Enough already

Last Friday, I was thinking that I was done with winter.

I pride myself on taking time to enjoy the seasons as they happen and not whining unduly about seasonally-appropriate weather (ok, I do complain about the heat in August, but I am genetically wired for cold climates, and I try to keep the grousing to a minimum). I have even, on a couple of occasions, been a little sad to see a season go. Wait! I wasn't done with you yet!

But I am done with winter. I am ready to open my windows and smell warming earth and green things shooting up through it. I want to eat foods that taste like they grew in the sunshine. I need to see flowers.

Saturday, we were almost there. There were crocuses in the front yard. It was warm enough to open the windows. The cats pressed against the screen door, fluffed, watching for birds. The Viking and I made progress in the continued reorganisation of the house, this time working on his Den of Iniquity (what others might call a rec room). We sent off a load off no-longer-serviceable furniture to the dump with assistances of Maman's odd-job man. Spring cleaning, we said.

Yesterday, we went to IKEA after work to get a new computer desk for the Viking. I like going to IKEA. It makes me feel better to know that there is a place full of cleanly designed blonde wood furniture and limitless supplies of lingonberries. Also the bike rack by the entrance makes me laugh -- ja sure, I'll just pedal down Route 1 with my flatpack Billy bookcase on my bicycle. What were they thinking?

We picked out a desk. The seasonal merchandise moving in is lawn furniture and patio umbrellas, and picnic table necessities like screened domes to keep flies out of the potato salad. We looked at a tableau of folding chairs with orange-and-white floral cushions with a small table for drinks between them, shaded by one of the larger umbrellas.

Summer vacation, the Viking said. We should look at see what's going on down at the ocean, maybe plan a long weekend sometime soon.

This morning, there was snow on my windshield. I am not amused.