Spring Training or Intermittent Showers

   Finally the frantic relay race between weather and house project is just about won. We are at the point that Ed feels comfortable taking some time off. My daughter's friends were having a baby shower for Ellen and I was excited to be able to go. Mark, our neighbor, petsat for us. Poor guy...I left three pages of instructions detailing every animal nuance known to man. The dog, the cats, chickens, and hummingbirds, all their personality quirks and eating habits, carefully defined. Eventually I let go and we headed south.
  March here has been a mix of snow and sleet, and I was  looking forward to that famous California weather. The morning we headed out, the weather report called for more snow. Somehow, we dodged all of the big storms. The Siskyou Pass was a concern, but there were no problems and the roads were clear all the way.

  We were able to watch Elicia play softball.  Dugout chatter flowed freely, parents cheered from the bleachers. At this age group, it's more about the sport, less about winning. The girls were having a good time.  Girl's softball has a lot more rules than regular baseball. Most of them are designed to keep the kids safe (slide into home plate), or to keep the game moving. There are a lot of stolen bases and ovethrows. Overachieving parents should plan to stay home.
   By the way, sliding into home plate is something I have never done. Deliberately throwing oneself onto the ground takes concentration. Elicia made it look easy.
    Baby Shower Day finally came.  Ellen tried to warn me that it might be a little crowded. Keep in mind, I live in the country with one other person and a few pets....at the end of the road.  It's very quiet.
   There had to be 50 women and some associated small children. It was a little noisy.
    There was a ton of wonderful food, a beautiful cake (which I forgot to take a photo of) and a generous pile of gifts. The very best part is, my sister, niece, two daughters and granddaughter were all there. I couldn't have asked for more.

    I made a quilt for my grandson. It is impossible to embroider and hand quilt something like this and not think about the person it's being made for. The stitches sew together hope and love. They bind in dreams, tie in strength. I could not help but see all the women before me who sewed tiny garments for their grandchildren. Each little stitch bound their lives together. My mother's mother, my father's grandmother, all held these moments of anticipation close to their hearts.

   The next week, we headed to the Sierra foothills to visit my sister and brother-in-law. Their home is set in the pines above Jackson, and has a beautiful view. But my favorite is the garden surrounding the house. It is a garden that invites puttering, which I love.
   As a last stop before coming home, we spent a few days with my in-laws. Thursday we were all out and about, when Pop announced that we were having dinner at a Tapas bar. We were sitting in the back seat of the car and Ed had a funny look on his face. As we approached the entrance to the restaurant, Ed laughed.   "Tapas bar....I thought you said 'topless bar'. "
 In spite of the lack of entertainment, the food was wonderful.
   Friday we headed home. Somehow we had managed to accumulate a whole pickup truck full of stuff.
   "I thought we were supposed to take stuff to the kids, not bring stuff home with us." Ed mused.
   1. One popcorn machine.
   2. Two recliner chairs.
   3. A stereo.
   4. A salvaged window.
     The popcorn machine and recliners are destined for the theater room. The stereo was Mom and Dad's and will go in the gym.
     The window was a large picture window that came out of a remodel tat Dan was doing. It was headed for the landfill, and Dan casually said "That would be great for a greenhouse. Want it?"
    Am I my mother's daughter?
    So Dan sawed it in half and put it in the truck. The greenhouse won't be up and running this summer, but by  next spring, Ed will be looking for a project.