Good morning! Coffee is particularly good today for some reason.
Just getting us started. Back in a bit.

Back and I have a lovely big mug of CAFFEINATED!

I did see some tulips peeking out in the sunny spot behind the barn. We are going up to 50ºF on Saturday so that should get rid of some of the snow. Then we wait for the clay soil to dry up. We will probably get a big snowstorm the end of the month but it sure looks good for the next two weeks. Are we possibly having an early Spring? No seeds started here since I will be away for a week but I am ready to get going as soon as I get back from Florida on the 25th. The lads tapped trees yesterday and hope to boil sap tomorrow so it sure seems like Spring.

Paul, my contractor, was around yesterday. Our next project is getting rid of the 35 year old wall-to-wall in this house and refinishing the gorgeous maple floors! He is going to do a trial run on the guestroom when I am away in Florida. I won't miss being here for the mess. I think I may just move out to the cottage when he does the whole house - if we decide to do that. In the 1979s wall to wall was the thing and the whole house except the bathrooms is done in sage green carpet!

Hope your Thursday is gentle and spring-like.

Good morning Ruth, you're up an at 'em early today!
I hope that means you're starting to feel a little bit better.

I got up early to cook. I'm dropping dinner off for a friend who's having day surgery and the house smells so good now that I'm seriously thinking of having a little bit of her cheesy broccoli soup for breakfast! lol

Enjoy your Thursday friends!

Ah, there's nothing that beats that first taste of coffee in the morning!

Ruth, we're tearing up carpeting this weekend, too, but not by choice. Our basement flooded yesterday with all this snow melting, and our sump pump just couldn't keep up with it. Jake came home to at least 3 1/2" of water on the floor. We have a carpeted, finished basement, with insulation under the carpeting and in the walls, and it all is soaked and has to come out. I'm just grateful that the water heater, washer, dryer and freezer were spared. So this weekend will be spent ripping the floor and walls out and salvaging what we can. We have a dumpster being delivered tomorrow, but in the meantime we can't do anything until the water drains out. I have to stop thinking about it, because I keep visioning black mold flourishing down there.

I have noticed that my daffodils and crocus have survived the winter and are poking through the ground. We're supposed to be in the 50's the next several days, which will be a welcome break. I'm going to open some windows and air out the house.

Heidi, that's so nice of you to make dinner for your friend, and I hope her surgery goes well!

Good Morning Chickies!

Ruth, Maple hardwoods sound lovely! We are going to take the white linoleum (which I hate every day!) out of our kitchen and replace it with tile. We've already taken the white berber (which I equally hated) out of the living room and tiled. It's beautiful!

Heidi, Broccoli cheese soup for breakfast sounds lovely!

Cottage, I'm so sorry about your basement! That sounds like a lot of work!

Sophie, Buy yourself a prize after your doctor's appointment. You'll be glad you went after it's over.

Me: I'm up WAY too early today! Guess that's what I get for going to bed at 8:30 last night. But I was pooped!

It's supposed to be beautiful here this weekend, too. Sunny and close to 70! WooHoo!!! Yesterday, I noticed that the daffodils are budding at the office. I'll take a picture when they open. Daffodils make me smile.

Good morning It sure sounds like spring fever around here

Ruth - Wow, I was excited about the 40s! Funny I was just thinking about the sugaring thing because they tapped trees on Tuesday around here (town meeting day). This is the perfect weather for it. Are you feeling better today? You sound more like yourself again.

Heidi - That soup sounds like the perfect breakfast. Hmm, maybe I"ll make myself a small pan for lunch.

Cottage - What a cruddy way to spend your weekend! Thank goodness for the warm temps though. You will be able to air things out while you're working. That should help keep the mold at bay. I am so looking forward to spring flowers!

I threw myself a pity party yesterday afternoon but that's over now and it's back to normal! Today is my monthly up north meeting but I'm going to go the conference call route. I'm so not in the mood to spend my day that way. If I call it's just three hours and I can get other things done. Then this afternoon is massage, definitely a good thing.

We are counting down to a lovely, sunny weekend. I'm sure it's not a big surprise that we are planning to head to the coast for some birding and walking. Early migrants are on the move and the sun is out. Can't resist that

Hope your Thursday is filled with promises of spring

ETA - Good morning Chelby! I'm looking forward to that picture. Daffodils and lilacs are my favorite flowers. Hope that good night's sleep translates into a good day for you

Cyndi, Sometimes you can't beat a good pity party. I'm glad you are feeling better. Birding at the coast sounds perfect!

Good Morning
Ruth, you always have such sunny thoughts, it's such a nice way to start the day
Heidi, your soup sounds delicious! I bet your friend will love it

Sorry about your basement Cottage! Hope it drains soon.

Chelby, I'm so jealous of your 70 weather forecast. I want to wear sandals!

OOoh Cyndi, a massage sounds nice, enjoy

I'm just happy it's Thursday. Looking forward to the weekend. I have my friend's son's first birthday party this coming Saturday so that will be fun. Her son is soooo cute. Everyone around me is having babies. My boyfriend and I are in a long distance relationship, he lives in Northern VA. Even though I go there once a month, I miss him....

I'm sure today will be a great day. I have a long teaching meeting this morning, but it will make the day go faster. Enjoy Thursday.

Hey everyone! It's a great day! Happy B-day once again to Lex! You are a a friend for life!

Good Morning

Cottage, what a mess! So sorry!

I think but for a few blips in the radar, we can safely say that Spring is in the air! Not just the weather, but in our outlook, as well!

Ruth, love the old maple floors! Our maple was put down in 1887 as the subfloor and covered with tile. Our living and dining are still carpeted, and that will have to stay as is, because Rudi has a hard time on the wood-he slips and slides. I'd love to getreplace the old carpet, though...maybe Bing will learn not to, ahem,...pee when he's nervous. This month is going to fly by! Soon you'll be in Florida.

Heidi, enjoy your day, too.

Linda, I'm glad there are some flowers on your horizon!

Chelby, I'll go look for my daffodills today!

Cyndi, glad to hear you're not driving today-save that for something fun! At least you have the weekend to look forward to!

Lauren, your post has me remembering parties when we were kids. They were so special! Hope your day goes fast!

Okie, you are a very special friend, too. Thx for the sweet message!

I tried to tiptoe down for coffee this AM, and tricked everyone but Bing, who is now snoring on the couch...problem is I need more coffee, too bad it's so far away. We had a nice dinner for Kirk last night, and will head to Denver for a night out at Old Spag Factory (they now have WW and GF pasta). I think we'll take the doggies and get out for a walk, too. My Sis got a new VitaMix, so I get a BD smoothie! Pretty simple day.

Have a great day everyone!

Debbie, What does your sister do with her Vitamix? I got one off Ebay this week and I haven't used it yet. It was broken and Jeff fixed it. We got a great deal on it! I want to make whole fruit smoothies.

Oh, Ruth, I bet your floors are beautiful under that carpet! I love hardwood floors. Please post pictures when the project is done!

Heidi, I have had soup for breakfast. Also taco bake. And the spicy "beef" casserole with mock cornbread. Cat is famous for having dinner foods for breakfast around here. So you're not alone!

Linda, I'm so sorry to hear about your basement flooding! What a mess. I hope the cleanup is quick and easy.

Michelle, I love daffodils, too. They seem so happy!

Cyndi, enjoy your massage this evening! I need to schedule one of those when Tom gets home. Actually, I was thinking that if I stayed on plan the whole time he's away that would be the perfect reward for myself! Especially because he got me a gift certificate for Christmas, so it would kind of be free!

Lauren, I have done the long distance relationship thing and it stinks! It's nice that you get to visit sometimes. I do think that if you can make it work long distance, you can make it work through anything!

Hey, Okie!

Debbie, I love love love the Spaghetti Factory! It is probably one of my favorite restaurants ever. Enjoy your special dinner!

I just got back from my exercise classes. They're being cancelled because of low participation, so that makes me a little sad. Hopefully the weather warms up soon so I can use that time to run outside. The yoga class will stay open, though, so at least I have that.

Time to get the little munchkins from Kindergarten. Talk to you guys later!

Good Thursday morning to you all!

Ruth - Your floors sound amazing but like they will be quite a hassle while in progress. What will the dogs think?

Heidi - Did you end up having soup for breakfast? I've done that before.

Linda - Oh no! I have empathy. Our basement has flooded twice. The first time we salvaged the wet carpet; the second time we tore it up. That is when we realized that we had mold in our office and apparently a leak that had been there for a long time. You will be fine - that mold takes quite a while to grow.

Chelby - It is supposed to be nice here too for a bit, but not as nice as there! I think a walk outside is in order.

Cyndi - Oh... pure Vermont maple syrup. Yum. Massage envy.

MJ - It is nice to have something to look forward to. One year olds are so cute.

Okie - You're here late today!

Debbie - I hope you have a fabulous birthday and an even more amazing year

Kara - Oh no! I would hate if my classes got canceled. I thought you were doing exercise DVDs at home for that P-90-something-or-other.

Yoga for me later this morning. I will do some cardio at home before or after too. Spent more time at the hospital yesterday, but had much of the day to myself and got lots done that needed doing. There is a good chance my mom's husband will move to a new hospital today for rehab. He'd rather go home but understands.

Karen, I do the P90X in the mornings but my friend teaches these classes, so I go on Tuesday to yoga and Thursday to the dance aerobics, toning, and kickboxing classes. She also teaches the ballet class. The classes are all different and fun and get me out of the house, so I always look forward to them.

I hope the transfer to the rehab hospital goes well for your mom's husband.

Ruth - Hope you are feeling better!

Heidi - Yum....soup!

Cottage - I empathize too. Though luckily we rent. about a month after moving in (and my mother passing and my having had just switched jobs) we had the "Great P00 of 2008" - you guessed it! Septic line burst in the basement. What a mess!!! I hope the water drains soon!

Chelby - it's gonna get into the 50's here this weekend

Cyndi - We want to go up to Maine for maple Sunday. If only DW wasn't out of work!

MJ - I am in NoVa too!

Okie -

Debbie - happy Happy birthday to one of the great people on this board!

Kara - Sorry the class is being canceled. That blows!

Karen - hope things are better on the mom front soon. Glad you are making you time!

As for me, back to work - I have a lot of catching up to do and feeling so drained. Meh. Some clean eating today should help. Now that my colon is clean, it's a good opportunity to stay the course.

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. I'm a tired girl today. Christopher was up most of the night coughing and his fever was worse, but I think it broke around 3:30 or 4:00 because he was shaking uncontrollably so I went to put my arms around him, and his shirt was completely soaked through. Not quite sure how he's feeling this morning but he's going to Urgent Care to get some drugs for this thing. Enough is enough!!! Big big prayers that he feels better soon.

So with my work bonus and Federal tax return, I decided that I was going to set a little aside for myself since I didn't really do anything nice for myself while supporting my ex-husband and then ex-boyfriend and his son. So.... I might've bought myself a Prada bag. I've never had one before and I've just been so poor for so long.... so when I got all that extra money, I thought "why not?" I think I deserve it. I'm allowed to be irresponsible once in awhile, right?

Better get back to work. These breaks are always too short, and there's always too much to do! Hope everyone is having a great day!

Lisa