New Couch

At last! 258 days after we bought it, our new sleeper sofa and ottoman arrived this afternoon.

We've had the rug repositioned and ready for a week or two now.  This couch is about 8 inches longer than the old one and, straight across from the couch, the newer buffet table we got a while ago is smaller than the old tv stand we had, so the rug fits the space better now.

The old couch was moved to the porch yesterday.  I thought we'd have to take it out the front door, carry it down the driveway and bring it in to the porch that way, but the length was just short enough to fit through the doors and hallway vertically, turning it through the doorways (with the legs removed).  My spring vacation project will likely be painting the porch so I'll get pictures of that area to share in a few weeks.

Well, I'm glad we didn't cancel the order a few months ago.  The color is pretty good, the cushions firm and the fabric is the best we could find for having cats.  The sleeper pulls out easily and the ottoman has storage in it.  Finding something else we liked would have been difficult, and this set now goes for a couple hundred dollars more than we paid for it on August 24 last year than if we bought it today.

For today's weather report:  Sunny but very windy, and nice - currently 82ºF (about 26ºC).  I've not gone for a walk today due to an appointment after work and then many trips downstairs and to the garage for cleaning stuff out of the porch, but will get back to that this week.  And we have the windows open for the second time so far this year!  The goal is to not have to close them again until overnight temperatures make it necessary, but getting through a couple days this week without having to start the air conditioner might be difficult.  That was my fear, going pretty much straight from heating to air conditioning, and I really hope we don't.

Spring Pictures

A month and a half after Spring officially began it will be a nice, seasonable weekend, finally.  In the meantime, plants have grown as we cowered inside, away from the cool and wet.  Leaves are starting to open on the trees.  And jackets are being left on the hook more often.

The big comforter has been washed and stored and a thinner blanket on the bed in its place.  Windows have not been opened just yet (except once) but that time will be very soon now.  And the grass is getting a bit long around the edges.  

Speaking of grass; we'll see if I can do this No Mow May thing until the end of the month, though it may get strimmed in areas at the very least.  The current fad sweeping the nation, it is to help the pollinators.

A few other pictures from today after the break.

Vaccinated, Again

Yesterday after work I went and got my second Covid booster shot.  It was recommended for people over 50 a few weeks ago, and now they're talking about shots for kids as young as six months, so I thought I'd beat the rush.  Also, while having lunch with a friend a couple weeks ago he discussed his mother and the issues she's had with shingles, and he gently reminded me that I'm over 50 and should get that vaccination, as well.  So I did that, too.  Same arm, I figured why have two sore arms?

The last time I had a Covid shot I remember feeling crappy the next day and as it was a slower day I wound up taking a half day off.  Today, after my fourth Covid shot and first (of two) shingles shots, I expected my arm to be sore and it is.  What I didn't expect is to feel like I have all-out flu.  I feel so terribly bad right now.  After contacting my boss early I went back to bed, just got up recently and feel no better at all so will end up there again very shortly.

Still, I think it's worth it to feel bad in the short term rather than risk health issues in the long term.  But that does not make me feel better right now.

As for today's weather report: It will be rainy all day again today with highs eventually getting to the upper 40's ºF, so still much below average.  But I saw on the news this morning that we are no longer officially in a mild drought, but officially dry, still.  I didn't know dry was an official term.  The plants don't care and have been coming up as normal, and (they say) we should get more seasonable in a week.

Seems like we've been waiting forever this spring.  I'm going back to bed.

Yesterday's Walk

It was another fairly busy day on the bike path since the weather was so nice, but still a good walk and refreshing to be comfortable outdoors again.  The grass is turning green and a few plants are coming up, but most everything is still brown from winter but will burst forth in greenery soon enough.

This picture is similar to one I posted from the first day of spring.  The ice cream shop is a popular place just to the right of the bike path here, while the community gardens are getting cleaned up and planting started with hay bales and fresh soil provided for the gardeners.

After the break are a few other pictures I decided to share because once the flora grows in earnest the views will be harder to see.

Nice Spring Day... Finally!

The first thing I noticed when I looked out the window this morning was how green the grass was.  It was still wet out from yesterday's and last night's rain, and it seems to have done wonders.  Temperatures rose steadily overnight and it's expected to get to the upper 70's ºF (about 22ºC) this afternoon for our nicest day of the year so far and since the first day of spring, a whole 5 weeks ago now.  The trees continue budding and plants have continued to come up despite the cool temperatures and rainy/snowy weather.

I've complained quite a bit this year, and while it has definitely been cooler and snowier than recent springs Google Pictures often reminds me that we do get this weather in April so we're not that far off from average, after all.  Well, I guess you could just say I've really had spring fever this year.  I'm so very tired of being cooped up in the house all day almost every day due to cold, snow or rain.  Soon it will be time for outdoor chores, and I even started already with some lawn patch the other day and a bit of weed pulling.

The plan for the day is normal chores and Saturday relaxing this morning, mostly over by now, then I'm going out to lunch with a friend to a Greek restaurant I've not been to before but I think will be good.  Early this afternoon my wife will be getting home from taking care of her Dad, so then we'll go for a walk, probably down to the Atwood area for maybe a drink and a snack.  There will likely be lots of people out and about today so we'll see how crowded the bike path and businesses are, but I expect everywhere to be busy as many people like us will be eager to get outside and enjoy the weather today.

This evening I'll be grilling out for the first time of the season; natural casing hot dogs that I got from the butcher when I picked up our last quarter cow.  And maybe, possibly, could there be a fire tonight?  The weather will be good for it but it may depend on how tired I am by then.  Today should be a good day to lift my spirits, and sorely needed.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Edit: It's going to get way too windy this afternoon for a fire, but I think I'll manage with the grill.  Windy like last post so I'll have to check out that wind map again.)

Windy

Windy today, to put it mildly.  

It's been howling in the background all day as I worked and still at this time, with scattered rain/snow, as well.  

We've had some good light jacket weather recently but back to winter coats for the next several days, at least in the mornings, with high temps in the 40's ºF.

Mentioning the wind in responding to BW's comment on the last post reminded me that I saved the link to a site that shows the wind speeds on a map for the country, aptly called Wind Map.  I've had it saved for some time but always forgot to look at it when it was windy or never found a chance to share it, otherwise, so here it is.

Screenshots were about the same time.  This shows 20.0 mph sustained but around the Madison area I got from 19.9 to 20.7 mph.  The weather map is from a local tv station's website.  Much of the country looks very windy today, actually, not just our region.

Could it possibly, finally, be blowing winter chills away?  Maybe not this week, I guess, but spring needs to feel sprung soon.