March-ing Into Spring

Happy Spring!!

Easter's fast upon us - I'm so excited!  I LOVE Easter, it's my favorite holiday.  I like Spring - and all the colors that come with the season.  To me, Easter is the start of my favorite season.

I'm so happy to see our 'little' tradition of Easter-Weekend carries on - this will be year 15.  Can you believe it?  We've been hosting Easter for 15 years!  The most people who have joined us was 23 about 14 years ago.  The fewest?  One - that was five years ago here in Chanute.  Regardless of how many people may, or may not, be at our table - we are thankful for every single one.  HAPPY EASTER!

It's been a rather interesting month.  We've been very occupied with many different things - but when I look back over the calendar, I don't see much.  How odd.  I guess that means the more interesting venues barely punctuate the necessary hum drum clutter that fill our day to day lives. 

A lot of our focus has been on getting Jori's 'Classy LeBaron' repaired. . . Engine troubles, door window not working, back window falling out (seriously) .  It's starting to lose some class (sorry Jori!).  It doesn't help that some 'smartie' has been removing the hubcaps too.  Wish they would just take that last one and call it good.  Then again, I'm afraid of what they might try to remove next.

Jori's doing what Jori does best - and that's being a college student.  You know what I'm talking about - classes, friends, work, socializing. . . not necessarily in that order.  Hehe.  As long as those grades stay up. . .

I know she enjoyed her Spring Break.  She didn't go any place exotic or anything - came home for a couple days, Javyn and I went up there for a day, and just generally hung out.  She's actually been home a couple weekends over the past month.  Thinking it had something to do with her car each time.  Darn thing.  The joys of a 'Classy' car.

Javyn bowled in a team tournament the first weekend of March and did really well.  The lanes were a little tough and he's still working on that hook, but his average just keeps going up and up.

Golf season is upon us. . . it's too bad that the rainy season coincides with golf and track and field.  Ah well, it never hurt anyone to wear rubber boots out on the golf course.  Not sure if it's so good on the greens.  But he has practice every night - outside when it's possible, and wherever when it's not.  I can't say much more than that because he doesn't tell us much more than that.  I know the more he practices the better he'll get and we'll start knowing more about his golfing experiences soon.

Spring Break found Javyn 'chillaxin' for the most part.  He and I spent one day in Lawrence, another in Pittsburg (saw Alice in Wonderland. . . not bad.  Not bad).  He decided to rearrange his fish aquarium, get caught up on some movies, and just 'chill.'  He even did a bit of bowling - no golf, though.

Was too bad that the weather wasn't overly cooperative with the fact that it was Spring Break.  Of course, the rains - the rains. . . then the snow - the snow.  BAH!  Something that was said over and over - Mother Nature must not have gotten the memo about spring break.  Yup.  That pretty much covers it.

The first part of Spring Break found Troy high and dry in Texas on business. - he was pretty bummed about that.  No worries, though, he made up for it.  The office didn't see too much of him once he returned, but we sure did!

Troy's been 'playing' with his boat. Folks, it's just about time - oh yeah! I'm ready for some fresh fish, aren't you? He's also working on finishing out 'Manland' - walls and new flooring. We call the second floor of our garage 'Manland' as that's where much of his hobby stuff is kept. Okay - where it's SUPPOSED to be kept. And it seems to be quite the hangover for him and his buddies. It'll be nice to finish off the walls and cover the wood floor - better insulated and easier to clean. We'll just see who passes the Manly Test by who shows up to help with the project, eh?

Hubster and I went out more this past month than we have in quite a long time.  The first weekend of March sent us to the restored Liberty Theatre in Fort Scott for the annual See-Kan RC&D meeting and dinner.  It's always a fun and interesting time.  Was a very delicious meal in a wonderful setting.  I am hoping the annual meeting will be there from now on.

This year had a record number of Kansas politicos including Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins and Congressman Jerry Moran.  Yup.  There was certainly a lot of talking going on .

Later in the month we were at a friend's place enjoying Super Chikan and the Fighting Cocks.  Some of the best Blues performers we've seen.  James Johnson is a wonderful entertainer as well as guitar player and we had a lot of fun - despite the sleet and rain going on outside.  It's amazing who 'treks' across our part of the state and are willing to stop in a 'non-venue' to perform.  I'm not complaining, mind you, just simply amazed!

Saturday found the two of us joining in Chanute's annual St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl.  It had snowed all night and was still snowing, um, ahem - blizzarding.  But so much fun!  Six local pubs, all located within walking distance of each other downtown Chanute, in four hours.  We 'crawled' with a group of eight people and it was amazing the people we knew at each pub.  Was most certainly a lot of fun - topped off with the KU game.  The sad-sad KU game.  'nuff said.

Anyway, for the pub crawl, you sign in at a pre-designated place and get a punch card.  You have this card stamped at each pub then turn it back in for a drawing.  No.  Didn't win.  We didn't win anything in the Poker Run either.  Even if Troy and I had swapped the playing cards around that we had received from each pub, we still would have had a lousy hand.  But that's okay.  The $5 it cost to be part of the Poker Run goes back to support our community.  It's all good!

To top off our 'Green' (more like white from the amazing amount of snow - 8"!) day - we had corned beef and cabbage for supper.  Delicious!

This weekend found us 'puttering' around doing our thing and preparing for next weekend - so exciting!  The menu (some of the recipes can be found in the blog too!) has been decided, food has been bought, sleeping arrangements (somewhat) figured out for everybody, and cleaning has commenced.   Now, for the rest of the week - cleaning will continue, eggs will be boiled, cooking will ensue, and the Easter Rabbit will be notified.

I've come to a pause on my quilting - time to cut some binding strips and just haven't been motivated.  BUT - I've got the embroidery are set up on my machine and have been embroidering up a storm - how fun!  Been focusing on some Easter towels as that's just something I've never really been able to locate and always thought would be fun to have some that actually match my style.  Now I've got some - chicks and eggs and bunnies, oh my!  Just waiting for my thread order now. . .

Been doing a lot of gazing out my window - at the rain. . . and the snow. . .  Hoo-boy. . . the yard looks like Crap (capital 'C' was intentional).  Between the dogs and the awful winter.  ACK!  Disaster.  Trying to hold off until the concrete guys get that patio extension poured and gravel hauled in.  I'll make my plans from there.  It may include a 'cute little white picket fence' across part of the yard - with the dogs on the other side of it- ha!  But the garden's in full daffodil bloom - awesome!

So here's some daffodil-cheer (rescued from the garden right before the mid-March snow) to hoping the weather is enjoyable where you are - and, if it's not, that you're able to get away from it!

Have a GREAT Easter!

Robin