Whoa, it's been a month since I posted

Let's see, where to start.

Niece coming for summer, nope. Different plan.
Me to Pittsburgh to work, maybe sometime, not yet.
Big storm. Yep had that, snows all gone, but an inch or so new snow today (first day of spring)

Did taxes today. Owe the Feds. That depressed me until I remembered that a year ago today I was unemployed. What with two employers this last year, etc., etc., that we didn't withhold enough just means that we made more money than expected, "so quit your bitchin', James!"

Watching the grandson grow is a real joy. Let's see, he's now 9, no, almost 10 months old. Still the most intelligent and handsome child ever. We have lots of pictures, of course. They're just not organized, so posting some will wait for another day.

There were some really nice spring days here last week, even though we turned cruddy this weekend. The crocus and daffodils were trying to break through, but haven't bloomed yet. The little boy mallards are following the little girl mallards around eagerly. Robins appeared from nowhere and are everywhere now. Before this new blanket of snow, most of the grass wasn't looking so brown anymore. The catkins on the birch in the back yard seem to be getting fatter.

I met Laura's latest boyfriend briefly the other day. His name is Nathan (just like the grandson). He's a PhD candidate at Iowa State who is here doing work at Fermi Lab or Argonne (forget which), but fancy physics one way of the other. We'll get better acquainted soon. I'm told he's coming for Easter dinner.

Looking forward (if you can call it that) to a couple improvement projects once the weather turns nice. We had the floors in the front half of the house sanded and refinished when we did the kitchen last year....need to do the back half of the house next...don't look forward to moving all the furniture and crud for the project, but can't be helped. Then we need to have a plumber in to make repairs to our sewer line. I wouldn't be surprised if the line from the house to the street needs to be replaced...maybe we'll get lucky. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

My woodwork shop has been just gathering dust (and not sawdust) lately. I have received a shop order for a toy chest for new grandnephew, Max, so maybe I'll dust things off one day soon. I made a chest for his older sister, but have some different design elements in mind for this young man this time.

Last time I mentioned that Sue was feeling poorly. That's mostly gone away now, seems to have just been a combination of viruses and no longer being 18 years old. She was pretty miserable for a time, but is pretty well back to her old irreverent self now.

I guess that's all the news from Lake Wobegone for now.