Ohhhhh...I think I'm fighting a cold. Went to bed early last night -- exhausted, and woke up feeling the same. I thought about staying in bed another few hours, but wasn't sure if that would have made me feel better or worse. So I decided to do the logical thing -- go for a run. Just a couple of miles -- and I do feel a little bit better. That, plus a couple of cups of coffee, and I'll make it through the morning. I was just saying -- last week -- that I haven't been sick this Fall or Winter. Not even a cold. That'll teach me! But, on the bright side, I finished my taxes this weekend -- and it's not even April yet!

OK, it's only 25 degrees, but it's supposed to reach the 50's by the end of the week. Dare I bring out my deck furniture? I know I should wait, but I'll probably do it anyway. I see that my crocuses are coming out. My daffodils and hyacinths are coming up too. I love hyacinths because they smell. I wouldn't wear hyacinth perfume, but they sure do smell good after a long winter! I have lots of tulips too. I plant bulbs until the ground is too frozen to dig a hole! Having been a city dweller and building dweller most of my adult life, it's safe to say that I don't have much of a green thumb. In fact, I call mine the Thumb Of Death. The first year I planted bulbs, I didn't realize until after I had them in the ground, that I planted them upside/down. Fortunately, they came up anyway -- even I can't screw them up.  The other thing that even I can't seem to screw up is Forsythia. Aren't they great? They grow fast, in any kind of soil, with or without water and light. Now, if I can just get my lilacs to do something. I have a few -- all less than 5 years old. A couple years ago, one of them had a tiny bloom -- that's it so far. So if anyone has any yard or garden advice -- I can use all the help that I can get. So far I've been able to grow spring bulbs, grass, sedum, and hostas. All in all, not bad for a former building dweller. Back to work...have a great week everyone!

Took my better half to work this morning and on the way back turned the radio up (probably a little too loud). After hearing the same song a couple of times, on a couple of different stations -- I'd like to make this appeal...the "You've Had a Bad Day" song...I think it's time to retire it. The other day I was on my way to an estate liquidation, and allegedly someone had called in to the Top 40 station that I had on to request a song..."Like A Virgin". Who would call into a radio station and request that...I want a name! I'm going to call in and request "Muskrat Love" this afternoon -- or something from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack -- or that "Red, Red, Wine" song. I'll get some CD's together. Well, it's "off to work I go"... Have a GREAT day!

I'm sitting here on my second cup, and thinking how much I really love coffee. I keep hoping that they'll find that it helps boost your immune system, or makes you smarter, or something good.  I love coffee. Strong coffee. None of that fancy stuff like vanilla hazelnut --just coffee flavored coffee. I wasn't allowed to drink it as a child, but as an adult, when I started my first office job, I decided that I needed to put up a more mature and sophisticated front and drink coffee in the morning like everyone else (instead of chocolate milk).  So I bought a coffee mug (remember those ones with your name all over it?) and poured my first cup. I put in some sugar and some of that funky powdery creamer stuff and took my first sip. I remember someone saying to me "Oh, you drink coffee?" -- I guess because I was so young. I gave them my coolest "doesn't everybody" look. Well, it was so bitter, I wanted to spit it out. And it always smelled so good. Anyway, now...addicted, love it, but I still have the same cup. Think I'll fill it again...off to work. Good morning everyone!

Good morning, everybody. It feels like Spring already. I just went out without a coat -- I think it's 46 degrees. Sure feels warmer, though. I still have ice all over the yard. I'm hoping most of it melts today. I even thought about getting the deck furniture out -- maybe I'll wait a couple of weeks. I got one of those spoof emails last week -- one of those ones that's made to look like it's from a buyer who paid you for something expensive, and is still waiting (and about to contact everybody from eBay to the FBI). When I looked down at the bogus item description, it was for a 50 Acre Island in the South Pacific. And supposedly they paid me only $1200 for it! I'd have put at least a $100 million reserve on it. I wonder what that fee would be. Coffee's kicking in...I need to get to work.