Spring Break – It’s Here!

The three of us, dad, and Julie May 1980, from a scanned slide

I set my alarm for 5.15 this morning, because I wanted to get a jumpstart on the first day of Spring Break, but instead I slept in until 6.15, dressed, and was out the door to get my haircut at seven. I enjoy the weekend mornings with time to read the newspaper and get a start on the day before everyone in the house is awake. Spring Break is here and I want to make the most of it.

Lately, when I come downstairs in the morning Ivy raises her head and goes back to sleep. But this morning she greeted me at the gate and walked over to the backdoor signaling she needed to go. I let her out, started the coffee, and watched through the window as she went about her morning. She did her business and then sniffed around the yard. She’s over a year old now and a week from today we will have had her a year. It is hard to believe we have such a great dog; she is a lot of fun and interested in everything. Last night, I took her for a walk around the neighborhood and she discovered a rabbit’s food that had been left behind by either a coyote or one of the owls that live our neighborhood.  I made her put it back or else she would have dragged it home, if I let her. She obeyed and we walked on. I could hear the owl hooting, but when I looked to find it, it was nowhere in sight or at least in plain sight. It was good to be outside walking with Ivy without having to worry about snow covered, or worse – ice covered, sidewalks. The evening was clear and as the sun went down, it got cold, quickly.

Late March here can be either cold or warm or both. You just never know what you are going to get. Last year it warmed up into the seventies and we headed for the cottage where it was warm as well, warm enough for the kids to take a stab at swimming in the lake. They got their feet wet and decided it was just not the right time! This year at the cottage, the lake still is still ice covered and the yard buried in snow. The area got an early spring storm and 10-12 inches of fresh snow a couple of days ago. So, spring break there will likely be Winter Break II! Whatever the weather brings, it will be bright day with no school for a week. Even a cloudy day will be welcome.

I have been thinking of dad the past couple of days, he was an avid basketball fan and a Kentucky Wildcat having earned a degree in chemistry and chemical engineering from his time in Lexington. I remember talking basketball at this time of the year and friendly arguments about who would win or how far each of our teams would go. I can’t share with dad anymore, but I can remember. He would have been excited that his Kentucky Wildcats defeated the overall number one seed last night, and I am sure he would have called to remind me. My bracket is long gone and I am just watching to see if all of the number one seeds will be eliminated before the final four. Who knows?

The three of us with Grandmother Watkins, my dad's mother, and my mom at Matagorda Beach - spring 1965

Last weekend I came across or rather went searching for some old pictures and slides. My journey kept me from accomplishing more of my to do list, but it was fun and I came across some of what I was looking for – old black and white photos and color slides from the 1970s. I ended up purchasing a slide scanner converter and was able to scan a few slides. It was a fun project and I am thinking of more uses (and probably more time) for the gadget. I am hoping to get to play with it over break.  

But, I have other tasks, jobs, and things to do like clean the desk, pay bills, balance the checkbook, and prepare taxes, walk the dog, clean the house, and more – I had better get on them.  In the meantime, I will work at Making the Days Count, one spring break day at a time!

Thanks for visiting MtDC. How are YOU Making YOUR Days Count?