January Thaw

Well, my friends, the days are getting longer, the sun is getting warmer and we are all getting ready for our proverbial January thaw. If you have not lived in the North, you do not understand the joy associated with the January thaw! Of course, we all know that winter is far from over and February can be terrible, and March can just be downright cruel, but when it get into the 40s in the middle of January? Reason for celebration!!

Everyone is talking about it! For the next four days it will be 40 degrees or more here in Massachusetts. For those living in balmy climes that sounds utterly ridiculous, but for those of us who recently endured highs barely in the 20s with a wind chill that knocked your socks off, 40 is our equivalent to about 70! Mark my words, there will be people out there running around in shorts tomorrow!

Now, I do not go that crazy, but I will be out there looking at my garden - looking at the buds on the lilac trees, and the little green shoots at the bottom of my Montauk daisy bushes. Signs of life are everywhere - even my crocuses that are in a very protected area at the front of the house have already started trying to grow! Protected by the snow, they'll be just fine until they bloom in March.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I planted many, many bulbs last fall. I think there were something like 60 crocuses and 70 tulips? Something like that! The crocuses were all shades of purple, lavender, and buttery yellow. Should be gorgeous when they come up.



Of course, when my flowers bloom, I will take photos and post them here!

In other news, I have exactly 17 days until our trip. 17 days until bathing suits will be worn. Ugh. The South Beach diet is going really well, but it does NOT work miracles, my friends!! After two years of basically eating and drinking any old thing that seemed like a good idea? Now does NOT seem like a good idea! It's funny when you make that decision to be on the straight and narrow, you wonder how on EARTH did I let myself go so much? What was I thinking? I guess I wasn't thinking, is the thing!

We'll see how it all goes - I have a full physical coming up on the 28th of January. I haven't had one in years! Let's hope the South Beach diet and the powers that be are kind to me so I can skeedaddle and enjoy our vacation!

Last thing - I know all of us are aware of what's happened in Haiti. If you can afford to donate to the cause of helping the people there, please do. Oxfam is a great organization.

If you cannot afford to donate, I believe prayers and good thoughts go a long way.