Sunny, But Slim Pickin'

Well, the sun IS shining (also, see how bare the garden looks???), but the temperatures are still on the low side. Like, maybe 40-ish. Its the tail end of April and I really prefer warmer temps for Spring. Anyhoo...

...no word from the bird's nest. I don't know how long it takes for eggs to hatch, but that momma bird is sitting pretty tight, so I'm guessing that soon those babies are gonna start peeping.

Other bits: getting excited for my "Sisters' Weekend" with cyber bowling and the Coffee Psychic ...Daughter #1 heads off to the NYC with the marching band this Thursday and gets to see the brilliant Spamalot ...school is heading towards the finish line for Mr. Fix and Daughter #2...which means its almost time to bring in the demolition crew for our kitchen remodel! Yay! I'm not looking forward to dust and nails everywhere (I do like to go barefoot in the summer), but the end results are what I'm keeping in my sights.

I know its Tuesday already, but there's still time to get your week on track, or time to make it better. Have a great one!

A Sure Sign

Look! Sure, at first it might look like just a tangled mess of vines attached to the eave of our garage, but on closer inspection, you'll see that its really a bird's nest. A robin's nest, to be exact. And as you can see in the photo (blurry-sorry!) below, there are four eggs.



We've been watching this mother bird make this nest for the past few weeks, even through that last nasty snowfall. But with the arrival of somewhat warmer temperatures and the layers of snow revealing building materials, she really went to town. Its a sure sign of Spring.

Another sure sign? I went running outside yesterday in a skort and short-sleeved top. And I sweated through my 5K at 7:00 pm. Since our group didn't make it into the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco (mini sob), we're looking for a different race to try. Something new. A new state, perhaps, like Iowa. Or Indiana. Maybe the Flying Pig in Cincinnati? Suggestions are always welcome, and I'm hoping that Megs brings the Lovely Leslie along as our support crew/masseuse (hint hint!).

So this week I have the goal of running at least four times. I'm heading out after I post this, which will make two for the week. The other goal was for Daughter #1 to pass her driving test and get her license. Hooray! She passed this morning and is now officially my go-fer girl! Yaaaayyy!

What goals do YOU have for the week? Remember, if you break your tasks down into managable bits, thy won't seem so overwhelming. Have a great week!

Weekend Happenings

So this past week was about a 4 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being best. The 8" of snow we got on Friday didn't exactly make me happy, but it ceratinly was a spectacular way to cap off a crappy week.

This week started off yesterday morning with delicious coffee, although no sunny spot on the back porch to sit in, and a date with My Favorite Redhead and My Favorite Local Celebrity (plus our arm candy, Tag-Along Tallboy- love the new haircut!) to see "The Other Boleyn Girl." Its hard to beat a $5 matinee.

The Redhead and I read this as a book club selection almost three years ago (when we were in a book club that served more wine than literary discourse), and the Celebrity borrowed my copy a few months ago in anticipation of this film. First thoughts were (of course) about how gorgeous the clothes were- sumptuous, even- and how good Scarlett was as Mary. Next we swooned OUT LOUD over Eric Bana (whoddathunkit?) as Henry, took pity on Mary's poor husband, William Carey, and then pretty much all agreed that Natalie Portman was...perhaps not the best fit as Anne.

Redhead even called me later as she was walking her dogs to discuss this further, how Anne's character wasn't fully developed enough. Granted, the movie couldn't catch every nuance of the book given the time frame of a film (and really, the book was SOOOO much better), but there was something "off" about Anne's character.

Have you read the book? Seen the movie? Thoughts? We've been wracking our brains trying to come up with a different actor to play Anne. Any ideas? Let me know, and have a great week.

A Good Start to the Week

Oy, back to the grind. Spring Break ended with the alarm going off this morning, at least for Mr. Fix and the lovely Daughters #1 and #2. I however, had to work the entire week. Yesterday was my only day off for the week, and I did...

...a whole lotta nothin'. I watched the Cubs game- put out your "W" flags! (for "win"...not THAT W!)- and napped in the sunny spot on the couch with my electric blanket. The most difficult thing I cooked yesterday (stop laughing!) is coffee, and even that was just an afternoon reheat in the microwave. I watched the happy people in Chicago, some of them sunning themselves sans shirts in the Bleachers, and thought about how nice it would be to join them. Yes, I'm a Cubs fan.

Growing up, I never really held allegiance to any one team. Our family lived a good hour's drive from either set of grandparents, and I remember that your favorite baseball team was chosen for you depending on the set of grandparents you were visiting. Maternal grandparents = Chicago White Sox and Paternal grandparents = Chicago Cubs.

Once I moved to Chicago for school, my loyalty was quickly determined by 1) proximity to the ballpark, 2) a complete dislike for the American League's designated hitter rule, and 3) how cute Mark Grace was at first base.

So, NO, I didn't get my Spring cleaning done. The most exciting thing I did the past week or so was to attend a concert with Mr. Fix. We went to see John Prine in Sheboygan, WI where we had a fantastic dinner at a little place called Margaux right across from the theater.

Are you a fellow Cubs fan? Click here for a story that aired on Katie's favorite, NPR, last week. Enjoy!