is the centre of the world, so it isn't really fair to accuse Toronto of being guilty of this conceit. But to be home from Ontario is sublime. I love our fog, our snow, our preoccupation with black flies and ticks, our unofficial motto "It could be worse" or our famous road directions, "turn left where the ..... used to be". Best of all is "That's good enough." Because Halifax is good enough. Better than good most of the time and being home is better than good enough.

The gang on the Herring Cove trail. A balmy day.

Mid-March and we have a few inches of snow. Why are we surprised by this? We all know that snow is a possibility until mid-April. I foolishly put the salt away in the basement, thinking any future snowfalls wold melt by noon. Of course, it is now slippery outside. And I'm loving it. I was not ready to find the rake and start cleaning up all the leaves. I am not ready to let my fire burn out or to put my wool blanket into a moth proof container.

Steve doing his famous "Fig Newton" dance. This is the hard part.

These past several weeks have been full of family concerns which I usually don't mention here unless they are super happy things. Steve was in Ontario for his family concerns and I went shortly after he returned to celebrate my Mom's 80th birthday. That turned out to be a bigger hoot than I expected.

In front,  cousin MaryAnn and myself, in back brotherVincent and cousin Sandy and in the far back, sister Rachia

I reconnected with two cousins I hadn't seen since my teenage years. My sister flew in from B.C. I hadn't seen her for nearly 6 years. Mom threw 3 parties to celebrate. My sister and sister in law and I took turns being the servant supreme. When Mom decides to party, she really does.  We have all recovered and our feet are no longer swollen. I am working on getting photos into a booklet for Mom.

Sunday pancakes

The day after I returned home, Phoebe came to visit for Easter

kitchen clean up with Lucas.

and with her brother, we had a darn good tooting weekend. Lucas brought a cooperative game to play and we managed to have fun and not kill each other. Although some people (Steve) are bossy when they think they are negotiating strategy. Food, a hike, coffee and cake, a father/daughter museum trip, a family breakfast and a decision to take a family vacation in about 12 months to Washington. We all want to see the Smithsonian Museum system and maybe see the cherries in bloom.

Two weeks since my last post here and all the above are the reasons I haven't any studio pictures. I have been sewing, but mostly clothes, curtains, mending and buying buttons. My quilting Bee has arranged a Retreat for this weekend coming. Food, beach walks, maybe some games (I'm not playing Scrabble with anyone) wine and snoozing. I've decided that what is missing in my studio life are goals. I've been jigging along nicely for a while yet it now time to find a focus and some goals. I'm hoping to return to writing my comic "Hot Flash Woman" and pulling out my other writing projects. I'm feeling the energy.

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And super nice surprise of all this week, Steve and I saw a cardinal in the trees in the yard yesterday afternoon. Such a beautiful red. Crimsony on the front and a bit smokey on the back. Cardinals have been seen in the south of the province, but this is a first for us in 20 years. Yeah Cardinals.

Jose Bautista at bat. Maybe when Steve sees this picture he will finally agree that the area under the TV is awful. Men don't seem to see wires and electronics as ugly.

Oh, and the Blue Jays Baseball team has had its Open Seasoner. They won. Time to pull out the knitting and beer.