Changing Light

Already, the days have gone from short to long, and while its been a very slight shade cooler than temperature normals, and a week of stiff wind last week left it feeling even colder, the point has been reached where the coldest, harshest part of winter is behind us. Already, I'm impatient for weather that is warm enough to leave my hood down and spend a few hours outside (We've had some - including yesterday), but I'm looking for that -5 C to -10 C, relatively calm stuff that I don't need long underwear for. Sadly, by the time we get there, I'll be hungering for the temperature to crack 0 C. I agree with Townie Bastard, its not the cold, but the duration of it, but it doesn't usually get to me until I know spring is around the corner especially when people back home are starting to get their gardens ready for planting. I'll be fine I'm sure, and I won't be headed for vacation any time soon, but I'm looking forward to a few days off at Easter. I've been flipping randomly through some water colour painting books, and I'm dying for a spell of time off long enough that I can actually crack out the paints.

The sad part about the lengthening days is that they shorten up the Northern Light viewing period. I'm hoping for one last chance to get photos this Wednesday.

Otherwise, its been a very comforting and pleasant weekend. We took some time to visit friends and play kickball (Soccer-baseball as I knew it growing up) and even got 2 games of Euchere in - I'm a bit rusty since my highschool era of near daily play and deadly sharp euchere playing, but I enjoyed it none the less. I got in a reasonable amount of exercise and cooked some healthy food, although the fridge is looking bare for a lack of foodmail. I ate half of the last grapefruit (which I can get at the Northern) and other than that the vegetable contents of my fridge include a red pepper, broccoli, a few strawberries and a bit of spinach (all from the northern), 1 yam and assorted canned and bottled things - and a tonne of carrots that need to be used up. On the up side, the new Co-op opens this Wednesday, meaning hopefully that we finally have two grocery stores that carry fullish grocery fare. I miss foodmail and I don't feel like the reduction in price has made up for what I was saving shopping south, let alone the loss of choices. Still, I'm going to go talk to the managers there and see if I can convince them to add a few fairly unexotic items to their list (namely Source Peach Yogurt and low fat cheddar - well, fat reduced)

Its hard to believe that we are now nearly 2/3rds through April and rapidly approaching May - the time of waiting for 0 C weather - and then June - the scramble for end of year stuff and then onto the summer.... This year has gone so fast its hard to believe.

On the other hand, I'm sending thoughts out in all directions to many folk who have had sad or worrisome news - its been a week of thing after thing - so I'm sending out my vibes and hoping that its of use.